5 on the 5th: Five Delicious Black Teas to Try This Fall

October 5, 2015October 4, 2015 / saraletourneau / 15 Comments

On the fifth day of each month, 5 on the 5th shares five of something that I like or recommend to readers. Whether it’s five items that share a common theme, or five reasons why I like the topic at hand, this monthly meme gives us an opportunity to talk about other subjects that aren’t normally discussed here at the blog.

Ah, fall. I’m not the biggest fan of this season, but I love many foods that are associated with it: soup, apple cider, pumpkin pie… and black tea! Well, yes, I do drink black tea year-round. But I know other people take a break from it during the warmer months and then come back to it as the nights get cooler and the leaves start to fall. So, what better way to kick off autumn than trying some new black teas? Here are five I highly recommend, along with links in case you feel tempted. 😉
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Tea Time at Reverie: Teasenz’s Love At First Sight Blooming Tea

September 17, 2015September 17, 2015 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

A number of readers enjoyed learning about blooming tea when I first reviewed it for A Bibliophile’s Reverie. So, how about another one? 😉 Teasenz was kind enough to send two blooming tea samples; and today I offer my thoughts on the second sample, the delicate and refined Love At First Sight Blooming Tea.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

It’s blooming tea time again! Teasenz was generous enough to include two different blooming tea samples for our review. We’ve already covered their delightful Oriental Beauty Blooming Tea here. Today, we turn the spotlight to Love At First Sight Blooming Tea. This bouquet of green tea and flowers sounds similar to Oriental Beauty in terms of ingredients. So, will the infusion also taste similar? Let’s bring out the glass teapot and find out.

The Basics

Teasenz’s Description:“Sweet, smooth and delicate, this famous blooming tea from Fujian Province blossoms into beautiful flowers when infused. After enjoying the tea, preserve the enchanting view of Love at First Sight for up to five days in a glass of cold water. Refresh the water once a day.”

Ingredients: Green tea leaves, globe amaranth, jasmine, marigold, and calendula blossoms

Steeping Instructions: Use 1 blooming tea ball for every 8 oz of…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Yezi Tea’s Tie Guan Yin High Grade Oolong Tea

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 / saraletourneau / 2 Comments

Squeezing in another tea review before the end of the month! I purposely saved Tie Guan Yin as my final sample from Yezi Tea because it’s my favorite kind of oolong. And this High Grade version of Tie Guan Yin did not disappoint! Read my review at A Bibliophile’s Reverie to learn more.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Today’s tea is one of many names: Iron Goddess Oolong, Iron Bodhisattva, Monkey-Picked Oolong, Tie Kwan Yin (Taiwanese)… They’re all part of the pool known as Tie Guan Yin, which is Chinese for “Iron Goddess of Mercy.” This renowned oolong tea is available at most tea shops and online retailers, including our friends at Yezi Tea, who were kind enough to send us samples. (Justin also wrote about Yezi’s Tie Guan Yin High Grade Oolong Tea here.)

Yezi’s brand of Tie Guan Yin High Grade Oolong hails from the mountains of Anxi County in the southern Fujian province of China. Since the early days of the Qing Dynasty, this tea has been famous for its heavy body and surprisingly sweet flavor. So, how does Tie Guan Yin measure up to other oolongs we’ve tasted for Tea Time? Read on to find out!

The Basics

Photo courtesy…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Teasenz’s Oriental Beauty Blooming Tea

May 29, 2015May 29, 2015 / saraletourneau

Another first for Tea Time At Reverie: Our first blooming tea! Chinese vendor Teasenz was kind enough to send a sample of their Oriental Beauty Blooming Tea, which combines Silver Needle White tea leaves with jasmine, globe amaranthe, and lily for a refreshing, delightful tisane. And since it’s blooming tea, the brewing process is truly a wonder to behold. Read on to learn more about Oriental Beauty and how blooming teas are crafted – and check out some photos I took while the tea brewed! (Hey, I didn’t want you to miss out on the best part. *wink*)

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Today marks another first for us: our first blooming tea review! Teavana fans might already been familiar with this unique artisan tea from China. If you aren’t, here’s a quick lesson.

Blooming tea combines traditional tea leaves (usually green or white) with flowers such as osmanthus, jasmine, lilies, marigolds, and globe amaranths. The leaves and flowers are sewn together, then rolled and shaped into a ball and held together by cotton threads. When the tea ball is immersed in hot water, it unfurls to reveal its colorful blossoms. Hence the tea’s namesake. 😉 Click here to learn more about blooming tea.

Our friends at Teasenz volunteered to send two blooming tea samples for review. The first one we’ll cover is Oriental Beauty Blooming Tea, a refreshing mix of floral and fruit flavors. And because this is blooming tea, I took some photos to go along with the review! You…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Yezi Tea’s Dragon Well High Grade Long Jing Green Tea

May 13, 2015May 13, 2015 / saraletourneau

Funny how I decided to review Yezi Tea’s High Grade Dragon Well Green Tea while reading George R.R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons recently. (My review of ADwD is coming soon, btw.) And I think those fire-breathing wyrms and their brethren from other fantasy stories would approve of this prized Chinese tea. Read on to find out what makes Dragon Well so unique – in appearance, smell, and taste.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

If I had to pick a favorite green tea, Dragon Well would be my vote. I was fascinated by its unexpectedly full flavor and the distinct appearance of its leaves the first time I tried it. So, I was thrilled when Yezi Tea sent a sample for Tea Time.

