Petra House, Vancouver Washington

Arabic Tea

 

 

I love to visit Petra House while I am in Vancouver WA seeing my sister and her family.  They have amazing Mediterranean food and Arabic tea. I went this time with my niece and nephew.

 

 

http://www.petrahousewa.com/

Washing our hands

 

Getting our tea poured, she pours from up on high- that give the bubbles.

 

My niece and I love tea!  The Arabic mint tea is so fresh and alive tasting

 

 

The food is incredible!!!!  Handmade pita- ahhh, the food!!!

 

Ohio Tea Co

http://www.ohioteaco.com/

 

I am a big fan of the Ohio Tea Co.  It has been around almost two years.  I first visited at Christmas with my mom, sisters, and niece. I was so excited to talk to the owner and found him very informative and knowledgeable.  And better yet, easy to talk to.  He was not one of those know it alls that makes you feel dumb, but he was happy to tell the good and bad of a product and share his insight. 

Well, I was out for my birthday and decided to stop in for visit number two.  I was shocked when I walked in the door and the lady behind the counter said, "Kerrie, I know you from your blog."  I was surprised, since I had never met this lady before in my life.  I love getting recognized- lol!

Turns out she was the wife of the owner.  I again talked tea with them and ventured out to try Matcha, something I have never been brave enough to make on my own.  She was helpful with the products and because of an upcoming Matcha night they were having, they gave me 30% off all the Matcha items I purchased!!!

 

 

checking out the teas

Looking at the Matcha selection.  I bought the raspberry Matcha and hand-made local bowl to drink it from.

Every month you get a free sample, this is the one I selected.

 

Apple + Rosehip + Pineapple + Coconut pieces, Hibiscus petals, Natural flavors. **Allergen Alert - Coconut Contains Sulphites,

 

Local hand-made items....very tempting!!!

So many fun varieties. These mugs were on sale for $6.99

I think this is my next months selection.

Time change feeling guilty

 

 

The boss sends this email, on the Monday after the time change.

I think so many people asked him where our coffee was, that he sent an email telling the entire office he would buy Starbucks for them!!!  What a guy!  He came back with over 15 different specialty brews.  I got a Chai Latte.  It was very tasty.  it has been a long time since I had a Starbucks Chai Latte, I forgot how good they could be!!!

 

https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/tea/chai-latte

 

 

Ingredients

Milk, Water, Chai Tea Concentrate [An Infusion Of (Water, Black Tea, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Natural Flavours, Star Anise), Sugar, Honey, Ginger Juice, Natural Flavours, Vanilla, Citric Acid].

 

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."