ladygreymoonlight

December 1, 2019November 30, 2019

Day 1- Full Moon Chai

Ingredients: Black tea, Cardamom, Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Vanilla Butternut Extract, Love, Gratitude.

Preparation: steep 1 tsp in boiling water for 4-6 minutes

From the website:

Full Moon Chai was one of our original blends, now back with even more creative energy. We’ve taken our classic, signature masala vanilla chai tea and added a splash of vanilla butternut extract. This simple twist adds a depth, warmth, and vibrancy to your traditional chai, and also gives the flavor a hint of sweetness and creaminess without having to add lots of sugar or milk (though we do like this blend prepared as a traditional masala chai or chai latte).

It makes a great pairing for those indoor days where you need something warm and comforting. It’s also a lovely companion for those moments when you need a high-caffeine blend to give you focus and momentum, and it’s even good for a delicious chai cocktail or three!

So, before I even open this I have to know – what is vanilla butternut extract? To the interwebs! *cue 60’s superhero theme music*

A combination of vanilla, butter and nuts (but it’s nut free?). McCormick had Imitation Vanilla Butternut Extract, but changed the name to Cake Batter Flavor. Other sites that offer their own version say it’s often used in pound cake. Some have images of vanilla, butter and hazelnuts. Others have pecans instead of hazelnuts. One candy making supply site says their extract is more intense than regular vanilla extract, so use half to not overpower whatever you’re making. Amazon has the following https://www.amazon.com/slp/vanilla-butter-nut/4oy6vaq64f2o6cq
Enough of that potential rabbit hole of wtf. Let’s drink.

The dry tea is chunky. Whole cloves, chopped up bits of cinnamon bark, cardamom, ginger, and the black tea is actual leaves. Quality looking product. I smell the clove and cardamom above everything else.

Thankfully the cardamom isn’t strong once it’s steeped. If you followed Hipster Wife’s blog last year, you know I am not a fan. My first cup of this I am drinking black. The ginger and cinnamon are obvious, but not obnoxious.

Cup 1, black:The tea isn’t as dark as I thought it would be for a black tea. But I also don’t normally drink out of my tiny china tea cup. It isn’t in my face spicy like some chais. It is warm and mellow and very pleasant. I look forward to finishing off this day’s little bag.

Cup 2, with ½ & ½: Holy Nutty Cardamom, Batman! This is literally a different tea. I smell cinnamon and clove. But I taste the vanilla butternut (still don’t know exactly wtf this is) and cardamom.

I think I prefer this one black.

If it was called Pumpkin Spice, would we still drink it?

The spices in chai are similar to those we find in pumpkin pie spice blends. Pumpkin pie spices include cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg (instead of cardamom). Some blends use allspice as well. When we ponder if this is a winter holiday inspired blend, I have to say yes. These spices invoke autumnal and winter desserts – puddings, apple and pumpkin pies, spiced cakes and gingerbread. Excellent choice for day one.

Hipster Wife here. So I had my cuppa after a long day. It was a very long day. I had to deal with Black Friday scooping out snowbirds at Sam’s Club. I was raised to be respectful as fuck. I’m a fucking Lady and shit. But when you nail me in the small of my back with your cart because you’re cutting in line. Fuck that.

Well. I might be living in the south, but I am from California and as the child of Reva. I take zero shit.

yes… none of that passive aggressive ‘bless your heart’ nonsense.

Actually, I just glared, tried not to cry because my back was already hurting, and I didn’t let the old lady go ahead of me. Small tiny victory.

Anyhoo about this tea.

I went in not really expecting a whole lot. I gotta be honest, dear readers. The Adagio Advent was such a disappointment, and I wanted to love it so much. So I don’t have daddy issues, but I might have shitty advent tea calendar issues. Thankfully, it only visits me once a year.

Tiny little side story… I have been a tea drinker my whole life. My mother drank basically unsweetened sun tea for like her entire life. I drank it as I grew up. My Auntie liked to sweeten hers, and so I would request it sweetened when I thought I could get away with it. Usually at restaurants. The stories of me asking for Auntie’s Tea at Spires (Think fancy Denny’s in Southern California.) are numerous (My mom was a waitress there, and I felt I could risk not getting shut down with witnesses aka tippers.)

So I can’t say that chai is my gateway tea. But it is how I learned to appreciate tea. Excellent quality tea.

Picture it. Claremont, California, 2003. I had been drinking the Tazo Chai Latte from Starbucks for a while. I don’t know long. Probably not that long. My BFF and I were in Claremont for lunch. He worked at Rhino Records, and around the corner was a little Eastern Indian restaurant. (I just found out that it is no longer there. I have a sad.) Kris and I visited all the time. The owner was a severe man, often he would serve the food sort of like a school lunch line. You just pointed and be filled your little plate. I loved the place because he always made sure nothing touched. One day I was telling Kris about how I had discovered the Republic of Tea. (This is a whole other blog post. Let’s just say that 41-year-old Hipster Wife is not a fan. But 27-year-old Hipster Wife was.) The owner overheard, and after saying something rapidly, a cig hanging on his lip, he handed me a mug that I thought was milk.

