Develop your palate by tasting lots of different foods—different fruits, vegetables, spices, etc. I can’t say something tastes like a ripe persimmon, for example, unless I’ve tried a ripe persimmon. The same goes for understanding tasting notes. If I don’t have a point of experience with a food or flavor, a tasting note that references it doesn’t tell me anything.

I was thinking about this issue of enhanced tea tasting after trying burdock root tea for the first time last month (and many times since then). Before I tried it in a tisane, I didn’t understand the tasting note on a white tea I have that included “sweet, earthy like burdock.” If you grew up eating more East Asian cuisine, you may already be familiar with this flavor. But, somehow, I wasn’t.

Interestingly, exposure to a flavor over time can change our enjoyment of it. The first time I ate cilantro, decades ago, I did NOT like it. It kept showing up in food I otherwise liked, so I learned to tolerate a tiny bit of it. Over time and with exposure, I’ve come to LOVE cilantro. Lots and lots of it! (I know cilantro is one of those controversial flavors. I’m not saying this will work for everyone or that we all have to learn to love every flavor.)

You can still enhance your tea tasting without loving every food, of course!

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Tempted to Try

Burdock root tea wasn’t familiar to me. It’s more common in cooking and as a tisane in East Asian cultures. Interestingly enough, I also read that some Native Americans also used burdock root. Given my excellent experience with the other herbals I’ve tried from Soocha Tea, I was eager to try.

The first thing I noticed about the tea was how the dried root looks like chipped wood. Next, I was surprised how little burdock root it took to create a very flavorful brew that could be steeped many times.

Steeping and Tasting Notes

How to Steep Burdock Root Tea

I followed the advice on Soocha Tea’s package to steep the burdock root tea, while figuring out how to convert the gram measurement so I wouldn’t have to break out my scale every time I’d like to enjoy this tisane.

• Amount of dried burdock root: 2 grams (about 1 tsp of burdock root, gently shaken to fill efficiently)
• Quantity of water: 8 ounces (about 250 ml)
• Temperature: Boiling (212 F or 100 C)
• Steep time: 3-5 minutes
• Number of steeps: I enjoyed 3 and stopped because I had enough liquid (lol). But, Soocha Tea’s website says you can steep it more than 5 times, increasingly the length of each steep.

Tasting Notes for Burdock Root Tea

To me, burdock root tea has wonderful and nostalgic aromas and flavors. It reminds me of roasted peanuts and caramelized corn–taking me right back to my childhood and the special occasions when I was given a box of Cracker Jack.

Roasted sweet potato and a touch of hickory smoke round out the aroma and flavor notes for me. The notes rebalance over multiple steeps, but I could still find all of those flavors in the first three steeps.

It’s a lovely tisane that packs a lot of flavor over multiple infusions.

This root tea brews up a rich amber color–a color that reminds me of some black and darker oolong teas.

Potential Benefits and Warnings for Burdock Root

Any natural herb or root can have possible positive and negative impacts. So, let’s overview the potential pros and cons of burdock root tea. This research, of course, should not replace consulting your health care provider.

WebMD reports that burdock root has been studied for its potential to reduce chronic inflammation, slow or prevent some cancers, and help some skin conditions. Healthline also reports the root “may lower blood sugar levels.”

Healthline also notes that burdock root hasn’t been studied enough to know safe use in children. Thus, they counsel against giving it to children without consulting a pediatrician. They also caution that pregnant or nursing women shouldn’t use it without a doctor’s advice.

Additionally, people allergic to chrysanthemums or daisies, they point out, could “be at an increased risk of having an allergic reaction to burdock root and should avoid it.” Soocha Tea’s website expands this warning to people “allergic to the Asteraceae/Compositae family (ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others).”

Finally, burdock root is naturally a diuretic. So, WebMD and Healthline both urge avoiding it if you are dehydrated or taking diuretic medicines.

