Day 24: Santa’s Secret

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

Well folks- we made it. For the fourth time, we made it through all 24 days of tea. Now, since we already talked about this three times already (2012, 2013, 2014) we’re not doing it again! Instead, we’re going to talk about our opinions of this year’s #24daysoftea!! Since it’s our fourth in a row, we figured we can discuss how this one compares to those of the past. So, without further ado, here is the information for secret santa, which we then promptly ignore!

Tea: Santa’s Secret

Description: Ever wonder how Santa manages to deliver all those presents in just one night? Well here’s the hush-hush formula. He uses a special combination of Chinese black tea, peppermint leaves and spices – all sprinkled with real little candy canes. It’s both energizing and remarkably soothing. All Santa needs is one cup and his motto changes from “ho ho ho” to “go go go”.”

Ingredients: Black tea, peppermint, sprinkles (sugar, rice flour, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn starch, natural and artificial flavours, cellulose gum, red 40 Lake, mono and diglycerides, carrageenan, titanium dioxide (colour), polysorbate 60)

—

Brooke: So, what did you think of this year’s “24 days of tea”?
Stacey: I’m quite impressed with the variety of teas this year. Many of these ones were brand new for us.
Brooke: Yeah, and even the teas that we had before have changed in their ingredients. Mom, for example, didn’t like the Gingerbread tea last year but this year she raved about it!
Stacey: Yeah, they added chocolate chips I think, which made it nice and  creamy!
Brooke: Exactly- they improved the ones we didn’t enjoy and I was impressed.
Stacey: Yeah generally speaking, the ones that we had had years before were also ones that we liked. And they had a few we didn’t enjoy, like Sleigh Ride, out of the way pretty quickly.
Eric: Did you talk about how cool Snow Day was?
Stacey: The snowflakes went up and down like it was snowing in the cup!
Brooke: Neat! But I gotta say, I mourned Glitter and Gold’s shimmer this year.
André: They’re going to have to re-name it. Gold, No Glitter. Gold Sans Glitter. Just Gold Tea.
Brooke: I’ve also gotta say, I was very unimpressed with the amount of tea in each tin this year. Years past our tins were filled to the brim but this year they were barely two thirds full. We paid more for the calendar this year ($40) but we got way less tea in our tins.
Stacey: Well, they were GOLD tins, Brooke!
Eric: I heard that they had someone testing to make sure each tea tin was twistable.
Stacey: Maybe they were taking tea from yours, Brooke!
Eric: Skimming 25% off the top!
André: Tea heist!
Brooke: Those scoundrels!
Stacey: You know what I liked? The drawers instead of doors. Hey, that kind of rhymed! Quit playing with the bells on my hat!
Eric: I can’t help it!
Brooke: I also LOVED the drawers. Clean, simple, so reusable.
Stacey: Yeah, and I liked how you could turn the drawers around to see what each tea was after, so you don’t have to go searching for the tins when you wanted a specific kind after the calendar was over. For example, we’re going to have Cardamom French Toast tomorrow, I think. Mmm! Wait, what if we have French toast for breakfast? Is that too much?
André: Never too much French toast.

Final thoughts: Are we doing this again next year?

Brooke: I’m feeling like I don’t want to do this next year because of the cost and the difficulty of trying to Skype with the ridiculous time difference and schedule conflicts.
Stacey: I want this advent calendar again, I think. I really liked it. But boy, the time change made this really hard to do. Every day, it was tough.
Eric: What if next year you just did highlights on the weekend? Once a week!
Stacey: And we can always text about it…
Brooke: Maybe this blog is finally ready for a rest.
Stacey; Well… I’m not done with #24daysoftea just yet.
Brooke:Oh, alright!