I smiled. It was hot.

He motioned with his hand like.. “Get on with it.”

I took a drink.

It was like running into Laurence Fishburn and being like, gimme that Nyquil Day Pill, motherfucker because my life will never be the same after this.

He saw it on my face, and he finally smiled at me. He then gave me a bag of tea and just patted my head as if I was a small child. I was just a baby taking her first steps into the world of tea. I didn’t even know that loose leaf was a thing. I was positive the tea in the bag I held had sticks in it. I didn’t care because it was magical. He briefly explained how I could make it at home. I have never ever been able to recreate it. But I did have it again each time I went back there for lunch.

The few days my mom died, I went and just had a cup of it and said nothing. He said nothing. But he kept my cup filled, and he didn’t charge me.

That is when I learned that tea can bridge a lot of stuff. You can make friends, welcome people into your life, or in my case, say goodbye.

Okay, so maybe it’s not a small story.

Chai tea, all kinds of it, and Thanksgiving/Christmas are all tied to me in emotions. The warmth of that tea, my mom’s last Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

When I opened this bag, it was almost enough to take me right back to that. I think it’s because of the quality of this blend. Immediately I brewed it up, and the first few sips were spicy and comforting. The scent of it was intense. Quite enjoyable. I decided to mix in some coconut cream. I think it was pretty close to that memory.

Memories are fragile things sometimes. I felt comfortable with this cup of tea. It made me happy to remember these memories even if they were bittersweet. It pleased me much to see how far I’ve come. Grateful that I can sit here and write about it and share it.

Viking Wife already went over all the details of the tea, so I’m gonna skip it this time. Would I recommend this? YES. Will I be ordering more? Absolutely. Day 1 is everything I wanted from it and more. I am pretty excited to see what adventure Day 2 is going to take me.

November 30, 2019November 27, 2019

Tea Advent Calendar – counting the days with tea

This introduction was written by my BFF, also known as my Hipster Wife. I, Viking Wife/Lady Grey have commented in places. We live on opposite ends of the East Coast of the US, so all hail the shared Google docs folder! In this post my comments are in red.

“Sister Mary chose that moment to come in with the tea. Satanist or not, she’d also found a plate and arranged some iced biscuits on it.”

― Neil Gaiman, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

(This is the Cupcake *Hipster* Wife, Aka The Unicorn. I’m writing because I gave an impassioned speech via Facebook messenger. Also, Viking Wife is at work.)

Why did I start the introduction to the 2019 Christmas Tea Advent Calendar with a Neil Gaiman quote involving biscuits and Satanists?

Because I wanted to invoke the journey.

Not that we are in love with Martin Freeman. Not that I’m obsessed with The Hobbit. Nope. Not that at all. (Denial is not just a river in Egypt)

Last year on my blog, we did the Adagio Tea Advent Calendar. While both Viking Wife (Lady Grey to you folks) and I love Adagio and find that their loose leaf tea is exactly what the doctor ordered, we found their advent calendar…

Lame. Well, maybe lame is too strong a word. Lacking is better.

(No, lame is a good word)

Adagio specializes in loose leaf tea, and as a tea snob to the tenth degree, I (we) were sorely disappointed by the tea bags. The packaging itself was cute. The whole thing felt flat.

(Sorely, like we fell off our roller skates into a patch of raspberry canes)

I wanted a narrative. I wanted to experience tea and the adventure of finding new ones. I went into the whole endeavor with an explorer mindset.

Take me somewhere! Give me new tea experiences that I can buy more and enjoy return visits.

The tea adventure that I wanted- that I planned to share with fellow tea lovers was more like a trip to the Adagio warehouse where all the unpopular tea was.

If you read the blog last year, you will know that I found it very green. Way, way too green.

(Hipster Wife doesn’t like green tea)

There was no rhyme or reason to their picks. Their few Christmas teas were filled with artificial flavors. It was like the gingerbread tea had maybe seen a gingerbread house on it’s way to the packaging plant.

(It waved at the gingerbread house, in a desperate attempt to catch some of its flavour)

Adagio has their calendar available this year, and it’s basically the same as last year. It wasn’t horrible; it would make an excellent gift for someone who is a tea novice. Someone who doesn’t mind bags, and who loves green tea. I think overall, I would give it 6/10.

I would recommend it, but I’d probably be awkward and stumble about it for like 15 minutes, and you’d probably just nod, give me a look and leave as fast as you could. You’d probably pass on it.

(But legit, go try Adagio’s Earl Grey Moonlight, it’s lovely.)

