Tea Time at Reverie: Plum Deluxe’s Self Care Herbal Tea Blend

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016 / saraletourneau / 2 Comments

I love it when I find tea companies that impress me so much, I know I’ll be a paying customer in the future. Plum Deluxe has become one of those companies, and partly due to today’s sample. Check out my review of their scrumptious Self-Care Herbal Blend at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

Also, as I announced back in May, this is my final Time Time for ABR. Thanks again for reading and sharing these reviews, and for talking tea with me there for the past 2 years!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

plumdeluxe_logo_straptea

Our final sample from Plum Deluxe is the Self-Care Blend, an herbal tisane that caught my eye for two reasons. First, how can you go wrong with a name like that for a tea? Everyone needs a reminder to slow down and take care of themselves, and tea serves as a good reminder of this. Second, this unique herbal blend features apricots and elderberries, two fruits that are known for their healing properties. It’s an intriguing combination – in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen apricots or elderberries paired together before, in tea or in food. So, I’m very curious how they’ll brew up together.

Let’s have a cup or two of Self-Care together and see what it’s like, shall we? 😉

The Basics

self-care-square-477x477 Photo courtesy of Plum Deluxe

Bingley’s Description:“A curious pairing of elderberry (tart) and apricot (sweet), this all-organic tea has mellow flavors and…

View original post 784 more words

Tea Time at Reverie: Plum Deluxe’s Reading Nook Black Tea Blend

June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

Here’s my second-to-last Tea Time for A Bibliophile’s Reverie. (This is starting to get a little sad, thinking about the end.) And this first sample from Plum Deluxe out of Oregon (United States) caught my eye the moment that the vendor contacted me about reviewing some of his teas – and it wasn’t just the name. Read on to find out why I enjoyed Reading Nook Black Tea Blend so much. 🙂

A Bibliophile's Reverie

plumdeluxe_logo_straptea

Our next two Tea Time samples come from Plum Deluxe. Since 2008, this Oregon-based tea vendor has been exploring all aspects of the phrase “Making Moments Matter.” From handcrafted organic tea blends and a Tea of the Month Club, to recipes and meditations and other gifts, Plum Deluxe is committed to reminding its customers to be well, mindful, and positive. I can’t say I’ve met another tea company with such an inspiring mission – not to mention the teas in their online shop look delectable!

And what better way to introduce you to Plum Deluxe than with a bookish tea? 😉 Reading Nook blends a cream-flavored black tea with floral accents to create a soothing, stimulating, and truly unique brew. One look at the picture and description, and I knew I needed to review this beauty!

The Basics

Photo courtesy of Plum Deluxe

Plux Deluxe’s Description:“One needs a…

View original post 684 more words

Time Flies!: May 2016 (Plus, An Important Announcement)

May 31, 2016May 28, 2016 / saraletourneau / 41 Comments

Welcome to the latest edition of Time Flies! It’s my version of a monthly update, where I recap the past month’s accomplishments and articles, share news and random things from my offline life, and hint at what may be coming in the month ahead.

Good morning, everyone! (Or good afternoon or evening, if it’s that time for you right now.)

Welcome to Isengard

I’m going to keep this month’s intro short. We have a lot to cover, especially some upcoming changes to my blogging schedule. So, let’s get right to the recap:

Continue reading →

Tea Time at Reverie: Mr. Darcy’s Pride Oolong from Bingley’s Teas

May 20, 2016May 20, 2016 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

Which male characters come to mind when you think of Jane Austen’s novels? How about Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice? Then maybe you’d like to try Mr. Darcy’s Pride, a unique oolong tea offered by Bingley’s Teas. Check out this bold-scented tea that grows more approachable with each brew, at my newest Tea Time at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Mr. Darcy in a letter to Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Ah, Fitzwilliam Darcy. He may be handsome and wealthy, but at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice his cold, aloof behavior is not the least bit becoming. No wonder Elizabeth Bennet feels slighted by his remarks when they first meet, and later turns down his marriage proposal. His failures and Elizabeth’s pointed criticisms eventually influence Mr. Darcy to see the error in his ways; and by the end of the novel, even Elizabeth sees that he has changed for the better.

Knowing Mr. Darcy’s complexity, I was curious to see how Bingley’s Teas would reflect his character with a tea. Their choice? Mr. Darcy’s Pride, a distinctive…

View original post 884 more words

Time Flies!: April 2016

April 30, 2016April 29, 2016 / saraletourneau / 18 Comments

Happy Day Before May Day, everyone! 🙂

Just a quick note before we jump into this month’s recap: I might not be around to respond to comments on this and other posts until Monday. My parents are finally moving to Cape Cod this weekend, so I’ll be away from the computer most of the time. I’m hoping to catch up with any replies and such next week!

