Of New Arrivals and Happiness

"You can't buy happiness but you can buy tea and that's kind of the same thing."

Yesterday almost felt like Christmas.  It always feels like that when the new tea order arrives.  It's really very difficult to comprehend but there are few things and far in between that could arrive by mail that will make me as happy as when I find a tea in my mailbox.

Why is it?  What does tea represent that make me feel this way?  

Is it comfort, that homey feeling when you sit with a hot cup of tea in front of the roaring fire on a cold winter morning?  

Or maybe it's when you're curled up on the couch in your pyjamas with a good book and a biscuit on a dark wintery afternoon while the snow storm rages outside.

Whatever it is when the tea order arrives it evokes all those feelings and more.

That's exactly how I felt yesterday when my David's Tea order arrived.  Inside was Coconut Oolong (goodness gracious I thought I will never see it again), black tea blend Brazillionaire and and green tea Dragonwell.  In addition there were three free samples that David's Tea always includes with every order.  This time I got herbal Midsummer Night's Dream, herbal Forever Nuts and Rooibos de Provence.

Over the next few days I'll be busy trying out these new teas.  My taste buds can't wait!

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!!!