Legit. I mean, I took my blog name from this tea. The Earl Grey Moonlight is my go-to tea nearly every day. Sometimes I switch it up with their Earl Grey Bella Luna. My stepmom said she didn’t like it. I asked her how it felt to be wrong.

This year we have decided to buy (No PR here. But omg someone please give us PR tea!! *Smiles pretty*) and review the Plum Deluxe Advent Calendar.

I have tried Plum Deluxe before. I received some from VW for my birthday, and I am in love with their Earl Grey Gratitude tea. It’s pretty great. Intense flavors that I need for a decent Earl Grey with the added surprise of dried strawberries. At first, I was like… wha? But then I was like WHERE WERE YOU MY WHOLE LIFE?! GET IN MY CUP!

I keep meaning to write a love letter…erm… blog post about Plum Deluxe’s Earl Grey Gratitude blend. It’s divine.

Plum Deluxe is loose leaf (inner snob pinky finger relaxes), and you can decide if you want just the tea or their fabric advent wall hanging calendar. Honestly, the wall hanger looks homemade, and I like that about it. The price was out of my range this year. I’m not saying its too expensive, I’m just saying I’m here to review tea, and that’s what I got. Tea.

VW got her tea last night… So I gargoyled my mailbox, scared my mailman, and finally got mine today. I guess my walking dead PJs and zombie t-shirt didn’t scream stable. Maybe it was the pacing? Impatient foot tapping. I don’t know.

It would have been epic if you had called him Santa as you rushed to snatch the package from his hands.

(Yes but I’m not the one with a Santa fetish, my love.)

{OMG I’m totally going to find a way to put my Santa fetish into this blog}

Once I tore open my little mail slot it hit me. Immediately the scent of tea was strong. I didn’t even open the plastic shipping envelope, and I was getting a tea contact high. Once I got into it, I was delighted by the little purple envelopes that had each day numbered on them.

Plus, I got more Earl Grey tea and a free sample!

I put them all in order and then I started to open each one. I checked out the tea and then put each little pouch back.

There is no way I was going blind. We found out last year that not all of the Adagio calendars were in the same order, so to prevent wonky reviews, we’ll be opening them to compare.

I was surrounded by the scent of the teas because they are a loose-leaf. They’re handpacked into little resealable pouches. I am thinking I can get two cups from each baggy.

The price is already worth it. (Just the tea is 30 dollars. Adagio’s is 29. Multiple cups and loose leaf already has the win.

There is a lot of tea that made me go, wow. I won’t spoil any of it here, but I will stress that this calendar, while not totally keyed to Christmas or even winter is a journey. There is a clear narrative. It wants you to try new things, it’s going to draw you in and let you see that tea can be breakfast, or lunch, or a sweet treat. It can comfort you, energize you, restore your soul.

Maybe that is actually what the Adagio Calendar was lacking… Soul.

I haven’t tried a single Plum Deluxe tea from this calendar, and already I am excited. I can’t wait. There is only one tea that made me flinch. But who knows, maybe I’ll love it?

Or set it on fire.

Oh thank sweet baby Santa Claus, there was no Lapsang either!

I look forward to writing with my BFF on another review. I think this year will be absolutely entertaining and I can’t wait to take you all with us.

Sweet Baby Santa Claus would not like Lapsang. He’d weep, thinking he singed his behind on someone’s fire. We can’t have Sweet Baby Santa crying!

Thoughts to ponder… Would sweet baby Santa Claus have a baby beard? Hummm?

Nick Frost as Santa in Doctor Who… my level of nerd girl porn right here.

November 27, 2019

Autumn Themed Shortbread

Over the summer I had fun experimenting with adding fresh fruit to my basic shortbread recipe. I made little glazes. I added a bit of food colouring. I loved showing up at family parties or at work with a bright and tasty selection of shortbread. As the season turned, my thoughts also turned. Sadly, the first thought was “pumpkin spice”. I live in New England. The moment Dunks and Bucky’s break out the PSL every female is wearing leggings and Uggs and scarves. People, it’s still freaking summer when this happens. September 1 isn’t autumn.

Social media is full of “let the pumpkin spice people have their joy” memes. Sure. Fine. I’ll keep my opinions to myself (and my blog). But if we look at what pumpkin pie spice actually is, we can remove the stigma that makes people like me roll their eyes at Pumpkin Spice Season.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves. Sometimes allspice. I’ve even found some that use mace and cardamom.

https://www.eatthelove.com/homemade-pumpkin-spice/

No pumpkins were harmed in the creation of pumpkin pie spice. This blend is what you use when making pumpkin pie. Interestingly, it’s also pretty much the spices used in chai.

I was slightly disturbed when one of my favourite tea companies released a pumpkin spice tea and one of the ingredients was “pumpkin essence”.

https://gostencil.com/products/ghost-pumpkin-10-mil-clear-mylar-reusable-stencil-pattern is pumpkin essence the ghost of a dead pumpkin? I have questions.