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After years of experimenting–and my kids growing out of the stage where they preferred things very sweet–this version has become my favorite hot cocoa recipe. It’s sweet, but not nearly as sweet as most store bought cocoa mixes.

This recipe is delicious as it, and also delightful topped with whipped cream or marshmallows. (I had it with rose marshmallows once. Yum!)

Print

Traci’s Favorite Hot Cocoa

After years of experimentation, this is my favorite hot cocoa recipe. My Great-Great Grandmother, Naomi, inspired me to add a little coffee. She was an excellent cook and often added a touch of coffee to her chocolate desserts!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tbsp boiling water
• 1.5 cups whole milk (or alternative)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp strong brewed coffee
• 3 tbsp cream (or alternative)

Instructions

• Put the dry ingredients (cocoa, sugar, and salt) in a saucepan, then whisk in the boiling water.
• Put the dry ingredients (cocoa, sugar, and salt) in a saucepan, then whisk in the boiling water.
• Stir in the milk, heating to very hot. Avoid boiling.
• Remove from the heat.
• Stir in the vanilla and coffee. Then, stir in the cream.
• Pour the hot cocoa into mugs.

Notes

For the best results, use a high quality cocoa powder.

There’s only a touch of vanilla and coffee in this recipe because the goal is to augment the deep cocoa flavor, not make other flavors share the stage with it.

If you use lactose-free cow’s milk, lower the added sugar from 3 to 2 tbsp for 2 servings.

From the kitchen of: Traci Levy

Adopted from: Allrecipe’s Creamy Homemade Hot Cocoa

Not sure whether to use cocoa or cacao powder? Here’s an article comparing them that could help you decide.

If you try this hot cocoa recipe, I’d love to know what you thought!

Looking for some cookies to pair with this hot cocoa, check out my Orange Zest or Earl Grey Shortbread recipe!

The post Favorite Hot Cocoa Recipe appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Beautiful Packaging

This tea arrives vacuum sealed in a bag nestled inside a beautiful wooden box with a carved rose on the lid. The real fun starts when you open and steep the tea, of course!

I begin by sharing my steeping notes for the second session I had with this tea because I think it will be most representative of future tea sessions. (I’ll explain more about this in my review of Rose Label Gold below.)

Rose Label Gold Second Session

Both times I steeped this tea I was close to, but not exactly using, the suggested parameters from Nepal Tea Collective. The main differences were that I added more tea and a shorter first steep.

Tasting Notes

FIRST INFUSION

Three-minute steep with 3.2 grams of tea leaves in 8 ounces (230 ml) of water at 180F (82C).

• Color: gorgeous and luminous, burnt amber
• Aroma, while still very hot: rose, with very subtle lemongrass and more florals
• Taste: rose, other florals, tiny bit of lemongrass, apple, honey. As it cooled slightly, I could taste pronounced spiciness at the end—like green cardamom, with a lovely lemon peel twist.
• Mouthfeel: silky, medium-full body

SECOND INFUSION OF ROSE LABEL GOLD

One-minute steep, 6 ounces of water, same temperature as above

• Taste and aroma: rosier and spicier–definitely green cardamom! Tomato vine note added as it cooled.

It was a completely lovely sensory experience drinking this tea–like having tea in a rose garden with a cardamom pastry. Dreamy.

I felt like this tea might have given me a third infusion, but I didn’t try. That’s an experiment for another day.

Review of First Tea Session

I also loved my first session with Rose Label Gold from Nepal Tea Collective. Surprisingly, as I opened the vacuum-sealed bag for the first time, the aroma of lemongrass was powerful and lovely.

The first session had the lemongrass and rose  balanced…with spiciness and other florals as it cooled. It was also delicious.

The lemongrass took a back seat the next day. It settled more into the background and the rosy florals predominated.

It was fascinating how the tea evolved. I assume future steeps will be more like steep two. So, I shared those notes first.

