teaspoons & petals

tea today: first lady green tea from Tafu-New York

This morning, I opened the metallic pouch of my favorite premium green tea, First Lady from Tafu-New York, only to find that there were just enough leaves for one pot. I have been brewing this tea sparingly, as it is probably my favorite green tea.

While gently using my teaspoon to scoop the delicate leaves, I am experiencing mixed emotions as I know I will have to savor each sip (until I order my next batch). According to Tafu New York, First Lady (Gyokuro) is:

A refined form of green tea which is considered to be one of the highest quality teas in Japan. This tea is low in catechin and achieves a smooth yet sweet balance of flavors that strikes an elegant harmony.

The deep green dry leaves offer an earthy yet slightly sweet aroma. After brewing for three minutes, the leaves have transformed into a brighter shade of green and the aroma is still that of a delicate earthiness.  First sip: the soothing, smooth green tea is gentle to the palette. My taste buds first encounter a subtle sweetness that transforms into a smokey green flavor.

A few sips later a flavor memory comes to mind, and I recall tasting tea in an authentic Japanese tea ceremony. This incredibly clean tea truly captures the elegance of a subtle sweetness and slight grassy flavor of refined green teas.

Although I prefer this tea without any additives, I am sure a drop of agave nectar would compliment it quite nicely. In addition to being a refined green tea, First Lady is also classified as Gyokuro, which translates to "Jade Dew" or "Pearl Dew." A few weeks before an early harvest of the sweet buds, the bush is shaded under a cover usually made of straw. In fact, Gyokuro is a type of sencha, although it calls for lower temperature than sencha when brewing.

Overall, an absolutely lovely cup of green tea. First Lady tea truly lives up to its name.

tea today: honeybee from tbar

During a recent trip to Tbar, I decided to forgo my usual evening choice of the nutty GenmaiCha tea and instead opted for a Honeybee black tea latte infused with honey pollen, caramel, vanilla and your choice of skim milk, whole milk, 2% milk or soy milk. Craving a creamy, comforting drink, I chose 2% milk (even though my recently tightened jeans protested). First sip: the sweetened milk is soothing and intoxicating. The honey pollen greets my taste buds first, offering a refreshing, natural, and subtly sweet palette experience that does not send me into a sugar shock. Then the caramel slips in, offering a final burst of buttery sweetness before moving onto the beautiful blend of vanilla and creamy milk. The lingering aftertaste of sweetened milk perfectly balances moments of the hearty black tea. Every ingredient is perfectly blended to create the ultimate black tea latte without any bitter aftertaste. This tea is truly a sweet treat. I highly recommend that you make your way over to Tbar and pick up a cup.

i ' m a little tea cup: geek chic cups

Foggy Monday mornings usually call for a few do-overs before we actually get the hang of the week. And lucky for me, my friend Eric from Geekadelphia passed on the link to a set of tea cups that would perfectly match that Monday mood. These CTRL ALT Delete cups patiently rest on their circuit board plate until you need to escape the desk and drown your sorrows in a cup of tea. A product of Mod Design, these techno cups are uber geek chic.  Fill up the keyed cups with a nice morning blend of assam and power up your morning. Just make sure to keep them far away from your laptop--wouldn't want a spill to spoil the actual keys.

tea on wheels

While spending some time on one of my favorite sites, World Tea News, I came across an article about a fabulous tea business idea. Gay Hughes is owner of Gay Grace Teas, a traveling mobile tea room, appropriately tagged "an English cottage on wheels." This tea truck is 21 feet long and wrapped in decorative vinyl to give the look of a charming English cottage. It houses a full kitchen where Gay serves tea and treats (sandwiches, scones, etc). Gay is known for her freshly brewed hot and iced tea from a collection of over 20 loose teas. And while you're sipping away, you can browse her tea ware and maybe pickup a special pot or cup to commemorate your unique tea experience.  At the moment, Gay is traveling to nearby nurseries and garden centers in Massachusetts. So, if you're lucky enough to live in MA or traveling through, make sure to check Gay's schedule and take a moment to experience mobile tea! image courtesy of Gay Grace Teas