Teas I Drink on a Snow Day

Yesterday, we had another snowstorm so I hunkered down indoors with copious amounts of tea.

 

 

Snow Day Tea #1: Harney & Sons' Celebration black tea in a handmade Yeti mug.

 

 

 

Snow Day Tea #2: DavidsTea's Choco Pistachio oolong in a handmade snowflake mug. This was a nice sweet oolong, but I didn't really taste the chocolate or pistachio notes.

 

 

Snow Day #3: Genuine Tea's Hojicha (roasted green tea) latte in a snowman mug.

 

 

Snow Day #4: Dessert by Deb's Farmhouse Apple Peach Cider Fritters rooibos in a sleeping snowflake dreamer mug.

2025 Tea-Themed Tree

 We're 10 days away from Christmas!

 

 

My tea-themed tree has been up  since November.

 

  

My favourite new ornament is this this beautiful glass teapot ornament from Canadian Tire. It's hard to tell from the photo, but the teapot is clear glass and filled with gold glitter.

 

 

  

 

Another new ornament from Canadian Tire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This English Tea tin ornament was a gift from a friend.

 

 

  

 

This cute matcha latte ornament is also new addition to the tree this year.

 

 

 

 

Tea Advent Calendar: Week 2

Day 8: Murchie's Gingerbread black tea

Day 9: Dessert by Deb's Orange Cinnamon Rolls black tea

Day 10: Tea at the White House: Sticky Toffee Pudding black tea

Day 11: DavidsTea's Nutcracker Brittle fruit infusion

 

 Day 12: Murchie's Roasted Chestnut black tea

Day 13: Dessert by Deb's Chocolate Orange Biscuit Cake black tea and rooibos

 Day 14: Harney & Sons' White Christmas white tea

Christmas Teawares

 Christmas time is here!

 

Pretty poinsettia teacups and teapots

The Grinch and friends

Day 9
DIY: Stash's Christmas in Paris herbal tea
Charbrew: Peppermint herbal tea

Day 10
DIY: Pluck's Chocolate Orange black tea
Charbrew: English Breakfast black tea

Day 11
DIY: T Kettle's  Gingerbreak Cookie Rooibos
Charbrew: Afternoon Black Tea

Day 12
DIY: DavidsTea Cardamom French Toast black tea
Charbrew: Summer Berries black tea

Day 13

DIY: Harney & Son's White Christmas white tea
Charbrew: Chamomile herbal tea

Day 14
DIY: Tea at the White House's Sticky Toffee Pudding black tea
Charbrew: Earl Grey black tea

Day 15
DIY: Monarch Tea Co.'s Tangerine Dream rooibos
Charbrew: English Breakfast black tea

Day 16
DIY: Dessert by Deb's Orange Cinnamon Rolls black tea
Charbrew: Rose Blush Black tea

Day 17
DIY: DavidsTea's Eggnog Matcha
Charbrew: Afternoon Tea black tea

Day 18
DIY: DavidsTea's Silver Bells oolong
Charbrew: Summer Berries black tea

Day 19
DIY: Murchie's Christmas Tea black tea
Charbrew: Rose Blush black tea

Day 20
DIY: Clearview Tea Co.'s Gingerbread Pearcake green tea
Charbrew: Chamomile herbal tea

 

Wishing you joy and peace on Christmas!

Tea Advent Calendars: Days 1-8

 The countdown to Christmas is on!

Day 1
DIY: Steve's Teas Vanilla Honeybush
Charbrew: English Breakfast black tea

Day 2
DIY: DavidsTea's Dark Chocolate Orange black tea
Charbrew: Chamomile

Day 3
DIY: Dessert by Deb's Salted Maple Sugar Croquembouche oolong
Charbrew: Earl Grey black tea

Day 4
DIY: Blue Mountain Tea Co.'s Poached Pear Brule black tea
Charbrew: Afternoon Tea black tea

Day 5
DIY: Kusmi Tea's Tropical White
Charbrew: English Breakfast black tea

Day 6
DIY: Murchie's Tea's Roasted Chestnut black tea
Charbrew: Rose Blush black tea

Day 7
DIY: DavidsTea's Gingerbread matcha
Charbrew: Chai black tea

Day 8
DIY: Harney & Sons' Celebration black tea
Charbrew: Peppermint herbal tea

Due to the ongoing Canada Post, I haven't mailed any Christmas cards yet. I hope that the postal workers reach a fair deal soon.