Gratitude for this Rose Label Gold

I received this tea for free from Nepal Tea Collective. Per my review policy, I always disclose when I get free or specially reduced tea. I only agree to accept these offers under the condition that I will only write about them if I sincerely enjoy it. I was really delighted with this tea, so it was a pleasure to write about. Thank you for sharing it with me, Nepal Tea Collective!

My next session with this tea will probably try the four-minute steep that they recommend. I can’t wait to try that, too!

The post Review of Rose Label Gold from Nepal Tea Collective appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Recently, I steeped and enjoyed a delightful Chinese yellow tea! Let’s talk about what that is before I share tasting notes.

What is Chinese Yellow Tea?

Chinese yellow tea (huang cha) is between white and green tea in processing. It includes a unique step that lightly ferments and oxidizes the leaves. It’s a time-intensive process.

It’s not produced in very high quantities, so many people aren’t as familiar with yellow tea. (You can read more about Chinese yellow tea here.)

The Yellow Tea I Steeped

I prepared Huo Shan Huang Ya from In Pursuit of Tea. It’s produced in Anhui Province, in China, according to the packaging. (I’m not sure if the link takes you to the same year’s harvest of the tea I enjoyed.)

I first encountered this tea, I believe, in a Tea Tasting Box from Being Tea.

If you love ripe honeydew melon, this tea is for you! If you tend to like white and green tea–or maybe some green teas are too vegetal for you–I also recommend this tea!

My Steeping Parameters

Steeping tea for two, I used a 250 ml gaiwan (a Chinese brewing cup with a lid) and:

• 6.2 grams of tea leaves
• 175F (80C) water
• First infusion steep time: 1.5-2 minutes
• Second infusion steep time: 1.25 minutes

Yellow Tea Tasting Notes

The dry, small tea leaves are green with some yellow-green areas. They are a mix of buds and young leaves. The tea leaves also have a bit of adorable (and natural) fuzz. The aroma of the dry leaves is nutty, fruity, and meadow floral. So enticing!

The first infusion of the tea carried the aroma and flavor of honeydew melon, summer meadows, and cotton in the warm sun. The latter is something I often detect in my favorite white teas, as I have written about here. Since yellow tea is close to white tea, this makes sense to me.

The flavor was also bright.

Honeydew fruit, floral (more floral than the first infusion), and brightness characterized the second infusion.

So good–both infusions.

More Thoughts

After preparing the yellow tea, I noted afterwards that In Pursuit of Tea recommends steeping between180-185F. In other words, they suggest hotter water than I used. I might try that next time, though I loved the results this time!

I have some overlapping tasting notes with those shared on their website. But, they don’t match exactly.

Unique tasting notes could be due to the different steeping temperature, brewing time, water (for example, mine might have different mineral content), and/or palate. How we experience tea can vary so much.

Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this Chinese yellow tea!

The post Chinese Yellow Tea Tasting Notes appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

About Hojicha

Hojicha is a roasted, Japanese green tea. The roasting makes the tea leaves a dark, brownish color. The roasted impacts more than the color, too. Hojicha has a very different flavor profile from steamed Japanese teas. Instead of tasting vegetal, hojicha’s flavor notes can include nuts, caramel, chocolate, and toasty flavors.

Dear Tea Co., for instance, shares the following tasting notes for their hojicha powder: “Toasted Almonds, Chocolate Pudding.” I love their hojicha powder! It’s the one I use at home. I drink it whisked, in a hojicha latte, and to make this Hojicha Banana Smoothie. I paid full price for it. This post isn’t sponsored.

Hojicha generally brews up a golden-to-reddish brown color. To make this recipe, you want to use hojicha POWDER. The tea leaves are finely ground. That way, they blend more easily and harmoniously into the Hojicha Banana Smoothie. Hojicha powder is traditionally prepared whisked with hot water, like matcha, but at a lower temperature. Most importantly, it’s delicious in this smoothie recipe!

Hojicha Banana Recipe

Print

Hojicha Banana Smoothie

Easy to make.

Four ingredients.