Here’s what the people of Twitter said:

@JamesLBrereton: Thanks to @DAVIDsTEA for the amazing #24daysoftea advent calendar. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
@PetiteAyvie Jour24! C’est la fin mais, Chut, c’est le Secret du Père Noël! #JoyeuxNoel à tous!
@Jenna_loui: Last day of my #24daysoftea ! So sad for it to be over but so excited that #christmaseve is here.…

—

So the question remains, will we continue our blog next year? Only time will tell…stay tuned to find out! One thing is for sure though, we certainly enjoyed skyping and texting with each other daily since we don’t live with each other any more. It was a nice way to catch up with each other and make it feel like old times.

Well, if you excuse us, we have a Christmas Eve evening to enjoy. We hoped you enjoyed following along this year!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Until next tea,
Brooke, Andre, Stacey, and Eric

Caught you red handed, you tea stealing Elf!

 

Day 23: Gingerbread Cookie

Howdy folks!

I’m writing to you from the beautiful town of Penticton, BC, where André and I will be spending our holidays. Snowflakes are delicately falling from the sky, the fields are blanketed in white and the Christmas tree is sparkling in the corner of the living room. No better way to start this festive day than to have a nice tea by the fire. Here we go!

Tea: Gingerbread Cookie

Description: Happiness is…the smell of gingerbread cookies baking in the oven. Warming up with a perfect cup of tea. And sharing something sweet with your family and friends. And with this sweet and toasty tea, you can have all three at once. We started with a smooth base of rooibos, then added a sweet hint of maple and molasses. Then we warmed it up with spicy cinnamon and crystallized ginger. Finally, we added a dash of yerba maté for an energizing kick. With this in your tea cupboard, happiness is just a steep away…

Ingredients: Rooibos, green rooibos, honeybush, cinnamon bark, currants, candied pineapple (pineapples, cane sugar, citric acid), crystallized ginger (ginger, sugar), maple sugar, white chocolate (sugar, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, whey, milk, mono and dig)

—

Stacey is a busy researcher with meetings and appointments and a Star Wars viewing, so André‘s mum Cheryl is stepping in and joining the blog today. Our bestie, MK, is also back from her adventures in India and England and her voice is helping out, too.

André: Is this my mug?  The one with the holly on it?
Cheryl: Have a holly, jolly, Christmas!
André: Oh! It smells so good it made me hiccup!
Cheryl: That’s different.
André: It smells very spicy- I can feel the rooibos but I’m trying to pick out all of the spices in this. Cinnamon? Ginger?
Brooke: This smells delicious.
André: Ooh, I just put my nose in it. Now it smells like hot.

*sip*

André: Wow, that’s an awesome tea. Like, this is great. It tastes just like gingerbread with a mild hint of rooibos.
Brooke: Oh yes, this is yummy! Normally rooibos teas are a bit hollow for me, it just tastes like rooibos bark with spices. This one, though, is heavier thanks to the maté. I really enjoy it!
André: Yeah, much thicker than a usual rooibos.
Cheryl: I like it better than a green tea- those taste like grass floating in water.
André: Mm. It’s like having a liquid gingerbread cookie inside my mouth.
Brooke: Where else would it be?
André: In a bath.
Brooke: Of  course.
André: I really enjoy this one.
Brooke: Me too. I love it, even with the awful chemical taste still in my mouth from my bummer of a root canal the other day. MK says that the tea reminds her of a cross between an Indian Chai and a cinnamon bun. And that since the taste isn’t right for me, she will give us some in Kelowna when we visit. What a Christmas miracle!

Final thoughts:

André: I find this tea is remarkably well balanced. The flavours of the gingerbread and its spices compliment the rich tastes of rooibos. It’s Christmas in a cup.

Brooke: I really, really enjoyed this one. Something about it made it creamy and thick which, as André mentioned, rounded out the rooibos bark quite well. I’m looking forward to having another cup post-Christmas with MK. 

Twitter was also pleased with Day 23:

@royalhistorian  Today in #24daysoftea – Gingerbread cookie rooibos tea – tastes like ginger&cinnamon were added to the Cabane à sucre tea.

