Warming Chamomile

Hello tea enthusiasts!

After a busy weekend of boxing to raise money for CHEO and receiving my Master’s degree, I was ready for a little R&R and, of course, some tea. On Sunday evening Brooke suggested we break out nourishtea’s Warming Chamomile and bake some apple scones; I was more than happy to oblige. After a few hiccups with baking (soy milk instead of milk, not enough butter, Brooke wanting to put in apple even though she is allergic [really, Brooke?]), we were ready to eat…er, drink!

Tea Description: This wonderful chamomile originates from the land of the pyramids. Authentic Egyptian chamomile has been used for centuries to help relax the mind, relieve stress and bring tranquility. We have selected only the finest chamomile flowers for our tins for the most flavor, fragrance and beauty (all necessary for the perfect cup of chamomile). We invite you to stop what you’re doing… turn of your iphone or blackberry, settle into a good book, and enjoy a cup of warming chamomile. It’s like no other. (Just pop open this tin and experience the overpowering fragrance of these enormous flowers…).

Stacey: Ooooh I like these scones.
Brooke: Can we go for a walk after this?
Stacey: Yes, Brooke, I haven’t forgotten. (She had asked me earlier).
Brooke: The scones are kind of bland and uncooked. I liked it when we rolled them out better: 4/10 would not bake again. I think I’ll go back to my recipe. Oh sorry, I keep eating your scone.
Stacey: Why are you still eating them if you think they are bad?
Brooke: Oh. … I don’t have an answer for that.
Stacey: Well, this certainly smells like chamomile.

*Sip*

Brooke: Stacey, what are you doing?
Stacey: I was pretending to put on a blanket.
Brooke: It just looked like a dance. A Stacey dance. Were you putting on the blanket like this?
Stacey: So the tea!
Brooke: It’s niceeee. It’s beautiful. Just soft and delicate. Light airy. Ducks: flying in the wind.  Wait scratch that last bit. I love how crystal clear the tea is. It’s like you’re drinking flowers, which you essentially are. What do you think Stacey?
Stacey: It’s quite soothing.
Brooke: I really like it. I was worried because often chamomile reminds me of a “sick tea”. But it is a nice after dinner tea. Also in first year, I thought it was called Camembert tea.
Stacey: Oh, like the cheese?
Brooke: I’m a bit of a dork.
Stacey: I agree that it’s an end of the day tea. It would go really well with a thunderstorm and a good book. It’s really crisp and soothing.
Brooke: The aroma is just so delicate.
Stacey: Like you are in a field of flowers. It’s not sweet. It’s just—
Brooke: Yeah, I like that!
Stacey: …

Tea Vibes:

Brooke: Hands down my favourite chamomile tea to date. Light, airy, doesn’t weigh you down. It’s so crisp and clear. It makes a great end of your day tea. We’ll be sharing this with our tea loving pals (Lana, MK, looking at you!) very soon. 8.5/10

Stacey: Secretly I was worried about drinking this tea because I’ve had other versions of chamomile that have not agreed with my seasonal allergies. While my throat is a little scratchy, the flavour tea more than made up for it. This is a wonderful herbal that does not have any extra flavours to it. Simply yummy! 8/10

Final Thoughts

Apparently people who are allergic to ragweed shouldn’t drink chamomile tea…whoops! But hey, Brooke had apple and didn’t die either. I’d say that’s a successful tea break.

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke

Ducks: flying in the wind.

The Duke of Earl

Hello readers!

Stacey and Brooke here to bring you another nourishtea delight with yet another special guest. Our good friend Kyle is staying with us for a few days while he ties up loose ends (like you know, defending his Master’s thesis) and while he was here we decided to start our day with a little Duke of Earl (Grey).  Side note: we have attempted to review this tea three times now and each time we have had trouble coming up with a proper review. We think that it comes down to simplicity. There is not a lot to comment about this tea because it’s what you would expect- a simple Earl Grey that keeps you going.

Tea: nourishtea the Duke of Earl

Tea Description: nourishtea earl grey comes exclusively from Sri Lanka (of course). The leaves are grown on steep terrain and unusually high altitudes. The processing of red teas requires full oxidation, and the specific Italian bergamot oil used on our tea leaves creates an incredible citrus aroma, with no bitter after taste at all. From the moment you crack open the tin, the aroma of our earl grey over powers you… it’s an amazing product and an obvious staple for the kitchen.

Kyle: Tomorrow I start with a new blanket.
Stacey: Love that mug!
Brooke: It’s perfect considering we need to clean that couch we got from kijiji…

*Sip*

Brooke: Mmm, this is nice, I like it! It still has that bitterness to it like an Earl Grey tea would. But it may have been steeped too long…?
Stacey: Yeah, I think it steeped it for almost 10 minutes…whoops!
Kyle: It’s not as fruity as some Earl Greys I’ve had.
Stacey: I want this to be a London Fog right now.
Brooke: Well we have soy milk and vanilla extract…?
Stacey: Nope!
Brooke: I feel like this is a get your stuff done tea; not a “start you day” tea or “unwind tea”.
Kyle: Yeah, it puts hair on your chest.
Stacey: Hey, I wonder where the name of “Earl Grey” came from…
Brooke: Wait… is Duke and Earl the same thing?
Kyle: I think so.
Stacey: So the name “the Duke of Earl” doesn’t really make sense then…
Kyle: This tea kind of reminds me of a standard Orange Pekoe. It’s like Brooke said, it’s very strong.
Brooke: I don’t know this tea tastes like viscount tea to me!

*Fast forward two days when Brooke and I decide try the tea again and I steep it for the right amount of time*

Brooke: Oh this is muuuuch better.
Stacey: I agree, much lighter today.  Ahh, now that’s a good tea.

Tea Vibes

Brooke: This kind of tea should be steeped for no more than 5 minutes or else you risk getting the bitterness we got initially. I think we should try making a London Fog using this one. This tea is a good tea for experimenting because it’s a good base. I would offer it to my people but I am not going to rave about it. It’s what you ask for.  7/10

Stacey: I definitely agree—trying this as a London Fog is a must. It’s an awesome Earl Grey, and has that organic taste that we have come to expect from nourishtea. It’s a delicious cup of tea that I would recommend to avid Earl Grey tea drinkers. 8/10

Final Thoughts

Congrats to Kyle on successfully defending his Master’s thesis! Come back for a tea any time…

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke

“Nah, all you need is some Duke of Earl tea.”