Liebster Award

So, we were nominated for this award by one of our longtime readers, John B. He writes Tea in the Ancient World, go read it. I know this took along time but I, Laura, forgot all about it. I even forgot to tell Kayla because I DID AN OOPS.

This award is for new blogs with less than 200 followers. Mainly, it looks like a team building, blog sharing, tool for world domination through tea drinkers.

So, we'll both answer the questions  (some of our answers may be the same)and then make some for others! And because John wrote out the background, check his blog for the links to that!

Questions for Nominees: 

1. What is it about your blog subject that is so compelling?
   Laura: Us, by far, our stunning personalities make everything better.
   Kayla: I would have to agree with Laura. We aren't very technical and we just let our thoughts flow.
2. Favourite tea?
   Laura: Oolongs or Rooibos. Oolongs mainly on their second steep, and rooibos because they are yummy and such.
   Kayla: I love oolongs. Milk oolong is probably my favourite. Oh, and black jasmine pearls are my other go-to.
3. What's the furthest from 'home' you've ever travelled? 
   Laura: Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
   Kayla: Hawaii and the Dominican Republic
4. What's one thing Thailand is famous for, other than food?
   Kayla: I don't know much about Thailand... but my guess is... tea? haha
   Laura: Thai massage?
5. Guess your bench press
   Kayla: I have a bad rotator cuff and intercostal muscle issues and carpal tunnel (I'm a hot mess)... I DO NOT bench press.
   Laura: Well, considering my left rotator cuff is buggered, I'm going to say "not much".
6. Do you believe in ghosts?
   Kayla: Yes... but not the kind of crap where those asshats on tv claim to be hunting ghosts.
   Laura: Basically what Kayla said. Ghosts, yes. Paranormal activities/ghost hunting shit? Uh no.
7. Are people still evolving?
   Laura: Science says yes. I'm going with science.
   Kayla: The biology of all life is ever-changing.
8. Why can't astrologers detect dark matter?
   Kayla: I'm not Neil deGrasse Tyson! Or a scientist of any kind, for that matter... go ask a scientist!
   Laura: Dammit Jim! I'm a massage therapist/tea blogger not a astrophysicist!
9. What historical person would you visit?
   Kayla: This is too hard... Oscar Wilde would be fun to have tea with, I suppose... Probably Jane Austen, though.
   Laura: Charlotte Bronte to discuss Jane Eyre with. 
10. What is one thing you do that almost no one else can do?
    Kayla: There is nothing that I can do that someone else somewhere in the world can not do better than I; that's life, not cynicism. Of people I know personally...? I'm good at writing fiction? Or, if we are being philosophical or some shit... BEING ME!! ;D
    Laura: My friends think I'm hilarious, everyone else (including family) does not see my comical merit. Except, I only manage to be funny when not trying to be. Humor on purpose doesn't suit me.
11. What did Buddha teach?
    Kayla: I am not familiar with Buddhism. Religion of any kind just isn't my bag...of tea HAHA- okay I'm done.
    Laura: Sorry bro, I have only a vague and probably stereotypical idea.

Now for OUR AMAZING QUESTIONS!

1. NONE
2. BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN HERE FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS
3. HAHA
4. #LauraIsLazyAsShitBro

Three Wishes

I know Kayla reviewed this back in 2013, SO NOW IT IS MY TURN.

This tea is lovely.

L.O.V.E.L.Y

My one qualm with the tea, is the artificial flavoring. It doesn't elaborate as to what the flavoring is flavored as, so it's not 100% positive what belongs to what. Honestly though, the tea still tastes great so fuck it.



My qualm with DavidsTea is that they have it in JUST the Black Tea section, instead of both the Green and Black. Considering it has both green and black tea in it, it just seems unfair and misleading! I'M BEING PETTY. DON'T JUDGE.

A little tip with this tea, I've brewed it at both a full boil, like you would normally do for a black, and then at the lower temperature that tends to suit greens better, and SURPRISINGLY brewing it as if it were JUST a black tea is what works best. That may be why it is in the black tea section

It smells kind of pineapple-y, kind of mango-y. Basically really refreshing. I have tried it iced. It get's this weird bitter after bite, and loses the fruity qualities. 2/10. Would not do again.