Icy cold.

Delicious!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 145kcal

Equipment

• blender
• freezer

Ingredients

• 1 medium/large ripe banana, sliced in coins and frozen
• 1/3-1/2+ cup milk or milk substitute
• 1/2 tsp hojicha powder
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Make sure your ripe banana is already cut in coins and frozen.
• Put about 1/2 the amount of the milk or milk-substitute that you think you'll use into the blender with the hojicha powder and ground cinnamon. Blend until mixed well.
• Add about 1/2 the the remaining liquid and the frozen banana slices to the blender. Blend until smooth.
• Check the consistency–if it's too thick, add more liquid. If the smoothie is not thick enough, add more frozen banana slices.
• Pour the Hojicha Banana Smoothie into a glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick (optional). Enjoy!

Notes

Serving size: With a medium banana and 1/2 c. of liquid, one serving makes 6-8 ounces of smoothie.

Milk and milk substitutes: This recipe works well with milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Since oat milk has a more pronounced flavor than the other two types, you may choose to add a bit extra hojicha powder and cinnamon.

Variations: Add 1 T. peanut butter powder, peanut butter, or any other nut butter.

Calories: The calorie estimate is using the base recipe and unsweetened almond milk. 

Caffeine: 1/2 tsp. of hojicha powder is half the amount most tea sellers recommend per serving of a whisked cup of this tea. So, 1 serving of the smoothie has about half the caffeine of a cup of whisked hojicha.

Tried the Hojicha Banana Smoothie?

If you make this Hojicha Banana Smoothie recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! If you added anything else, please share that, too.

My daughter and I, for example, love it as is OR with added peanut butter powder!

I also think making a double recipe all for yourself would be delicious!

Use the “leave a comment” feature to share your experience or ask a question.

More Recipes?

Here are some more recipes from the Tea Infusiast website that you might enjoy.

• Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
• Grapefruit Bee’s Knees Mocktail
• Rose Cardamom Latte

And, if you are looking for other cool, refreshing drinks, check out my 10 Iced Tea Hacks!

The post Hojicha Banana Smoothie appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

The First Six Hacks

• When you are making a tea that you enjoy iced, double the quantity and freeze half the steeped tea as iced cubes. Use those ice tea cubes the next time you make that tea iced.
• Elevate your iced tea with add-ons that serve as edible garnish and/or flavor enhancer–try a small cookie cutter on a slice of ginger, cut a notch in the bottom and slide it onto your glass. Use fresh mint, lemon or lime slices, fresh rosemary, a strawberry, a peach slice, etc. A dollop of a fruity jelly or marmalade can also add sweetness and fun flavor. Slide a cinnamon stick into the glass.

• Make clear ice. Ignore all the misinformation on the internet. Boiling your water doesn’t do anything. It’s directional freezing that creates clear ice. Here’s a reliable source on how to make clear ice.
• Freeze add-ons in your clear ice! Citrus slices, rosebuds, other edible flowers, herbs–any edible add-ons that you enjoy in your iced tea can add to a beautiful presentation.
• Cold Brew: For this iced tea hack: beat the heat–don’t even turn on the kettle to make your iced tea. Use a cold-brew method for your iced tea. Put tea leaves in room temperature water and then in the refrigerator. It can take any where from 15 minutes (some Japanese teas) to 12 hours. But, you often get delicious tea that maximizes sweet notes.

• Get cooler than someone who simply beats the heat! Use the ice-brew method. (This is called koridashi in Japanese.) Put Japanese green tea over ice cubes in a tea bowl or mug and allow the tea to steep as the ice melts.

