Tag: Black Tea

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Teatourist’s Crushes & Blushes Collection

Crushes & Blushes Collection (February 2018) by Teatourist
£11-15 for 1 box, plus shipping (+£3-5 per box)

Teatourist has provided me with the Crushes & Blushes Collection for the purposes of providing an honest review.

First Impressions

I was super excited to receive the Crushes & Blushes Collection from Teatourist. Part of this box also included the announcement that they’re launching the Build-A-Box option on their website. It’s super neat for those who want to choose their own teas instead of getting one of the curated collections. You get to pick any six teas from Teatourist’s extensive catalogue of teas, and then they’ll package it all together and send it to you. No word yet on how much this will cost. I personally love getting the curated boxes, because a lot of the teas I get are ones that I probably wouldn’t pick for myself, but love getting the opportunity to try. So if you’re into surprises, the subscription box might be a great choice for you – but if you want to choose your own due to allergies or just personal preference, that’s an option! You could even gift a Build-A-Box to someone and put all that though and effort into a personalized tea box.

Now onto the Crushes & Blushes Collection! This box has a selection of six tea tasters: two herbal infusions, one white tea, one black tea, one rooibos, and one green tea. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on all six of them: Whole Rose Buds from The Tea Makers of London (herbal infusion), North Jetty Beach by Beach House Teas (herbal infusion), Sparkling White by Hoogly Tea (white tea), Honey Red Jade Tea by Golden Tea Leaf (black tea), Raspberry & Rhubarb by The Tea Experience (rooibos), and Cheeky Charlie by The Kettle Shed (green tea). Continue reading “Teatourist’s Crushes & Blushes Collection”

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London Fog with Lavender Simple Syrup

One of the most elegant drinks that I’ve ever ordered at a café has been the London Fog, otherwise known as an Earl Grey tea latte. There’s a lot of variations on this popular drink and you get something a little bit different depending on where you go. Allegedly, the drink originates from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (as per its Wiki page). Today, I’m sharing my recipe for a London Fog which has everything I love in a good tea latte – made with a bit of vanilla extract and a homemade Lavender Simple Syrup.

London Fog Recipe

2 tsp Earl Grey tea or 2 tea bags – I am using DavidsTea’s Organic Earl Grey
450ml water
1 Tbsp Lavender Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
125mL milk (or dairy-free alternative), frothed

Steep the Earl Grey tea to your liking – you want it to be stronger than you’d usually drink Earl Grey straight.
Stir in Lavender Simple Syrup and pure vanilla extract.
Froth milk – either with a dedicated milk frother, frothing wand, or with a mason jar (my personal favourite method).
Pour milk into your cup of tea, spoon foam over top.
And enjoy!

I’m using a 600mL double-walled latte (or soup) mug (pictured above). If you’re using a different size cup than I am, I essentially aim for approximately two-thirds of the cup for the tea and one-third for the frothed milk & foam. I find that ratio works best for my tastes when it comes to tea lattes, but you might find it needs more or less tea – experiment and figure out what works for you!

Lavender Simple Syrup Ingredients

1 cup sugar*
1 cup water*
2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender buds

* You can make more or less simple syrup depending on how often you want to have a London Fog, as long as you use equal parts water and sugar. You will want a clean jar/bottle on hand to store the Lavender Simple Syrup.

Lavender Simple Syrup Directions

Combine sugar, water and lavender buds in a saucepan and place over medium heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Allow the syrup to simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
Once cooled, strain/remove lavender buds.
Pour the Lavender Simple Syrup into an jar or bottle and refrigerate.
The Lavender Simple Syrup will keep for at least 2 weeks in the fridge – don’t forget to label it with the date!

If you make this London Fog with Lavender Simple Syrup, I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@onemoresteep #onemoresteep) or comment below with a link to the photo!

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Harney & Sons’ Paris

Paris by Harney & Sons
Black Tea & Oolong Tea / Flavoured
$8.50USD for 4oz

First Impressions

I bought Paris at Harney & Sons SoHo location in New York City during my visit back in October 2017 and I couldn’t resist getting it after one of the salespeople working in the store told me that it was one of  Harney & Sons’ best selling teas. So of course I had to give it a try. Paris came to me in a metal tin, the tea itself is loose in a tin (not like Bancha where the tea was in a foil package inside of the tin). The aroma of the dry leaf is primarily fruity with a hint of vanilla.

Paris consists of: black tea, oolong tea, black currant flavour, vanilla flavour, bergamot oil, and caramel flavour. If you asked me to pick out the oolong tea in this blend, I’d probably laugh at you. There are some leaves that appear more twisted and long than others, but the aroma of this tea is beautiful. I love the fruity aroma – I’ve actually never eaten black currant before (but I have had black currant candy so I can pick out the flavour), but it smells so good.

Preparation

Harney & Sons recommends steeping Paris in 212°F (100°C) water for 5 minutes, and then to “Remove the tea leaves. Relax and enjoy.” Well, don’t mind if I do! I steeped Paris for 5 minutes.

First Taste

Paris steeps to a beautiful golden orange, the aroma from this tea is nothing short of enticing. There’s the aromas of vanilla, citrus, and black currants. I can’t make out the fragrances of black or oolong tea in the steeped tea. On first sip, I note some sweetness to this tea. The vanilla notes make the tea have more of a cream flavouring to it, as it reminds me of baked goods. The citrus and black currants have great flavour, and there’s a robustness to this tea. It honestly reminds me a lot of an Earl Grey because of the bergamot, with an added lightness with the vanilla and fruitiness from the black currant.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Paris twice. I found that the flavours weren’t as strong as the first steep, but still palatable. I found that there’s still a sweetness to this tea, and the vanilla and bergamot was mostly still present However, the black currant is missing. The second resteep was very watery and not nearly as tasty. I would say that Paris is good for just one more steep.

My Overall Impression

I loved Harney & Sons’ Paris. It’s a lovely black tea blend, and has a lovely fruity aroma and flavouring to it. I really enjoy the addition of vanilla, and the bergamot really reminds me of the classic Earl Grey – which is one of my favourites. The creaminess that the vanilla adds to this tea is a welcome change from a classic, and I can see why Paris is one of Harney & Sons’ best selling teas. I think this tea would make an excellent afternoon tea selection with the sweetness and vanilla to compliment the macarons and other desserts.

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