Known as Long Jing (Chinese for “dragon well”) in its native China, Dragon Well is celebrated as an Imperial Tea and surrounded by all kinds of lore. Listing all of the legends would take a while; but after researching, it’s clear why emperors loved this tea. Dragon Well is harvested exclusively in Hangzhou’s lakes region, and is comprised of unopened leaf buds called “dragon sprouts” (a.k.a. water lily hearts). The leaves are plucked by hand during the first couple weeks of spring, then pressed in a hot wok until the ideal shape is achieved. As for the scent and taste… Well, that’s…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Teasenz’s Fujian Silver Needle White Tea

March 17, 2015March 17, 2015 / saraletourneau / 3 Comments

With spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to try some refreshing white teas. One lovely choice from Teasenz is their Fujian Silver Needle, a prized Chinese white tea named after its abundance of silvery, down-covered buds. Find out more about Teasenz’s Fujian Silver Needle White Tea, including why it’s an ideal companion beverage for journaling and meditation, at my latest Tea Time at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Few white teas are as well-known as China’s Silver Needle. Consisting almost exclusively of silky, unopened buds, Silver Needle leaves are plucked by hand during a few select days in the spring harvest. This tea is so prized in China that locals often save their reserves for weddings, the New Year, and other special occasions. Teasenz graciously sent us a sample of their Fujian Silver Needle White Tea for review, and I’m happy to tell you more about this light-as-a-butterfly infusion today.

The Basics

Photo courtesy of Teasenz

Teasenz’s Description:“Enjoyed exclusively by the imperial family in China for centuries, the Silky Silver Needle is a top-grade white tea with a soft, smooth, and silky-sweet taste experience. An ethereal cup with a lingering fragrance and refreshing aftertaste. Pure and refreshing.”

Ingredients: Silver Needle white tea leaves

Steeping Instructions: Use 1 tsp of tea for every 3 oz of water…

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Tea Time At Reverie: Yezi Tea’s Yi Fu Chun Black Tea

February 27, 2015February 27, 2015 / saraletourneau / 2 Comments

Yezi Tea describes their Yi Fu Chun Black Tea as “smooth as riding in a Rolls-Royce on a newly paved highway.” After trying it for myself, I have to agree with that description. Learn more about this smoky, sophisticated black tea today at A Bibliophile’s Reverie, and what literary vampire it reminded me of.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Remember last time when I mentioned I was battling the winter blues? Well, the weather hasn’t improved much since then, so I’m craving a good ol’ black tea this time. Since it was time to rotate back to my Yezi Tea samples, I went straight for their Yi Fu Chun Black Tea.

Yi Fu Chun is a Chinese black tea grown near Fuqing City along the country’s Nanhu Mountain range. Climate plays a crucial role in tea-growing; and according to Yezi’s website, the Nanhu Mountains can be covered in fog for 200 days a year. Read on to learn more about this smoky, classy gem.

The Basics

Image courtesy of Yezi Tea

Yezi’s Description:“Yi Fu Chun is an organic tea, and Yezi is proud to bring you this offering sourced, like most of our teas, directly from the farmer. You will find drinking this golden brown brew…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Teasenz’s Red Dragon Pearls Black Tea

December 3, 2014December 3, 2014 / saraletourneau / 2 Comments

Somebody’s found her new favorite unflavored black tea! Check out my newest tea review at A Bibliophile’s Reverie, where I discover the unfolding warmth and “bold yet cozy” profile of Teasenz’s Red Dragon Pearls Black Tea! And yes, it’s possible for a tea to be bold yet cozy at the same time. 😉

A Bibliophile's Reverie

With all the samples I’ve received so far for Tea Time, I’ve done my best to offer variety with each new review. At the same time, I’ve been dying to try Teasenz’s Red Dragon Pearls ever since Teasenz’s package arrived. Grown and harvested in China’s Yunnan province, this black tea (also known as “Black Dragon Pearls”) is special in that it’s one of the only hand-rolled black teas in the world. And from the sounds of Teasenz’s description below, Red Dragon Pearls could be the ultimate autumn tea. So, let’s see what we find once the pearls unfold, shall we?

The Basics

Photo courtesy of Teasenz

Yezi’s Description:“An unusual black tea hand-rolled into ‘pearls’ in southern Yunnan, China. This fantastically bold brew offers up all the flavors of a crisp autumn day with just one pearl. Malty, nuanced, and tannic, it also offers complex flavors of fallen leaves…

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Tea Time At Reverie: Yezi Tea’s White Peony Master Grade White Tea

November 18, 2014November 18, 2014 / saraletourneau / 4 Comments

I’ve found a gem of an unflavored white tea! With notes of flowers, almond, and caramel, Yezi Tea’s Master Grade White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) White Tea is light and refined, a cup of liquid harmony. But of course, you’d like the longer version, right? Then I encourage you to check out my latest tea review at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

After some brisk and flavorful brews for the past few Tea Times, it’s time for something more delicate. So, I went through my Yezi Tea samples and decided on their White Peony Master Grade White Tea. This brand of White Peony (also known as Bai Mu Dan) is grown in the Jian’ou County of China’s Fujian province and harvested during the spring. The young leaves are then gently dried in the sun on bamboo trays. No doubt this process – plus the fact that white tea isn’t oxidized like black, oolong, and green teas are – gives this tea its celebrated delicate aroma and flavor. The Master Grade level also indicates the highest possible quality for a White Peony tea. So, let’s have a cup or two (or three) of White Peony together, shall we?

The Basics