Iced Tea Hacks Seven-10

• Make sparkling iced tea! This is so refreshing. It especially impresses tea-loving guests that enjoy fizzy drinks.
• Don’t forget iced tea lattes are easy to make at home! Use your favorite matcha or hojicha powder. Use about two tablespoons of hot water (the same temperature you like when you prepare the tea hot) to whisk your tea. Then, pour it over a glass with ice and milk (or your favorite milk substitute). Make sure your glass can take some temperature changes. Pouring the hot tea concentrate over the ice AND milk should minimize the temperature change.
• Make a decadent Iced Latte Cream Tea. Make a very strong iced black tea–an East Frisian blend, a bold Dian Hong, Assam, English or Irish Breakfast blend, etc. Pour the iced tea in a glass with ice. Then, slowly pour cream into the tea.

• Make ice tea and sweeten or flavor it easily by making simple syrups or flavored simple syrup. (Here’s how to make simple syrup.) You can do 1:1 sugar to water or 2:1 sugar to water. Simple syrup will stir into cold tea much easier than granulated sugar. After the sugar is completely dissolved, turn off the heat. Add your enhancement of choice–for example, mint, rosemary, lemon, ginger, a vanilla pod, or whatever you like. Let it steep in the hot sugar water for 5 minutes. Strain, and chill. (Keep refrigerated.) Look up how long you can safely store it, based on the ratio of sugar: water you used and whether you added enhancements. Another great variation is to make honey simple syrup. It dissolves much better in cold tea than regular honey and tastes great.

Another Iced Tea Hack

BONUS TIP

Here’s an iced tea hack I love and haven’t seen anywhere else. Avoid the dripping, watery condensation that can leave rings on tables and drip all over the tea drinker. Serve your iced tea in a teacup with a saucer. No condensation puddles dripping into your lap, and it looks beautiful.

The post 10 Iced Tea Hacks appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Background for the Experiment

If you are a casual or more focused tea drinker you, might wonder why it would be anything new to drink the same tea every day. Many folks drink tea that way.

I’ll share why it is for me. I have dozens and dozens of teas at home. This is a benefit/challenge of being so enthusiastic about trying new teas. No judgment for anyone who doesn’t share the same tea goals!

Even with so many choices, I often enjoy certain teas by drinking them regularly for a while. In those cases, however, the teas are in my daily mix with some regularity, but not necessarily every day. And, I never planned to keep drinking that tea and focus on it every day for X amount of days.

Why I Tried 10 Days One Tea

I have been exploring Dan Cong oolongs more recently, as I have written about. I decided that with so many variations of this style of twisted-leaf, roasted Chinese tea from Guangdong province, it might help me better understand them if I focused on one for a while. Then, I wondered what it would be like to assign myself to drink the same tea every day for over a week.

So, I decided to start with the Jiang Hua (Ginger Flower Fragrance) Phoenix Dan Cong that Azenbor generously sent me. I have been so impressed with their tea after receiving samples that I have bought some at full price since then! And, I liked the sound of a 10-day experiment.

Glazed Clay Teapot Notes

After several days, I really dug into the tasting notes. Ginger Flower Fragrance Dan Cong is credibly aromatic and delightful to sip—floral and creamy and spicy. It has a silky mouthfeel. Azenbor’s tasting notes also mention “creamy mustard notes.“ That’s so true—like an excellent Dijon in the mix! It is really delicious. (And, if I had read that tasting note before trying it, I might not have looked forward to it. I’m so glad I didn’t pre-judge, because it’s absolutely delicious…to me.)

I steeped this Dan Cong at 195F / 200F (90C / 93C) using about 3g of tea in my 80ml glazed clay teapot. I started with a 5-second steep and added 5 seconds each time. This approach brings out all the delightful flavors and aromas and tames that bitter note that can otherwise become prominent in Dan Cong oolongs.

Unglazed Clay Enters the Chat

Another morning during 10 days one tea, I decided to use my lovely unglazed Chaozhou hogni clay teapot. Although this teapot is recommended for Dan Cong oolongs, I don’t always prefer it over porcelain or glazed clay. I must add–I don’t prefer it, yet?

