Day 18: Forever Nuts

Hello tea lovers!

We’re slowly winding down the advent calendar, with today marking 1 week until Christmas! And while there may not be snow in the air, the hustle and bustle of Christmas is definitely present! Luckily, we opened our drawers to find one of favourites teas today. We have enjoyed this tea every year (2012, 2013, 2014) since we started the tea blog and I think this year will be no exception.

Tea: Forever Nuts

Description: It looks all normal when it’s loose. But steep it and you’ll see that it’s nuts. Within seconds, this tempting jumble of almond slices and chunks, apple bits and cinnamon bark starts turning a crazy shade of pink. Why? Because it contains a hint of beetroot. That’s what gives this rich almond tea its earthy depth and its all-natural signature colour. Deliciously nutty, decidedly addictive. Caffeine-free.

Ingredients: Apple, almonds, cinnamon, beetroot and artificial flavouring.

—

Stacey: So I may have steeped this for 10 minutes accidentally…
Brooke: Oopsie, I steeped mine for barely 4 minutes, so we can compare!
Stacey: I was excited to find out that this was the tea today because I know how much we love it!
Brooke: Andre has his top five teas and this one is in mine. I was introduced to it one year when my Secret Santa in Halifax wanted it for Christmas. I asked my Mom to pick it up for me and she said “It is a tin full of nuts, I don’t know how this could be a tea”. And so began my relationship with DavidsTea.

*sip*

Stacey: Oh yeah, still good.
Brooke: Ohhh! Sooo good!
Stacey: I don’t know why you like it, it has apple.
Brooke: I don’t dislike apple, I love apple! And this is the only way I can get apple without inflamed lips and a scratchy throat!
Stacey: I think I like this because sometimes when you have almond in a tea, it’s too over powering, but here it compliments the apple and cinnamon perfectly.
Brooke: A lot of the teas so far this year are cinnamon or fruit teas. But this isn’t a cinnamon tea or fruit tea. It is more like eating an apple crumble. It reminds me of the nutty granola on top and the cinnamon sweetness from the apple at the centre. Delicious!
Stacey: But it’s not too sweet, which I LOVE. Often with herbals it’ll be too sweet for my taste.
Brooke: I remember when I was doing my Master’s degree last year and I was having an off-day at the lab. I had made a tea for myself but didn’t turn out right and tasted awful. I had texted Andre to tell him my tea woes and about an hour later he texted me to come outside. And there he was looking oh-so-cool in his leather jacket leaning up against his car with a cup of “Forever Nuts” in hand for me. Swoon.
Stacey: I remember that! So cuute!
Brooke: This tea reminds me of so many good memories. And the apple in it is exactly what you want. This is so worth the little scratch in my throat if I get one!
Stacey: We should have these in cute china tea cups at some point, because the pink would look super cute. The pink is so lovely!
Brooke: Yes, good ol’ beetroot at it again.

Final thoughts:

Brooke: This tea is a liquid dessert that you don’t need to feel guilty having at any time of the day. Not too sweet, with just enough apple and cinnamon to warm you right up. 5 thumbs up!
Stacey: The perfect comfort tea. A must-have… except I don’t have any at the moment. But that’s what Christmas is for, right?

Here’s what the folks on Twitter had to say:

@jkbeitz: Day 18 is Forever Nuts. It looks (and tastes!) more like müesli than #tea! #24daysoftea…

@RealAmyD: #24DaysOfTea#Day18#DavidsTea#ForeverNuts yum!! I will always like this tea!

@Mad_Me: Nuts about today’s tea. Can’t figure out what it reminds of #mystery

Well folks, that’s it for today. Another day, another favourite. Now if you excuse me, I think I’m going to have another cup!

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke

That pink!

 

Day 14: Sugar Plum Forest

Hello Readers!

Happy Sunday! Today we were in the Christmas spirit and decorated sugar cookies with our friends Desirée and Jason and went to Brooke’s Aunt Tracey’s house for a lovely dinner. With all of this excitement, we know we are a little late in our post, but we had a nice morning and are sharing it now. Enjoy!

