Tea Journey

Giveaway: Win the Steeped Tea Detox Collection

      This month I had the pleasure to try a different set (not that I mind caffeine), the Herbal based “Detox Collection”. Christa Jones, an Independent Consultant for Steeped Tea, was a great pleasure to work with and we have a little surprise for you at the end of this post ( Hint: Giveaway!). After my yoga classes (and then working late into the night) these teas from the collection hit the spot.
   Steeped Tea is a fantastic company. Last month I had the pleasure of winning “The Classic Collection” over at A Cup Of Life and fell in love. All natural ingredients , friendly service and (best of all) a Canadian Start-up! Steeped Tea started out not too long ago and has grown thanks to the help they received at Dragons Den . Beautiful packaging and delicious teas that just make you want more (its tea so why not?).

Steeped Tea Detox Collection Canada Tea Journey

In this set there are six teas and a small packet of 50 Steeping sacks. I adored opening up the shipping box to find such lovely packaging. I am already putting it on my list to buy it again for a few people I know (I’m not saying in case they come by).

Let’s get to know the teas!

Hot Yoga

 Breath in. It smells like cinnamon and it makes you want to get into your down-ward dog. I am surprised how this tea is similar to a chai but has its own zen body feel to it but also gives you energy. This one got my fingers working and practicing my yogic breathing. Why is that? I have sinus arrhythmia (meaning my heart beats irregularly, nothing wrong with it) but this tea due to the hawthorn leaves gives me a little kick to get through my to-do list and right into some meditation.

    Beautiful way to start the day (oh my I rhymed) with : Cinnamon, Cardamom, Hawthorn leaves, Ginger bits, Cloves, Black Peppercorns, Safflowers and Blue mallow flowers. Deliciously chai and you need to try ( Rhyming again~ ).

Don’t Worry Be Happy

  Personally I am not a big fan of Chamomile but there is a reason, I am allergic to ragweed. Chamomile is from the same family so I tend to feel a little itchy and off when I have it. Anyhow.. this tea was a great blend over all (putting the light allergy aside). The peppermint came through perfectly and I could not help but breath out an “ahh” to express my content. 

   This guy is simple : Chamomile, Peppermint leaves and Licorice root. Totally a must if you love a good cup of Chamomile before bed. 

Stress Reliever 

  This little gem is a miracle worker. Today was an errand day and it seemed to melt away all my worries after a few simple sips. The blend contains: White mistletoe. St.John’s Wort, Birch leaves, Ginko Biloba leaves, Lemongrass, Stinging Nettle and Bean Pods. 

    The whole blend had a bit of a lemongrass taste that was smooth. No need to add anything as it has a very pleasant taste on its own. It is the perfect after work or after an errand day (guilty) tea. 

Lemon Ginger Tea-tox

  This one is on my list to try iced in the morning, it is just amazing how good it makes you feel. While you think it may taste healthy, it doesn’t taste that way ( I am thinking buckleys by the way). I love how simple it is with : Ginger, Lemongrass and Rose blossoms. 

   It’s smooth, lightly ginger-y and has a natural floral side to it. I am personally grabbing a book , a cup of this and getting into the bath. Now that is just bliss.

Feminini-Tea

 First off I must say, yummy! This blend is perfect for those that need a tea for that once a month “blah” time. Again there was no need to add anything but I can imagine my sweet tooth getting the best of me and adding a touch of honey. 

    It was smooth and had fruity notes despite the amount of herbal ingredients (sorry but yumm). The tastiness comes from : Apple pieces, Rooibos, Ginger pieces, Cinnamon pieces, Cardamom, Fennel, Juniper Berries, Raspberry leaves, Chamomile, Lady’s mantel, Cloves, Orange Peel, St. John’s Wort, Black pepper and Silver weed. 

   This is on my must list for my monthly “blah” kit (a long with cookies and ice cream), I know you will feel the same.

Immunity Booster

   If there was anything starting in my system, I doubt it is around anymore. This one packed a punch that made me wish I was sick to enjoy it more. The taste for me right now (not sick) was very medical, but that means its going to be a blessing (and taste great) when I am sick. 

   Just look at what’s in it: Licorice, Cinnamon, Burdock root, Ginger, Dandelion root, Fennel, Aniseed, Juniper berries, Coriander, Black pepper, Parsley, Sage, Cloves and Turmeric. It will knock any cold out of the park, large wow factor here.

Steeped tea Detox collection Canada herbal Tea Journey

The Giveaway (aka. Freebies) !

 Canadian Residents only


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Christa Jones for donating both the giveaway collection and my own Collection.
 All opinions are my own, please consult your family doctor if you have any concerns about teas (especially when you are taking prescription medication). Be Healthy. Be Happy.
Namaste

Social Tea: Justea Supports Kenya Farmers

Since High School I have always loved Social Justice and as I got older I now LOVE Social Businesses. Justea located in Vancouver, Canada is one that just touched my heart (much like Global Tea Hut). By helping farmers be self sufficient , create a business of their own and support themselves. My favorite part is the farmers end up with a better wage when they learn how to cut out the middle man. Better wages = better support for their families.

  Farmers traditionally would grow and pick the tea themselves, before bringing it to the factory to become tea bags. Because the unfinished product is not worth the same as the tea bags, the farmers get little for their work.  The big change is what Justea is doing to change that old model. By teaching the farmers how to process the tea themselves, the farmers now obtain earnings for a finished product!