Not intending to do this experiment, I realized that in the Chaozhou teapot I prefer 200F to 195F (93C to 90C) for this tea. Note—these teapots are very thin, so it’s recommended to fill them with a lower temperature water first—not to take them straight from room temperature to very hot. They might crack otherwise.

The unglazed clay softens the tea—folks might prefer it one way or the other. I find it very pleasant, but it usually mutes some flavor notes I enjoy when the tea is steeped in the glazed teapot. Going a bit hotter gave me that softness with more of the notes I had been missing. Nice discovery! I need to explore this more. I’m tempted to try the unglazed teapot at 205F (96C) another time.

Decision Made for 10 Days

One thing I didn’t anticipate and really appreciated. I enjoyed NOT having to choose my tea every morning. If you have ever suffered from decision fatigue, you know having one less decision to make can be a relief. Since I usually have two different teas every day, I still felt like I could be spontaneous for my afternoon tea choice. (Generally, I like choosing a tea based on how I feel.)

I really enjoyed the balance of not having to choose for one session and getting to choose for the other. This 10 days one tea experience made me wonder if I was dealing with decision fatigue and didn’t even realize it. Or maybe I am just enjoying the novelty of not choosing in the morning for a while.

Bodily Sensations from One Tea

I’m not sure what to say about any emotional or energetic effects the Ginger Flower Fragrance tea has on me.

So far, I notice calm energy. It definitely doesn’t give me frenetic energy. (I’m looking at you–and judging–Bao Zhong.) I think I don’t feel more sure about bodily specifics of this tea because we have had an unusual number of rainy (and cold!) June days in a row.

I did notice a “returning sweetness” in the back of my throat after sipping this tea. That bodily sensation with Dan Cong hadn’t been on my radar before this 10 days, one tea experiment. I don’t think it’s what tea heads officially call “hui gan.” They often describe that sensation as occurring after a moderately or intensely bitter tea (which this tea is not, steeped as I am steeping it). Some folks say that a “cooling” sensation accompanies it. So, I *think* what I experience is maybe not hui gan. But, I am delighted to notice this sensation and flavor at the back of throat after drinking Jiang Hua.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this experiment. I think I will try it for another Phoenix Dan Cong oolong. Another 10 days one tea in the future!

Do you have any Dan Cong, or even better–Jiang Hua Dan Cong–thoughts or advice to share with me? I’d love to know!

The post 10 Days One Tea appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

I am now a huge fan of Phoenix Dan Cong. I’ve learned to deeply appreciate this Chinese, twisted-leaf oolong from the Phoenix Mountains ( in Chinese, Fenghuangshan). The more common flavor notes among the different floral and spice notes in the varieties that I’ve tried so far are: minerality, hops, and a slight and beautiful bitterness (if brewed carefully). There’s always a lush fruity and/or floral aroma(s) as well. These leaves are so fragrant–despite not being blended or scented–that they are named for their floral and/or spice aromas.

I have deeper experience with a couple Dan Cong oolongs. The first is named misleadingly. I’ve loved Ya Shi Xiang, translated as “Duck Shit Aroma,” although it smells beautifully floral. There are lots of theories about why this tea is named this way. I’ve also had many beautiful sessions with Mi Lan Xiang (Honey Orchid Aroma). I even named one of my tea pet rabbits Mi Lan (shown in the nearby photo), in honor of this tea.

I’ve long wanted to explore a fuller range of Phoenix Dan Cong, so when Azenbor reached out and offered to send their “10 Aroma Tea Sampler Box,” and were happy with my review policy, I gladly accepted.

10 Aroma Dan Cong Sampler

As the name suggests, Azenbor’s 10 Aroma Tea Sampler Box contains 10 different Phoenix Dan Cong oolongs. The tea arrives packaged as loose leaf, with 7 grams of each selection.

