Good Earth Sweet and Spicy

You might think I would be more of a tea snob, but some packaged teas are really good. This one has three important features:

1. Consistent quality

2. Convenient tea bag

3. It makes me happy.

The flavor is exactly what it says: Sweet and Spicy, but it’s not too much of either. This tea pairs well with a girl scout trefoil cookie or a fresh sugar cookie. I love that it is caffeine free and needs no added sugar but is not overly sweet. As an herbal tea, it has a rooibos base with a hint of citrus and a nice bite. If you find it too strong, add hot water. If you find it too weak, use two bags and steep longer.

Sometimes it’s the little things. The tags always have a cute or interesting quote. Mine says “Every now and then, bite off more than you can chew.” That’s a nice message to start your day.

Where I live, this tea is easily found in the local grocery store. I’m including the Amazon link here because there is an organic version that has some bad reviews. Normally I would choose organic first, but the reviews say that the organic one has no flavor. Click on the picture below for the right version. *

*yes, I get affiliate credit

Indian Chinese tea

For the true tea aficionado, here is how to make Indian style tea with chinese tea leaves. A bit technical, if you are a tea snob, you will really love to hate this, reblog, write an awful review and send this to all your tea snob friends. It’s that good

Click here for more: Indian Chinese tea

WRITING 101: Coffee Shop Observations

Coffee Shop observations. Well done.

Caffeine and Books

For today’s Writing 101 assignment we were given the theme of a coffee shop, and as soon as I read that I knew I had something for it. I have a notebook which I sometimes take into coffee shops and write what’s around me. It’s quite short, and I have edited it a bit and added a few things, but this is what I do in a coffee shop – when I’m not intending on spending hours in there writing blog posts that is.

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My head is in a book I just bought from the bookshop across the road, a chai tea latte with soya milk next to me. I try to immerse myself in the story, but no matter what I did I could still hear everything. I could hear the strangely hypnotic, but irritating, music. I could hear the hissing of steam and the grinding of coffee being…

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Innovation Leads The Way When It’s In The Ground

The perfect cup for the perfect cup.

Whole Bean

Kaffeeform is leading the way with their innovative new material that allows coffee enthusiasts to enjoy their favourite brew right down to the grounds. The German independent company produces mugs made out of, you guessed it, coffee grounds.

Kaffeeform is a renewable material that is the result of five years of research and experimentation. The result: a solid material made out of coffee lead that is able to resist heat and is washable.  To add to your coffee drinking experience, each cup is unique in design and also retains a hint of coffee aroma.

Want to get a set? A new batch will be ready starting October 2015.

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French Press

French Press, when done right, produces some of the best coffee. Follow these instructions and you’ll see why.

Boxer Brew Coffee co

French Press?  Sounds like the paparazzi, but it is probably one of the most accessible brewing methods.  In it’s simplest form it is a tubular container with a removable metal filter used to press down on the coffee.  This is the first in the series of blogs about alternative brewing methods from the steeping group.  This is the brewing methods that is the Jacuzzi group where coffee  chills in the water for a while.

It has had a bad rap, as producing harsh, murky or bitter coffee.  Here is a guideline to making good French press coffee. I searched wide and far on the wild, wild web and have distilled the best advice I could find. Following this guideline, should produce a full-bodied, robust coffee with intense flavours.

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What you need

1. A French Press. The best value for money in most likely a Bodum.
2. Coffee beans. Ideally, you should grind it yourself, but…

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Sleep-Eyed

Ink (flows, stains).

On those mornings
when you are up
before you want to be
no one else’s injustice,
no matter how real,
will seem as great.
Lately,
these mornings
are too many
in number.
How cruel,
what coffee
cannot cure.

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Nations Treasure Golden Flower Tea

I recently received a generous gift from someone who went to China. It actually came in a beautiful box that was hand carried back to the U.S. This wood case, with custom indents that fit the glass jars perfectly, survived an incredible journey of 6 countries and several modes of transportation only to be dropped by a bell boy in the last hotel. Ugh. Luckily, the tea arrived intact.

Technically it’s not really tea. It’s really a miracle golden flower that blooms in some hard to reach region of China for only a few weeks in the spring. According to the Oracle of Truth (Google) it has healing properties like curing cancer, hair loss, acne, depression, and anything else you might have. How do I know this? Because I spent several hours with Google translate, trying to draw chinese characters in that little box, with my mouse, to get one the right one recognized. You see, the information and instructions came in Chinese!

I managed to get this far: The title line says “Nations (or Chinese National) Golden (or Michael) Flower Tea.” Every time you add a character to the sentence, it can change the meaning of the previous character. Now for the directions. “Add boiling water to three or four flowers.” It took an hour to translate only a handful of words. Never mind, I know how to make tea…..