@JillProcter #Gingerbread#Tea, a walk in the woods, and playing with a deer in the back lot. #24DaysOfTea@DAVIDsTEA#MerryXmas

@Koosa_party  Day 23 #24daysoftea @DAVIDsTEA gingerbread cookie!!! Rooibos, ginger, maple and mate!! We’re heating up the eggnog for a latte right now!

---

We hope you and yours are enjoying your Christmas eve eve just as much as we are and that you have snow (if you want it, otherwise, good riddance!) for snowball fights and fort-building purposes.

One tea left!

Until then,

Brooke, Andre, and Cheryl

Bathing in Christmas.

Day 21: Cardamom French Toast

Hi Tea Drinkers,

Happy Monday! Today Brooke and I were able to skype for a few minutes before I had to go back to work and she had to get ready for a trip to the dentist. We probably could have just talked about the smell of this tea, my goodness! Does it ever smell good! We decided to steep it though and give it the ol’ taste test. Here we go!

Tea: Cardamom French Toast

Description: Something about cardamom just puts us in a festive frame of mind. We love its rich, fragrant taste any way we can get it. One of our faves? The buttery, cardamom-scented Christmas breads popular in Sweden and Finland. And cardamom toast is great, it only stands to reason that cardamom French toast would be out of this world. With black tea, cardamom, cane sugar and cinnamon, this rich, sweet blend tastes just like the decadent breakfast of our dreams. Only this is one brunch item you’ll be wanting all day long.

Ingredients: Black tea, cinnamon, lemon peel, coriander seeds, cardamom, coconut sugar, cane sugar, natural and artificial flavouring.

—

Stacey: This tea smells amazing!
Brooke: Yeah, it does. It’s all caramel-ly smelling.
Stacey: Caramel?
Brooke: Yeah, almost like a butter smell.
Stacey: Maybe that’s the cane sugar, that’s melted?

*sip*

Brooke: Is there vanilla in here?
Stacey: Nope, no vanilla.
Brooke: Mmm, this is such a Christmas tea. It might even be our Christmas morning tea! I love it!
Stacey: Yeah and it’s not sweet at all, which I love!
Brooke: I would say it’s sweet, but not the fruit sweet we usually taste. The only sweetness is the butter-yness I described.
Stacey: I’m just glad I can drink it, usually if they add sugar I don’t want it.
Brooke: I like that they put sugar in it and not Stevia.
Stacey: Yep, Only coconut sugar and cane sugar in here.
Brooke: Give it to me!
Stacey: It does taste a lot like french toast.
Brooke: Makes me not want to have french toast because I feel like I am already having it.
Stacey: This is seriously very delicious.
Brooke: Uh oh, I am starting to taste a bit too much sugar now.
Stacey: Oh not me, are you further down the cup.
Brooke: Yeah, maybe halfway through.
Stacey: Nope, no sugar for me. Mmm.

Here’s what the Twitter-verse had to say:

@bailamefitness: Day 21 – #24DaysOfTea. This Cardamom French Toast would definitely make a good latte! #TeaADay…

@misssable:  Today’s tea was like liquid cinnamon toast crunch to me #24daysoftea

@kimcottini: #24DaysofTea-Day 21-cardamom French toast @DAVIDsTEA yummy French toast without the calories, perfect for my new cup

Final Thoughts: 

Stacey: I left the drippings out on my desk for the rest of the day and I am so glad I did…it made my office smell delicious! And it tasted just as good! As my Mom said, this is one for the cupboards!

Unfortunately Brooke had to go for a root canal today so she wasn’t able to share her final thoughts. Remember how I said to wish her a happy birthday yesterday? Well today, you should send her some love for her sore tooth. I know she would appreciate it.

Another one for the books! Wish we could have ended it on a happier note, but there’s nothing happy about a root canal. 😦

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke

Day 20: Moment of Zen

Hello friends!

It’s Brooke’s birthday today! And since it’s her birthday and she’s a busy little bee, we texted what we thought of today’s blend. And what do we have today? Moment of Zen…how fitting!

