Friday, October 26, 2012

Purple Tea of Kenya


I'm sure you've had, or at least heard of black, green, white, yellow, and red teas. But have you tried purple tea? I came across this type of tea on twitter, and had to find out more. The leaves are from the Camellia Sinensis plant, so it's considered 'tea', and not an herbal (like Rooibos). It is a tea varietal that is propagated through grafting, and not through the traditional seeding method.

The tea is supposedly rich in anthocyanin which gives it a purple tint. Anthocyanin is a flavonoid that adds antioxidants to the brew, and also astringency to the flavor. Because this tea is high in flavonoids, there are claims that it is 'healthier' than other teas.  To learn more about this Kenyan tea and how it is processed, you can visit Wanja's website. Wanja Tea appears to be the main company that sells this tea, although I also noticed you can also purchase it through Butiki Teas.

There may be a slight purple hue to the leaves, but if I hadn't read about it I probably wouldn't have noticed it. The dry leaves smell like boiled asparagus, but also sweet. Not as pungent as a black tea, but not deeply vegetal like a green tea.

The brew smells like a strong green tea. Earthy and quite vegetal. It reminds me of an over-steeped dragon well, but even more complex.  There are many different flavors happening at once! The purple tea is smooth and feels thick on the palate. It has a fall leaf crossed with a roasted Brussels sprout flavor. There is a lingering spiciness that is quite pleasing. It just may be me, but the tea has left a numbing/vibrating feeling on my tongue as if I ate a Szechuan peppercorn!  It also has a some bitterness. This tea is very strong, which would make it a good morning tea.

This is definitely a tea I'm going to add to my rotation, and not just because purple is my favorite color. If you prefer a mellow tasting tea, this one may not be for you. I recommend this strong taste for anyone that enjoys slightly bitter green teas, and robust black teas. It would also make a great iced tea, as it would hold up well to the ice.

Have you tried purple tea? Feel free to comment on your experience, or check out the Tea Happiness facebook page and discuss!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Steep Thoughts: Another disappointing 4-Star Restaurant Tea Experience

Yesterday my husband and I went to Le Bernardin for an impromptu fancy lunch. They have a wonderful lunch menu where part of the proceeds are donated to City Harvest. After such decadent perfection, I was looking forward to a nice pot of tea. When asked about options, the server said they had Earl Grey, 'a Green tea', a couple of herbals, and Keemun. I was surprised at the sad selection, since the last time we dined at Le Bernardin they had tea blends specifically created for the restaurant. That was a good few years ago, and the restaurant has gone through a renovation since then.


I went with the Keemun, my husband choose 'green'. I had high hopes, since the entire meal was stellar. This is a restaurant that pays attention to the smallest detail of the dining experience. The loose tea arrived in a small French press pot. The tea was pressed and poured. I've heard that tea should not be pressed, as it becomes bitter (but I don't have any research to back this up). Also, the pressed leaves are still in contact with the water. The tea started out tasting nicely, but after many minutes of continued infusion it was too strong. I love a strong cup of black tea but this was too harsh for me. I should have mentioned it to the server, but by then I had already drank more than half of the pot, and I was quite full and ready to leave.

This topic begs for a more in-depth look at higher end restaurants and their view on tea service. I've written about this on a few different occasions, and I'm always surprised at the lack of attention that tea gets at a restaurant that supposedly pays attention to your every whim. To be continued.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Review: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Chai

A funny thing happens every time I walk into a Trader Joe's store. I magically transform into the pied piper of snacks. Chips, chocolates, and other tasty objects follow me down the aisles, attracted to my shopping basket. I enter the store for one or two specific items, and suddenly I'm handing over my credit card for $50 worth of groceries. It's a mystical experience.

On a recent trip I picked up a stowaway pumpkin spice chai mix. The pumpkin spice flavored coffee gets raves, so I let the tin remain in my basket tucked under the cereal and triple ginger cookies (how did those get there??). I figured I'd give it a try as the whole container is the price of one chai latte at a cafe. I also have a weakness for anything with pumpkin.

The ingredients are relatively pure- sugar, nonfat milk, pumpkin, black tea and spices. There is also honey and a few 'natural' chemicals. The dry mix smells strongly of pumpkin (yay!), cinnamon, and nutmeg. As with many common chai powdered mix, this one blends easily with water to create the chai latte.

The first cup that I made was a bit bland. It just tasted sweet. I was quite disappointed. I realized I probably used too much water, so I made sure to use a little more powder and a little less water the second time, and it tasted much better. A strong hit of pumpkin with a spicy finish of clove and nutmeg. There is a warming, tingly cinnamon flavor that lingers on the tongue for quite awhile. Cardamom lingers in the background, but doesn't overpower. I love cardamom in chai, but I don't care for it when it's the dominant flavor, masking everything else.

This chai is very sweet and I wish I could control the amount of sugar myself, as you can with Tipu's Chai. But thinking of this as just a fun holiday treat, I won't be too critical. It's tasty, it's got pumpkin, it's sweet, and a little spicy. What's not to like? This is definitely not something I'd drink every day, or have as a go-to beverage. But it's a fun drink now and again. It's autumn, so pull out the pumpkin chai after a long, chilly day outside. Enjoy!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Memories and Objects

If objects could speak, this worn out sugar canister would have a lifetime of colorful stories to tell. Worn out from daily use, it sat on my grandparents' table for as long as I can remember. In easy reach of a sugar cube for morning coffee and a daily afternoon cup of tea. I used to steal sugar cubes from it when I was too young to drink tea, the coveted prize dissolving on my tongue while I pretended there was nothing in my mouth. I felt like an adult when I was old enough to actually use the sugar for tea.  My grandmother had a unique way of adding the cubes to her tea. She would put the sugar cube in her mouth, and kept it nestled in her cheek as she sipped. I always tried to copy her, but would end up chomping the cube after a few seconds.The canister now sits in my house as a bittersweet reminder of warm memories.

My grandmother passed away just 6 months after my grandfather. I try to focus on the romantic aspect of this, and the fact that both grandparents lived to an advanced age and were able to meet great-grandchildren. My grandmother was one of the funniest, most optimistic of people. She was a strong woman. Surviving through the Holocaust, she came to the United States with a toddler and learned a second language while working to help support her family. She was a loving wife, a devoted mother, and caring grandmother. Family was above all things. She had a light-hearted spirit and brought humor to all situations. I have memories of dancing in her kitchen so tiny, two people could barely fit. Singing Yiddish songs while soup bubbled and chicken roasted. We'd listen to her beloved stories while eating burned potato pancakes and the over-cooked chicken that she managed to elevate to gourmet food in spirit. It tasted delicious to me.

I am drinking my tea with a cube of sugar in my mouth, with the sweetness of memories.

Blog Interview

Check out the wonderful blog The Cup Of Life, they were kind enough to post an interview they did with me. It's a great tea blog so make sure to add it to your list of tea blogs to read! Thank you, The Cup Of Life!
http://theteacupoflife.blogspot.com/2012/10/tea-happiness-sara-shacket.html