Autumn Teas: Chai

I enjoy chais throughout the year, but they always taste better during the cozy autumn days!

 

I'm a sucker for puns and bought Geek+Tea's Spice Odyssey black tea because of its name. The tea was delicious!

 

Pumpkin Chais

Left: Geek+Tea's Pumpkin Juice Chai is one of my favourite pumpkin blends.

Right: DavidsTea's Pumpkin Chai is a tasty blend of spices and caramel.

 

More DavidsTea chais

Top: S'Mores chai is a pu-erh (left); Maple chai is a black tea (right)

Bottom: Cinnamon Rooibos Chai (left); Butterscotch Chai Rooibos (right)

 

I was also excited to try these unique chais from DavidsTea (L-R): Banana Bread Chai oolong and Kashmiri Chai green tea.

I'm a huge coconut fan so I adore Dessert by Deb's Coconut Cream Pie Chai black tea!

 

 

October tea empties

What I already repurchased:

Dessert by Deb's Coconut Cream Pie Chai

 

What I might repurchase:

1) DavidsTea's Lavender Buttercream Rooibos

2) Tea Amo's Chocolate Perfection Pie Hojicha

Cuppa-tea-athon

There's something strange in my neighbourhood...

 

I aint fraid'a no ghosts!

September tea empties

What I repurchased during DavidsTea's summer sale:

1) Cherry Berry Punch black tea

2) Sleepy Lychee fruit infusion - it was a bonus free tea on one of my online orders.

3) Tropicalia fruit infusion

What I may repurchase:

1) DavidsTea's Melon Drop fruit infusion - I'm kicking myself for not buying some when they were on sale. Now they're sold out! 

Last week, I participated in a fun Cuppa-tea-athon hosted by Instagram tea bloggers, @bibliovirgo @thismorningstea and @picnic_indoors.

 

Day 1 (left) - Sip on a tea bag blend: DavidsTea's S'mores Chai pu-erh

Day 2 (right) - Make a tea latte: Dessert by Deb's Thai Banana Cake black tea

Day 3 (left) - Drink a black tea: Teamancy's Nana's Bananas black tea

Day 5 (right) - Drink a fall blend: Geek+Tea's Pumpkin Juice Chai black tea 

Day 6 - Drink a whole pot of tea: Stash's Maple Apple Cider herbal tea

Day 6 (left) - Sip on a loose leaf blend: Kusmi Tea's English Breakfast black tea

Day 6 (right) - A tea blend that starts with the first letter of your name: DavidsTea's Monster Mash rooibos

Day 7 (left) - Sip on the 10th blend of your collection: Tea Amo's Chocolate Perfect Pie Hojicha (roasted green tea) 

Day 7 (right) - Drink tea using your favourite mug:  Yukon Herb Tea Factory's Nature's Bountea

Got a FULL HOUSE on my Cuppa-tea-athon bingo card!

Summer Teas: Tropical Fruits Edition

August sipped away like a bottle of tea!

My Summer Teas series concludes with my favourite cold-brewed tea flavour: TROPICAL FRUITS!

Top (L-R): Kusmi Tea's Tropical White tea; Tea Amo's Tropical black tea

Bottom (L-R): AM Tea's Tropical Green tea; DavidsTea's Tropic Tango fruit infusion

I loved DavidsTea's creamy and delicious Tropicalia fruit infusion so much that I've stocked up on this pina colada blend multiple times over the summer!

 

 I've never met a cold-brewed coconut tea that I didn't like!

Left: Dessert by Deb's Lemongrass Milk Pudding Green Tea

Right: DavidsTea's Coco Colada fruit infusion (top); Coconut Oolong (bottom)

DavidsTea's other exotic tropical fruit blends also make excellent cold-brewed teas:

Left: Guava Cadabra fruit infusion

Right: Green Passionfruit green tea (top); Lychee Bellini black tea (bottom)

August tea empties

What I may repurchase:

1) DavidsTea's Lychee Bellini black tea

2) DavidsTea's Mango No. 5 rooibos

3) Dessert by Deb's Lychee Mango Mochi green tea

4) Geek+Tea's Casteal black tea

 

Valentine Teas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend.

