The Utlimate Tea Storage Device: The TeaBook #Review #TheTeaBook

Being a coffee and tea drinker, I always found it kind of humorous when looking at kitchen canisters, and the set came with one that was labeled tea, one coffee container, one flour and so forth. I use 4 different types of flours alone, so I usually stick my bread flour in the container because it’s the one most used. I would not be able to do this with my tea or coffee selections. Impossible! We use too many varieties, seasonal flavors and the 3 to 4 stand-bys alone.

In comes a solution for tea drinkers, the TeaBook. I had my teas in boxes, canisters (mini metal ones) to them sort of filed in one of those keepsake photo boxes. Take one out now and it could mess up my “organization”, and worse if you pulled an index card out with it. My process was not working and creating a headache. I even tried having one box for floral and fruity teas, and another for chocolate and spice flavors. No sooner I outgrew one box, I then added a let’s just throw what does not fit in the other boxes in this box….box. Get where I am going? For a person that dislikes clutter and mess, this was an ongoing nightmare for me. I have to admit, I sometimes skipped on tea some nights because I did not want to deal with the boxes. Love the huge collection I have but oh’ my goodness, I am drowning in tea and not in a good way.

Retail Price Point: $21.oo Early Bird Special or $25.00 regular price.  The early bird special ends on May 18th!

Verdict:

The Teabook was created via a Kickstarter campaign. I love when companies actually succeeded in not only creating a campaign, getting support, and yielding an actual final product. The books are simple as can be. You get pages with plastic inserts, each insert holds a tea bag that you can easily see, access, and use. No other tea bags tumbling and the entire book holds a generous 144 individual bags. I don’t like my flavors mixing and this again fixes that. You can create one page for floral notes, another for fruit blends, spicy varieties, black teas and so forth. No rules and you organize to fit your needs and I call that self customization there! The binder has a smooth finish and made of partially recycled and recyclable materials. Environmentally friendly and the cover feels smooth and soft, sort of like leather even though it is not. No dyes that smell off either because the materials are non-toxic and BPA free. Just a clean finish and the book comes in 5 different colors. Again, as your collection and tastes grow, the binders grow along with you. The binder also weighs only 2 pounds when filled. So much lighter than my box method, which failed and was not exactly organized. Now, if you buy teas in bulk or tins, the binder method does not work but those come labeled (or you label the container if you purchase in bulk bags). That is the only flaw if you really want to find one but 65% of my collection is in bags and this is a real solution to the most messiest problem, of keeping them in order and still being able to see each individual bag. Never lose a tea bag in a stack again!

Checkout the TeaBook at:

• Online
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• #TheTeaBook

I received the above product(s) free of charge from The TeaBook. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

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Mighty Leaf Tea : TeaTop Brew Mug and Vanilla Bean, Organic African Nectar and Green Tea Tropical #Review and #Giveaway

I have a coffee travel mug and even a tea mug, but I have never tried a TeaTop Brew Mug until now. Like with coffee, I feel a fresh cup of tea is as desirable and even though tea holds it’s flavors and quality better than it’s counterpart, I still would like the option to brew as I go. The Mighty Leaf Tea Company not only makes this happen but the mug works perfectly with no mess or fuss. The tea bag hangs freely but you won’t lose the string, as there is a nice notch that holds it in place. When you have achieved the strength desired in your cup of tea, you simply just pull the tea bag up and the cup does the rest.  You even have a place to rest the bag away from your ready to drink tea. The insulated cup allows you to just sip and enjoy!.

Retail Price Point: $16.95 for a cup that let’s you make sure ever cup steeps perfectly every time, plus it’s snazzy looking.

When it comes to enjoyment, Mighty Leaf Tea sent a trio for me to try:

Mighty Leaf Taste of the Tropics Gift Sampler-

• Vanilla Bean
  A black tea base with a deep infusion of Vanilla Beans from Madagascar. This tea tastes as good as it smells and even though vanilla has warm notes, this tea’s flavor is so clean that you get a light and almost crisp notes. As much as I love Vanilla, it can overpower if not used wisely but that is something that Mighty Leaf tea was able to balance out with true perfection. Simple but left me craving for a second cup in no time!

