Tag: Green Tea

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Dessert by Deb’s Concord Grape Jelly

Concord Grape Jelly by Dessert by Deb
Green Tea / Flavoured
$6.75 for 25g

Concord Grape Jelly came to me as part of the bimonthly subscription box from Dessert by Deb.

First Impressions

In a pale pink metallic pouch comes Concord Grape Jelly, a green tea blend from Dessert by Deb. It comes to with a familiar polka dot label in rainbow colours. Concord Grape Jelly is part of the Picnic Sweets & Treats Collection, and having some concord jelly on a picnic seems like a great idea (especially in a sandwich made with some sourdough bread and a nice layer of smooth peanut butter).

Concord Grape Jelly has a sweet aroma to it, there’s something that reminds me of grape medicine as a child. Concord Grape Jelly consists of organic: green tea, natural strawberry flavour, elderberries, currants, raisins, hibiscus, strawberry and papaya pieces, freeze-dried blueberries, and mallow flowers. I mean, just look at this tea – it’s beautiful. Those mallow flowers are so gorgeous.

Preparation

Dessert by Deb recommends steeping Concord Grape Jelly in 200°F (93°C) water for 4 to 6 minutes. I opted to do an initial steep of Concord Grape Jelly for 5 minutes.

First Taste

Concord Grape Jelly steeps to a reddish purple. The aroma is grape-y, fruity (berry, grape), and sweet. The flavour of Concord Grape Jelly reminds me of a mix of grape juice (or a mixed fruit juice), a grape freeze pop, or liquid grape medication (let me tell you that I got sick a lot and needed antibiotics as a kid without directly telling you that I got sick a lot and needed antibiotics as a kid). While it does remind me of grape jelly, the level of sweetness is very jelly-esque, but after having taken a lot of liquid antibiotics as a child, grape flavoured things just doesn’t appeal to me (neither does banana or cherry). But it smells and tastes like grape.

A Second Cup?

I did attempt to resteep Concord Grape Jelly, the flavour of the second steep of the leaves was very similar to the the initial steep, but not as strong as the initial steep.

My Overall Impression

I thought that Dessert by Deb’s Concord Grape Jelly was just okay. I think the flavour is spot on, the aroma is perfectly reminiscent of concord grape jelly. The problem that I have is my personal preference not to engage in grape flavoured things that remind me of medication (due to a childhood riddled with repeated bouts of pneumonia). That said, I think that Dessert by Deb did a great job with the blend in terms of the aroma and flavour, and if you’re a fan of grape, this will be a blend for you. I would recommend having this green tea blend iced, and also mixed with some sparkling water to give it some pep and make it the perfect summer picnic option.

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Mocca’s Matcha Latte

Matcha Latte by Mocca
Green Tea (Matcha) / Flavoured
$8.99 for 375g (25g x 15 sachets)

First Impressions

Matcha Latte by Mocca was one of those impulse grocery store purchases – one of the best ways to fill up a shopping cart in my opinion (with tea!). The bright packaging caught my eye, so into my shopping cart it hopped. I never expect a lot from an instant tea product, but I’m always on the look out for something that’s tasty, inexpensive, and easy to get a hold of. The ease of preparing matcha on the go (or at work) constantly appeals to me, especially as someone who can’t always go to a kitchen, or the only access to a fridge is communal.

Matcha Latte comes in bright teal and green packaging. It comes with 15 individually packaged portions of instant Matcha Latte powder. The ingredients consist of: creamer, sugar, and matcha powder. For those health conscious, each sachet contains 25g, but also contains 12g of sugar. Of all the important nutrients, each packet also consists of 10% of your daily intake of calcium (so you can feel like you’re doing something right, right?). The Matcha Latte powder itself is primarily light green, minimal sparkle from the sugar, it has a minimal aroma to it.

Preparation

Using the powers of Google Translate, I found out that Mocca recommends mixing 190-210ml of hot water with the powder for a hot matcha latte, or use 100ml of hot water with the powder for an iced matcha latte (plus, adding ice).

I opted to prepare it hot, and used 175°F (80°C) water.

First Taste

Matcha Latte dissolved and mixed up very well, and even without really trying, there was a nice of foam and bubbles that formed across the top. The aroma is very grassy and milky. The flavour of Matcha Latte is better than I had expected! It’s grassy, sweet, milky. It’s not too sweet, considering the amount of sugar in it, and the dairy adds a great level of creaminess to it.

A Second Cup?

As an instant tea product, there’s no second cups.

My Overall Impression

I loved Mocca’s Matcha Latte. At 60¢ a serving, I was impressed with Matcha Latte. From the ease of preparation, the taste, and the fact that the amount of sugar wasn’t overkill. Despite having a sweet tooth, I didn’t find it to be cloyingly sweet. I like how easy it was, as well as that impressive amount of foam and bubbles. I’m definitely looking forward to having this one at work because the flavour is on point and doesn’t taste like a poor quality matcha. The grassy notes lend itself to a nice cup of matcha latte.

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DavidsTea’s Organic Hojicha

Organic Hojicha by DavidsTea
Green Tea / Straight
$9.98 for 50g

DavidsTea sent me Organic Hojicha as part of a complementary Garden to Cup subscription package, a review was not requested.

First Impressions

Hojicha is one of those teas that I tend to enjoy, so finding Organic Hojicha in some mail that DavidsTea had sent me. Organic Hojicha is described as a “cozy, roasted & classic” green tea. The packaging for this green tea is not in the standard silver packaging, but it’s a light green instead with a navy blue (almost black) print across the front while the back of packaging is a white with a pearl sheen and a black print.

Organic Hojicha consists of organic green tea from Japan. The leaves themselves have a beautiful roasted aroma to it that’s subtly nutty. The dry leaf is pretty to look at, and a milk chocolate brown colour with hints of a browny-green. Hojicha typically has little bits of stems throughout, which this Organic Hojicha has as well.

Preparation

DavidsTea recommends steeping Organic Hojicha in 80°C (175°F) water for 1 to 2 minutes. I opted to do an initial steep for 2 minutes.

First Taste

Organic Hojicha steeps as to a light orange, with little bits of tea leaves that escaped my stainless steel infuser. The aroma is grassy, nutty, with roasted notes. The tea itself has a smooth mouthfeel, with zero astringency or bitterness. The flavour of the tea isn’t as full bodied as I expected, based on the aroma, but it does linger with a sweet aftertaste after each sip.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Organic Hojicha four times (five steeps total with the same leaves), and added an additional 30 seconds for each subsequent steep. I found that the flavour of Organic Hojicha was strongest with the first resteep, and then started to get weaker in flavour after that. I would resteep those leaves to get more tea out of it.

My Overall Impression

I loved DavidsTea’s Organic Hojicha. The aroma of the dry leaf, to steeping and drinking the tea. The flavour of the roasted green tea was what I have come to expect from a hojicha, and this one did not disappoint. I would recommend resteeping it, and perhaps even preparing it as a hojicha latte to add an extra layer of creaminess to it.

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