Okay, enough of my nonsense. Let’s recall my basic shortbread recipe: 1 3/4 cups flour, 2/3 cups powdered sugar, 2 sticks butter, 1 tsp vanilla (optional based on flavour combinations).

Here is the list of the Autumn Flavours I made this year:

Pumpkin Spice (which no one would eat so I just called them Spiced Shortbread – and people loved them) 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp each ginger, cloves, nutmeg.

Coconut: Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened coconut and a splash of coconut extract. I feel coconut is more both a summer and Christmas flavour. Maybe in the summer I’ll do some coconut shortbread with pineapple glaze!

Orange Clove: if I had planned better the day I was baking I would have picked up an actual orange to zest. Instead I used a tsp of ground cloves and 1/2 tsp of orange extract. This was inspired by the craft we did in third grade with Mrs. Palefsky. We pushed whole cloves into an orange to hang in our closets. It smelled nice, and we had weird sore spots on our finger tips for days. The REALLY interesting thing about this flavour is that it did not go over well with Millenials or Gen Z. But my cohorts in Gen X, and the Boomers loved it.

Lemon Ginger: again, if I had planned better, I would have bought a lemon to zest. For this one I used a splash of lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon extract, and a tsp of ground ginger.

Cranberry Orange: 1/2 tsp orange extract and some dried cranberries. “Some” meaning I cut some dried cranberries in half and tossed them into the dough until my ancestors whispered “enough, child”.

November 22, 2019November 23, 2019

Oatmeal Scotchies (perhaps we should call them OMG Scotchies)

When I was a little girl my mom tried to get us kids to have a ‘specialty’ cookie we made for the holidays. Every Christmas she had me make Magic Cookie Bars. I don’t know why. Another cookie she had me make was the by-the-bag-recipe Toll House Oatmeal Scotchies.

My memory of the by-the-bag-recipe version is of a cookie that flattened out and was super sweet.

I’ve been asked for years now to share my recipe. Here you go…

For reasons, I needed a cookie that was small, hearty, and wouldn’t take too long to eat. I wanted to introduce a group of teens to Oatmeal Scotchies. That was six years ago. It has become the traditional cookie for this group of teens. They introduce new kids to it, like it’s an initiation. My godson even asked me this year to bake him some for school. His class is doing a family tree project. The day before Thanksgiving all the students are bringing in a traditional dish from their family. My not-related-by-blood godchild asked me to make him these cookies.

Old fashioned oats are a must. The quick-cook ones don’t make as nice a cookie.

You can see the bag recipe. Here is how I modified it:

1.25 cups white flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup butter, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla , one bag butterscotch chips

1 TSP cinnamon, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white granulated sugar, 4 cups oats

I increased the cinnamon and oats, and cut the total sugar in half. This makes for a hearty cookie that is still super sweet, but won’t make you feel like you are developing diabetes by smelling it.

A lesser mixer would die at this thickness.

I roll into little balls and bake for 10 minutes at 375. Tip – wash your hands but do not dry them. Wet hands help mold the balls with less dough sticking to your hands.

Because of the fame my teens gave these little cookies, I was asked to make some for a fundraiser. These cookies are no joke, folks.

To make these monsters, I made a large meatball sized clump of dough. After I roll them, I squish them into what is sort of a small hamburger patty shape. These bake at 375 for about 15 minutes to get this golden brown colour.

Every year I make these for the fundraiser, and post photos on Facebook. And every year my Auntie asks where hers are. This is a once a year cookie. Come see me dance at the fundraiser and buy some.

November 6, 2019November 3, 2019

Period Pain Tisane – or How I Cut My Pain Relief Pills Almost to Nothing

Bold title, right? I’m a storyteller. But I’m also honest about what works for me and what doesn’t. I’m a natural redhead who had weight loss surgery. I end up with crazy side effects to meds, and I can’t take any NSAIDS. I was popping three 500mg Tylenol three to four times a day during my monthly flow. Crazy? You bet. How many Tylenol am I taking now that I drink this tea when I bleed? Maybe two in the morning. Maybe.

The blend: Raspberry Leaf, Chamomile, Peppermint, Calendula, Linden leaf & flower, Lady’s Mantle, Chaste Tree berries.

A rabbit over water and a dude sitting down with an ankh? It’s one way of writing the name of the Ancient Egyptian God Osiris. Yes, I’m that level of ancient history nerd.

Let’s go through why I chose these ingredients. Remember to consult your physician or herbalist to make sure what you are drinking is safe. Always look at drug.com or webmd to look for known interactions with OTC and prescription meds with herbs. This is the blend I created for myself and my daughter. I do not give this out freely unless I’ve spoken to the lady who wants to drink it.