Tea: Moment of Zen

Description: Whatever life throws our way, we can always find comfort in a great cup of tea. Especially when it’s scented with dreamy, night-blooming jasmine. Its delicate, floral aroma is as relaxing as it gets – like aromatherapy in a cup. First created during China’s Song Dynasty, jasmine tea has been improving moods, relieving stress and just making people happy for over 1000 years. In this oh-so soothing blend, we mix jasmine green tea with sweet blackberries and pretty cornflower blossoms. It’s the perfect little escape.

Ingredients: Green tea scented with jasmine, blackberries, mallow blossoms, cornflower blossoms, natural blackberry flavouring.

—

*sip*

Andre: It reminds me of warm welches grape juice. It’s not bad!
Stacey: I taste a lot of the jasmine.
Eric: It definitely has a leafy taste from the green tea. But yeah, I would agree taste a lot like grape juice.
Brooke: Mmm, another spa like tea! The blackberry is a great addition to the jasmine.
Stacey: Yeah, this tea would be nice to take this in a thermos to spa nordik.
Eric: I like the roundness of it. You taste the healthy flavour of the green tea, but without the bitterness. The jasmine and blackberry add a nice sweetness.
Brooke: It tastes a lot like the jasmine green we had earlier, the one my mom said reminded her of distinct perfume.
Eric: It has a nice flavour profile, so much so  that I can still taste it even after I swallow.
Brooke: I think Davids tea has really shown me how much I love floral teas. Lavender, jasmine, and rose hip…mmm I really love those scents. This tea is very neat.
Stacey: I like the aroma. So floral and fruity!
Brooke: I may not crave it and demand more but if I was visiting a friend and they made a pot, I would have a cup or two.
Stacey: Agreed! We are drinking a pot and having it with the little green tea cups from DT. It is definitely completing the experience.
Brooke: Not as delicious as the ciders we tried at a gorgeous cidery on the island just now. Oooh wow!

Here’s what the people of Twitter had to say:

@Kesha18Anime17: @DAVIDsTEA today’s #TeaOfTTheDay was so good! Moment of Zen #24DaysOfTea one of my new favourites!
@kimcottini: #24DaysofTea – Day 20 – Moment of Zen, exactly what I need in the midst of holiday preparations @DAVIDsTEA
@PetiteAyvie: Jour20! On comment la journée avec un Moment Zen @DAVIDsTEA davidstea #24DaysOfTea

—

Final Thoughts:

This tea is a perfect match for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Nicely rounded and good mix of green tea, jasmine, and blackberry. We’d recommend if you need some relaxation time. Unless you can get yourself to a cidery, then we recommend that!

—

Well another tea has come and gone folks! Only 4 teas left, which means only 4 more days until Christmas! Remember to take a moment for yourself this week, oh and if you haven’t done so already wish Brooke a happy birthday. Happy Birthday Brooke!

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke (and Eric and Andre)

I don’t know who Kayley is but I like her card.

 

Day 19: Dark Chocolate Delight

Hi steepers!

Day 19 brought friends and dental work- what a day! While Stacey and Eric had our friends Des, Kathryn, and Steve over, I had just gotten back from a poke and a prod from my dentist when we settled down to discuss today’s tea. Lots of catching up, chatting, and tangents occurred, but we did talk tea enough for a blog post. Here we go!

Tea: Dark Chocolate Delight

Description: What is it about dark chocolate? Its taste is sinfully decadent, but studies say it might actually be good for you. But wait – it gets better. Now you don’t even have to wait until dessert to get your fix. With this black tea blend, you can treat yourself anytime, anywhere. With cocoa shells, blueberries and big chunks of luscious dark chocolate, it’s a deliciously rich taste of our favourite indulgence. Welcome to the dark side…

Ingredients: Black tea, spiced dark chocolate (cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, ancho chili, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, allspice, clove, chipotle chili, ground vanilla), blueberries, cocoa shells, natural chocolate flavouring.

—

Kathryn: It smells like mild chocolate.
Steve: How can it be mild? It either is chocolate or it isn’t!
Brooke: Well, some advent calendars have “chocolate-y treats” in them that aren’t even real chocolate, maybe it smells like that? Either way, it smells delicious and I’m excited.