Valentine's Day Countdown: 

Day 8: Chocolate Orange Biscuit Cake black tea (Dessert by Deb)

Day 9: Chocolate Perfection Pie Hojicha (roasted green tea by Tea Amo)

Day 10: Sweet Tart herbal tea (DavidsTea)

Day 11: Casteal black tea (Geek+Tea)

Day 12: Chocolate Spice rooibos (Plan de Vida)

Day 13: Peppermint Patty black tea (Dessert by Deb)

Day 14: Hazelnut Chocolate pu-erh (DavidsTea)

 

 

 

My favourite tea from the Valentine countdown is Geek+Tea's As You Wish, a delicious blend of  black tea, organic  Oaxacan Mexican cacao, wild rose petals, cacao extract, and cardamom. Isn't the tea label--a recreation of Gustav Klimt's The Kiss--beautiful!

 

Think Pink!

My retro Bavarian tea set

 

I adore my colourful heart-shaped teacups!

Do you have any favourite Valentine teas?

Love potions by Teamancy

I've been wanting to try the teas by Teamancy, a Nova Scotian tea business, for months. Their cute Valentine tea cards were the perfect opportunity to try a sample of their unque teas!

 

 Yes, I sent myself a Valentine. 

It's called self-love!

 

The "Love Potions" were (L-R): Chocolate Strawberry, Raspberry Truffle, Spiced Vanilla, Lemon Berry.

 

This beautiful tea-for-one set was a birthday gift. 

Love the pink glaze and HUGE mug!

 

The teapot came with a metal strainer. 

The tea set is perfect for serving Valentine teas!

Valentine's Day Countdown: Each day I randomly picked a chocolate tea in my collection to enjoy!

Day 1: Malted Chocolate Biscuits black tea (Dessert by Deb)

Day 2: Organic Banana Chocolate Latte pu-erh and black tea (Monarch Tea Co.)

Day 3: As You Wish black tea (Geek+Tea)

Day 4: Chocolate, Berries, and Cream black tea (Dessert by Deb)

Day 5: Bergamot Kisses / Chocolate Earl Grey black tea (DavidsTea)

Day 6: Chocolate Macaroon black tea (DavidsTea)

Day 7: Cherry Chocolate black tea (Tea Amo)

Birthday teas

Last week, I turned another year older.

I'm grateful for all the birthday messages, texts, calls, and cards from family and friends. These tea-themed cards are so me!

 

My birthday week kicked off with a virtual Mad Hatter Tea Party with my 5-year-old godson. The Itty Bitty Prettys Tea Party Surprise was my present!

In my Royal Albert January teacup: Geek+Tea's Butterbeer black tea.

Birthday week teas that I enjoyed:

Left: Tealise's Organic Birthday Tea was a tasty tropical black blend (mango and passionfruit).

Right: Harney & Son's Celebration was a delicious fruity black tea with some subtle floral notes.

 

I also drank these yummy cake- and pie-inspired teas during the week:

1) Dessert by Deb's Chocolate Orange Biscuit Cake black and rooibos tea

2) Dessert by Deb's Coconut Pie Chai black tea

3) Tea Amo's Chocolate Perfection Pie Hojicha (roasted green tea)

4) Clearview Tea's Gingerbread Pear Cake green tea

In search of holiday teas

Christmas won't be Christmas without any Celestial Seasonings holiday teas.

When my local Bulk Barn store didn't get the Celestial Seasonings holiday teas this year, I scoured the internet to find a Canadian company that sold them online. 

In September (!), I bought one (1) box of Candy Cane Lane at Well.ca. 

Then last month, I found Sugar Plum Spice, Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride, and Candy Cane Lane at London Drugs. I was worried that they'd sell out so I paid full price ($4.49 CDN - NO REGRETS!), and purchased two (2) boxes each to maximize the shipping costs. They're currently on sale: $3.49 CDN each or Buy 2 or more for $3 each.

I'm now well-stocked on these classic holiday teas for two (2) Christmas seasons!

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I've been preparing for the looooong pandemic winter by stocking up on teas from my favourite local tea companies. I'll be sharing these teas throughout the holiday and winter season.

Dessert By Deb specializes in dessert-themed teas. My friend Deb recently released her Holiday Cookie Party Collection, as well as some super cute tea tins and gift sets. 

If you subscribe to her weekly e-newsletters, you'll receive promo offers and deals (e.g., free shipping with $50 purchase + bonus goodies). I can't wait to receive my sticker-adorned package!