Raspberry Leaf – this isn’t raspberry flavoured tea. This is actually dried raspberry leaves. I’ve harvested some of my own and dried them. You can easily get them commercially (thanks to the internet, Traditional Medicinals, and an upswing in natural food stores). It shortens cramps and soothes the uterine wall.

Chamomile – acts to balance hormones, calms abdominal discomfort, eases cramps and lessens PMS (or PMT, depends on where you live and what you call it). It’s also relaxing, a perfect cup for evenings or when you are stressed. It soothes upset stomachs.

Peppermint – another herb for soothing upset tummies. Tasty when mixed just with chamomile. It is an anti-spasmodic. For those of us with a uterus, we know all too well the spasms it goes through. Want to ease those spasms? Peppermint leaf tea.

Calendula – pot marigold – this is a bright yellow/orange flower that makes a delightful cuppa on its own or blended with almost anything. It prevents muscle spasms, starts menstrual periods and reduces fevers.

Linden Leaf & Flower – Linden is a calming herb. It reduces stress. Who isn’t stressing out when they have Pre and During Menstrual Tension? It is an anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, helps create mucilage to protect our tender tissues, and lowers blood pressure.

Lady’s Mantle – can stem excessive menstrual bleeding, is anti-spasmodic and reduces pain (contains salicylic acid – see aspirin’s origins).

Chaste Tree Berry – both this and Lady’s Mantle are found in Traditional Medicinals’ “Healthy Cycle” tea. So you should check out their products. This may interfere with birth control pills (remember, always ask a medical professional!). These berries have been used to treat painful periods, menstrual cycle problems, and menopause.

For those of you blending along at home… I blend 1/2 cup each Raspberry Leaf, Chamomile and Peppermint. I blend 1/4 cup each everything else. I steep in water be between 190 and 200 – if I’m using the Chaste Tree Berries. If I leave those out, I steep in 185 degree water. I’m a rebel. I know. Everyone says to use 200 degree water. But nothing, to me, ruins peppermint or chamomile faster than too hot water.

November 3, 2019

Tea for Travelers – The Hot One – An Adagio Fandom Blend

I feel that very few people would argue that Kili is the better looking brother. Because he is.

Sure, Fili and Kili in Dwarf make up look like this… but what do they look like under this? Do your own shirtless search for answers.

Did the make up department make the elder brother less attractive with that prosthetic nose? Maybe… But have you seen Dean O’Gorman without make up? He looks exactly like the type of upper middle class white jock who harassed me in high school and college. The type of guy who made fun of my D&D playing friends, and grew up to work in sales, only to sexually harass me at the office.

So not my type. But if he’s yours, please enjoy this eye candy.

The Hot One, however, is hot in Dwarf make up and out of it. And if you’ve seen Poldark, you know what I mean.

But this blog is supposed to be about tea. And today we are going to talk about a very tasty tea in the Fandom Series “Tea for Travelers” by Cara McGee.

Ingredients & Lore

Blended With Black Tea, Ceylon Sonata, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Natural Spice Flavor, Orange, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves & Cardamom

Teas in this blend include Ceylon Sonata, Oriental Spice, and Vanilla. This is accented with ginger.

Ceylon Sonata is a black tea from Sri Lanka. In colonial times Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon.

Oriental Spice is a Ceylon tea blended with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and orange rinds

Vanilla is another Ceylon black tea with vanilla.

I like how Cara chose three Ceylons for this. I feel it gives consistency to the blend. How does it taste?

When I slid open the tin the dry tea smells like spice, a bit like orange, there is some vanilla, and the ginger is very faint.

Brewed the tea smells like a clean, fresh, slightly citrus black tea.

First sip – the vanilla settles on the back of the tongue. The ginger is subtle. The citrus/orange flavour is prominent. It has a dry finish.

Because this is a black tea with spices normally found in a chai, I went ahead and added a splash of milk to a few cups. It just tasted like a weak chai, but the ginger left more warmth upon the tongue.

Overall, Cara McGee stabbed another Orc with an Elvish blade in fine fashion!

October 3, 2019

Tea for Travelers – The Prince – An Adagio Fandom Blend

Cara McGee trained as a comic book artist.

One of my most favourite things about Adagio is the fandom blends. You can make your own blend(s), upload your art work, and fellow nerds who drink tea can buy sample tins of your blends. It’s quite brilliant. I’m a nerd. I love nerds. I love tea. I love nerds who love tea.

We’re kicking Fandom reviews off with The Prince from the Tea for Travelers collection by Cara McGee. I don’t know who she is, but I don’t think I’ve had any of her blends that I outright hated. Not only are our first names similar (not sure how she pronounces it), but she seems like all the same fandoms that I do, and she knows how to blend teas. Ms. McGee, I’m a fan.