*Sip*

Brooke: Hm. Chocolate water!
Stacey: It’s supposed to have spice in it. Peppers and stuff…
Desiree: I think there is supposed to be cumin in it.
Brooke: I just steeped mine for 5 mins, but maybe it should have been there longer? I don’t taste any spices.
Stacey: I thought we’d be able taste some sort of spice.
Brooke: Didn’t we have chocolate chili chai once before? Did you know, root canals are expensive?!

A tangent ensues- then we’re back on track.

Stacey: Hm, we only had a few teaspoons for the whole pot I made, I think ours might have been too weak, too.
Brooke: Yeah we need to steep it with more tea and for longer, I say. There are flavors in there that I want to taste!
Desiree: Yep, nothing too special about this one. I can taste the spice a little bit, though. I can tell there is something there but I want more.
Stacey: Yeah, I don’t really taste cloves, cinnamon or any spice.
Kathryn: Yeah, it’s is *okay*
Brooke: Aw man, you’re going to Upper Canada Village- so envious!

Second tangent on time difference, friends, and co-ordinating tea reviews, before final thoughts occurred.

Final thoughts:

Everyone agreed that while this tea had a neat chocolate flavour to it, we all were left wanting more spice. Our next cups of this will be steeped longer and with more loose leaf in hopes of hitting the spot.

Twitter reacted with mixed responses:

@hellomunroe Missed yesterday’s @DAVIDsTEA #24DaysOfTea so I combined it with today’s. Forever Nuts and Dark Chocolate, it tastes freaking AMAZING!

@HalieC_Lassie @DAVIDsTEA #Advent DAY 19: Dark Chocolate Delight: not as delightful or chocolately as Hot Chocolate. #24DaysofTea‏@AshG87 Olivia is enjoying her dark chocolate delight tea today #24daysoftea #elfonashelf @DAVIDsTEA

Well, we may not have steeped our tea long enough today but we certainly had a great time chatting it over with friends. Tangents and all!

Until next tea,
Brooke and Stacey (and Kathryn, Steve, Desiree, Eric, and Andre)

Nothing like a hot tea while enjoying some Christmas lights!

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 17: Mulled Wine

Good morning (afternoon) tea drinkers!

Today poor Stacey stayed home with a headache while André and I slept in far too late. All of us were a bit groggy as our teas were steeping but we still managed to enjoy ourselves once we got sipping. Who would have thought mulled wine was a nice tea to enjoy at breakfast? Read on!

Tea: Mulled Wine

Descriptions: Maybe you spent the day on the slopes. Maybe it was a frantic afternoon of holiday shopping. Or maybe you’re coming in from an epic snowball fight. No matter what you did on this chilly day, there’s no better way to warm up than with a great cup of tea. And it doesn’t get more comforting than this mulled wine-inspired all natural oolong, with orange zest, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Whether you’re sipping it at the ski chalet, in front of a roaring fire or just between errands, it’s the perfect way to warm up your winter. 

Ingredients: Oolong tea, apple, orange peel, cinnamon, clove buds, ginger, natural flavouring.

 —

Stacey: I feel like we’ve had something like this before… the smells seem familiar.
Brooke: Sleigh Ride, maybe?
Stacey: Probably? It’s an oolong tea, though. It’ll be different!
Brooke: When I saw which tea it was today I was really excited … but then I smelled the loose leaf tin and was completely turned off. I almost got a headache from the smell- urgh. Far too fruity.
André: Was Sleigh Ride the one I couldn’t even finish?
Brooke: Yep. Here we go!

