teaspoons & petals

tea today: flowery broken orange pekoe from Plucker ' s Pick

rubesh jacobs from Plucker's Pick (a new company that will officially begin selling their tea online in 2 days) sent me a tin of their loose leaf flowery broken orange pekoe (ceylon tea). many thanks to rubesh and plucker's pick. this particular tea is unblended and from homadola garden. according to plucker's pick, flowery broken orange pekoe tea is "a fresh, sweet tea with a light aroma. this low-grown tea brews to a golden shade with hints of orange. a mild and mellow flavor." the aroma of the tea leaves is a naturally dried citrus fragrance (I am quite tempted to keep some of it in a bowl to use as potpourri). after brewing for three minutes, I poured two cups: one with milk and sugar (according to their brewing instructions) and one without. this black tea does not have an overpowering taste (like most ceylon I've tasted) and I couldn't be happier. the aftertaste is fresh, mild and slightly sweet. the deep glowing amber color compliments the fall foliage view while I sip. the cup with milk and sugar is absolutely delightful. the mellow sweetness is emphasized by the milk. what a truly a comforting cup of tea. a sweet tea treat to savor that offers a zip of caffeinated energy on a fall afternoon. after opening the box that contained the tin, I noticed a small card placed on top. inside the card there were printed tidbits about Sri Lanka to enjoy while sipping on a cup. the other side of the card was left blank, except for the simple phrase "notes about my tea experience," which excited me greatly as it offered a space to share and capture my tea adventure. in addition to the beautiful tin, rubesh sent along a packet filled with information about the company and specific teas. some fabulous facts from plucker's pick:

• plucker's pick was founded by rubesh and carrie jacobs 
• plucker's pick is the first brand to exclusively feature unblended, single garden teas from Sri Lanka. an unblended, single-garden tea is made up of only the highest grade leaf for a premium taste--without unnecessary flavorings to disturb the tea (three cheers for plucker's for not having any flavoring in their tea).
• their premium loose-leaf teas are hand-picked and processed in small batches.
• their tea plucker's pick each leaf by hand. the leaves are then immediately processed and packaged in Sri Lanka. Picking and packaging close to the source ensures the freshness and quality of the tea.
• the duo hopes to showcase the strengths of resources in poorer countries (such as Sri Lanka)
• Sri Lanka is the #3 tea-exporting country in the world

overall, my tea tasting and tea learning experience has been fabulous thanks to the wonderful products and resources of plucker's pick. I highly recommend that you sign up for an email reminder about the official site launch on October 1st, as they will be giving away tea for the first 24hrs. 

happy tea tasting!

sweet accessory

While battling a tough cold, my vocal chords lost the fight and I have been stripped of my voice for over 24 hours. In an effort to salvage my ability to talk, I have been flooding myself with tea and honey (the remedy I have been advised to use since childhood). As a passionate tea drinker, this remedy is pure bliss. However, when it came to seeking out the sweet honey, my cupboards were bare. Over the past few months I have been enjoying agave nectar instead of honey. So, as I navigated the tea aisle in Whole Foods while searching for honey, I came face to face with a thought provoking dilemma: honey or agave nectar? Just as a quick refresher and to be fair to both parties: agave nectar: "Agave nectar (sometimes called agave syrup) is most often produced from the Blue Agaves that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. The nectar made from the plant is known in Mexico as aguamiel, or 'honey water.'"  honey: "Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also contains other sugars as well trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids. Honey is "manufactured" in one of the world's most efficient factories, the beehive." I enjoy these sweet accessories equally and do not prefer one over the other, which made the decision even more difficult. My eyes bounced from agave to honey, honey to agave. I was truly stuck in a sticky, sweet moment. But when it came down to memories and tried and true remedies, honey won this sugary battle. Here's hoping that this honey leads to a smooth (and vocal) recovery.  Which do you prefer? honey or agave?

last bits of green...

While sitting at my kitchen table watching nature's summer green fade into golden of early fall, I realize that I'm brewing the last pot of a very special blend of green tea that a friend brought back from Japan. The tiny bag filled with deep green leaves is housed in a petite canister decorated with traditional Japanese illustrations. The tea's flavor is delicate, earthy and creates an instant sensation of calm upon first taste. I'm savoring every sip, even though I'm already imagining the next pot after the resteep (caffeinated foreshadowing, possibly). While I let my taste buds linger on the last few sips, I am intrigued by the artwork of the Japanese characters that cover the bottom of the tin. I hope to discover a simple translation tool that will bring these characters to life in my English language. Until then, I'll just sit here and savor the last bits of green as it fades to fall beyond the window.