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• Organic African Nectar
  This variety is tropical and almost fruity in flavor. You get nice herbal notes and a kiss of sweetness that makes you believe there is honey in your cup already. This tea uses a blend of rooibos leaves, organic hibiscus and dried blossoms. I enjoyed this blend cold by brewing a cup, allowing it to cool, and then letting it rest in the fridge to get ice cold. It went well with dinner and because it’s caffeine free, I did not have to worry on those late dinner nights either.

• Green Tea Tropical
  You have a green tea base that is accompanied by dried fruits and flowers. The blossoms are marigold petals and cornflowers.  The fruits are also not your usual citrus mixes like with other teas. Think pineapple sweetness with even notes of guava. This variety pushed all my other green teas a notch down and became my favorite. I love adding just a touch of honey to not take anything away from it but most times I just enjoy it as-is.

Retail Price Point: The above trio retails for $30.00 and you get a generous amount of tea bags. Each box has 15 whole leaf pouches…..that’s 45 cups of happiness!

Like what you saw?

Well, it’s GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

One lucky winner will be able to win the above items and Mighty Leaf Tea will send them directly to your home. It’s their nice way to share and play Santa for us! All you have to do is:

1. Sign-up to their Newsletter and you already are rewarded with a 15% off coupon towards their artisan teas
2. Follow them on Twitter
3. Follow “Like” them on Facebook
4. and please leave a comment on this blog post below

Four easy steps and it could be yours. #Giveaway starts today 12/01 and ends on 12/14. I will announce the winner on the 15th and then ask for your information, which I will forward to the company. Good Luck!!!

Connect with Mighty Leaf Tea and find your favorite tea at:

• On-line
• FaceBook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Instagram
• Pinterest

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Mighty Leaf Tea.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.  The Giveaway prize will be supplied by the manufacture and items/product package may change if items above are out of stock.

Smiley360: Tazo Chai Teas in Classic Chai, Chocolate Chai and Vanilla Caramel #Review #SweetMeetsSpicy

Tazo is a company I am very familiar with and already love! Not a product have I tried that I did not like, so when Smiley offered the Tazo Chai campaign…..well I was overjoyed!

Tazo makes several Chai products that come in filter-bags for seeping/brewing or in liquid (carton) concentrate form, which is perfect for cold drinks. I was able to test out their three latest flavors that are perfect for the colder weather:

• Classic Chai-
  Made with a blend of black tea,cardamom, a touch of black pepper, cinnamon and ginger

• Chocolate Latte Chai
  Made with black tea, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and cocoa powder

• Vanilla Caramel Chai
  Made with black tea, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, and caramel (natural flavor)

• There are 12 Varieties to choose from if the ones above do not tempt you. You even have Organic options with the Chai Organic Latte concentrate to Pumpkin Spice to satisfy the seasonal palette. There are also decaffeinated varieties to choose from.

My first and favorite of the trio was the Vanilla Caramel Chai. You get the nice real Vanilla flavor, which then leads off to almost butter toffee notes, brought on by the caramel. The cup is great with or without milk. The milk tends to intensify the vanilla by giving it warmer notes that smooth out. I used honey to give it a touch of sweetness and depending on what honey I used, I was able to change the flavor just a bit.

Next on my list, is the Chocolate Latte Chai. This one makes you love those peppery chocolate flavors. They play so well together and the pepper really enriches the cocoa experience. With milk and I used almond, I was able to bring in a nutty taste and make a light caloric cup of tea that made me not miss one bit a cup of hot cocoa. If you are seeking an alternative, this is the flavor for you!

Last but not least, the Classic Chai. This is the flavor that puts you at the beginning of the Chai experience and I like that because I can make it my own. I added a Orange Blossom honey with a squeeze from a fresh Valencia orange slice, and this cup became my warm citrus-y journey. The second time I had a cup, I went the old fashion way with a touch of milk and a little bit of vanilla sugar and it did not taste like the previous one. Make your own flavor is what I call this selection. Very versatile and always delivers that premium experience Tazo products are known for.