Her description on the Adagio site is “Deep, warm, golden notes and a rich, dark base. Decidedly decadent, but reliably strong.” Steep at 212 for 3 minutes.

The blend is noted as: Hazelnut, Irish Breakfast, Spiced Apple Chai, Marigold, Cinnamon.

He hates being without his little brother.

Ingredients:Black Tea, Assam Melody Tea, Ceylon Sonata Tea, Cinnamon, Ginger, Natural Hazelnut Flavor, Cardamom, Orange, Cloves, Apple Pieces, Natural Apple Flavor & Natural Cinnamon Flavor. Accented with Marigold Flowers and Cinnamon.

I’m a 4 minute steeper for black teas.

The Prince in question is Fili, brother of Kili, nephew of Thorin Oakenshield. In the Peter Jackson films he is portrayed by Dean O’Gorman (who was also in a strange but entertaining little show from New Zealand called The Almighty Johnsons. If you like Norse myths, modern interpretations, comedy, drama, and cute guys, check it out).

When you first open the tin, you get a rich, nutty aroma. It’s a bit like fresh baked apple crisp made with a nut flour and cinnamon. Delightful!

Pro tip when you get the fandom sample tins – dump out the tea onto a paper towel or tissue. Then carefully put it back. The blends never quite taste right unless you mix them up. As the tin’s contents diminish, just shake vigorously before measuring. Also, the steeping directions are not on the tins. So keep your browser turned to the Adagio site so you know how to make your perfect cuppa! (but not their app because they don’t have the fandom blends on the app. whatever. I actually stopped using the app because of this.)

How does it taste? My first cup I had black. It smelled nutty and apple spiced. The initial flavours were of black tea, then of hazelnut and cinnamon apples. It was a very nice post lunch cuppa. Being a chai, and having hazelnut, I was drawn to make a second cup at home and add a splash of half & half. (I’m American, I don’t keep milk in the house, just half & half for my coffee.)

Futhark runes spell out Strong women go to Folkvang – Freya’s Coffee. Which is funny because I never drink coffee from this mug. Only tea.

Something about that splash of dairy brings the whole cup together like a dessert! The hazelnut is toned down, the apple and cinnamon come through.

If you are new to Adagio fandom blends, check out Cara McGee’s blends. I feel you can’t go wrong with what she puts together. Plus adorable artwork on her tins!

August 5, 2019July 20, 2019

Summer Lovin’ Tisane

Gorgeous ingredients in a glass bowl waiting to be blended.

I love playing with my collection of loose herbs and blending different tisanes for both pleasure and medicine. This blend celebrates summer and love and healing all at once.

1 part chamomile

1/2 part rose hips

1/2 part hibiscus

1/4 part hawthorn berries

1/4 part rose petals

1/4-1/2 part dried strawberries (optional)

Chamomile has been used medicinally since ancient times. It is used for hay fever, menstrual pain, insomnia, GI upset, just to name a few drinkable uses. Topically it can be used as a soothing wash for a sunburn. People with hay fever and pollen allergies are warned against consuming chamomile. I have terrible hay fever. I am allergic to anything with pollen. I drink chamomile quite regularly. I’m not suggesting you disregard this warning. I’m just saying that I’ve never had an adverse reaction, and neither has anyone else I know with allergies that drinks chamomile. Even the NIH (National Institute of Health) has researched chamomile. Chamomile has a bright, slightly honeyed flavour. It makes a great base for many herbal teas.

I made up my own recipe for an herbal summer tisane – one that invokes love, healing of the heart, inspires the heart, and is delicious hot or iced.

Rose hips were a favourite thing of mine as a child. My dad’s family has property at the end of a dead end street in Portland Harbor in Maine. Clinging to the rocky banking are rose bushes. The hips were something I fantasized about turning into jams and teas when I was small.

Rose hips develop on wild roses as the flowers drop off. The rose hip is the fruit of the rose, and are a source of vitamin C. They are tart and fruity.

Rose hips were used during WWII by the British government to stave off scurvy when citrus fruits were difficult to obtain.

Hibiscus is a sweet and tart delight, brewing up a pretty pinkish red, and tastes a bit like cranberries. It can decrease body temperature, treat heart disease, lowers blood pressure, and can help soothe a sore throat. Like rose hips, hibiscus contains vitamin C. Everyone seems to carry a hibiscus tea now, so I won’t include a link to purchase any.

Hawthorn berries have been used for medicine for a long time. The leaves, berries, and flowers can all be used. It is used to treat conditions of the heart and blood, high blood pressure, indigestion, and can help reduce anxiety. It is also used to support the heart emotionally.

Rose petals are delicate and full of the same flavour as their scent. If you’ve never had rose in a tea blend, or Turkish Delight, the flavour may take you by surprise. Rose petals are good to ease menstrual pain, it’s vitamins A and C help boost the immune system (and fight off scurvy. I may have been binging Poldark this week), and roses are a flower of the heart. Associated in myth with Aphrodite, Greek Goddess of Love, as well as Isis (Auset) Egyptian Goddess and Queen.