*Sip*

Stacey: Oooh! I like it!
Brooke: Wow, me too!
Stacey: It’s like Sleigh Ride without the tartness at the end!
André: *cough* It’s in my air pipe!
Stacey: The oolong tea did something to this one.
Brooke: Like what?
Stacey: It made it taste good.
Brooke: Ah.
Stacey: None of the tart flavours come through in this, the base is stronger and keeps them at bay.
Brooke: The spices are the strongest part of this tea, like clove and ginger- yum!.
André: I find it almost medicinal, it has that slight taste of cough syrup.
Brooke: In a good way?
André: Yeah… Yeah in a good way!
Brooke: It kind of reminds me of Cold 9-11, or the Sore Throat tea. Maybe because of the ginger.
Stacey: I taste the orange peel- so nice!
André: The ginger is a great compliment to the fruit, that’s for sure.  It’s very nice and delicate, I like that it was cool so I could drink it right away.(Steeping it at 85 degrees is important!)

Our discussion veered off and we began discussing mail and packages and the vastness of Canada and the USA, but we did have a few final thoughts to say on this one:

Final thoughts:

Stacey: I like this tea! The ingredients all work well together to create a nice flavor. The cinnamon, orange peel, cloves and ginger really come together nicely. I can get mulled wine when I taste it. Reminds me of when my friend Kara brought a mulled wine kit to a pot lock and the wine was warming on the stove. Yum!

André: I like how light and delicate this tea is, I like it surprisingly a lot for a fruity tea but it’s because the fruit flavours aren’t overly strong. No one ingredient comes to the foreground for too long, nothing is overpowering in this one. All around it’s a very nice tea.

Brooke: I was happily wrong about this tea when I first made judgements. I’m still amazed when the smell is so different than the taste. This one is nice and spicy but not in the way that The Spice is Right was. DAVIDsTEA did really well with this one, and I’ll happily have another cup as we devour our gingerbread house today.

Twitter was also quite impressed:

@Koosa_party Mulled wine is an oolong tea with a heady clove and ginger flavor. Perfect to add a shot of whiskey for a hot toddy! @DAVIDsTEA#24daysoftea

@JamesLBrereton @davidstea#24daysoftea Day 17: Mulled Wine. Please steep responsibly 😉 #mistertea#jamesdrinks

@suziconfesses Today’s #24daysoftea is mulled wine, it smells pretty lovely sitting here steeping!

Did you have a sip of this one today? What did you think? For us, it put us right in the mood to get out and do some last minute shopping. Wish us luck!

Until next tea,

Brooke, Stacey, and André

Drink up!

Day 16: Japanese Sencha

Happy Wednesday, folks!

We hope your December has been filled with peaceful moments and clarity- something that today’s tea almost demands of you from your first sip. Remember to give yourself breaks this holiday season that are just for you. You’re worth it. And so are we- ready?

Tea: Japanese Sencha

Description: Japanese monks were writing about tea in the 9th century, but the world had to wait until 1740 for Sencha, when a tea merchant named Nagatani perfected a new process of steaming, rolling and heat-drying green tea. The result? An emerald-green tea that’s refreshing and smooth. No wonder it’s Japan’s most popular drink.

Ingredients: Steamed Japanese green tea from Mount Fuji, Japan.

—

The first time Stacey and I had this tea was two years back- it was a cold blistery day and as soon as we took our first sips we immediately craved sushi. So, we did what any sane people do when in the dead of winter in the capital- we bundled up with our hats, mittens, and scarves and hustled into the cold wind to the nearest sushi restaurant. With our maki on its way, we indulged in this simple and delicious, light and caring, perfect green tea (Read about it here).

Today, however, we’re at it again with busy schedules and barely enough time to spend a few minutes together over Skype.

