Tasting: Saffron & Green Tea from Buddha Teas

Tasting a saffron green tea from @buddhateas this afternoon. Very earthy, a bit savory, and the bright yellow infusion is super cheery. #tea #teatime #saffron #greentea

A photo posted by sara shacket (@tea_happiness) on Jul 23, 2015 at 12:17pm PDT

Buddha Teas has a large selection of traditional and herbal teas focusing on wellness for body and mind. They sell teas that contain organic and/or wild grown ingredients.

From their website:

The name “Buddha Teas” was chosen not to reflect a religion, but a philosophy. One of the key aspects of Buddhism is living a life in harmony with the world, one of simplicity, generosity and filled with compassion for all life. As a company devoted to offering natural teas that are healthy for consumers and for the environment, this philosophy was a perfect fit. By taking from the earth no more than what we need, and giving back to it through recycling and compostable products, Buddha Teas would strive not to profit from the earth, but to honor it and its many blessings.

The company recently sent me their saffron and green tea blend. I've never had saffron in tea before, and I was intrigued. Saffron is an expensive ingredient and I was curious to see how much was actually added to the tea. The tea is bagged, so I opened one and had a look at the leaves.

You can see quite a few bright orange saffron strands within the bits of green tea. The dry leaves have a sweet and vegetal aroma. The steeped tea is earthy, a little bit sweet, and a little savory. There is a steamed green vegetable flavor from the green tea. Overall it reminds me of steamed rice. This could be because I often have saffron in rice dishes. My favorite part of drinking this tea is the cheerful bright yellow liquid it produces. It's sunny and brings an immediate smile to my face. The saffron and green tea work nicely together creating a calming experience. The flavors don't compete or mask one another.

This creates a unique flavor. Not something I'd drink every day, but a nice change of pace. The color alone would be a helpful remedy for grey winter months. The savory flavor would also work well in recipes, and I might give it a try with a rice dish or two. 

Each tea tag has an inspirational quote. This could feel cliche, but it actually adds to the meditative experience. The last cup I had said 'Positive mind positive vibes positive life'. A nice little reminder for cranky work days and chore filled weekends.

I'm not usually a big fan of herbal teas and do not promote any wellness information. But I admit I am curious to try some of the relaxation teas that Buddha Teas offers, to see if they are at all helpful. These days I can use all the help I can get!

Thank you to Buddha Teas for the box of tea!