All Things Tea

Hello friends! Around this time five years ago, I made a post on my favorite teas at the time. I tried to break it down by category, but only posted pictures without descriptions? We were getting a huge snow storm where I was living at the time, and it felt like a good opportunity to share some of the things that brought me comfort.

It should be no surprise that tea still brings me a lot of comfort, and I wanted to revisit that post with an update on my top five teas right now. Spoiler: three out of five are Earl Grey-based, but hopefully the websites will open the door for your own tea exploration. This is ever-changing as I find and try new blends, but I've been pretty contented with what's been in my rotation for the past couple of years. I also wanted to share some of my favorite drinkware and accessories, since that helps with the tea experience. None of these links are affiliated because I'm not a big-time blogger. Lol. But there are links in every post if you're interested in purchasing something I talk about.

Teas

Earl Greyer by The Republic of Tea

Their website describes this tea as a blend that "combines the lush flavor and exquisite fragrance of the Bergamot Orange, native to Southern Italy, with a lovely Ceylon black tea leaf from Sri Lanka. Recognized as the best tasting Earl Grey available."

I'd have to agree with their description. If you're an Earl Grey lover like myself, this tea takes the flavor to the next level. I personally like to add a little sweet cream creamer to mine, and it's a combination I could drink all day every day. I've struggled with some watery Earl Grey blends in the past, even when brewed strong, which is a real letdown. I have never run into that problem with this tea. I can even use one sachet in a 20 oz. tumbler, and the flavor is still strong. I highly recommend this tea blend if you're in the market for a new version of a classic to try!

Earl Grey Imperial by Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders

This tea has been in my pantry for at least seven years. I remember picking this up at a Barnes & Noble because the tin was pretty, and then being hooked after my first cup. My husband, who isn't much of an Earl Grey fan, said he loved this tea. He is a coffee drinker by habit, but even he gets a little sad when we run out of this. It is blended to be stronger than the Earl Grey made by other companies, even Harney & Sons' other versions, as an ode to the British, who prefer their Earl Grey more robust. It has an addition of oolong tea, and a more flavorful bergamot oil. I usually add a little bit of milk to it, or a splash of vanilla creamer to create a London Fog-style drink.

In addition, this tea and the next tea belong to Harney & Sons' partnership with the Historic Royal Places independent charity that tends to the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, and Hillsborough Castle. All of the teas in this line come in beautiful tins. The next I'd like to try in this collection is their White Peach Matcha blend, which always seems to be sold out.

Victorian London Fog by Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders

Another favorite from Harney & Sons, this tea is also part of their Historic Royal Places line. Much like the Earl Grey Imperial, it has a stronger tea blend of black and oolong tea leaves with bergamot oil. In order to make this more of a London Fog-style beverage, they added lavender and vanilla. The flavors really work well together, and it's perfect to my taste with a touch of milk. Not to mention, it comes in a gorgeous olive green tin. I mean, what really matters is what's on the inside, but it doesn't hurt if the outside is pretty too.

I usually drink my caffeinated teas in the mornings, but this is also nice in the early afternoon with some Danish butter cookies or other sweet biscuit/cookie.

Rainbow Lemonade by Davids Tea

I just recently discovered Davids Tea thanks to Simply Nailogical on YouTube, and I love mostly everything I've tried by them. Not only do they have a huge selection of fun, delicious tea blends like this one, but they also make some of my all-time favorite drinkware and accessories (which we'll get to in a minute). This tea was released last year for Pride Month, and comes in a fun rainbow tin. According to their website, "this lemonade-inspired fruit infusion adds a mouth-puckering twist of flavour to your iced tea ritual. Treat your taste buds to ripe and juicy citrus, a tropical splash of pineapple, and a sweet hint of raspberry. Tart and refreshing, this caffeine-free tea tastes amazing straight up iced or with a splash of your favourite spirit."

This is perfect in the warmer months when hot tea doesn't appeal to me as much. I found this tea to be so full of flavor that I didn't need to add anything else to it. I got it on clearance at the end of the 2020 summer, and I hope they keep this blend around because I love everything about it and will 100% be sipping this all summer long.

Maryland Mint by Wight Tea Co.