Tea for the Lunar New Year 2024 - Year of the Dragon

 The Lunar New Year fell on Feb 10th this year.

 

 

 

I waited until last weekend to try the Harney & Sons Lunar New Year 2024 - Year of the Dragon tea which was a Christmas from a tea friend. 

 

The tin is gorgeous and featured information for people born in the Year of the Dragon (1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012).

The tea is a blend of black tea, toasted rice, coconut pieces, sesame seeds, and natural flavours (coconut, caramel).

I'm not a fan of the "silky" sachets, so I put the tea in a metal infuser.

 

 

My taste buds were wowed by the delicious coconut and caramel flavour with a faint toasted rice note.

Tea-related Christmas gifts

My family and friends once again spoiled me on Christmas with tea-related gifts.

"You & Me and a cup of tea" ornament for my tea-themed tree.

A new mug...

...that will be filled with the new teabags and loose leaf teas that I received.

I was also surprised by this package of Harney & Sons teas from one of my teacup swap partners. Thank you, Teresa!

How cute is this tetsubin (cast iron) teapot?

 A pretty "Tea Time" puzzle.

Last but not the least: A teapot lego set!

Christmas cosies

I have some new tea cosies that I'm enjoying this Christmas season.

 

My heart grew 3 sizes bigger when this handmade Grinch tea cosy came all the way from Scotland!

 

 This knitted Santa teapot sweater came from Calgary.

Tea Advent Calendar

Day 3: Panettone Cake black tea by Dessert by Deb

Day 4: Hearthside Cider oolong by Geek+Tea

Day 5: Roasted Chestnut black tea by Murchie's

Day 6: Christmas in Paris herbal tea by Stash Tea

Day 7: Frosted Sugar Cookie white tea by  T. Kettle

Day 8: Gingerbread herbal tea by Teeccino

Day 9: Candy Cane matcha by DavidsTea

Day 10: White Christmas white tea by Harney & Sons

Afternoon Tea at the Shangri-La

Last month, I went to my first afternoon tea in 3 years!

 

 

The afternoon tea at the Shangri-La Toronto offered an "exceptionally unique gastronomic experience".

The tasty Shangri-La Signature Blend Black Tea was served in a beautiful Wedgwood teapot and teacup.

Afternoon tea for kids

Our server poured dry ice over the fruits on the tiered tray for dramatic presentation.

Afternoon tea for adults

The unique and scrumptious scone and savouries: Caviar & Potato, Sable Fish, and Mushroom.

Our delectable desserts: peanut caramel cookies and a cherry almond pistachio cake.

 

The Trompe L'Oeil Fruit Desserts were handsculpted to appear like real fruits, but the skins were actually made of chocolate! The pear was filled with caramel, cinnamon, and dulcey mousse and pear jelly, while the apple was filled with dill, lime, and zephyr mousse and apple jelly.

The Shangri-La afternoon tea was definitely one of the best afternoon teas that I've ever had!

 

 

 Tea Advent Calendar

 

Day 5
DIY: DavidsTea's Gingerbread Matcha
Charbrew: Summer Berry black tea

Day 6:

DIY: Geek+Tea's Hearthside Cider oolong
Charbrew: Rose Blush black tea

Day 7
DIY: Harney & Sons' White Christmas white tea
Charbrew: Chamomile

Day 8
DIY: Dessert by Deb's Almond Gingersnap Cookie black tea
Charbrew: Rose Blush black tea

Day 9:

DIY: Stash Tea's Christmas in Paris herbal tea
Charbrew: Afternoon black tea

Day 10
DIY: DavidsTea's Christmas Morning black tea
Charbrew: Earl Grey black tea

Let them drink cake teas!

I counted down to my birthday by drinking cake-inspired teas!

 

Dessert by Deb's cake teas

Green teas (top): Hojicha Salted Chocolate Cake (left); Lavender Peach Pound Cake green tea (right)

Black teas (bottom): Sugar Plum Coffee Cake (left); Panettone Cake (right) 

Top (L-R): Dessert by Deb's Peach Crumble Cake black tea; DavidsTea's Lemon Pound Cake oolong

Bottom (L-R): Clearview Tea Co.'s Gingerbread Pear Cake green tea; Dessert by Deb's Chocolate Orange Biscuit black tea

Birthday Tea #1: Teamancy's Lemon Chiffon Cake green tea

Birthday Tea #2: Harney & Sons' Celebration black tea

My two birthday cakes: Chocolate and vanilla cake and carrot cake!