Showing posts with label tea. Show all posts

Apricot Essence - Davidson's Tea - A Review



Photo Credit - Davidson's Tea Website
Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, green and white teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor than the less oxidized teas. All four types are made from leaves of the shrub (or small tree) Camellia sinensis. Two principal varieties of the species are used – the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (C. sinensis subsp. sinensis), used for most other types of teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (C. sinensis subsp. assamica), which was traditionally mainly used for black tea, although in recent years some green and white have been produced.

In Chinese and the languages of neighboring countries, black tea is known as "red tea" (Japanese 紅茶 kōcha; Korean 홍차 hongcha, Bengali লাল চা Lal cha, Assamese ৰঙা চাহ Ronga chah), a description of the colour of the liquid; the Western term "black tea" refers to the colour of the oxidized leaves. In Chinese, "black tea" is a commonly used classification for post-fermented teas, such as Pu-erh tea; outside of China and its neighbouring countries, "red tea" more commonly refers to rooibos, a South African herbal tea.

While green tea usually loses its flavor within a year, black tea retains its flavour for several years. For this reason, it has long been an article of trade, and compressed bricks of black tea even served as a form of de facto currency in Mongolia, Tibet and Siberia into the 19th century. Although green tea has recently seen a revival due to its purported health benefits, black tea still accounts for over ninety percent of all tea sold in the West.


The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Black tea", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.


My Review -

Davidson's Tea is a company that provides bagged and loose leaf tea.  Teas are available in a wide variety of flavors in both organic and fair trade.  I chose five items from the site that were provided to me by Davidson's Teas as a sample for the purpose of a this review.

Tried this one out as both a hot and cold tea.  It has a nice fruity flavor with a smooth taste.  I preferred it as a hot tea but with a bit of honey added to it and some ice is a nice refreshing change of pace from traditional black teas.


It is recommended to discuss all dietary changes with a qualified medical practitioner.  Please do not stop taking medications or make changes to medications based on the opinions of this blog.

White Peach - Davidson's Teas - A Review


Photo Credit - Davidson's Tea Website

White tea comes from the buds and leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves and buds are allowed to wither and dry in natural sun.

The name "white tea" derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which gives the plant a whitish appearance. The beverage itself is not white or colourless but pale yellow, light to the taste, and is free shaped.

White tea (along with other teas) is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant and contains polyphenols, a phytonutrient that is thought to be responsible for the tea’s health benefits.

Like black and green tea, white tea is also derived from Camellia sinensis. Thus, white tea shares many of the same chemical properties and health effects of tea. However, white tea contains the most antioxidants. The particular amount and ratio of the polyphenol compounds found in tea varies widely from one type of white tea to another, frequently overlapping with chemical compositions found in green tea. This is due both to the variation between strain of Camellia sinensis, as well as the preparation process itself.




The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "White tea", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.




My Review


Davidson's Tea is a company that provides bagged and loose leaf tea.  Teas are available in a wide variety of flavors in both organic and fair trade.  I chose five items from the site that were provided to me by Davidson's Teas as a sample for the purpose of a this review.





The description on the box is very accurate for this tea.  The white peach is subtle, and relaxed. I tried this tea hot and cold.  My preference was for cold with just a bit less sugar than I would use for a black tea.  Over all this is a really nice tea to have in your pantry.  Perfect for the first days of winter.  













It is recommended to discuss all dietary changes with a qualified medical practitioner.  Please do not stop taking medications or make changes to medications based on the opinions of this blog.

Tropical Green - Davidson's Tea - A Review

Photo Credit - Davidson's Tea Website

Green tea is the most popular "healthy" tea on the market. It is the base for many flavored teas such as passion fruit, raspberry and peach.  It has been linked to healthy blood vessels, improved memory function and good blood sugar numbers in diabetics.  Green tea is very minimally processed so it keeps those vial catechins that aid in helping the body maintain a lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

A Swiss study even showed more activity in the working-memory area of the brain of their participating patients MRI scans.  Green tea is also known for the "weight loss" miracle.  While there is no magic elixir that will melt off the pounds, replacing a sugary soda with 2 cups of green tea will certainly knockout a few hundred calories a day and that added with reasonable diet and exercise routines will certainly help drop those pounds.




My Review

Davidson's Tea is a company that provides bagged and loose leaf tea.  Teas are available in a wide variety of flavors in both organic and fair trade.  I chose five items from the site that were provided to me by Davidson's Teas as a sample for the purpose of a this review.



This tea is just a basic tea.  It is buttery but has a chamomile base and gives is almost a passion fruit type flavor.  This was not one of my favorite teas and I would consider it to be just a basic tea.










It is recommended to discuss all dietary changes with a qualified medical practitioner.  Please do not stop taking medications or make changes to medications based on the opinions of this blog.

Davidson's Tea - Classic Chai


Chai Tea is a black tea infused with south Asian spices.  The base ingredients of cinnamon, ginger, clove and cardamon are said to aid in heart health, proper digestion and to assist in lowering blood sugar.  The black pepper, present in this classic blend assists the pancreas and boots enzymes to speed digestion of proteins.  The cinnamon and ginger, long revered as natural cures for digestive issues come together to round out this tea.

With the intent on these teas to aid in stomach and digestive health, I have read that using one cup after a meal can help calm an irritable bowel and when added with ice or milk this can be a great replacement for soft drinks.

My Review

Davidson's Tea is a company that provides bagged and loose leaf tea.  Teas are available in a wide variety of flavors in both organic and fair trade.  I chose five items from the site that were provided to me by Davidson's Teas as a sample for the purpose of a this review.







