Creme Brule by DAVIDsTEA

For the past two days I've been kept busy by the biggest winter storm to hit southeastern Ontario in the last three years.  I've spent lots of time outside with my daughter, playing in the snow, hiking and taking photos.  Let me tell you... There is nothing better than coming back from the cold and having a great cup of tea.  For me at least. :)

I was happy to receive my latest DAVIDsTEA delivery one day early, the day before the big storm.  I felt prepared.  Bring it on Mother Nature!  Nothing can stop me now!

My delivery included Chinese Dragonwell, Japanese Sencha and Creme Brulee.   I ordered Creme Brulee tea because creme brulee is one of my favorite desserts and I just had to try it out.  Sooner or later it had to happen and so I figured now was the time.

After dinner I don't delay... It's rooibos time!

I rip the package open and inhale the intoxicating aroma.  I just love that first whiff...   Mmmm ... This is really creme brulee!!!  I wish it was in my oven!

The tea smells delicious and just like creme brulee should.  The sweet aroma of caramel with notes of rum cake awakens my senses and warms my soul.  It looks beautiful too.  I see the yellow flowers of calendula and red safflowers.  I think this is going to be good.

I steep the tea in boiling water for seven minutes in accordance with instructions.  The sweet aroma spreads throughout the kitchen and invites my husband who wants to know what I'm making.  "A tea", I say and he looks somewhat disappointed.  He doesn't drink tea.

The steeped tea is beautiful shade of orange color, mild and very pleasant on the tongue.  I'm having it with home made raisin scones and the combination couldn't be better. These two simply love each other.  It's great with milk or without.  Sometimes with blends like this I like to add a little milk for the creamy effect. It's very comforting.

All in all this is a very nice tea, I'm glad to say it didn't disappoint.  In addition, I just love the fact that Creme Brulee is made with all natural ingredients.  To me that's important component of quality and that is very important.

Ingredients (Organic): Green and Red Rooibos, safflowers, calendula marigold, natural flavoring

Steeping Temperature: 98C

Steeping Time: 7 minutes

Steeped in: Porcelain Teapot


Cheers!!!

Of Big Packages and Pretty Tea

Ohhhhh yes!! Another week and another order arrived on my doorstep today.  This package was bigger than usual as I ordered three varieties of tea and a silver tin.

I stuck a flower in the picture to show my love :)

The package included my beloved Dragonwell, Japanese Sencha and Creme Brule.  I just can't wait to try Creme Brule.  It's a mix of red and green rooibos with added safflowers, calendula and natural flavoring.  The label claims it to be organic... Hopefully. :)

I didn't know what calendula was so I googled it.  It is a variety of marigold in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to area from Macaronesia east through the Mediterranean to Iran.  It is said to be anti-inflammatory and anti-viral.  The petals are edible and can be used in salads, to color cheese or as a replacement for saffron.  Apparently, they can also be used in my tea. :)

Orange Calendula

I couldn't resist and opened the package of Creme Brule to sneak a peak... Beautiful aroma and very pretty looking tea.  Look at all the colorful flowers in there!  If I'm not mistaken, the yellow ones are from calendula  (which can also be yellow) and the red ones are safflowers.

My package as usual, besides the ordered tea, included three complimentary samples... the mystery tea...the present within a present. Today I got:

1. Orange Pekoe (Fine black tea from Sri Lanka and Assam, India)
2. The Skinny (Oolong tea, pu'erh tea, ginger, ginseng, orange peel and natural flavoring)
3. Coco Chai Rooibos: (Rooibos, coconut, cinnamon, ginger root, cardamom, red pepper, cloves, pink peppercorns, artificial and natural flavoring)

All of the above I already got before which is a bummer because I love trying new teas, but if I remember correctly The Skinny was pretty good and it's all natural.  Coco Chai was delish as well but I'm not crazy about the artificial flavoring.

There is another order on the way, somewhere between Minnesota and here.  It's pu'erh from Verdant Tea and I can't wait to get my hands on it.  Straight pu'erh tea is such a mystery to me, everything I heard about it makes me want to try it even more.  Hopefully it arrives soon.

Cheers!!!