Repubic of Tea: Peppermint Bark Tea

Republic of Tea sent me this sample of Peppermint Bark along with a catalog, so time to put it to the test. Steep time is provided by company: 5-7mins. This is a rooibos tea, but since it has strong peppermint flavor, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to herbal tea drinkers. This tea has a sweet taste despite not being sweetened in any way. Pair it with sweet potato casserole or cinnamon buns.

Single tea bag packet

Directions on back

Now steeping in mugs near you!

Cold-Brew Coffee: Seattle's Best Coffee

Decided to try out cold brew overnight in the french press. Drop in a 1-to-1 Tbs to filtered water ratio in the pitcher. Enjoy with milk (or mylk) and sweetener of choice.

French pressed with love

Guayaki Yerba Mate: Endurance

Today, I'm trying Guayaki-brand Yerba mate (endurance-type). Ingredients include: Yerba Maté, Orange, Lemon, Rosehips, Cinnamon, Stevia. Steep-time is recommended at 5-10 minutes, but since this is such a strong tea, I prefer it on the shorter steep time. 

Steeped Yerba mate, 5 min steep time

Try yerba mate cold also for a slightly bitter, but refreshing drink. This flavor has a slightly citrus taste, however, still tastes strongly of yerba mate. Pair yerba mate with cinnamon scones or a salad.

Jasmine Tea

Purchased from our nearby Asian grocery store, this jasmine tea (by Wei-Chuan) is a floral bouquet perfect to pair with coconut rice or brie and a baguette.

25 tea bags for $1.99, not bad!

Package-recommended steep time: 3-5 mins
My steep time: 3 mins

We found that a 3 minute steep time was more than generous and allowed the fragrant jasmine scent to be released into the tea. This tea would probably taste perfect cold, so I look forward to testing that out in the future.

Bigelow's Spiced Chai Black Tea

Today I am sampling Bigelow's Spiced Chai Black Tea (Decaffeinated variety). Although this tea is satisfying as I would expect of a Bigelow tea, the flavor cannot really compare to authentic chai tea. 

A wrapped tea sachet, taunting and ready to go.

After the suggested 4 minute steep time.

A scrumptious black tea, by no means spicy enough to merit the title "chai", still a nice belly warmer and goes well with a splash of soy milk and a spoon of maple syrup. Ready to make a mock-chai tea? Brew a pot or kettle of this tea and stir in a pinch of each of the following: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, ginger. Stir very well until the spices have all but disappeared. Try that blend with honey and milk for a chai-substitute.

Rooibos with Asian Pear Tea

Bigelow produced this unusual red tea combination: pear rooibos tea. Seeing it in the discount area of my grocery store (assumedly due to the strange combo and possibly due to the lack of red tea following), I decided to pick up a box to see if the demotion was merited or not.

A single tea bag packet

Steeping produces a deep maroon color.

I steeped it for two minutes before removing the tea sachet. The smell is reminiscent of pear skin, so I guess you can say they nailed that. The taste simply seemed to fall under the rooibos category in my opinion. Although this isn't a tea I would drink everyday, it's not half bad and would be a great pick for a cool spring day, to accompany a big bowl of salad or a side of sliced fruit.

Samurai Chai Tea

Can you believe this turns into a cup of yellow-green-colored tea?

Hanging around on a cool autumn day, this tea is very calming and comforting. Though it lacks the typical chai tea spiciness, the blend of fruitiness and chai is appealing.

I recommend a steep time of five minutes for a couple of teaspoons of this loose tea. The second brew is noticeably weaker. Try with a tsp of honey or maple syrup, but note that these will affect the taste.