TEALIGHTFUL Heavenly Blooms Rooibos



I am selling Tealightful teas, so I am trying a bunch of the teas to see what I think.  I liked this one. 
I look forward to you trying this tea. Have a home party and I will be glad to have you try this tea. I love the taste of elderberries and lavender in this tea.
 

 
 
check out all the great ingredients in this tea, so great!!

This tea has a real nice color...

SMITH TEA- Big Hibiscus

About this Tea

The cabernet of hibiscus teas. We join luscious red hibiscus with Indian sarsaparilla, ginger, pink rose petals, and elderflowers from Europe. Deep red, complex, nuanced and caffeine free, this tea almost needs a corkscrew.
 
 
I went and visited Smith Tea when I was Portland this year, and I loved it!  You can get Big Hibiscus in loose leaf form 4oz for $10.99, or 15 sachets for $11.99





Ingredients- Hibiscus flowers, Indian sarsaparilla root, ginger root, natural flavors, rose petals, elderflowers and lemon myrtle.



 
This tea is strong and bold and I really enjoy it!

Kerrie Berry Tea aka Blueberry Tea at Heartland Point



 
Heartland Point in Orrville has a real nice unsweetened ice tea, which is what I have gotten in the past.  But, I then decided for an extra .30 I would get a "shot" of flavored syrup.  So, I went for the blueberry...They said I was probably the first to get blueberry in my ice tea.  I told them to call it the Kerrie Berry Tea.

 

 
Ask Val for the Kerrie Berry Ice Tea...see if she knows what you are talking about, I bet she does!

CLAIRE BAIE- Raspberry Tea


I purchased this tea at Menards the other night.  It's light on sugar, and the taste is alright.  I am not sure why I am always trying bottled teas.  The only bottled tea that I really like is Snapple Peach.  But, I guess it is important for my blog to keep trying tea to see if I can discover some great new tea out there. :)

Amish Salvage Store has tea!


I found this local (local to me) salvage store has a great deal on teas!!!  If you are traveling South on the Kidron Road you go just shy of two miles past the Kidron Rd/250 intersection.

 
 
 
 



 The store has lots of things, but the treat I found today was TEA!!!
they have some loose leaf tea, boxed tea, and bagged tea.  I wanted to try some of the flavors, and the best way to do it is to buy a few bagged teas.  Here you can get one bag of tea for .10.  This is a great way to try a bunch of teas. See the box, it is full of bagged teas.
 
I got 40 individual bagged teas for $4.00- what a deal!!  Now I can see if I like the flavors without buying a whole box.

If you live out of town, but want me to grab you some teas to try, just contact me.  I would happy to grab you a bunch teas and mail them to you.  Can't pass up .10 a piece!!!



Now I can store my tea in the great tote my dad made me.  Want a tote?  My dad will make them for $60.00 a piece.  It is a great way to store and see your teas.

TEALIGHTFUL OPEN HOUSE

I am so excited to start selling Tealightful teas!!!!  I received my starter kit this week and now I am having an open house this Saturday, June 15th from 1-4pm.  Contact me for directions to the open house.

I ordered a thirty-one Utility Tote to carry all my Tealightful teas to my home parties.  Thirty-one is having a special for the month of June. If you spend $35.00 you can order the utility tote for $10.00.  I got my personalized, and so can you for an additional $7.00.  The utility tote is normally $35.00 on it's own.  You can order from my friend Carrie. http://www.mythirtyone.com/carrieguenther  Thirty-one ships anywhere in the USA.  I love my tote!!


http://www.tealightfultreasures.com/

So many teas!!!!
 
come to my open house and try some ice teas too!!!!!

even my cat wanted to take a look at my new products

 
I will be making scones and dips too.

 
I am all set for a party at your house.  Set up a party today!!!!
 
Come to my open house this Saturday, June 15th from 1-4pm and learn all about Tealightful!
 