 

• Retail Price:$3.49 usually but $3.00 when found on sale at Target.  I was able to pick up a box of the Vanilla Caramel Chai (20 count) for the same price as the concentrate. Want to save? Check-out my twitter feed or

• Get a Coupon here: Try the perfect blend of #sweetmeetsspicy in Tazo Chai. Save up to $2.00 Off #Tea #FreeSample http://h5.sml360.com/-/boya

Get your Chai fix with Tazo at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• #SweetMeetsSpicy

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Tazo and Smiley360.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Swaggable: Taylors of Harrogate Earl Grey Tea #Review

I have always been partial to Black Tea and to me it’s the espresso of the tea world. Like coffees, I still want the smooth taste that is bold with not a significant amount of bitterness or harsh notes that are too acidic. Taylors of Harrogate’s Earl Grey delivers just that and you got to love a classic like this version. It’s the anytime and any season cup of tea. With this tea, you will pick-up citrus notes due to the Bergamot Orange fruit essential oil added to the blend. I could not only smell the beautiful lemon notes but you can also taste them, so it’s not a tea blend that smells better than it tastes.

• Taste Test-
  I did not have to add much to my fresh cup of tea and felt that just a touch of Orange Blossom honey was enough. I skipped on the milk because I rarely ever add it to my teas but it was suggested in the instructions.  I enjoyed it and it is definitely an Earl Grey version I would prefer over most brands.

The Taylors of Harrogate tea company makes a large variety of teas and blends and some are sold loose and others are sold bagged. They also have seasonal teas that are available for a limited time and lets not forget they also have coffees. This tea exporter has been providing the U.K. with teas since 1886 and definitely is a company you can depend on to deliver excellent quality because when you have over 120 years of serving the finest teas, you sort of know what you are doing 🙂

Check out Taylors and find your cup of tea or coffee at:

• On-line– http://www.taylorsofharrogate.com/
• On-line– http://www.brandsofbritian.com
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/taylorsofharrogatetea
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/TaylorsCoffee

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Swaggable and Taylors of Harrogate. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Influenster: Red Rose Simply Indulgent Teas #SimplyIndulge

Voxbox madness! The next one up in the parade is Red Rose Teas. Red Rose is a Canadian company, which has been making teas since the late 1800’s. The Simply Indulgent line uses a black tea base combined with natural extract, which bring you wonderful dessert-like flavors like Lemon Chiffon, Creme Caramel to Peach Cobbler and even Cinnamon Bun. You can purchase the products in tea bag form or single serve cups. I received two flavors to try from the Simply Indulgent line, Creme Caramel and Lemon Chiffon.

Taste Test: I love teas and coffees and I happen to be fond of Black teas….they are the espresso of teas for me, since I tend to like a stronger and deeper brew. Seeing these and the flavors was like getting a dessert in a cup minus the bake time or the hefty calories.

• Creme Caramel: I opened the bag while my water heated up and the tea appears very minced and fine. I was hoping to pick-up a sweet caramel or even a caramelized sugar scent, however nothing really came forward to my nose that made me think of the image featured on the front of the bag…..a cheesecake smothered with caramel sauce. I still proceeded and made the cup without adding any sweeteners. I left the tea steeping and noticed for being derived from black tea leaves, the cup’s liquid was pretty light in color but I can report the color was like that of caramel. This is as caramel as anything got for me. The tea was simple and light, but not bold in taste. I did not pick up a pleasant taste and I even have some teas that are not straight out black, but blends prior to this one. It just did not deliver in the tea or caramel department. I added honey and just a touch hoping it would maybe help but I just tasted the honey I had added. I tried a second time with another bag and left it steeping a longer amount of time, but the bag really only has so much punch that it did not aid my quest in this creme caramel pursuit.