Flavor wise you can absolutely taste both the green and the black tea, with a hint of that pineapple-y and mango-y taste.  This is one of those teas from DavidsTea that makes me keep coming back. Lately there are fewer and fewer of those, which makes me sad.

But, this tea rocks. Go buy it. Like, right now. But don't ice it, you'll feel bitter and disappointed.

-Laura

Countess of Seville

Countess of Seville from DT

 Ingredients: Organic: green tea (Zhejiang Province, China), orange peel, cornflowers. With orange and bergamot oil.


This is going to be short and sweet because I'm doing this way later than I wanted to and I am extremely tired. (I reeeaaally need to start banking some blogs so I'm not always doing them last minute)

I steeped for three minutes.
This tea punches you in the nostrils with bergamot and orange oil scent. It's awesome. Very invigorating.

And WOW!! It tastes soooo much like the way it smells. Almost exact. The bergamot is extremely powerful. Very citrus-peel-y flavour. I would say almost too much because I really wish that I could taste more green tea.

Yoshi loves it. He is drinking it as I type with one hand and won't share. He has claimed it.

If you love bergamot, you will go crazy for this tea. Or if you have a bird that enjoys tea. It's pretty awesome, just needs more tea because the oils are super powerful.

Bed time for me.


Pleasant dreams, tea peeps.


~K

Beef Stew with Lapsang Souchong Star

I would like to start out by saying that I have never made a stew before, but this turned out amazing. My point? Anyone can do it! (So long as you don't mind the gigantic mess that results)

This is a large crock pot (slow cooker) recipe

Crock pot with the beef stock

What you will need:

• 4 Perfect Spoonfuls of DavidsTea's Lapsang Souchong Star tea
• 900 ml (one "box") of beef stock 
• 8 cups water
• One pound baby red potatoes
• One can wax green beans 
• Small white onion - pureed
• At least two pounds of stewing beef, cubed (I used four)
• One large crock pot 
• Seasonings of your choice 
• 2 tblsp cooking oil 
• 1 cup + 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup butter/margarine
• A CAN OF GUINNESS

1. Add the beef stock and 4 cups of water to the crock pot. 
2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and steep the Lapsang Souchong Star tea in it. Double the time (10 minutes!)
3.  Bring a pan to medium heat and add the oil.
4. Cover meat in lightly seasoned flour (1 cup)
5. Sear the beef through
6. Cut baby potatoes in to bite sized pieces.
7. In a new pan,  melt the butter/margarine then add flour to make a roux
8. Mix roux with the stock in the pot until blended
9. Throw EVERTHING but the beans in to the pot!
10. Season
11. Eight-ish hours before you want to eat, turn the pot on low and go about your business (I throw it in before I leave for work and it's ready for dinner)
12. Add the beans half an hour before you want to eat
13. ENJOY! 

 I hope I haven't left anything out. 
The great thing about stew is that you can tweak it as often and liberally as you so please.

This makes enough for a good eight servings. And it still doesn't last longer than two days between Chris and I.

Happy stewing!
~K

Quangzhou Milk Oolong

Quangzhou Milk Oolong from DavidsTea

Chinese Oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountains

This tea can smell a little odd at first, but it grows on you, and quickly!
(Yoshi just got to it before me because I'm busy typing this, the fiend!!)

Milk and honey. So creamy and pleasant. Wow! This tea is amazing... Pardon me as I melt into my chair and fall into a state of serenity. (that's right, with a Y. I don't do tea puns)
Enjoy this as I collect my thoughts.

Because Julie London is (was) the shit!

Much like Julie, this tea is sultry, smooth and certainly seductive to any oolong fan. My heart is a flutter! I am in love!
The flavour sticks with you in the most pleasant way possible. My tongue had a flavour party and found it's soul mate. A most delicious oolong, indeed. I find myself hesitating to swallow every sip (or gulp. What? It's delicious!)

And it looks beautiful too.

This tea is amazing. Buy! Buy now! 