RITUALS- Orange Spice Black Tea

 
I was at City Steak House in Wooster tonight, http://citysquaresteakhouse.com/
With my dessert I ordered a cup of hot tea.  I was excited to see it was a brand  I had never drank before.  I was disappointed it was a "paper" bag tea, but pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed it.  I had some milk in the tea and it was divine!  I tried to find a website, but all I can locate is their address.  The tea was so good that I gave one of the ladies with me some to take home and try and I took an extra one for myself.  It was very flavorful.
 
 Rituals Coffee Company
 9755 Patuxent Woods Dr.
Columbia, MD 21046             
443-259-2168

What tea goes best with painting???? Starbucks Passion ice tea!


BEFORE...


 
 
I had a Starbucks gift card...so I figured what better treat for NATIONAL ICE TEA MONTH, then to have an ice tea as I paint.  I like to get the ice half sweetened and I think it is so refreshing!!!   You know that this tea has to be good, since this is the SECOND time I have blogged about it in less than three months!

An infusion of hibiscus and natural tropical flavors, lightly sweetened and hand-shaken with ice.

 
Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz)
Calories 80Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 0mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 21g7%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Sugars 21g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%
Caffeine 0mg**
 


 

AFTER...

 


 
I think the tea helped me achieve the perfect shabby chic look....okay maybe not.  I don't want you to think that all you have to do is drink Starbucks Tazo Passion Tea and you will be able to paint a room, but it might not hurt to try it yourself!


3 peach snapples....regular black, light white and diet....

 
 
I love love love my Snapple Peach tea with black tea.  But, the other day when I was at the grocery store, I noticed a new passionfruit peach tea. I thought this was the perfect time to try it and taste test it.  I figured I would try the diet as well, since I had never had the diet one.  Would I be swayed from my favorite bottled tea of the last 10 years?????
 
So, after my own taste test...  The regular Peach tea won hands down!!!!  The passionfruit peach teas was too sweet, and the diet peach tea was awful.  I hate the taste of aspartame!!!!! Plus aspartame is soooo bad for you.  I will be sticking with my regular peach tea...I don't even mind the extra calories.



Peach Regular Black
To Peach their own. Smooth Snapple tea, perfect peach flavor. We made it just for you from the Best Stuff on Earth.

nutrition facts for 16Fl oz :

Calories 160
Total Fat 0 g 0%dv
Sodium 10 mg 0%dv
Total Carbohydrates 40 g 13%dv
Sugar 39 g
Protein 0 g

ingredients: FILTERED WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, TEA, NATURAL FLAVORS




Peach diet:
Smooth Snapple tea, perfect peach flavor. You won't believe this peach of a tea could have this much taste and still be called diet.

nutrition facts for 16Fl oz :

Calories 10
Total Fat 0 g 0%dv
Sodium 15 mg 1%dv
Total Carbohydrates 0 g 0%dv
Protein 0 g

ingredients: FILTERED WATER, CITRIC ACID, TEA, ASPARTAME, POTASSIUM CITRATE, NATURAL FLAVORS, MALIC ACID


Lightly Sweetened Peach Passionfruit with white tea:

How about a refreshingly light tasting, all-natural white tea with an exciting twist of peach and passionfruit flavor? How about we make it nice and sweet, but not too much? What if we put all of your beverage desires into one 80 calorie poem in a bottle that we make from the Best Stuff on Earth? Hey, we love you too.

nutrition facts for 16Fl oz :

Calories 80
Total Fat 0 g 0%dv
Sodium 10 mg 0%dv
Total Carbohydrates 19 g 6%dv
Sugar 18 g
Protein 0 g

ingredients:FILTERED WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, WHITE TEA, ACEROLA FRUIT EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS

                              
 

To Squeeze or not to squeeze the tea bag?

 So to squeeze or not to squeeze, that is the question....

I discovered when you squeeze the tea bag, it releases tannins ( a bitter astringent taste- mainly in black teas), which makes the tea bitter. It's not UNHEALTHY--it's just MORE of what's already in the tea. It doesn't taste good, that's the reason to avoid it.   I have also read that large amounts of Tannins in conjunction with large amounts dairy products do cause Kidney Stones....  I guess it just gives another reason for this tea snob to avoid milk :) Although I do make the exception for the new mesh bags that seem to have loose leaf inside that gives tea better flavor.
 