• Lemon Chiffon: This is a decaffeinated blend and you see a pretty glowing yellow slice of lemon chiffon pie on the package. It even has a small dollop of whipped cream and a lemon zest shaving to compliment (aka: draw me in) the look. I again follow the directions and steep for 7 minutes, as it stated between 3 to 5 on the bag or until the desired strength. I went to the point the lemon smell was present to my liking! I added a small touch of honey and proceeded. This tea smelled like sweet lemons and very much like you would imagine before steeping and delivered the same results after. I thought I was a caramel girl but with Red Rose, I am definitely Chiffon-ing it! This one I liked…..this one I would buy. The black tea blend had the perfect strength and was not as powdery in texture as the caramel one. I enjoyed it and I felt it was worthy of the Simply Indulgent title!

Price Point: $4.49 for a carton that contains 20 tea bags

Ingredients (as listed on the site): You will read on the site that the tea comes from the finest tea estates, natural extracts, even rich undertones but other than being a black tea blend, you will find zero on the contents. I have no idea if the lemon has lemon oils, dried lemon zest, if it’s a Meyer Lemon or anything and much less can be figured out on the Caramel. The packet, the site on-line…..nothing lists contents or ingredients.

The price for 20 bags makes it worth trying. I kept in mind that this is a blend and the tea leaf is not loose but rather crushed to powder form in the packet. For a quick change or you just want a lighter black tea, Red Rose fits that spot nicely. Would I want the Caramel Creme to taste like advertised? Well, I never thought of such notes in a tea and even though I must admit I am heavy into the Fleur de Sel Caramels in any form…..maybe tea should be left alone there. I much rather have that slice of cheesecake with the caramel sauce featured on the packet! The Lemon Chiffon delivered in smell and taste so Red Rose is batting a 50/50 with me. I suggest keep that in mind when picking flavors…..make sure you have associated them with teas before like the cinnamon ones and you should be fine.

You can find these and other Tea selections at:

• Red Rose Site on-line– http://www.redrosetea.com/
• Connect via Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/RedRoseTea
• Connect via Twitter– https://twitter.com/shareRedRoseTea
• #SimplyIndulge

I received the above product free of charge from Influenster & Red Rose Teas. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

BzzAgent Campaign: Lipton Spiced Cinnamon Chai Tea

Lipton Spiced Cinnamon Chai Tea

Lipton has added a new variety to their pyramid shaped tea bags, featuring black tea with real spices. The ingredients are simple, starting with black tea, cinnamon, ginger root, cloves and black pepper. The product also contains natural flavorings and the food additive, Soy Lecithin. Each serving delivers 30 mg of caffeine and you can enjoy this product warm or even cold. You also get benefits like 75 mg of tea Flavonoids. What are Flavonoids? You may have heard of Catechins, a Flavonoid that is known for it’s disease fighting capabilities and antioxidants. The more you steep a cup of tea, the more Flavonoids you brew into your cup and that is a very good thing.

Things I like:
It’s easy to brew the Lipton pyramid bag and it does have nice spicy notes and the cinnamon flavor is not overwhelming. It’s present but well balanced by the ginger root and cloves. It’s a mellow spice and I did brew my second cup a little stronger by using only 6 ounces of water and a little honey. Perfect! I definitely would classify this as a Fall and Winter blend because it may not be craveable as the weather warms up, but worth a variety to have in hand.

Things I dislike:
A mess of packaging! I never found an open pyramid bag, but the outside of the box was littered with tea leaves and spices. When I took the plastic wrap off, I was smart to do it over the sink. The disaster continued inside the box, so I removed every bag and inspected each of the 18 bags. None had holes or broken seals, so that is great but why the mess? I had to tap the box clean and then tap each bag to remove the litter. It not appetizing and if I would have not purchased a box that reflected such a mess on the outside. There was no damage to the unit, so this is definitely just being sloppy when manufacturing.

I received the above item free of charge from BzzAgent. My only commitment was to provide an honest review about the product. I am not obligated to provide a positive review! My opinion is my own and I share because that is what I enjoy doing, however your opinion may differ from mine.