When I say I love tea, I emphatically mean the beverage made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. I don’t mean herbal teas (AKA tisanes). My desire to drink tasty beverages, however, is greater than my ability to tolerate caffeine (sadly), so I am constantly searching for caffeine-free tisanes that I enjoy. I have been experimenting with tisane recommendations to match tea moods or preferred flavor profiles.
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Learn More about Korean Tea
A delicious Boseong Hwangcha was my first intentional–and very delicious–encounter with Korean tea. It inspired me to make a resolution to learn more about Korean tea. At first, I wasn’t sure how to begin.
I conducted (delicious) “research”–sipping many cups of tea–and attended several webinars. I also participated in multiple tea workshops, attended (virtual) tea talks, and received some help from a tea-blogging friend. Now, I am happy to share some resources so that you can join me on this learning journey! I am honored to highlight two skilled Korean tea sommeliers who run companies that focus on, or include, tea. These talented professionals have made very helpful introductory videos. Both women have rich professional accomplishments and backgrounds–more than this post can do full justice to!
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Rejecting a Culture of Scarcity
Have you ever toggled between reading two books and found a beautiful and fruitful convergence? That happened to me last week and it felt like a gift. It was as if the universe kindly underscored a message so I would be sure to receive it. That message was about rejecting a culture of scarcity.
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Virtual Tea Talks and Workshops
Would you like to learn about tea from the comfort of your own home and have the opportunity to learn from experts who, perhaps, live far away? If you answered yes, then this post is for you! It will provide a curated range of virtual tea talks and workshops, broken down by type. I draw upon experience in this post. I only recommend online events by tea educators and tea businesses that I have attended and found worthwhile.
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How to Make a Rose Cardamom Latte
When I say I love tea, I emphatically mean the magical elixir you can get from steeping leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant. I don’t mean herbal teas or tisanes. I actually have a harder time finding tisanes that I love than teas that I love. Despite my preference for tea, I have been impelled to go looking for delicious tisanes because my desire to drink warm, tasty beverages is greater than my ability to drink caffeine. Sometimes, I need something caffeine-free.
After a lot of experimenting, I have developed a caffeine-free latte that I love. If you enjoy rose and masala chai flavors like cardamom, you might love it, too.
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How to Froth Milk on the Stovetop
There are many fancy gadgets that will help you froth milk for lattes. But, you don’t need them to get good results. With a few items you probably already have in your kitchen, you can froth milk on the stovetop if you follow these tips. (These directions apply to cow’s milk.)
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Oolong Vibes from Steep & Sip
I thoroughly enjoyed drinking Oolong Vibes, a blend from Steep & Sip Teas. The company describes this tea as a blend of “Amber and Jade Oolong.”
Good news: I think this tea will have wide appeal! Casual tea drinkers–especially those who like black or oolong tea–will find it accessible. The tea also delivers lovely flavors, mouthfeel, and interest for the more seasoned tea drinker. In fact, Oolong Vibes reminds me of the oolongs served by Chinese restaurants that take care to provide fresh pots of good tea.
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MoTeaVational Quotes
I have been trying to find and create inspiration in 2021, most recently with MoTeaVational quotes–motivational quotes I have paired with tea photos. (A whole new way to think of tea pairings!)
I pulled out my journal and realized that one year ago today–March 10, 2020–was the last day I taught in person before I had to suddenly convert all of my classes to online, like every professor at my university and, of course, other universities and schools. Can you believe it has been a full year since COVID-19 profoundly disrupted our lives?
One entire year. And counting.
Increasing vaccination efforts offer a hope on the horizon. But, we aren’t there yet.
While we wait, pandemic fatigue is real. Still, I am trying to hold on to what nourishes and sustains me. In case it helps you, too, I have gathered here the MoTeaVational quotes I posted on Instagram each Monday (AKA #MoTeaMon, or #MoTeaVate Monday) in February 2021. I am happy to share them, here, in one convenient gallery.
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Tung Ting from Galerie du Thé
Tung Ting is an oolong tea sometimes transliterated as Dong Ding, or translated as “Frozen Summit.” I was eager to try the Tung Ting from Galerie du Thé when they offered to send me some. Although “medium” in terms of roasted oolong teas overall, the roast on this Taiwanese tea is on the lighter side for Tung Ting. This discovery was perfect for me since I usually prefer oolongs with a light or medium roast. This tea, I am happy to report, delivered great flavor, aroma, and salivation.
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Tea Infusiast Review Policy
I have a Tea Infusiast Review Policy because integrity, honesty, and transparency are important to me. I enjoying reviewing teas that I buy, that friends send me, or that are gifted to me by sellers. When sellers are kind enough to offer me free tea to review, I only accept if I think there is a strong chance that I will enjoy the tea,* and they agree to my review policy.
My review terms are:
- I will not post about or review a tea unless I sincerely enjoyed it.
- If I do enjoy a tea, I will happily post or review.
- I will always disclose if I received a tea from a seller for free or with any special discount.
I hope this transparency gives everyone confidence in the sincerity of my reviews and makes them more useful.
If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments. I am more than happy to answer them. If you are a seller interested in discussing the possibility of a tea review, you can message me on Instagram @teainfusiast or send me a comment here. (I check my Instagram more regularly.)
*Note about teas I am likely to enjoy:
I enjoy unflavored teas–straight Camellia sinensis–the most. I don’t disdain flavored teas, but I do not usually enjoy them as much. The main exceptions are Earl Grey and masala chai–these are perennial favorites. Still, I prefer my chai made with real spices rather than natural or artificial “flavoring.”