Brooke: Ooooh! Sugar Plum Forest!
Stacey: Oh good, I need some liquid.
Brooke: Um?
Stacey: I mean I need to be hydrated before yoga!
Brooke: Right.

Tea: Sugar Plum Forest

 

Description: Whether you’re out sledding or just doing some holiday shopping, there’s no better way to stay warm and cozy than a piping hot mug of tea. And this tartly fruity, lightly spiced blend is the perfect winter companion. Just one sip and you’ll have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. Not to mention apple, hibiscus, ginger and warm winter spices. It’s the perfect shot of warmth on a chilly winter day.

Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus, rooibos, ginger, licorice root, raisins, cinnamon, rose hip peel, plum, cardamom, star anise, bruised pepper, cloves, chili pieces, artificial flavouring.

Steeping Instructions: 1.25 tsp, 96 °C, 4-7 minutes

—

Brooke: Pink tea #4! I’m getting initial hints of the cloves upon first sniff.
Stacey: Oh yeah, agreed.
André: I want to sip it but I think I’ll taste hot again.

*sip*

Stacey makes a face.
Brooke: I wish I could take a picture of your face and have that as how you describe it. It’s beautiful.
André: I can’t describe this one. It’s like another one I’ve had but I can’t place it. Forever nuts, maybe? Roughly the same weight but the difference is Forever Nuts is like, “hey, I’m a toasty cake.”
Brooke: Wow, it tastes nothing like it smells! It smells like cinnamon hearts but tastes…oh. There’s so much fruit in there… but it doesn’t taste sweet. It tastes like olives again!
Stacey: What? No, I think it’s a bit tart.
Brooke: It’s weird, I don’t hate it but I would never have it again.
Stacey: I think there’s too many things going on.
Brooke: It’s almost like a subtle soup broth, you could put some carrots in there and eat it. How.. strange.
Stacey:  Yeah, there are too many flavours that didn’t mesh well and it was overwhelming. They should be complimentary but this was too much!

Tea vibes:

As we like to do, we spoke our final thoughts on the tea at Stacey’s phone, which thought we were saying this:

André: Affinity is very late and free. Yeah, it’s  a tasty river dance.  More fruit and veg. 4 of 10.

Brooke: I don’t like this T. I don’t like its levers. I don’t like the density. Big foot artificial flavours are ever ok, diner. Fun have a 10.

Stacey: I wish I like this T. It has its name, um, but it’s better than others we had so as I am 5 on time hello.

We seem to be getting angry about all these flavours being mixed together without our consent! Maybe we’re getting to be grumpy tea connoisseurs who need a bit more simplicity in our brews. Who knows? What do you think about all these extra and artificial flavours? Yay or nay? We didn’t feel like dancing to this one!

Maybe tomorrow will be different?

Until next tea,
Brooke and Stacey

 

Day 1: Forever Nuts

Happy December 1st everyone!

Yes, friends, it is that time of year again! The time of year where you can blare Justin Beiber Christmas music without anyone batting an eye (*cough* Brooke *cough*). The time of year you can wear Christmas socks to work and not feel bad about it (totally me today) and the time of year you can binge on Christmas movies and eggnog. Of course, the best part about this time of year is that it brings us another round of DAVIDsTEA “24 Days of Tea” Hurray! 24 delightful teas, one each day leading up to Christmas. Are you excited? We are.

This year, Brooke and I have decided to go the conventional route and we will be opening each tea on the corresponding day. We are calling it the “no-stress tea blog”. And since Brooke is waist deep in writing her thesis, we thought it best to use the advent calendar as a chance for some quality roomie time. Because what could be better than having tea with your roomie? So sit back, relax, and let’s enjoy a cup of “Forever Nuts“, together. No stress.

“Forever Nuts” is one of our favourites; nutty, not too sweet, and a cool shade of pink this is a herbal tea you can always enjoy before bedtime. Luckily, “Forever Nuts” is a staple on 24 Days of Tea, so you can take a trip down memory lane here or here to get the full “Brooke and Stacey drinking tea together” experience.

We hope you all have a wonderful 1st day of December and we will see you back here tomorrow. And for the first time we are anxiously awaiting day number 2 with you! We are so excited!