Brooke: Mmm- this one is so zen! I wish I was somewhere more peaceful.
Stacey: I am so brought back to our sushi adventure two years ago in the Byward Market. This is the kind of green tea you want to have in your cupboard.
Brooke: I appreciate its simplicity- very unlike DAVIDsTEA on the whole, yet so exceptional.
Stacey: It’s refreshing, really. Not everyone likes the crazy flavours. Though, not everyone likes this flavour, apparently. My mom said it tasted like smelly socks.
Brooke: What?! Was she drinking the same tea?
Stacey: I have no idea. I thought she would have liked it, it’s a green tea. I love it.
Brooke: Me too. It’s so lightly steeped, and so few leaves are needed to get the flavours you want. Mmm. I would want to have this at Spa Nordik .
Stacey: Oh yes!! You would want to have this in a bathrobe and get a massage afterward. I really like this one.
Brooke: I love how easy going it is. Can teas be easy going?
Stacey: Fun fact- while the tea is the same from two years ago, it looks like it’s from a different part of Japan!
Brooke: They’ve always got to change something…

Final thoughts:

Stacey: This tea is seems good for productivity, it’s a simple green tea which all you really need.  While my family may not enjoy it, I give it a thumbs up. Now I really am craving sushi again…

Brooke: This tea hides nothing and ask nothing in return. It’s simple, delightful, and would go perfectly with a warm hot bubble bath (if you aren’t feeling a glass of merlot). Cheers, David!

Twitter seemed pleased, too:

@Koosa_party Organic sencha is delightfully bright green! Smooth and vegetal, maybe a little fruity? @DAVIDsTEA #24daysoftea

@DreaDreamings Day 16! Only eight more days of tea, I’m so sad. Today is a great, light green tea. #24daysoftea

@LilEm408 Day 16 tea is organic Japanese sencha and it’s a wonderful green tea! ❤ #24daysoftea

Don’t forget to take a moment for yourself, readers!

Until next tea,

Brooke and Stacey

Ahhhh.

Day 15: Honey, I Dew

Happy December 15th everyone!

As seems to be a trend this year, our schedules and the time change only allowed me and Brooke to sip our teas together for about 10 minutes. At least we can fit in a few minutes, right? Onward!

Tea: Honey, I Dew

Description: In Vietnam, melons are a sign of good luck. In Chinese medicine, they’re said to help cool the body down. Around here, we think they’re just about the tastiest fruit around – especially when you pair them with fresh, delicate white tea. With fruity hints of pineapple and mango, this melon-packed blend is refreshing, juicy and naturally sweet. The best part? This tea was named by our customers! Is there anything they can’t dew?

Ingredients: Apple, white tea, pineapple, (pineapple, sugar), melon (melon, sucrose, calcium chloride, citric acid, natural melon flavouring), mango (mango, sugar), rose petals, natural watermelon flavouring)

—

Stacey: I have so many little bitties in my tea. I would show you but I think I would spill tea on my keyboard.
Brooke: Well that certainly wouldn’t be very good. Keep it safe!

*sip*

Brooke: This tea would be SO nice in the summer as an ice tea! It has all the things you would want in an iced-tea, so much so that you wouldn’t even need to put a sweetener it like agave syrup.
Stacey: Agreed, but because it’s a white tea I don’t mind that it’s warm. It has the flavour of sweetness, without being too sweet…if that makes sense.
Brooke: I feel very weird drinking something so fruity at 8 in the morning.
Stacey: I feel less odd because it’s 11 am here.
Brooke: I think DavidsTea did a good job capturing the flavour of honeydew melon. I absolutely taste that.
Stacey: Agreed, I think this is a rare tea where you taste exactly what you smell. Also there’s apple in here.
Brooke: Right, it is the first ingredient. Dang.

Brooke had to head to another Let’s Talk Science event, so we continued our review via text: 

Stacey: I like this tea, but I’m not blown away.
Brooke: I am drinking it now, it’s at room temperature and wow! So much nicer. I would drink this all the time!
Stacey: I’d say it would be an “every now and then” tea.
Brooke: Mmm, Stacey! It’s like calorie-free juice. Still tea-y but fun!
Stacey: Actually, it isn’t calorie free. The website says there are 10 calories per cup.
Brooke: Ack! My blood sugar!

My Mom also had a few thoughts for today’s tea:

Lorie: This tea would be great iced, it tastes exactly like melon. It makes me think of summer and eating melon in my backyard.

—

Final Thoughts

Stacey: This tea didn’t necessarily ‘wow’ me, but it did have a lot of good flavours. I think I would have to try this one cold to give it a full review, but if you like honey dew this one’s for you!