Below are two articles I found on line.  But, you know that "proof is in the pudding as they say", so I did my own test.  See the results at the end of the blog..

 

Here is what are some are saying on line...

.if you’ve ever used a tea bag, chances are that you’ve squeezed the last bit of liquid out of it and into your cup after the tea has finished steeping – and possibly burned your fingertips doing it if you don’t have some ind of tea bag strainer. You might also have heard that squeezing a tea bag, once brewed, into a cup of tea will turn the tea bitter and that you should never, under any circumstances, do this.
If you put this to the test, you’ll probably find that it’s true, to some extent. Tea, especially black tea, contains tannins, a plant polyphenol that is known to have a bitter, astringent taste to it. It is not the same as tannic acid, a chemical present in different types of wood (such as oak) that is, among other things, used to tan leather. This astringency is more noticeable when your tea is stronger, and often squeezing the bag after steeping will release an extra little burst of well-steeped liquid from within the tea bag – and this can add a slight bitterness to the tea. That being said, if you are steeping your tea for a reasonable amount of time, you’re not going to notice a huge change.
It’s worth noting that herbal teas, as well as white and green teas, contain little to no tannins depending on the makeup of each individual tea. Those tea bags can be squeezed to your hearts content without any worry about adding unwanted bitterness to an otherwise good cuppa.


http://breweddaily.com/2008/12/squeezing-tea-bags-into-tea/


The British would never squeeze a tea bag because it upsets the brewing of the tea.  The tea contains tannins, which give an astringent flavor to the tea.  They don't dissolve as easily as the other flavor chemicals in the tea, but will come out when when you squeeze the leaves.  You'd get the same effect by brewing it longer.

They say that if you want stronger tea, use more tea.  Squeeze teabags upsets the balance of the flavor.

But it's not going to kill you.  It's perfectly healthy.  And sometimes, I like my tea on the astringent side, since I dampen the effect with lemon and sugar.  (Milk is even better at removing astringency.)  So go ahead and squeeze the bag, if the flavor appeals to you.

I'm not sure where that person got the notion, but it's fine to squeeze the tea bag. There's really nothing harmful in tea except tannic acid, but only in large quantities in conjunction with lots of dairy products (combines to make kidney stones). Anyway, the process of tea brewing releases everything in the tea leaves, so squeezing the tea bag will improve taste if nothing else.



http://askville.amazon.com/true-healthy-squeeze-tea-bag-brewing/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=3075289


My personal research:

Rituals Coffee Company

9755 Patuxent Woods Dr
Columbia, MD 21046-2286
Tel: (443) 259-2168 

 
I took 2 exact bags of black tea...they say that is the tea where you notice the bitterness the most.  So, I took these black teas, put each one in the cup of hot water, set the timer for 3 minutes, per the back of the tea bag and I waited.

 
Once the timer went off, I pulled both tea bags out of the water at the same time.  I however, took the one bag and squeezed out the excess water/tea back into the cup.

 
What did I discover you ask....That the tea that had been squeezed was slightly bitter. So, I would agree that there is more of a bitter taste if you squeeze the bag. It was not awful, but I would say I DID recognize a difference.
Another note, I did like this tea. It is new for me.  I picked it up at City Square Steak House in Wooster.  I would prefer not to drink tea out of "paper" bags, but as far as taste goes, it was a good tea.

TEALIGHTFUL

I am happy to announce that I am now a Tealightful consultant.  Want to have a tea tasting party?  I would love to show you the Tealightful teas!  I am consultant #792

http://www.tealightfultreasures.com/



Importance of Water Tempature

I have heard that water temperature is really important.  That people actually notice a difference in the taste of the tea.  So, I thought I better do some research on this.   I typically use my Gevalia Coffee maker to heat my water.  I have never used it for coffee, so it is not tainted with any coffee :)

I checked the Gevalia on line and the temp range 175 - 195.  I think I will need to do a study to see if I can tell a difference in the water temperature....