   

“…Key to any social business is informing the public of the problem you are trying to address.” -Justea, Blog post Karibu (Welcome!)

African Chai was smooth,with sweet notes with a light clove-ginger bite. I drank this after dry brushing and moisturizing, it was the right tea to have for that moment. I was particularly pleased that I did not need anything in it , unlike other chai blends. 

Kenyan Black was very smooth with no astringency and a “baked bread” taste. It was very enjoyable morning tea to have before meditation (or for me it was the Global Meditation for Peace). With an empty stomach you would think that black tea would be too much, but instead it was very soothing. Waking up to this tea was a real treat.

Supporting the community
Is very important to me, it not only spreads happiness but also peace. Justea is a social business that I hope continues to grow as the years go on. I really enjoyed these teas and can not wait to try new ones.

Camellia Sinensis: Montreal

 Welcome to Camellia Sinensis: Salon de Thé in downtown Montreal. The day after the Ottawa Tea Festival I finally had my chance to visit this lovely store. Back in 2010, I asked a friend to get me a few teas as they were visiting the area. They were also as blown away as I was at the end of November last year.

     The day prior at the Ottawa tea festival , I had the pleasure to meet Kevin Gascoyne. We chatted about the Toronto Tea Festival and about the store locations within Montreal. It was a great honour to talk to him face to face and visit his Salon the next day.

The location I spent the most time at was on Rue Émery, one side is the tea shop and the other is a cafe. On the shop side I was greeted by the warm colours and delicious displays of tea ware. I left with a tray for ryakubon and tea, Matcha Sendo. After finalizing my purchase, I made my way over to the Salon side.

The space was full but still maintained its calm meditative feel. Patrons were chatting with friends, studying, reading or simply enjoying the atmosphere of the space. Once I was seated I was served a sample of tea and handed the menu to look over. Each table was given a small bell to ring once you were ready to order.

  For this visit I decided to enjoy Sensha Nagashima and a selection of Japanese sweets. While waiting for my order I took in the space, warmth of the colours around me washed over. It felt like a home away from home. The space was lightly decorated my various artifacts from tea growing regions around the world. It was very hard to not touch them.

    My tea arrived and I could not wait to start brewing this delicious selection of sencha. The grassiness was balanced with the sweetness that quickly came. Perfect development in the mouth. Paired with the quickly devoured Japanese sweets it made for a perfect evening. 

    I quite enjoyed that the service was focused on quality rather than speed of other establishments, it matched the atmosphere very well. Everything was simplified for quests right down to the amount of teas on the menu, which I must say should be between 15-20. This made it very easy for the Salon to be stocked with these teas at all times. 

       If you are looking for a quiet moment in the busy downtown of Montreal, I highly suggest making your way over to this establishment for some well deserved R & R, your taste buds will thank you.

Review: Easy Tea, Hard Choice- Three Taiwanese Black tea

    Taiwan black teas were first created from fields that were created during Japanese occupation. Todays review is of Easy Tea Hard Choice. They choice focuses on Taiwanese teas and ensures that every tea is vacuum sealed for the day it is finished. The teas are very fresh and each has their own unique notes.


Four Seasons
   Dry leaves, sweet apples and fresh plum.  Wet leaves also held a similar smell with a touch of a toasty smell. It reminds me of thanksgiving cooking and being with family.  The taste has hints of caramel and cinnamon apples. It has a creamy texture that is cool that coats your mouth. The longer you sip it you find notes of freshly baked bread and apples.

Red Rhythm Black Tea
   Dry leaves have notes of sweet grapes or white wine. Wet leaves smell like cooked green grapes.  The taste reminds me  of white wine. It is fruity initially, then has a tannic bite that dissipates.

Red Jade Black Tea
    Dry leaves, white grapes. Wet leaves, apples, Chinese white peach. Grapes. Taste cools the mouth. Grapes taste with apple taste under notes. Smells like Bai Hao oolong. Mouth eventually feels dry, that reminds me of the muscatel in Indian teas.

 

Matcha: Taste is Everything 4

 We are now on week four and the conclusion to our taste experiment. The Fourth  in series of matcha tastings to see if taste, location and price equal up to a good quality tea. Kohei from Tales of Japanese Tea wrote  matcha is not about price or origin , which made me want to do this little experiment. The previous three posts can be found here, here and here. It’s Christmas so let’s have some tea (by the way the Doctor Who Christmas Special is on~)!
     

     This weeks tea is very unique. Maiko Tea was introduced to me during my Tea Sommelier classes earlier this year. Shortly after I was talking to Dr.Ralph Faerber who taught me many new things about matcha and  Japanese Teas. 
        This matcha I bought is called “Kyo Mukashi”. The package depicts a Maiko on the box and tin with a double lid.  Maiko Tea is located in Uji, Kyoto, Japan. The cost was about $13.72 CDN, very decent cost for much a tea.
     
   It had a creamy thick foam sweet, Very smooth lingering taste. I did find a  slight sweet lemon taste behind it all, quite a pleasant surprise. Very vivid green and a tea that held together very well. 
   
   This tea was very different as it had a low cost, great taste and was from Uji. After these four experiments, I feel that you can find something that has a great taste for a low cost. You just need to try different ones to find it. Over all I feel that this tea is my favourite out of the four we tried together, but I still will be looking for new ones to try. After all there are so many different teas in the world and so little time to experience them all. 

Which matcha is your “go to” matcha and why?