My mother was HORRIFIED to learn that I use rose petals in tea and baking. She had never heard of eating roses before. No, she’s not seen Like Water for Chocolate. No, I’m not sure I’m related to her.

Strawberries are delicious, and not a berry. They are a member of the rose family. They are high in vitamin C. What more needs to be said? Strawberry shortcake, strawberry rhubarb pie, strawberry ice cream… it’s all good. I love my dehydrator. It took me a while to figure it out for strawberries. I wash them in a vinegar and water solution. Rinse. slice thinly and toss with lemon or lime juice. Then I lay them in the dehydrator on the highest temperature. I turn each piece after about 6 hours, and check them again in 2 hours. I like them totally dried out and crisp to use in teas.

Totally loving Poldark. The good doctor came to Nampara and treated the miners for scurvy. Then he gets captured by the French and develops it himself. Much sexier with the beard, Dr. Enys. If only he had thought to make the miners drink rose hip and rose petal teas! Then Caroline wouldn’t have had to buy so many oranges.

Back to my recipe. When I say “parts” I mean anything from a tablespoon to a cup. Say I want to blend a big batch of it to have on hand or to gift. I would use a cup of chamomile, 1/2 and 1/4 cups of all other ingredients as listed.

If I don’t have any blended, I will use a tablespoon of chamomile with heaping teaspoons (1/2, 1/4) of other ingredients.

As you know by now, I don’t take my teas sweet. This would be delightful with honey. It’s good hot. It’s really good cold. I don’t put ice in my cold drinks. But if you do, make sure you use twice the herbs in your cup or pitcher so the ice does not water down the flavours.

working on a baby quilt, enjoying some cold Summer Lovin’ Tea

July 29, 2019July 20, 2019

Harney & Sons Tower of London Blend

I was randomly gifted 4 tins of Harney & Sons teas by a stranger. I squealed like fan girl when I was handed the purple tin with silvery blue scroll work and the pink lettering “Tower of London Blend”.

Random gifts can sometimes be the best gifts.

Until this tin, I had never had the pleasure of this cup of tea. Hipster Wife, of course, has spoken at length about it. She is already a fan of some of the Harney & Sons products and often sends them as gifts.

The actual Tower of London is well known as a prison and place of execution. But that was not the original intention or use for the Tower. It was built as a fortress and palace. It housed weapons and the Royal Mint. It also contained a “menagerie of royal beasts”. The Tower was used as a prison for those who posed a threat to national security. It was used a prison on and off over 800 years. The last person to be executed there was in 1941.

Aerial view of the Tower of London with Tower Bridge in the background. High Level Photography, copyright Historic Royal Palaces/High Level Photography Limited

Historic Royal Palaces asked Harney & Sons to create a unique collection of English tea blends. HRPE is an independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, and Hillsborough Castle.

Check out the full line of Historic Royal Palaces teas.

Before my first cup I had to learn about this blend. The tin describes its contents as “Chinese black teas, stirred with pieces of dried stone fruit, then finished with oil of bergamot and honey flavour. This blend is reminiscent of Elizabethan preserves, flavourful and tempting.”

As Elizabeth I father famously imprisoned and executed three of his wives at the Tower, and Elizabeth herself had been a prisoner there at the order of her sister, Mary, this sort of makes sense. “Was your mum executed here? Were you held prisoner here? Do you like jam? Have this tea blend!” It’s a bit awkward.

During the Elizabethan era, sugar was being imported to England and Europe and was very expensive. Eating excessive sugar (and not cleaning your teeth!) led to blackened teeth, a sign of a person’s wealth. Honey, while widely available in England, became the sweetener for the lower classes. Preserves were surly served with crumpets and scones, and part of a well dressed table. Want to look super wealthy? Black teeth. Eat that extra jam.

I found a recipe for Paste of Plumbs. I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen, but I’m sadly lacking in enough jam making skills to even attempt this: To make Paste of Plumbs
Take your Plumbs, and put them into a Pot, cover them close, and set them into a Pot of seething Water, and so let them be till they be tender, then pour forth their Liquor, and strain the Pulp through a Canvas strainer, then take to half a Pound of the Pulp of Plumbs half a Pound of the Pulp of Pippins, beat them together, and take their weight in fine Sugar, with as much Water as will wet it, and boil it to a Candy height; then put in your Pulp, and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the Posnet, then dust your Plates with searced Sugar, and so keep them in a Stove to dry.

I bring up this Paste of Plumbs ‘recipe’ because when I opened the tin of tea, my senses were assaulted most happily with the strong scents of plums and honey. No where on the tin, nor on the website are plums mentioned. Just ‘stone fruits’. The ingredients say: black tea, natural dried stone fruit flavours, bergamot oil and honey flavour.

