Plum Deluxe Fresh Breeze White Tea

Plum Deluxe does a tea of the month program. I tried the 3 month program- June, July, and August.  For August I got Fresh Breeze White Tea.  When they send the tea they also send a free sample.  This month was peach Popsicle herbal tea.

Joining the tea club is $10 a month, and they charge the $30 upfront. 

I think all of their teas that I have tried, I have really loved.  I can't think of one that I have not enjoyed.  I recommend you try these teas.

Ingredients: White Tea*, Coconut Pieces, Green Rooibos, Mango Pieces, Orange Peel, Apricot Pieces, Apple Pieces, Coconut + Passionfruit Essence, Calendula, Blue Cornflower, Love, Gratitude.

* No white tea for herbal blend.

This tea has great fruit and coconut flavor.  It says that there is Rooibos in the tea, but I thankfully, don't taste it.  It is sweet without being overly sweet.  It has nice fruity notes, I pick up the mango, apples, and apricot.  

It says it is a white tea, but then there is an asterisk that says no white tea.  I brewed it as a white tea, the water temp around 150 degrees.  I also steeped it for 3-4 minutes.

This is a great tea.

Tapal, Danedar- Masala Instant Tea

https://www.ishopindian.com/Tapal-Danedar-3-in-1-Instant-Tea-Masala/

https://www.amazon.com/Tapal-Danedar-Instant-Ginger-Sachets/dp/B079MR57F7?th=1

I discovered this instant tea and it is so good!!!  It is sweet and a little spicy.  It is a great instant tea.  The tea really does dissolve instantly.  The sugar and dry milk are already added to the tea, which is really handy.

This tea is from Pakistan and very fun to try.  I wish it did not have sodium in it, that to me is odd.  But, the taste is very good and I am glad I got the chance to try it. Instant teas seem to be a new thing.  I like the concept- now to find one with no calories.  :)

 

Scenic River, Iced chai with caramel

https://www.buehlers.com/scenic-river-coffee-company-menu/

In my local grocery store and I decided to try their chai.  They do use the Oregon Chai which I am not a fan of, so I decided to get it iced and with a shot of caramel. 

It was way too sweet for me, just confirming that I don't care for Oregon chai if it is warm or iced.

They do carry bagged tea here also.

Glad I got the small.  Just too sweet for me, but the caramel was a nice addition.  

Ohio Tea Company and Honadle's Chocolate

Chocolate and tea tasting sounds great....and for free sounds amazing!!

My favorite tea place was having a tea and chocolate tea tasting , I could not wait to head over to Canton.

Honadle's, in Hartville, also does $20 tea and chocolate tastings at their shop.  I want to try it sometime too.

 

Honadle's Chocolate was at Ohio Tea Co with four kinds of chocolate that they had matched with four Ohio Tea Co teas.  I learned that Honadle's Chocolate is family business, which fits nice with Ohio Tea Co, since they are a family business too.

https://www.honadles.com/

https://www.ohioteaco.com/

This was the pairing list.  They did not have the Jasmine Tea, but they had all the other teas and chocolates.  It was sooooo fun!!

I did Masala Chai with dark Chocolate bark

This might have been my favorite tea.  I love chai.  I also loved the dark chocolate too!  The spices from the tea are nice with the bitterness of the dark chocolate.  This was a nice match.  I liked them both.

Lapsang Souchong with Lemon Lava

This was my favorite pairing!!!  I do not really like smokey tea, but trying it with the lemon lava chocolate it was a completely different taste.  They paired so well.  The lemon went so well with the smokey taste in the tea.  So, even though this was my least favorite tea, it was my favorite pairing!!!  It showed me what a good paring could taste like.

Darjeeling and Mint Meltaway

This might have been my favorite chocolate.  I liked the tea too.  I could see how these played well together.  The key is to take a sip of tea, a bite of chocolate, and then another sip of tea.  Tea is really light and the mint was more of the star for me.

Vintage Earl Grey and Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Bark

                       

This might have been my second favorite pairing.  I like these played together.  I am a fan of the Earl Grey and I would have never put it with a salty chocolate, but it worked.  Maybe it was the sweet of the orange playing with the salt.  This one surprised in the pairing but I liked it.

I was so pleased to see all the customers all the store during the tasting.  I love this place and I love seeing it doing really well.  It is also my understanding that they will continue to carry the Honadle's Chocolate.  Maybe you will want to pick up some tea and chocolate and do your own tea tasting with friends.

I did not leave empty handed either.  I picked up my new favorite tea- Spiced Caramel Pumpkin (I will be sharing that blog soon)  They also have great prices on tea storage canisters.   I like the 3oz metal canisters for $3.50.  I have shopped around and this is the best price. 

 

**Side note- store your tea in airtight, dark containers.  The glass bottles may look nice, but you do not want light shining on your teas!***

Ohio Tea Company, Sticky Rice Pu-er

I am in my happy place...Ohio Tea Company.

I have tried a few pu-er tea cakes before and I have never been a big fan of them.  However when I smelled this Sticky Rice Pu-er tea and I knew I wanted to try it.  It smelled just like stick rice!

You can spell it Pu-er or Pu-erh....both are correct. 

Pu'er or pu-erh is a variety of fermented tea produced in the Yunnan province of China. Fermentation in the context of tea production involves microbial fermentation and oxidation of the tea leaves, after they have been dried and rolled

They say that this is the perfect combination of Shou Pu-er and Nuo Mi Xiang

https://www.ohioteaco.com/Sticky-Rice-Pu-er_p_826.html

I only got one pu-er piece.  It said to steep at 212 degrees for 3 minutes.

 As it steeped the cake broke apart.  The aroma of rice was incredible.  It smelled just like I was making rice!!!

Okay, I am not sure what to think of this tea.  When I drink it I get a salty taste, almost fishy.  But, then that goes away and the after taste has a nice rice flavor.  

Sadly, I couldn't finish my cup.  I really want to like this tea, but I just don't think this one is for me.

I love Ohio Tea Company.  You need to check them out in Canton!!!