I love finding local tea shops, and this is one that excites me. I haven't been in person to their set-up in Baltimore, but their website is so beautiful and their Instagram so fun that it makes me happy to see this small business thrive. Their Maryland Mint tea is the only blend I've tried from them, and it's perfect for when I'm a feeling a little under the weather. I usually mix this with a ginger peach tea, add some lemon and honey, and make my own twist to Starbucks' medicine ball. It knocks out a sore throat and a stuffy nose while drinking it, and is a staple in my pantry.

Their description: "Our Maryland Mint is a blend of smooth and relaxing spearmint, harmoniously combined with soft and sweet Bi Lo Chun green tea. If you are trying to cut sugar, give this blend a try. Warming as a hot tea and refreshing as an iced tea, you can't go wrong."

Tea Accessories

Davids Tea Favourite Tumbler

After Starbucks stopped selling their drinkware online, which is where I bought one of my favorite to-go tumblers, I was happy to stumble across Davids Tea Favourite Tumblers. I am always impressed by the staying power of these tumblers, whether it's the 20 oz. or 12 oz. They keep drinks cold for at least 24 hours, which I only know because I accidentally left mine at work one day with ice and water in the cup. When I returned the next morning, the ice cubes were still there! Albeit, somewhat melted, but still present and accounted for. It keeps my hot tea hot for hours. If I keep the lid completely shut, my tea will still be burn-my-tongue hot for at least two hours after brewing. This is because of its double-walled stainless steel design. It also has a silicone bottom, which is great for people like me who are known to knock things over on a regular basis.

If I could replace all my tumblers with these, I would. They come with a reusable straw and straw cleaner, a functional, BPA-free lid, and fits in your car cup holder. The only downside is that they aren't microwave or dishwasher safe. If you're in the market for a to-go mug, Davids Tea has great sales so you can usually find these at a discount year-round!

Perfect Spoon by Davids Tea

Do you really need a spoon just for measuring tea? Probably not. But is it super convenient, especially if you keep loose leaf tea at work? Absolutely. I keep one of these spoons in my tea drawer, and it makes measuring the right portion of loose leaf blends so easy. The design is perfect for ensuring minimal tea leaf spillage, and fits around or in most tea filters I've used. If you have a good, deep spoon, you can probably bypass this product. But if not, I recommend to you this spoon!

Wildflower Honey by Asheville Bee Charmer

The Executive Director at the nonprofit I work at visits Asheville frequently, and told me about a lavender honey she got when shopping downtown. On her most recent visit, I asked her to bring me a bottle of it to try. And, it lives up to the hype. I'm linking their wildflower honey because it's more universally complementary to tea, but chances are, you have local beekeepers that you can (and should) purchase wildflower honey from. If you do visit Asheville Bee Charmer's website, you should check out their other flavors of honey - the things you can't get locally. Their lavender honey is delicious in herbal tea, with fruit (specifically strawberries), or paired with cheese on a charcuterie board. I just ordered some of their orange blossom, vanilla, and blackberry honeys, which I'll be excited to pair with teas, ice cream, or in baked good recipes.

You're supporting a small business with your purchase, but just keep in mind that if you're drawn toward a more generic honey like wildflower honey, consult your local apiaries first!

Tea Tin by Davids Tea

This is another one of those products that you can likely find at a local tea shop or maybe even at Walmart or a grocery store. When I've purchased loose leaf tea from Davids Tea in the past, I've just gone ahead and ordered it with one of these tins. Because of the tin's intentional design to block air and light, in conjunction with its vacuum-seal lid, it really does keep your loose leaf tea fresh for a long time. It also means you can keep it on your kitchen counter and not have to worry too much about the sun getting to it. Glass and clear containers are pretty, but they aren't conducive for storing tea. These containers are also great because they can be reused once your tea supply runs out. Any company that champions the reuse of their items, I'm 100% down with!

Tea Filters by Davids Tea

My last product suggestion is the biodegradable tea filters from Davids Tea. If you have a tried-and-true metal tea strainer, this might not seem essential, and that's fine. I don't use these at home, but I do keep some at work or take some with me when I travel. These are convenient if you're going to be in a situation where cleaning out a tea strainer isn't convenient or induces anxiety, and the good thing is you don't have to be guilty about throwing these out. Much like the staple-less and string-less tea bags from The Republic of Tea, Davids Tea filters are less destructive toward the planet, which is a good thing in my book.

I'm honestly looking forward to the day when all tea companies jump on board with 100% biodegradable tea bags without staples and plastic. These are a good move in the right direction if you find yourself in the position to use them.