tea with my snowman!!!!

We finally got some snow and before it melted I ran out and made a snowman!  Or to be PC- it was a snowlady.

We shared some tea together

 

I love snow, purple, hats, and tea!  So this is a snow me!

STEEP TIMES and WATER TEMPS FOR HOT (Loose Leaf) TEA:

Hope you find this helpful....

 

Black tea: 5 minutes, water temp between 200 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Chinese Green tea: 3-4 minutes, water temp between 170 and 185 degrees Fahrenheit

Japanese Green Tea: 30 sec - 2 minutes, water temp between 170-185 degrees

Sencha: 2 minutes, water temps between 175-190 degrees Fahrenheit

Gyokuro : 3 minutes, water temps between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit

Genmaicha: 1 minute, water temps between 175-190 degrees Fahrenheit

Oolong: 3 minutes, water temp between 190 to 200 degrees

White tea: 4-6 minutes, water temp between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit

Flavored White: 2 minutes, water temp between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit

Pu-erh: 3-7 minutes, water temp between 205 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Yellow tea: 3 minutes, water temps between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit

Rooibos tea: 6-7 minutes, water temp between 205 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Honeybush Tea:5-8 minutes, water temp between 205 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Chai tea: 5 minutes, water temp 200 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Herbal tea: 5 - 6 minutes, water temp between 200 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Mate tea: 5-6 minutes, water temp between 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit

Tisanes tea: 7 - 9 minutes, water temp between 200 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit

Blooming tea: 3-4 minutes, water temps between 175 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit re-use bloom 4-5 times

Matcha Tea: water temp between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit

Snapple Christmas tree

In 2003 I made a Christmas tree with my Snapple lids.  I love to read the facts inside the lids!

Tea Testing with nephews

My nephews love to test tea at Aunt Kerrie's house.  We made hot tea, cold-brewed tea and iced tea.  Ryan liked almost everything, but Kyle says he is, "more of an iced tea guy"

 

Love these boys

Smith Teamaker, Strawberry Honeybush

Once again, while in the Portland area I asked my sister if we could visit Smith Tea.  This is my first year at there taste testing rooms though.  The building is really fun and unique. It was an old blacksmith shop.  I loved the "vibe"

 

https://www.smithtea.com/pages/shop

 

entrance

Checking out the tasting room

https://www.smithtea.com/pages/retail

I tried the teas on tap- Strawberry Honeybush, Sarsaparilla, and Nitro Blackberry Brahmin

 

I went for the Strawberry Honeybush. It was different, but good. Although, not something I would drink very often- but super fun to try! I am not sure what it was- the carbonation (Which I am a huge fan of carbonation) or if was the flavor- but it just wasn't something I would reach for to drink on a regular basis.

Jamba Juice Matcha Smoothy- Denver

 

On my way home from Washington and visiting my sister and her family I stopped in Denver.  I met up with three of the girls I was in Thailand with. It was great to see them!!!!  We walked around lodo- Lower Downtown.  I had my first ever Matcha Green Tea Smoothie.    It was really good.  I would so get it again. I think I thought it would be chalky tasting and it wasn't at all.  It was very good.

 

http://www.jambajuice.com/

 

 

A Blend Of

Soymilk (Contains Soy), Nonfat Frozen Yogurt (Contains Milk), Ice, Matcha Green Tea

 

Enjoying Lower Downtown Denver

Townsend Brew Dr Kumbucha

 

http://brewdrkombucha.com/

 

I fell in love with this tea while in Vancouver Washington.  I happened upon a Kombucha taste testing at a Chuck's grocery store.  This drink is so good and refreshing!  Superberry was my favorite of the ones I tried there.  I actually visited one of their tea shops last year when I was in town, but I had bubble tea instead of Kombucha....maybe next time I will get one of each.

 

from the website:

 

"Organic 100% raw kombucha
made by a tea company

We start with the same great-tasting organic tea blends we serve at our Townshend’s Teahouses. No juices or flavors are added after fermentation, making Brew Dr. a truly organic and 100% raw kombucha with the most naturally occurring probiotics possible"

Lots of unique and fun flavors to try!

 

Also from their website:

 

"What are the “probiotics” in kombucha? And why are they good for us?
Brew Dr. Kombucha hosts billions of probiotics in every bottle. Here are the details:

• Beneficial bacteria and yeasts (acetic acetobacter, lactobacillus, saccharomyces) that help populate the gut with healthy flora to aid in digestion
• Organic acids: acetic acid, lactic acid, propionic acid, glucuronic acid and gluconic acid. These organic acids are known to improve bioavailability of vitamins, prevent accumulation of heavy metals and insoluble oxalates, inhibit pathogenic bacteria, support joint health, modulate immunity and prevent cancer proliferation."

 

 

 

Lego tea 12 oz cup

 

this cup is great and fun to play with, the only draw back is that it isn't bigger. I would love for it to be a 16 or 18 oz. :)

 

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=lego+build+mug&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=78615086680770&hvqmt=b&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7alqy8piaq_b

 

 

Lego fun and tea- Great way to start your day....

Two sides look like you can add legos, but you can't...they are smooth for drinking.  Only one side can you add lego pieces.  And it really did not come with many pieces, I added my own pieces.

button tea cup shirt

Time for another tea craft-

I had so much fun making a button tea cup shirt.  super easy, I just kept playing around until I liked the look. I used E6000 glue (its waterproof).  I've already washed the shirt once and had no issues.

 

Close up

etsy inspiration

 etsy inspiration

I have one for Valentine's Day

Tea Chai Te Lavender Earl Grey

https://www.teachaite.com/products/earl-grey-lavender-organic-tea

 

A special black tea with bergamot and lavender flowers. Caffeinated.

 

 

  

I was so very excited to try this tea.  I love this tea shop!  I visit every year when I am in town. I also am a huge fan of Lavender Earl Grey.  In 2016 while in Washington/Oregon I tried a lavender Earl Grey and I loved it, I wished I had bought some.  So, imagine my excitement when I was in town and saw that Tea Chai had this same tea!!!  I rushed to buy it.  I got home and I was amazed how horrible the smell was- it smelled like a cheap lavender perfume.  But, I went ahead and made the tea.  It was the worst tea I have ever tasted, and as a tea blogger- this says a lot!!!  I threw away all the tea. I can't tell you how sad I am on this epic fail.

St Louis Teavana/Starbucks

Hanging out in the airport and loving my Passion Iced Tea with half pumps of syrup.