Geek + Tea specializes in geeky and fandom teas. Aly grows and blends the organic teas on her herb and flower farm called Holly Frost Farm.

Monarch Tea Co.'s holiday tea line includes teas, tea-infused candles, gift sets, and a cozy crew neck sweater.

T by Daniel recently released a limited edition luxury teabag collection. The black and gold tea canisters are beautiful and the pyramid sachets are 100% biodegradable. I'm excited to try the new teas, and restock on a fave--the Almond Cookie Crumble black tea.

Three of the teabags sold out quickly on T by Daniel's website, but you can still get them on Well.ca (which offers free shipping with $35+ purchase).

Tea Amo has gifts for all tea lovers: teas, teapots, teacups, infusers, treats, earrings, and tea-infused perfume oil. If you're lucky enough to live in the Greater Hamilton Area, Heather and Marian will hand deliver At Home Tea Afternoon Boxes to your house!

Tea at the White House (TWH) offers teas (loose or tea bags), teawares, teapot masks, tea-inspired candles, and treats (e.g., Buckingham Palace Collection biscuits). 

TWH recently won the well-deserved Readers' Choice Platinum Award for: Atmosphere, Desserts, Business that Gives Back to the Community, and Grocery Pick-up and Delivery.

TWH's tearoom is currently closed, but the tea shop is opened for retail sales with extended holiday hours (11 am to 7 pm, Friday & Saturday).

 

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This post is not sponsored. I work hard for my money and like to support small tea businesses that offer unique and delicious teas, and exceptional customer service!

The last of my tea hauls (I hope!)

We're in the midst of a heat wave and my A/C is broken, but I'm still drinking hot tea!

Sipping delicious maple teas from handmade in Canada mugs on Canada Day:

1) Morning: Sipping Geek+Tea's Dark Side oolong from a teacup by Scott Barnim.

2) Afternoon: Sipping Dessert by Deb's Butter Toffee Cream black and rooibos tea from a mug by Greg Voisin. The raspberry matcha chocolate almonds were by a Toronto chocolatier.

June empties

Oldest sipdown (Sept 2018): Chinese black tea with the cream packaging.

Newest sipdowns (May 2020): Monarch Tea Co.'s Love is Love herbal tea and Stay Young, Go Dancing (a peach black tea).

I regret to report that I also ordered more teas in June. I wanted to support the small Canadian tea companies!

Blair Elements (free shipping): two black teas and one green tea

Blue Mountain Tea Co. (free shipping): Two of the teas were gifted to other people. I kept four teas for me (three black teas and one Pu-erh).

Tea Amo (free local delivery): After months of online stalking, I finally bought this cute 3-cup turquoise teacup and teabag holder. I also purchased one green tea and one Pu-erh.

Me on my June 15th post: I also received a Davids Tea gift card, but I'm going to try to wait a while to use it.

Eleven days later, this was delivered to my door: Jasmine Creme Brulee green tea is one of my favourite DT blends and I had been wanting to try the Sticky Rice Oolong and Organic Black Thai teas. This was my "last chance" to stock up on these discontinued teas. 

I added the "Fan Faves" and metal strainer to get the free shipping. The tin was a free gift with purchase of 100g of tea.

My last June order: one fruity herbal and two black teas from Tealise.

Once again, the number of new teas exceed the number of sipdowns. My poor wallet! There are several more tea companies on my wish list. But I'll try my best to use up some of my stash before buying new teas.

February teas and falling off the tea wagon

This month, I finally tried some new teas that I acquired last November/December.

Monarch Tea's Anniversary Blend is a limited edition tea (2019) that celebrates 5 years of one of my favourite tea companies. This tasty dessert tea is a blend of black tea, strawberry, rosehip, and chocolate.

Tea Amo is a mobile tea room (their travelling tea trailer is adorable!) that also sells teas online. The cherry chocolate black tea tea is delicious and tastes just like black forest cake.

One of my birthday gifts: Tea at the White House's First Snowfall is a black tea with white chocolate and cute snowflake sprinkles. It was a hit at last week's pop-up tea at the office.

So I lasted 39 days without purchasing any new teas...

...but I couldn't resist this Cinnamon Hearts black tea from Tea at the White--it'll be served at an upcoming tea social at work.

I used a gift card from my birthday so technically it's a gift, right???