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke

 

 

Day 4: Forever Nuts

Here we are at Day #4! Look at us go, being on time. That really won’t last… But for now- enjoy! This is how Day #4 started off:

Brooke: Tea?

Stacey: Yes!!

Brooke: WOO! FOREVER NUTS!

Stacey: Awesome! Can we just link to last year’s post…?

Brooke: NO WAY! That’s not fair. We have to see what we want to say about it this time around!

Stacey: Oooh fine!

Tea:Forever Nuts

Tea Description: For almond lovers

It looks all normal when it’s loose. But steep it and you’ll see that it’s nuts. Within seconds, this tempting jumble of almond slices and chunks, apple bits and cinnamon bark starts turning a crazy shade of pink. Why? Because it contains a hint of beetroot. That’s what gives this rich almond tea its earthy depth and its all-natural signature colour. Deliciously nutty, decidedly addictive. Caffeine-free.

Tea Ingredients: Apple, almonds, cinnamon, beetroot and artificial flavouring.

Tea Instructions: 1.5tsp, 98C, 5 minutes.

—

Stacey: I forgot it was pink! : )

*sip*

Brooke: Hmm… It seems more sour than I remember.

Stacey: Yeah, a little bit, but… hm… Now that you mention it… yeah!

-quiet typing noises as we both work on presentations-

Brooke: …Still say it’s sour!

Stacey: But it’s so nutty! I always like forever nuts; it’s just one of those teas that isn’t too sweet from davidstea. It’s just… nutty and awesome. I always really like the pink colouring- it’s so unexpected!

Brooke: That’s from the beet root! I remember!

Stacey: That’s probably the sour you’re tasting? Maybe we steeped it for too long today.

Brooke: Oops!

Stacey: I like that it’s an herbal tea, too. Sometimes you just want to have a tea before bed and this is perfect for that.

Brooke: Yeah. I usually LOVE this tea! I feel kind of ‘meh’ about it today, though.

Stacey: It could be that our pallet changed ever since our Nourish Tea experience. This is supposed to be a “pure” tea but after Nourish Tea’s simple teas, this probably tastes differently to us.

Brooke: I would say that this tastes best at the end. It’s not quite what I remembered but good none the less. Oh NO! Apples again?? WHY DO THEY DO THIS?

Stacey: I’ll get the Benadryl…

Tea vibes

Brooke: This tea is definitely worth a try if you’ve never had it. Nuts, beets, and floral tones keep your mouth guessing as to what flavour takes centre stage. I’ll always accept a warm mug of this any day (with an allergy pill, too, just to be safe)! Its pink glow adds a nice touch.  3.5/5

Stacey: This has always been one of my favourite teas because it’s one of those fruity teas that isn’t too sweet.  This is definitely a regular tea, you could have it any day of the week. The smell is amazing. I really like how well the nutty and fruit combination works well. Hooray! 4/5

Well, hm! Seems quite different from our post last year  where we went on about cinammon and almonds and Mariah Carey. Ah how times have changed.

Stay tuned for Day #5 tomorrow! : )

Until next tea,

Brooke and Stacey

Forever nutty,  forever together! ❤

Forever Nuts

Hello tea lovers!

I’m writing to you from my quaint little hometown just northwest of Toronto. As Brooke mentioned in our last post, the next few entries are going to be a little different since we’ll be kilometers apart. Of course, that just means we get to have fun guest bloggers! Today we are joined by my Mom, Lorie, and Brooke’s friend, MK as we investigate Forever Nuts!

Tea: Forever Nuts

Ingredients: Apple, almond, cinnamon, beetroot.

DAVIDsTEA Description: It looks all normal when it’s loose. But steep it and you’ll see that it’s nuts. Within seconds, this tempting jumble of almond slices and chunks, apple bits and cinnamon bark starts turning a crazy shade of pink. Why? Because it contains a hint of beetroot. That’s what gives this rich almond tea its earthy depth and its all-natural signature colour. Deliciously nutty, decidedly addictive.

—

At home, Mom and I mixed 3 tsp of tea into a pot of 98°C water and let it steep for five minutes.

