Matcha & Pear Rooibos Musings

Can you believe that Matcha is our best selling tea? “What is matcha”, you say? Matcha is green tea powder. Our matcha is Gyokuro ground to a cornstarch consistency. When brewed it makes a bright green colored beverage, with a slightly sweet and tart flavor. The key is that it can be used in so many different ways. You can brew it hot or cold, add it to smoothies, desserts, baking and used in spice blends for cooking. And with all of this it is almost impossible to get accessories for it but we will introduce a matcha whisk and spoon, sometime next month.

I am drinking our new Pear Rooibos today. I am not a big red rooibos fan but this tea has grown on me. I wouldn’t call it a favorite but it is very good for a red rooibos based herbal tea. Rooibos is a great caffeine free alternative to regular tea and it has a whole set of its own beneficial properties. It has been known to help migraine, acid reflux and arthritis sufferers.

Candie

Autumn in the Air

Can you smell it? I can already smell that sweet smell of autumn in the air. The smell is like ripe fruit and ripe leaves. It has been unusually cool for the last week and it feels like the leaves are going to start changing color any day now. I sure hope it doesn’t because I don’t want the summer to end just yet. The weather is just perfect for having the windows open and enjoying the cool breezes and that wonderful aroma in the air.

I must say that some of the teas we have gotten in to sample have just been delightful. I was shocked to try Pecan Pie Green and find that I enjoyed it tremendously. I just didn’t think green tea and pecan pie would pair well. Eventually this fall we will be adding this wonderful flavor in green and black tea and also rooibos. All I can say it that I am 100% sure these will be our best selling teas this fall.

I must admit that I am also enjoying our new Raspberry Green Tea. I thought I had a new favorite last week when we added Blackberry Green Tea but I must say that the raspberry has won the battle for my affection. Even my husband who is not all that fond of flavored greens has been won over by this one.

Candie

Finally Good Tasting Decaf Tea

There is a real dilemma for those of you who need to avoid caffeine because unlike coffee, the decaffeination process drastically changes the flavor of tea. The gentle earthy and spicy tones are missing from blacks and greens become mottled and almost muddy flavored. Now we have gone out of our way to find the best flavored decaffeinated teas but they still just don’t compare to pure unadulterated tea. But I have found the light at end of the tasteless decaf tunnel. There is a company called Decaf Co. who is developing a stirring stick which will remove the caffeine from your already brewed tea without harming the flavor. What is funny is that they are already marketing toward coffee and I think they will have a much large following in the tea market. I am going to get in contact with these folks so I can get in on some tests and hopefully we can be one of the first companies to carry these wonderful devices.

Candie

Blackberry Green tea and Sampling Fall Teas

I had a pleasant surprise the other day while tasting the pecan pie green tea that I had doubts about last week. I really didn’t think it would pair well but it was yummy. All I can say is that this tea may be our next best seller. And it should be even better paired with black tea and it is also available as a flavored rooibos, which is fabulous.

We had to make a tough decision to drop the Morish Treat scones from our product line. The prices went up dramatically and we have had some issues with them so we have discontinued them. We are going to expand the Rabbit Creek line and I am also eyeing another company that has some wonderful scones to offer.

Autumn is already my favorite time of the year but I am so looking forward to the new fall products.

Today I am enjoying a glass of our new Blackberry Green Tea which has such a light fruity flavor that still manages to be a thirst quencher.

Candie

Finally Cooling Down

What a relief the heat has finally dissipated. Of course I had a lousy nights sleep with all the lightning and thunder as that cool air pushed in but it was well worth it. At least the heat helped me to drink more iced green tea and I found that I like Genmaicha Extra Green iced. I would have never thought that Genamicha would taste good iced because it has a nutty, toasted rice flavor to it but when it is iced that flavor fades and you taste much more of the fresh green flavor. I need to take more Pear Sencha and Blackberry Green Tea home because these two have been my iced teas of choice. My guests have made numerous comments on how much they enjoy these teas and now expect some samples to take home. ;)

Also on the new teas front, we recently tried a Raspberry Green Tea that was very good. I think we will be adding this tea to our selection in the next two week. I have some great prospects for the new fall selections which include a Pecan Pie rooibos and black tea, this flavor is also available in green tea but I personally don’t feel that the flavors would meld well. There are rooibos flavors I have my eyes on, Pear, Cinnamon, Licorice and Raspberry.

I would love to hear your comments on these new flavors.

Candie