White Earl Grey Tea Break

Tea break
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

It's cold today so for my mid-morning snack I had some tea in my handle-less cup so it could keep my hands warm.

The Earl Grey white tea went nicely with a small piece of persimmon fruit. It was just what I needed to give me a little energy boost to take me to lunch.

I got this wonderful white tea from my sister and when I first looked at the packaging I wondered whether flavoring such a delicate tea who be a good idea. The flavor is not as strong as a Earl Grey black tea, but it's still quite good and refreshing. I love it with some sweet fruit.

From the Tao of Tea's web site, this is how they describe their White Earl Grey:

Introduction: Made only from the newly sprouted ‘buds’ of the tea plant. These buds have silvery white hair ‘down’ that provide a smooth, honey texture to the brew. In making white tea, the buds are dried in direct sun with minimal oxidaztion to maintain a high level of anti-oxidants, known to strengthen the immune system.

High Grade Organic White Tea
Although, there are several types of white teas, we choose only the highest grade of ‘Silver Needles’, a fine tea from China for this blend.

Calabria Bergamot
Reggio di Calabria in Southern Italy is the native growing area for 'Citrus Bergamia' Bergamot.
Its arrival in Calabria is shrouded in mystery, and even though it grows elsewhere, only in this area does it give us the essential oil popularily used to make Earl Grey tea. The oil is also widely used for aromatherapy treatments and is known to have antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties.

Small Batch Blending
We use a small batch process to blend the steam distilled organic Bergamot essential oil and organic white tea. This helps maintain an even flavor profile, often ignored by large mechanical processes.
Flavor Profile: Fragrant, citrus, cooling aroma with a light, delicate, lingering sweetness.

Ingredients: 100% Organic White Tea, Organic Bergamot Essence

Certified Organic by: Quality Assurance International (QAI)

Rooibos tea - unflavored - yay!

Rooibos tea - unflavored - yay!
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

OK, I know my cupboards are well stocked with tea but I couldn't pass up this deal for rooibos tea.

World Market (formerly Cost Plus) was clearing out this tea and each box (of 40 tea bags) was only 59 cents! Actually I got an additional 20% for signing up for the free store membership. lol!

I drink lots of tea in the winter and what I love about rooibos is that it has no caffeine (and tons of antioxidants). I can't drink caffeine past 3pm or else I can't go to sleep.

Many ways to drink rooibos

Most of the rooibos I see on the shelves is flavored and expensive - plain rooibos is an acquired taste so I can see why no one sells it plain. Even Trader Joe's stopped carrying it and in the last year or 2 it has been challenging to find it. And if I do see it, it's usually relatively expensive. I know this tea is not expensive so I have a problem paying a lot for it.

There are many wonderful flavored rooibos teas and I especially love the ones offered by Teavana and Numi Tea (Ruby Chai is my favorite). And if you want to have a little flavor occasionally, adding honey, lemon or a small drop of vanilla extract is excellent. Adding honey and milk (or soy milk) makes it a real treat. In the summer I have served it iced with crushed mint leaves. Rooibos tea is really quite versatile.

When I lived in Cape Town S.Africa for several months (many yrs ago), where the plant of this tea is native, and I learned to appreciate it there. The locals showed me how you should "cook" it in hot water for about 30 minutes. But steeping it in boiling water for 3-10 minutes is also fine. Oh, and like green tea, it can be re-steeped, but I only re-steep in once.

Look for it at World Market
I'll confess that I actually bought 8 boxes, but will give the other boxes to my 2 sisters. I would have cleared out their whole stock and gift them, but I'm pretty sure that not many of my friends like plain rooibos. Here's a tip if you plan to look for them at your local World Market shop... I found them on the very bottom shelf and sort of hidden back. So if go, be sure to move things and dig around, or ask a clerk.

Now I have a good stockpile of tea and I can drink generous amounts in these winter evenings without worrying about the price. :-D

Cool Design
I adore the retro design of the packaging - simple, clean, vivid colors. It's obviously the same company but 2 different brands - I wonder why they packaged it this way? Why is one labeled "organic" but the other one not - I'm sure their from the same source. Were they targeting different markets? One of the boxes had an Australian address on it as well as the U.K. address. And interesting how the one shop was selling both brands.

I checked the manufacturer's web site to learn more but the site was down. www.ticktockteas.co.uk/

Summer means iced tea with fresh squeezed lemon

Making iced tea
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

I'm lucky enough to have a lemon tree that pretty much bears fruit all year long. But I appreciate it most in the summer, not for lemonade (which requires way too much sugar), but for squeezing into my drinking water and especially for making iced tea.

Not only does it make the tea taste better but I read recently that lemon helps to preserve the antioxidants in the tea. What a great bonus!

All summer long I've been brewing my large assortment of black, green and herbal teas and experimenting with different combinations of tea and other additives like ginger and fresh mint from my garden. Sprigs of fresh mint is wonderful in strong green tea for an extra punch of flavor and refreshing-ness (my Morrocan friend showed me how to make it).


My sister gave me a huge assortment of high quality green and white teas for Christmas last year. I enjoyed them hot throughout the winter and spring, but some of the stronger teas can now be enjoyed over ice.


Just some of the teas I've collected, some from my travels to London, Paris and Shanghai, and some gifted by friends from Japan and Sri Lanka.

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Oh, and for all of you fans of Orla Kiely (my favorite bag designer of all time based in the U.K.)... yes, that tea tin is her design. It's a collaboration with Bewley's of Ireland - she designed the adorable tea caddy around the Bewley's Gold Blend box of 160 tea bags. Makes sense that she would choose an Irish tea as she is of Irish decent.

A perfect breakfast or afternoon tea - sweet and strong so a generous dash of milk holds up well. According to Bewley's: "Our award winning signature Gold Blend Tea is full-bodied with a rich, deep golden colour. Teas grown on the highest slopes of Mount Kenya bring a fresh, rich flavour. Tea from Assam in India adds an excellent, full-bodied character. Rwandan leaves finish the blend with a glorious, deep golden colour. Crafted for supreme quality, to bring you the perfect cup of tea that refreshes and uplifts you any time of the day."