While waiting for the tea to brew, Mom swore she could smell the cinnamon. After I read the ingredients out to her she noted that she was right on the cinnamon being a prime ingredient (looks like making meaningless bets runs in the family Brooke).

In Ottawa…

Brooke and MK had their cups of tea whilst discussing Master’s degrees in biology, boys, and Brooke’s next gig as a beaver in the upcoming comedy festival, Cracking-Up the Capital.

MK: Oooh it smells like pecan pie!! And I can smell the apple! Oh, and the colour is pink!
Brooke:  Jolly Rancher pink!
MK: I wasn’t expecting that.

Back in the GTA…

*sip*

Lorie: It’s very mellow and earthy, but there’s not much of an almond taste.  [Mom steeped it longer because she said it was a bit weak]. Oh yes, now the almond flavour comes out a bit more.

[I waited until the tea wasn’t still steaming before I took my first sip]

Stacey: Mmm, I always like this one, it’s just so nice.
Lorie: Yes, it’s very relaxing after the stress of Christmas. It’s like an almond cookie!
Stacey: The flavour doesn’t match what you see but it totally works.
Lorie: Yes, it reminds me of another tea, Pink Flamingo, but only the look. I thought it was going to be sweet and tart but it’s not. I don’t taste the beet root, though.

Meanwhile, in Ottawa…

MK: Mmm, this tea is really pleasant. I wonder why they put beetroot? Must be for the colour.
Brooke: I love this one. It’s totally a favourite of mine.
MK: Really nice aftertaste; you can taste the nutty-ness.
Brooke: Yes! And the cinnamon is so nice and subtle; it doesn’t hit you too hard at all.
MK: As it cools, the apple gets more fragrant. When I go in for a sip, it’s just like “aah” then it transfers to the nut taste after. It’s really interesting.
Brooke: Yes! This tea is so soothing. Its flavours don’t over power you; it just sits nicely in your mouth and you don’t even need to think about it.
MK: It’s one of those teas you can drink with no sugar, no milk. That’s always nice. …Is this Mariah Carey?
Brooke: …Yes.
MK: I always find that when things start to cool down, you can start to taste things better. The tea definitely gets more flavourful as you drink it.
Brooke: What scene does it make you think of?
MK: In a cabin, outdoors. Then again, you could say cabin about almost any tea.
Brooke: This reminds me of a classy carnival. People selling fudge, apple pies, and home baking.
MK: Mm, thanksgiving tea.
Brooke: It’s like liquid fudge, but without the chocolate. Or the high calories.

Tea Vibes

Lorie: I would definitely buy this one! It’s relaxing, something you want to drink after a big meal to sooth your stomach. And I like the almond flavour, because it’s just like baked cookies. It is a nice holiday tea; it is getting me in the Christmas spirit! I’d say Forever Nuts is a very good to tea to enjoy after a long day of hustle and bustle or while curling up with a good book. The smell is staying with me; I really like this one. Now I just want to bake! 7.5/10

Stacey: This tea has been one of my favourites from the start. The combination of  the ingredients definitely works. The almonds give you this full flavour and the apple gives you a touch of sweetness that lingers in the mouth. The colour of the beetroot is just the cherry on top of a great tea. This tea has been a staple in our tea shelf for a long time now so I recommend this tea to anyone and everyone. 9/10 hands down.

MK: I first thought it smelled like a pie, then when it was really hot it tasted mostly nuts. Now as it cools I get more of the cinnamon and apple and it reminds me of a nutty apple cider. The pink colour makes it very appealing. It’s fun. And soothing and happy. Happiness in a cup. : ) 8/10

Brooke: As I said, Stacey and I do have this in our cupboards and I can never turn this one down. It’s one of my favourites, I love it. It’s… the best. So good. Mm. Yes. I will be forever nuts about this tea. Ohoho. 9.5/10.

There you have it! Forever Nuts will have you going nutty no matter what end of Ontario you’re on. Those in others parts of Canada (or the world!) should enjoy it too!

Until next tea,
Stacey (and her Mom) and Brooke (and MK)

“Oh Jerald, don’t be such a nut-tea rabbit! Pour me another cup, will you?”