For an herbal tea, it is similar to a chamomile but not as sweet with an earthy finish that lingers a bit. It is really easy to make. I tried more but found if I put three flowers in a cup, add boiling water and steep for two minutes, it’s perfect. No caffeine means this is a really nice tea at the end of the day. So far, I don’t have cancer, or hair loss so it might be working. Then again, I didn’t have those problems before. The flowers stay in tact so I don’t even strain it. When the tea gets cold or sits too long, it gets a bit stronger, bringing out more dirt flavors. I’ll still drink it but it’s best not to wait long past that sweet spot of perfect tea (not to hot, but not too cold).

I am eternally grateful for this gift. Now if I only took advice from my favorite tea cup. Enjoy!

If anyone knows Chinese, feel free to translate any warning labels in the comments!

Hot Summer Treat

Packards Coffee is a tiny shop in Ramona, California. The building is an old 1930’s gas station turned coffee shop with outdoor seating. If you are ever in the neighborhood, you shouldn’t miss it. There are some some photos on the walls from famous people who’ve stopped there, as well as postcards from around the world. If you love a small town atmosphere, roadside kitch and coffee house coffee, then this is the place.

(Full disclosure: It’s right near my shop so I’m a regular.) I normally get an Organic Blue Sky coffee with a little almond milk.  A smooth dark roast with a bit of an edge, it’s a perfect pick-me-up for those mornings I’m not feeling it. On a hot summer day, when I need something sweet, I order the Alaskan. It’s a special frozen mocha that will cure any sweet tooth.

Today, I was talking to the owner and she mentioned something new, so of course I had to have it. Simple, yet genius! Frozen Mocha meets Banana Smoothie in a dark alley and BAM! This drink has the best of both. Ask for the Frozen Banana Mocha. Real espresso, frozen blended banana smoothie and rich chocolate. Nothing here comes in powder form. All the ingredients are the real deal and the prices are way better than the chain stores.

They are also known for their flavored red bulls, the Ramonan (mocha, cinamon, nutmeg) as well as Italian Sodas and free wi-fi.

If you are lucky enough to be here on the weekends, they serve crepes, both savory and sweet. All fresh ingredients, made to order makes for a long line, but it’s worth the wait.

They don’t have a website but you can follow them on Facebook or Yelp.

Packards Coffee – 680 Main Street, Ramona, CA 92065  (760) 789-4262 

Cold Brew Coffee: Now At Home

I have to try this!

roodonfood

Coffee Sock Cold brew coffee is being sold by every man, woman and child here in the U.S. Talk about job creator! For those unfamiliar, the drink is made by steeping coffee in cold water over a long period of time. Iced coffee on the other hand is hot coffee which is chilled and has ice added.

Cold brew is considered tastier by many because not heating makes it less acidic and draws out more sweet notes. Because the exposure time is longer than conventional drip, it’s stronger coffee. The lessened acidity also means, it’s less likely to bother your stomach. Also, it’s way cheaper than buying coffees out for $2-$5 each.

We were gifted this Coffee Sock Cold Brew kit and we’re making good use of here during the summer. It’s a pretty simple setup. There is a mason jason and a filter. You fill the water to the…

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Money and Luck

I’m not a tea snob, but I know what I like. Recently, I found Mountain Witch Tea company. They are based in Big Bear, California, which is one of the coolest places on earth! It’s a lake and ski resort area in the mountains of California about two hours from L.A. But this is about their tea.

This morning I brewed a cup of Black Cat Potions Money and Luck tea.  All their teas are loose leaf and come in a simple bag. Most blends start with a base of black tea with a wide array of herbs, spices, fruit and flowers to give each tea an intoxicating bouquet. With names like Fairy Nectar and Hangover Helper, you can see why these make great gifts. They also have a nice selection of herbal teas without the black tea or caffeine like Sleeping Beauty and Skinny Minny. When you open the bag, the aroma envelops you. You can see and smell the complex combination of ingredients. In the pot, the leaves and flowers unfurl. That’s the sign of good tea. At first glance, I thought there may be too many ingredients but they really are blended well. Helpful hint: if you steep too long or use too much, you will really taste the earthiness of the back tea. It’s very strong. It’s well worth paying attention as the reward for watching the steep time is a very yummy tea. The owner suggested you can make it as sun tea or cold steeped to mellow the earthy flavor. I’ve tried some in both hot and cold forms. Most will make a good iced tea with a touch of stevia or honey.  I also think the Belgian Dark Chocolate tea may be the cure for PMS. I have started to carry some of these in the shop.

(Just as I was finishing my cup, I made a really big sale at the shop. I think this works!)