The box includes, in alphabetical order by English name:

• Almond Fragrance (Xing Ren)
• Cinnamon Fragrance (Rou Gui)
• Ginger Flower Fragrance (Jiang Hua)
• Honey Orchid Fragrance (Mi Lan)
• Jasmine Fragrance (Mo Li)
• Magnolia Fragrance (Yu Lan)
• Night Blooming Fragrance (Ye Lai)
• Orchid Fragrance (Zhi Lan)
• Osmanthus Fragrance (Gui Hua)
• Yellow Gardenia Fragrance (Huang Zhi)

Benefits of This Phoenix Dan Cong Sampler

7 grams of tea is a generous amount of loose leaf to have one gongfu session for each of these teas. Azenbor recommends 5-7 grams per 120 ml teapot. I know from experience that when I’m drinking tea solo, that’s too much caffeine for me in one session. So, the 7 grams is perfect for me to prepare 3.5 grams of the tea twice. I’ll use one of my smaller–80-100 ml–gongfu teapots so I get a good leaf: water ratio.

The sheer number of teas–10–in this sampler box is wonderful! It allows you to get a good sense of the varieties of Phoenix Dan Cong.

What’s more, by including so many different varieties, this Azenbor sampler allows you to see which teas you might like to order more of to explore in more detail.

Preparing to Steep

I only do tea tasting when I have a lot of time and in the right mindset, so I haven’t torn through these Phoenix Dan Cong samples. I have, however, savored them!

To date, I’ve steeped (sometimes twice) the Huang Shi (Yellow Gardenia), Ye Lai (Evening Fragrance), Mi Lan (Honey Orchid), and Zhi Lan (Orchid Fragrance).

Here are some of my aromatic and tasting notes! I went back and forth between steeping in a Chaozhou clay teapot (from the area where Dan Cong is produced) and in glazed clay or porcelain teapots. Their outcomes are slightly different. I can never decide which I prefer.

My Tasting Notes

Each tea, below, had a minerality, a degree of hops, and a blend of sweet and bitter notes–the latter in the best sense, to keep it from being cloying and adding interest. I will mention the hops or bitter, at times, if it shows up in distinctive ways.

• Huang Shi (Yellow Gardenia): Warmed leaves exude a floral fragrance with other notes like hops, and touch of sweet corn. My flavor notes include: floral, touch of orange and roasted corn. I note the third infusion aroma smelled remarkably similar to a wildflower honey our family has been getting for years. (Yum!)
• Ye Lai (Night Blooming Fragrance): The warmed, dry leaves smell of berries and flowers. As my daughter. Clara, astutely noted, it was floral just like “the blooming camellia house” at our local arboretum. She dubbed this aroma “greenhouse core,” which made me chuckle. I also detected a slightly earthy/ woody note hiding out in the stacked aromas. The aroma is absolutely delightful. The flavor is amazing, too. The floral notes were well integrated into the flavor profile. I detected that floral and the flavor of fresh tomato vine in the second steep. Clara noted that mild and pleasant earthy flavor in the third steep. In her words “like the roots in the greenhouse.”

• Mi Lan (Honey Orchid): I already had substantial experience with Mi Lan Dan Cong. Azenbor’s did not disappoint! The dry leaf was floral and peachy. The wet leaves added a note of hops to the dry-leaf aromas. The tea flavor was a delightful tapestry of flowers, hops, and almond.
• Zhi Lan (Orchid): I wish I could remember the aroma of orchids. The orchids I grow at home don’t emit any fragrance. I was able to faintly smell an aromatic orchid at an orchid show, but with so many people and other plants, it didn’t imprint! So, although it might smell like orchid, the Zhi Lan Phoenix Dan Cong gave floral, peach, and almond extra aromas. The warmed leaves shared a fragrance of light marzipan, flowers, and tomato vine. The taste was sweet and simultaneously bitter, in a pleasant way. The tastes match the dry leaf aroma with a plum blossom flavor also showing up in the early steeps.

Exploring More Phoenix Dan Cong

This Phoenix Oolong 10 Aroma Tea Sampler Box from Azenbor has inspired me to continue exploring the varieties I am less familiar with, and maybe slip in more Mi Lan in my next order! I can’t wait to steep the others. I’ll be trying to decide which I might order in regular sizes to get to know better.