Brooke: I say have this brew cold, or not at all. It was a very strange feeling to have such a sweet and fruity drink so early in the morning and so darn hot, but when it cooled down- voila! Its existence made sense. 🙂

—

Well, there you have it another summer tea that some how made its way into the #24daysoftea.

Until next tea,
Stacey and Brooke

 

Honey, I Dew want this on ice

Day 14: Alpine Punch

Tea enthusiasts, hello!

It’s a sunny day in Victoria (a rare occurrence during winter months) and we’ve just had a lovely egg and toast breakfast, courtesy of Dr. Dré. While Stacey is busy today with meetings and anniversaries (congrats, you two!), André and I graciously took on the responsibilities of today’s tea: Alpine Punch. Come along and enjoy this favourite with us!

Tea: Alpine Punch

Description: This is the kind of tea we imagine they serve in fabulous ski chalets in the Swiss Alps. With apple, cinnamon, ginger and the heady scent of almonds, it’s warm, comforting and totally decadent. What better to sip after a long day of skiing, sledding and snowball fights? Just cozy up in front of the fire and warm up with this sweet, fortifying brew. And if a little splash of brandy makes it in there too, all the better.

Ingredients: Rooibos, coconut chips, coconut rasps, apple, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, rose blossoms, almonds, natural and artificial almond cream flavouring.

—

Brooke: They suggest putting brandy in this! Who owns brandy these days?
André: Brandy? Like the alcohol?
Brooke: Yes! Did you know that brandy is distilled wine?
André: I did. I took a wine class in college, way back in the day.
Brooke: Well then!
André: As for brandy, it’s not something I drink on a regular basis.
Brooke: Ah, but Alpine Punch IS! Why, you just had this last night when we went to climb!
André: You bet, I can’t get enough. As I said a few days ago, this is one of my top 5 favourites.
Brooke: Agreed. Something about almond, apple, and ginger that just fits.

*sip*

André: Mmm. I think half of what I love about it is the smell. I totally feel the Swiss chalet getting ready for a summit bid.
Brooke: A what?
André: A summit bid. A mountain climbing attempt.
Brooke: Oh.
André: It’s odd to drink this tea while it’s still so warm out (3°C). I always associate this tea with really cold weather. The hot tea in your mouth paired with the cold snowflakes on your lips.
Brooke: I imagine myself back in Ottawa in the heart of winter, my eyelashes freezing together and wind sneaking its way into my sleeves as I walk to campus. One sip of this in my thermos and all would be well again. What flavours really come out for you?
André: I taste the almond and rose each time. The rooibos bark is well chosen for this tea, it compliments the other flavours very well to deliver a well balanced brew.
Brooke: There’s a really good mix of spices, fruits and nuts and yet it still manages to be delicate and not overpowering. Forever Nuts is fruitier and sweeter, while this one is more of a complex mix of sweet and spice. Mmm Mmm, this one will never get old.

---

 

Twitter was equally pleased with today’s tea:

@keryngill #24daysoftea Day 14: Alpine Punch. Who wants to go to the mountain!? #snowday @davidstea

@DilaraLit .@davidstea#24daysoftea Day 14: alpine punch. A creamy, almond-scented rooibos perfect on a cold winter day.

@gothicflamingos Today’s #24daysoftea is martianradio’s fave, #alpinepunch. In a boot because Ich bin eine entzückende Deutsche. #liquidmarzipan #punchalpin

---

Final thoughts:

Brooke: There has been, and always will be, a tin of this in our cupboard. A perfect winter tea that warms you up, keeps your day sweet, and delivers a pleasant burst of almond and ginger.
André: A five star tea in my books. Alpine Punch is my go-to winter tea. Can we have another cup?

And there you go- an obvious choice for a stocking stuffer or Secret Santa gift. : )

Until next tea,

Brooke and André

Our Chalet in Adelboden, Switzerland: a perfect place to a cuppa Alpine Punch.