After looking at several articles on line, I do see some variance in all their times-
Green tea 150-195
 Black Tea 200-212
Oolong 180-212
Pur eh 212
White Tea 150-boiling 
Herbal boiling 
 Rooibos boiling

Here is what they are saying on line about the water temperatures and the importance:

 These temperatures are suggested and generalized. Depending upon the specific tea, the volume of leaf, and the length of steeping, you may wish to play around with temperature to understand its effect on the resulting brew.  Everyone has a different perspective on tea and water temperature. The Taiwanese use boiling water on their oolongs, the British swear by boiling water on their black teas, the Japanese use barely warm water to brew their finest gyokuro green tea.

Different teas require different steeping temperatures. Aside from choosing the best water and tea leaves possible, Water temperature is the most critical element in preparing the perfect cup of tea. Using the wrong steeping temperature is probably the most common error people make when preparing tea.  You might need a bit of trial and error to get the perfect cup.   If you don't have a thermometer handy, you can tell the water temperature by watching the bubbles.
*****Small bubbles will float to the surface of the water 160-170F, and you'll see strings of bubbles from the bottom of the kettle at 180-190F. After that, you'll have a full rolling boil.*******


 Water Temperature Why is this important?
Since goal of conscious brewing is to bring out the best qualities of a given tea, we often try to stop the brewing just as the tannins develop enough to give the tea a nice finish. If the water is too cool, no tannin will be released, resulting in an incomplete flavor, an empty spot in that tea's particular flavor profile. As water temperature increases so will the amount of tannin in the brew. That tannin can dominate the flavor and other elements will be missed. In some cases only a taste of bitterness remains.
Why are green teas better with a lower water temperature?
When the tea is less oxidized, the lower brewing temperature provides a complex and full flavor. Japanese green teas in particular are very raw -- like fresh garden produce. And as with produce, if you put boiling water on it you will cook it. What you get in your cup will seem more like cooked vegetables than an elegant, sweet, light beverage.
The body, or viscosity, of a green tea results from dissolved particulate matter in the cup (such as miniscule hairs and leaf matter). If the water is too hot more acids will be released destroying this matter and reducing the body of the tea.
Why are black teas better with a higher water temperature?
The more oxidized a tea, the more stable. Hotter water is required to bring out the tannins in the tea into the cup. If the water is not hot enough, the brew will be weak and lacking in body.
One good experiment is to take a Japanese or Chinese green tea and use the same amount of leaf and the same steeping times but at different temperatures. Sip the resulting brews side by side and see if the difference is noticeable to you. Our bet is that it will be.

 Regardless of which apparatus you choose to boil your water, remember to follow these guidelines when
starting out.  Heat the water in a glass, ceramic or clay teapot until it reaches a boil
(212 degrees Fahrenheit) then allow the water to cool before brewing your tea.
Guideline:  180 degrees for green tea, 190 degrees for Oolong tea, 200 degrees for
black tea.
This is especially important when preparing delicate green teas.  These temperatures
can be increased following successive brews.  Quality teas can often be steeped 2-3
times.  


ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:

Black tea generally should be made with water at a full, rolling boil, 212 degrees.

Oolong tea (also known as wulong tea) should be made with water a little bit below boiling, between 190 and 203 degrees. The water should be steaming rapidly and there should many bubbles rising in the kettle, but not really breaking the surface.

Green teas should be made with slightly cooler water, between 160 and 180 degrees. The steam should be wafting or gently swirling out of the kettle.

White teas should be made with even cooler water, anywhere from 150 to 160 degrees, when you see the very first hint of steam.

Puerh teas are very different, I have had them made with cooler water, similar to a green tea. But my favorite method is to make them with boiling water and steep them a long time.

Herbal teas should typically be made with boiling water.



ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:

Black tea - Black is the most robust of the tea varieties and can be brewed in truly boiling water, usually steeped for 4-6 minutes.
Oolong tea - As to be expected, oolong tea falls between green and black. The best temperature is around 190F. But oolong should be steeped longer than black tea, for around 5-8 minutes.
Green tea - You will need to be more gentle with your green teas. The water temperature should be around 150-160F and only steeped for 2-4 minutes.
White tea - Another delicate tea that should be treated gently. Water can be a bit warmer than for green tea, at 180F. You should let it steep longer though. At least 4-6 minutes.
Rooibos tea - This red herbal tea from South Africa is very hardy stuff and should be prepared with fully boiling water, just like black tea.
Most herbal teas - With so many different herbs that can be used for herbal tea blends, there is no way to give any temperature or steeping guidelines with any accuracy. Most herbs can be brewed in boiling water and steeped for about 5 minutes.
.
ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:
  • White teas: 165 F (water well before it boils)
  • Green teas: 170-185 F (just as steam begins to leave the spout of the teapot)
  • Oolong teas: 180-205 F (cooling for a few minutes off a boil)
  • Black teas: 205 F (cooling for a minute off a boil)
  • Pu-erh teas: 212 F (boiling water)
AND YET ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:

  • Black Tea - The darkest color tea, and the most commonly know (in my experience). Steep time of 4-5 minutes with boiling water (212º F), sometimes milk and sugar are added. Black tea is not suitable to multiple infusions (steeping the tea leaves a second time or more).
  • Green Tea - Green-ish yellow in color, more green or yellow depending on type. Steep time is 3 minutes (maximum!) with rumbling water (176 °F to 185 °F). Some people listen for the moment when the water is "rumbling" or just about to boil, and some people let the water boil and then cool for minute before pouring over tea leaves. Sugar can be added to green tea, but milk is typically not. Some green teas are suitable for multiple infusions. (Don't apply these rules to matcha powdered tea!)
  • Oolong Tea - This tea is a yellow or something orange color, depending on region/type. Steep for anywhere from 3-7 minutes with water 194 °F to 212 °F (just start to boil up to full rolling boil). There is a lot of variation on steep time for oolongs, so do what tastes best for you for each oolong. Oolongs are suitable for multiple infusions, depending on quality and strength of the tea.
  • White Tea - White tea is very light, in color and flavor, very commonly infused multiple times (with good quality white tea). Steep in boiling water for up to 7 minutes (recommend starting at 7 minutes, as the flavor can be very light).
  • Pu Erh Tea - This is an area of tea in which the steep time is very subjective and crucial to the success of the tea preparation. I have yet to master the making of pu erh, but I do know that boiling water is typically used and gong fu style preparation is often used as well (this is not an area of tea to start in as a novice).
  • Herbal Tea (Tisanes) - Boiling water, leave the tea in as long as you want to (typically 7 minutes). Pretty simple, no? Tisanes don't contain actual tea, so they are less likely to become bitter or drying with a long steep, so this is one area in which you're unlikely to hurt the quality of the beverage too horribly.
AND STILL ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:

BeveragePreferred Temperature Range
°F°C
Herbal Tea203° – 212°95° – 100°
White Tea167° – 185°75° – 85°
Green Tea, regular185° – 195°85° – 91°
Green Tea, delicate155° – 168°68° – 75°
Oolong Tea185° – 194°85° – 90°
Black Tea203° – 212°95° – 100°
Ph-Erh210° – 212°99° – 100°
Coffee185° – 196°85° – 91°
 



 












 
 
 Sources:
 


TIESTA TEA- Fruity Pebbles

 
I found tiesta tea when I was in Cincinnati at Jungle Jim's, one container is $5.99.  I have never heard of the tea before.  It is a nice tea, I discovered it can not be over steeped or it gets very bitter.  I also thought with a name like Fruity Pebbles it would be a stronger taste.  It is okay, but I think I would like it better if it was stronger.  I think I will mix it with another tea next time I try it.



Chinese Sencha green tea, Lung Ching, Pai Mu Tan white tea, papaya bits, pineapple bits, rose petals, strawberry bits


 
First, how adorable are these new owl mugs I have?!
   On a scale of 1 to 5.  I would give it a 3.