Do you have a favorite Phoenix Dan Cong variety? Do you prefer unglazed or clay for steeping your Dan Cong oolong? I’d love to know.

The post Phoenix Dan Cong Sampler Review appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Types of Chai at Varli

Let me start by saying all their chai is kadak, or strong, to me. Their tea is bold, thick, creamy and rich. It’s very satisfying and cozy. The chai includes a good quantity of black tea and milk boiled with spices. It packs a punch of flavor and caffeine.

Varli offers several different types of chai.

• Kadak Chai (strong tea)
• Pudina Chai (mint chai)
• Saffron Elaichi Chai (saffron and cardamom chai)

Flavors of the Tea

The Kadak Chai clearly has green cardamom (or elaichi) in it. That’s the predominant spice I tasted. I love green cardamom, so this chai delighted me.

The Pudina Chai was also boiled black tea with milk. And, it has mint, too. Straight mint herbal tea doesn’t often call to me. Usually, it’s too minty, for me. The black tea and milk with the mint at Varli, by contrast, was lovely. I could clearly discern the mint. But, the black tea and milk tone it down. I really enjoyed it that way. The presentation was also lovely, with a mint leaf resting on top to the chai. [Update September 2025: Varli slimmed down their menu. As I write, Pudina Chai is no longer on the menu.]

The Saffron Elaichi Chai was just what you would expect–with the saffron and the cardamom clearly coming through in each sip. They serve it with a few strands of saffron on top. I really enjoyed this tea, too, even though I have mixed feelings about saffron in general. If you already love saffron (and, of course, cardamom), you’ll love it!

How Varli Serves Their Chai

If you order chai as part of your meal dining in at Varli in Williston Park, it arrives steaming hot on a colorful tray in a painted clay cup without handles. A plate of Parle G cookies and packs of sugar are served beside it.

I deeply appreciate that Varli prepares their chai without sweetener and serves it with sugar packets on the side. It’s great that patrons can customize the sweetness to their preference.

If you order a chai to go, it comes in a to-go cup with a handful of Parle G biscuits in a separate container. Both are placed in a handheld, cardboard carrying container.

It brings to mind the metal carriers you might have seen holding glasses of chai from photos in India. Very cute.

Interior of Varli in Williston Park

The eating area inside Varli has lots of natural sunlight on one side due to the large exterior windows. The floor has patterned tiles.

One wall has photographs of Indian street scenes and an agrarian scene.

The wall opposite has a huge mural of a woman’s face over a table full of nostalgic Indian products of all types–food, spices, hair accessories, etc.

Varli decorates their tables with small vases of faux flowers (orange, yellow, or red). It’s a really pleasant space.

Varli Cares

Varli’s website includes a “We Care” tab. After clicking it, I was happy to learn that they support a wonderful cause.

Their website says:

Varli Indian Street kitchen has partnered with the Varli Foundation in helping to make a difference in the lives of children in need globally.

2% percentage of proceeds from the sales in the restaurant will go to the Varli Foundation.

Address and Parking in Williston Park

Address: 78 Hillside Ave, Williston Park, NY 11596

Parking/LIRR: Free parking is available on Hillside near Varli but it can be hit or miss with availability. Luckily, there is additional parking (time-limited) behind some of the businesses across the street on Hillside Avenue and on the side streets. Make sure to read the signs as some parking near that area is reserved for cars with certain permits.

Varli Indian Street Kitchen in Williston Park is a short walk from the LIRR East Williston station (Oyster Bay line).

More Tea Options in Williston Park

Interested in other locations with good tea in Williston Park, New York?

For really good matcha lattes, hojicha lattes, or other tea that isn’t boba, check out my Review of Humble Cafe in Williston Park.

For really good boba tea (AKA bubble tea) and sweet treats, check out my Review of Tea Magic in Williston Park.

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