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Dessert by Deb’s Peaches & Cream Parfait

Peaches & Cream Parfait by Dessert by Deb
Black Tea / Flavoured

Peaches & Cream Parfait came as part of my bimonthly tea subscription box and is a subscriber exclusive blend.

First Impressions

Peaches & Cream Parfait came in my bimonthly tea subscription box in a light pink metallic pouch that’s sealed and resealable. This is part of the Deb’s Vintage Dessert Diner collection of other like-minded diner inspired treats. The colourful pouch is always a fun part of experiencing a Dessert by Deb blend, especially the colourful label with polka dots.

Peaches & Cream Parfait consists of organic: black tea, natural peach essence, peaches, toasted coconut, and calendula petals. The aroma is strongly of peaches, with hints of coconut in the background. It does remind me of a peach cobbler, or an other type of peach dessert, and definitely has a summer feel to it.

Preparation

Dessert by Deb recommends steeping Peaches & Cream Parfait in 212°F (100°C) water for 4 to 6 minutes. I did an initial steep of Peaches & Cream Parfait for 5 minutes, just going for the middle of the road length of time.

First Taste

Peaches & Cream Parfait steeps to a pretty golden orange colour. It has a strong peaches aroma. The flavour of Peaches & Cream Parfait is primarily peaches, followed by an earthy maltiness that I attribute to the black tea base. The toasted coconut comes through with the roasted notes and a creaminess from the coconut. I do think this might do well as a tea latte, just to add a heightened level of creaminess to the tea.

A Second Cup?

I attempted to resteep Peaches & Cream Parfait, and found that that the resteep with the leaves doesn’t have a strong peach flavour to it. I would recommend Peaches & Cream Parfait for just one steep.

My Overall Impression

I liked Dessert by Deb’s Peaches & Cream Parfait. I found the flavour was enjoyable, and the peaches to be strong. It has a nice balance between the peach essence and the black tea base, as you get that malty flavour from it and earthiness plays well with the peaches. It definitely seems like a tea more suited for warmer weather, because of when peaches go in season, but I find it helps brighten up some rainy days.

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Nittoh Tea’s Matcha Au Lait

Matcha Au Lait by Nittoh Tea
Green Tea (Matcha) / Flavoured
$6.99 for 120g (10 x 12g servings)

First Impressions

Nittoh Tea’s Matcha Au Lait was a fun little Asian grocery store find, it was staring me right in the face because it was eye level. The package doesn’t show off much – there’s an image of a bowl of matcha on the front, and clear side that show off the individual packets. There’s 10 packages in the bag, each containing 12g of powder.

The individual packets are light weight, after I opened it, I found that they feel a bit metallic in nature (the packaging). The powder itself is light green with a very light aroma – a bit grassy. It’s very mild. Matcha Au Lait consists of: sugars, dextrin, palm oil, whole milk powder, green tea powder, salt, sodium caseinate (milk), carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium lactate, soy lecithin.

Preparation

The packaging for Matcha Au Lait has Japanese text on it, with a printed English and French label across the back (to adhere to language laws in Canada to make it eligible to be sold). I did have to find the preparation instructions online, which recommend using 120ml of hot water for a hot matcha latte or cold water for an iced matcha latte. I didn’t find a temperature recommendation, so I used 175°F (79°C) water.

First Taste

Matcha Au Lait becomes a spring green cup of matcha. It dissolved and suspended quite easily with hot water with the stir of a spoon in my cup. I found that the aroma is milky and grassy at the same time. The flavour of Matcha Au Lait is sweet, with a light creaminess throughout, and grassy notes from the matcha base. It lacks the creaminess that I would have created in a matcha latte from scratch, but it is also possible that I was a touch heavy handed with the water when preparing it.

A Second Cup?

As Matcha Au Lait is a suspension, there are no second steeps with the same powder.

My Overall Impression

I liked Nittoh Tea’s Matcha Au Lait. It’s an easy preparation to make, and the additive of whole milk powder makes it easy to have a matcha latte on-the-go. I found it not as sweet to my liking, nor as creamy if I had prepared a matcha latte from scratch. However, I think it’s an easy way to make a matcha latte when out and about, so the rest of the package will definitely be making their way into my work bag so I can have an easy matcha latte during breaks.

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Murchie’s Genmaicha

Genmaicha by Murchie’s
Green Tea / Straight
$11.50 for 56g (2oz)

First Impressions

Genmaicha was a purchase from a Murchie’s retail location, being packaged in a white pouch that’s resealable. Genmaicha is a Japanese green tea, with puffed rice mixed in. The tea itself was originally stored in a large tin on their shelf, and I got the opportunity to see the leaves before deciding to purchase. The buying experience was fun, the workers were able to make some recommendations on teas to try after I said I wanted to try green teas.

Genmaicha consists of green tea and puffed rice. It smells like rice krispies cereal or popcorn, with hints of grassy notes throughout. And just look at the pretty puffed rice! It’s a pretty tea, and a nice one to inhale the aroma of. Genmaicha usually has a pretty bright aroma, so this one is in line with other genmaicha that I’ve had the opportunity to try before.

Preparation

Murchie’s recommends steeping green teas with 175-180°F (79-82°C) water for 2 to 3 minutes. I opted to do an initial steep of Genmaicha with 175°F (79°C) water for 2 minutes.

First Taste

Genmaicha steeps to a bright yellow, with a toasted popcorn aroma to it. The flavour is a mix of popcorn and the umami from the green tea base. It plays well on the tongue, with hints of saltiness that balances well with the puffed rice flavour that reminds me so much of popcorn. It definitely has a bit of savoury flavour profile to it, which I find pleasant.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Genmaicha six times (seven steeps total), adding an additional 30 seconds for each subsequent steep. Genmaicha holds up quite well to being resteeped and the flavour profile remains consistent for each steep, just waning in intensity of flavour by the last steep that I did.

My Overall Impression

I loved Murchie’s Genmaicha. I enjoy a Japanese green tea from time to time, and found that this one from Murchie’s held up well to being steeped and resteeped over and over again. The flavour is exactly what I expect to find in a Genmaicha – with the puffed rice flavour, and the umami notes of the green tea base. I would highly recommend having Genamaicha with a meal, as the umami quality would balance well with something savoury.

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.