Photo Credit - Davidson's Tea Website

The Classic Chai tea is amazing.  The flavors are full and bold. When the water fills the cup the rich aroma of pepper fills the air and you are engulfed in the fiery magic that is a strong classic chai tea.  The ginger and cinnamon are present as full supporting flavors to provide a ideal backdrop for this wonderful tea.















It is recommended to discuss all dietary changes with a qualified medical practitioner.  Please do not stop taking medications or make changes to medications based on the opinions of this blog.

Davidson's Teas - Ginger Chai

Chai Tea is a black tea infused with south Asian spices.  The base ingredients of cinnamon, ginger, clove and cardamon are said to aid in heart health, proper digestion and to assist in lowering blood sugar.

Ginger is used in many folk recipes to aid in irritable bowel, weight loss and even to fight cancer. Motion sickness and nausea are said to be relived by just a cup of the ginger root.


With the intent on these teas to aid in stomach and digestive health, I have read that using one cup after a meal can help calm an irritable bowel and when added with ice or milk this can be a great replacement for soft drinks.


My review-


Davidson's Tea is a company that provides bagged and loose leaf tea.  Teas are available in a wide variety of flavors in both organic and fair trade.  I chose five items from the site that were provided to me by Davidson's Teas as a sample for the purpose of a this review.



Photo Credit - Davidson's Tea Website



HOT
The Ginger Chai tea is surprisingly a delicate version of the classic peppery tea.  The first thing that hits you is the ginger.  It is the star of your cup.  The ingredients include lemongrass and peppermint but they were not present in the taste.  By the end of the cup my thought was ... "Oh, there's the chai."  If you like a subtle chai flavor without the punch of pepper while actually enjoying a ginger tea, then this is the tea for you.



COLD
This, in my opinion is a better way to enjoy this tea.  The bold flavors are more palatable and you're able to really taste the chai in the forefront.






It is recommended to discuss all dietary changes with a qualified medical practitioner.  Please do not stop taking medications or make changes to medications based on the opinions of this blog.



Truely Unique - Wilson NC

Thanks to a suggestion by Tina, a friend on Facebook, I visited a little shop today that was indeed Truely Unique. The owner Kay greeted me from the back of the cottage, with a chipper Hello there!


I walked around the entry way and found an amazing collection of items.

The first to catch my attention were the crystal balls. As some of you may know I recently purchased a crystal ball from "Pagan Stuff Cheap" and just love it.

The crystals at Truely Unique are amazing. The sizes are extraordinary and the selection is amazing.



As I walked around the shop, it was really homey. I felt completely at ease here. There was nothing dark or negative to be found. The entire house had been converted into an amazing shop. The kitchen housed the herbs and teas. Kay is a third generation herbalist as well as the owner operator of the location. She sells herbs, teas and even a vegetarian dip that I'm eager to give a try. The store has over 250 different herbs and blends available. They even ship!


While chatting with Kay, she offered me a lovely cup of tea, which was completely delightful. I have to admit, a wonderful welcoming environment.

She chatted with me for nearly an hour about the shop's class schedule and some of the activities that they plan to have going on through out the remainder of the year. I was a bit surprised that there was this thriving pagan community so close to me. Kay mentioned that they have a community garden and offer a divination night where folks come around to offer insights from beyond to those eagar to know more about the past present or future.



For the last 6 years I've been looking for a group and this one was here just a short drive away.


Kay went on to tell me about the Monster Bash that's coming up to benefit the Spiral Scout Troop that they've helped to sponsor.

Here's a few of their upcoming events:
Herb Class with Kay - July 7th - $5 fee

Drawing Down The Moon - Open Circle - July 14th from 8:30 - 11:30 - Free

Candle Magic with Rosemary Grace - July 16th 6:00 - 9:00 - $10 fee


You can find links to the great events being put on at Truely Unique by checking out their Events page on Facebook.

Hubby even volunteered to take me to whatever event I wanted to attend as he felt that of all religions "Pagans" seem to be the most accepting group. I tend to agree.





At home now I sit looking over the photos I took and sipping on a cup of the Fairy Delight Tea she sent me home with and I have to say, it was a wonderful experience. The shop delightful, the hostess amazing and the tea, well the tea is Truely Unique.

Truely Unique can be found on the web at http://truelyunique.com/, a Blog and an Etsy Shop.


Namaste & Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(

Where To Eat in Greenville, NC

In keeping with my weekly trips to find something special to keep me in NC. Hubby and I took the bike for a nice ride to Greenville, NC. Greenville is about an hour from us. We took the back roads to avoid a lot of traffic and it was a really nice ride. I ended up being on the back of the bike for about two hours and got a little bit of a sunburn. Next time, I MUST use sun screen.

That being said, I made my weekly stop at the Tipsy Teapot. I LOVE the Tipsy Teapot. The location is amazing. They have lovely chairs outside where you can sit under an umbrella and have a choice of hot tea by the pot or even a nice iced tea in a "here" cup and not worry about adding trash to landfills.

Our next stop was a cute little Indian restaurant, Dale's Indian Cuisine, that is just down the block from Tipsy. When I heard the name I was skeptical. Dale's? Really? So we walked in and the first thing I saw was a buffet. I thought RUN!!! I'm so glad I didn't. I found a nice dish that I really enjoyed. It's called Navarattan Korma. It was AMAZING!


The price is very reasonable at 12.00 per person however ordering off the menu has its benefits as well. An entree is 11.00 however it doesn't come with an order of Naan.






So, now I've found a wonderful Indian place and a great Tea Shop right across the street from an amazing new age store called Sojourner, which I reviewed last week.

So far Greenville is looking pretty dog gone good.

One of my blog readers recommended that I visit a place in Wilson called Truly Unique. Thanks for the note Tina, I plan to try to get out that way sometime this week.


Namaste & Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(