If you’ve read my previous tea posts, you know I’m suspicious of “flavours” (and ‘flavors’, I’m not particular on the spelling). Then the website says “We stir Chinese black teas with pieces of dried stone fruit, then finish the blend with oil of bergamot and honey flavor.” I briefly rejoice over potential bits of actual fruit! Then I despair over honey flavour. I dove into their Learn About Tea section and found this at the bottom of the FAQ…

How is your tea flavoured? Harney & Sons Fine Teas do offer a wide variety of teas: some have no flavors added, some use natural flavors, and a few are a blend of natural and artificial flavors. Since there is no evidence that these blended flavors pose a risk, we have no problem using them. We do understand that some people like to avoid them, so that is why we offer a wide teas only containing natural flavors (or unflavored teas).

This is the part where I have to balance my desire for natural and organic ingredients and flavours, and a very tasty cup of tea. This is what we call A Dilemma.

Sipping this cup is like breathing in a batch of homemade jam. It smells and tastes sweet. The bergamot offers its zest to the sweetness of the stone fruits. If it did not have honey flavour, it would benefit from a spoon just dipped in honey and gently stirred into the cup.

Will I purchase this when my gift tin is empty? I only have 4 silken sachets remaining out of the 30. I’ve clearly been enjoying it. I may not purchase it again. I found a tea shop just over the MA/NH border that sells a blend they call “Afternoon Revival” that tastes suspiciously like Tower of London Blend. I will be further exploring that new purchase in the coming days.

July 23, 2019July 14, 2019

Refreshing Summertime Iced Tisane – Introducing Linden Blends

An herbal tea I discovered this year is linden. Linden leaf and flowers are available in the ‘Latin’ food section of many grocery stores. I am a fan of Badia herbs and spices. If I need chamomile quickly (or not in such large quantities as I get from Adagio) I pick up a container of Badia chamomile. When I found this tea I researched and purchased it.

I love that WebMD has information on so many herbs and more traditional healing. According to the site linden is good ” for colds, stuffy nose, sore throat, breathing problems (bronchitis), headaches (including both sinus and migraine), fever, and to make it easier to bring up phlegm by coughing (as an expectorant). It is also taken by mouth for rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, excessive bleeding (hemorrhage), nervous tension, trouble sleeping (insomnia), excessive excitement (hysteria), problems with bladder control (incontinence), and muscle spasms. Linden leaf is also by mouth to cause sweating and increase urine production. ” It also has a calming effect on infants.

WebMD goes on to say that linden is LIKELY SAFE for most people when used in ‘food amounts’. It’s not clear if linden is safe when used in ‘medicinal amounts’.

Lady Grey Moonlight’s interpretation – just drink it a as a cup of tea for your pleasure or as part of a gentle herbal healing. Don’t use this in place of modern medicine if you have a serious issue.

While reading about linden and looking for tea/tisane blends to make on my own, I came across a recipe that I’ve been enjoying during these hot summer days here in Massachusetts. I mixed the herbs in a large bowl, transferred them to a glass jar, wrote the ingredients on a label, taped it to the outside , and keep it in a dark cabinet.

A note on loose leaf linden – it has stems. I crush the linden leaf and flower by hand, then pick out as many of the stems as possible. This takes time. If you’re feeling lazy, or if you’re genuinely a busy human, cut open the bagged tea.

I have discovered linden is great in a blend for period pain. We will discuss that in a later post.

Working on quilts for a friend’s twins while enjoying a gorgeous glass of cold tea.

I did not sweeten this. It would be fine with a bit of honey.

Refreshing Summertime Iced Tea

6 tablespoons linden flower and leaf (remove those stems!)

4 tablespoons peppermint (or spearmint)

4 tablespoons lemon balm

4 tablespoons hibiscus

2 tablespoons rose petals

See the stems?? I only took out the big ones.

I put all ingredients in a bowl, mix carefully until it is fully blended. Then I place in a glass jar and keep in a dark cabinet. I made quite a large batch of this as I am making a new pitcher every few days.

To make a 2 quart pitcher I put a heaping 1/4 cup of the blend into a pitcher. I cover with about a quart of boiling water, then add a cup of cold water immediately. I don’t know why, but this seems to yield the tastiest (to me) iced tea. I steep for 5 minutes.

To strain, I take a wire mesh strainer and coffee filter, and place over a second 2 quart pitcher. The coffee filter is a nice touch when straining loose teas because it captures the little floaty bits. It does take a while to strain.

Once it’s been strained, I top off with ice or cold water (depends on how soon I want to drink it).

If you want to add ice cubes to your beverage when you drink, increase from 1/4 to about 1/2 cup of loose tea. This way you don’t lose the strength and flavour.