Time to wrap up, I'm losing myself in this tea and oodles of awesome old music.

FEVER.... in the mornin'. Fever all through the night...!

Mm, this tea will give you the fever, if you know what I'm sayin'. Mm-mmm!

Happy Steeping,

~K

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Picture borrowed from here

Love Kayla and Laura, your resident tea enthusiasts! 

White Chocolate Frost

White Chocolate Frost
from DavidsTea

I chose to start off the Winter/Holiday collection of posts with this tea because it smelled good, and because I wanted to save the super Christmas-y ones until it is actually December.

It looks incredibly dull... Like a mint tea, but with little ball things inside of it. But it smells like a really creamy mint. I steeped for four minutes, trudged out in to the snow for a picture for you, then scuttled back inside so I could drink it. Wow.

This tastes EXACTLY like those little Christmas chocolate candy things. Those white, pink and green white chocolates that taste like peppermint with the little balls of candy stuck to the bottoms. Do you know what I'm talking about?! They sell them during the Christmas season at a kiosk at the mall, and they kick ass. So does this tea.

I LOVE this tea. Wow. I must have more!! It is so creamy, without being sweet or overbearing, and minty. This tastes like my childhood; when I would sit with my English neighbour drinking peppermint tea with cream while we made fancy Christmas cards to sell at the local craft market. Good times. Good tea. If you love peppermint tea, get your ass over to DavidsTea and get yourself some of this before it is too late!


What a perfect way to end an evening in from the cold.



Happy Steeping!
~K

How Kayla deals with indecision

Dragonwell

Dragonwell from DavidsTea

Green tea from West Lake Region, Hangzhou area, Zhejiang province, China.

On Monday my younger brother -who is the best, ever!- surprised me with the Just the Leaf collection from DavidsTea. A collection of eight straight teas -of which I only had one- with about two perfect spoonfuls per container.  The teas they have selected for this collection are: Japanese Sencha, Dragonwell, Orange Pekoe, Quangzhao Milk Oolong (the one I have), Kenyan Tinderet, Nepal Black, Assam Banaspaty, and White Peony.
Collections are a lovely way of getting to try a bunch without breaking the bank. $20 for two cups worth of each tea compared to the $68 it would cost to buy 50grams of each when you may not be sure if you will enjoy them. It's great!

So, obviously, I had trouble choosing.... Laura ended up choosing for me, and thought I should keep with the Dragon theme. (I suppose it isn't really a theme... but whatever!) So, here it is.

 I steeped a perfect spoonful (I always use a perfect spoonful; I LOVE this spoon) for about 3-4 minutes. Yes, inacurate guess. I was running around like a psycho looking for my stupid camera, which I couldn't find and had to use my phone. But this 3-4 minute range was perfect!

Very familiar flavour. For one, it tastes exactly like rose congou green without all the rose gunk in it. Second, this amazing little sushi place right around the corner always has this tea ready -hot or cold- for patrons to fill their cups again and again and again! So, naturally, all I could think about was sushi while drinking this, even though I usually don't drink the tea when I'm there.

Super simple tea. Grassy aroma with a smidge of seaweed (and I mean smidge; it does not smell like dead fish or anything). I closed my eyes and as I sipped, I imagined myself sitting on the grass on a wash summer's day as said grass is mowed around me. And the second infusion (which was only for about 30 seconds) tasted even better, adds a bit of sweetness.
 
I wouldn't recommend this to those who like their teas on the sweeter side. Well, of course i recommend trying everything. So, order the smallest amount possible, or go to your local DavidsTea and buy a brewed cup to go first. Try, try! Or get this collection, it makes a great gift, even if it is just for yourself - we all need a treat now and again ;) .



That's all for now.

Happy Steeping!
~K


P.S     Unfortunately, I mmaayyy be allergic to this tea. As I broke out in a nasty rash that itches like hell on my legs when I first tried the rose congou green that never really went away. Then, ten minutes or so after drinking half of my cup of Dragonwell, it came back with a vengeance.
I will be testing this theory this weekend and update on it. Being allergic to tea would be a terrible tragedy.