Iced Tea


Making iced tea in my Teavana tea maker.  I even found on the second round I could put it in my big tervus tumbler and it makes a perfect cup tea in there too. I just add ice.
 
For the first cup, I put the tea in the hot water in the pitcher, and then let it steep for whatever the tea container recommends.  Each tea is different, so be sure to check the time and water temp.  You can over or under steep your tea and it completely changes the flavor.  Also, you can make the water too hot and it can burn the tea leaves if it is a white, green, or yellow tea for example.  I then put the pitcher in the frig for later, I don't bother adding ice, I let it cool naturally in the frig.
 
The second cup I put boiler water in the tumbler, since it is a herbal tea.  Then I steep the tea right in the cup- it's nice that the tea container can be moved from pitcher to tumbler.  If I wanted it sweetened, then I would add sugar while it was hot- before I add the ice to it.




Hibiscus Iced Tea for your Iced Tea maker




I am a huge fan of Hibiscus Flower Iced Tea.  My friend got me some flowers in West Africa last year.  Then this fall I found bulk flowers at Chuck's Grocery, while visiting my sister in Vancouver WA.
I worked on a recipe.  And this is what I came up with-  I love it!!!!  And you can run the flowers through your iced tea maker twice and the first batch is as good as the second.



My family thought it was still bitter and added more sugar, but I thought 1/3 C was the perfect amount

This tea batch is still steeping, when I release the steeped tea from the top it adds even more tea and more flavor.  I then pour this tea into another pitcher. I then make another batch

Ohio Tea Co


 
My mom, my niece and my sisters visited this shop in Canton Ohio. I am a fan!!!!  The man we spoke with was wonderful.  So knowledgeable and not pushy at all.  I learned a lot from him.  I can not wait to go back.  Also, if you sign up for their news letter you can get free tea!!  And the prices....the prices are really good!


As you can see, I am pretty excited to be here....


Here are some of their teas.  The teas are sealed in these tins- so light can not get in and they last longer.  there is a small tin below where you can see and smell the tea.  And then if you turn the tin over you can see the price break down.  The tea is in order of caffeine- littlest caffeine to strongest amount.


I again, would recommend this place to anyone in the Northeastern corner of Ohio.
Ohio Tea Company
5569 Fulton Dr NW, Canton, OH 44718


You can even try a tea if you are on the fence about buying it.

My niece has had enough :)




They have a nice display of tea pots, cups, tea accessories, and tea sets.

 
 

Tea Organization



I love to be organized!!!  And I love it when my tea is organized.  I used to have bins in my cupboard, but I took them out to organize my hats- lol.  When I was in Wooster the other night, I stopped in to the Surplus Store and found the perfect bins for my tea cupboard!!!  And they were 1/2 off!!!  I was able to buy the bins for $6.50 and $7.00.  I think I am way more likely to use them in these easy to pull out bins.  How do you store your tea???

http://everythingsurpluswooster.com/

 
BEFORE:



Even the cat is a fan of the bins

I put Oolong in one basket, Rooibos in another, White tea in another, black in another, and so on....

 

They all fit except for my green tea bin.  Right now this is where it is staying.

Here you can see them divided by kind of tea




Chai has it's own special green bin.

 
 
Then on the counter are my K Cups.