Also, don’t forget to enter the latest thank-you giveaways! They end at midnight EST on Tuesday, May 3rd. If you’re a writer or an avid reader, then these should pique your interest. 😉

Now, here’s what happened during April:

Continue reading →

Tea Time at Reverie: Tea Maineia’s Peach Apricot Black Tea

April 29, 2016April 29, 2016 / saraletourneau / 4 Comments

Just in time for the warmer weather, here’s a deliciously fruity black tea that’s wonderful either hot or iced. Check out my review of Tea Maineia’s Peach Apricot Black Tea (and the book pairings I recommend for it) at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Sometimes the best advice for choosing tea is, “Follow your nose.” In other words, if you like the way a tea smells, you’ll most likely enjoy its taste, too. That principle was a big reason – no, THE big reason – why I bought a packet of Peach Apricot Black Tea from Tea Maineia during my visit last fall. I’ve had several cups of this fruit-packed black tea since then, and I’m thrilled to say… well, you’ll have to read on to find that out.

The Basics

Tea Maineia Peach Apricot Photo courtesy of Tea Maineia

Tea Maineia’s Description:“A tasty combination of mellow peaches and deep full flavored apricots are blended into this classic Ceylon tea.”

Ingredients: Ceylon black tea, papaya pieces, peach pieces, apricot pieces, blackberry leaves, sunflower petals, calendula petals, and natural flavors

Steeping Instructions: Use 1½ teaspoons of tea for every 8 oz of water. Heat water to nearly…

View original post 660 more words

Tea Time at Reverie: Whispering Pines Tea Company’s Mirkwood Tea

April 4, 2016April 4, 2016 / saraletourneau / 2 Comments

Time for another Middle-Earth inspired tea from Whispering Pines! And I already know a few readers who might be interested in this one based on the name alone. 😉 Read on to learn more about Mirkwood, a unique pu-erh blend, at A Bibliophile’s Reverie.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

“But [the company] had to go on and on, long after they were sick for the sight of the sun and of the sky, and longed for the feel of wind on their faces. There was no movement of air down under the forest-roof, and it was everlastingly still and dark and stuffy. [… Bilbo] felt that he was being slowly suffocated.”
J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”

Today’s Tea Time brings us to one of Middle-Earth’s creepiest realms. Home of the wizard Radagast The Brown and the Woodland Elves, Mirkwood was once known as Greenwood the Great – until it fell under the Necromancer’s shadow. So, when Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield’s Dwarf company arrive at Mirkwood during The Hobbit, the once lush and thriving forest is crawling with giant spiders and decaying from dark magic.

Despite its ambiance, Mirkwood has enchanted readers for generations. Now, thanks to Whispering Pines Tea…

View original post 913 more words

Time Flies!: March 2016

March 31, 2016April 4, 2016 / saraletourneau / 32 Comments

Can we first take a moment to celebrate the fact that it’s SPRING?! 😀

Aren’t they so cute? 🙂

Apart from my favorite season arriving, March was an awesome month. Many of you already know the biggest news on the writing front: I finished the second draft of my YA fantasy WIP, The Keeper’s Curse! Now, let me share some of the other “behind-the-scenes” happenings since last month’s round-up.

Continue reading →

Tea Time at Reverie: Longbourn Wedding Tea from Bingley’s Teas

March 20, 2016March 20, 2016 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

Happy first day of spring, everyone! How about we celebrate the start of a beautiful season with a tea of promise – a wedding tea? In fact, Longbourn Wedding might be my new favorite from Bingley’s Teas. Check out today’s Tea Time at A Bibliophile’s Reverie to find out why this sparkling white tea is so delicious.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Ah, marriage. It’s the revolving point of Pride and Prejudice. Many of the unmarried characters in the story, including men like Mr. Darcy, feel some kind of social pressure to make that ultimate commitment. Plus, everyone in the Bennet family has different reasons behind their marriage choices, from lust and convenience (Mr. and Mrs. Bennet) to love (Jane Bennet) and mutual trust (Elizabeth Bennet). But in the end, Lizzie and Jane become engaged to their ideal partners – which means it’s time for not one wedding, but two!

So, how do we celebrate such a special event here at Tea Time? With tea, of course! This brings us to our next sample from Bingley’s Teas. Named after the Bennet family’s estate,

View original post 749 more words

Tea Time at Reverie: Golden Tips’ Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea

March 6, 2016March 6, 2016 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

Finally had a chance to try a Darjeeling black tea for Tea Time at Reverie! This review goes into a little more detail about how Darjeelings differ from Assams, which more tea drinkers are familiar with. The focus, however, is on Moonlight Darjeeling from Golden Tips. If you’re looking for something less robust and more refined than the usual black tea, this review might pique your interest. 😉

A Bibliophile's Reverie

When the package of samples from Golden Tips Tea first arrived, I was thrilled to find some Darjeeling teas inside. Though Darjeelings aren’t as well-known as Assam teas, they’re considered some of the finest in the world. In fact, Darjeeling black tea is nicknamed the “Champagne of Teas” because of its distinct aroma and flavor palate. I’ve had a few Darjeelings, and I have to agree – they’re smoother than Assams, more floral and fruity than Ceylons, and wonderfully delicious.

Which leads me to today’s Tea Time. Golden Tips’ Moonlight Darjeeling is a blend of black teas from various plantations across India’s Darjeeling region. All of the leaves were picked during “first flush” (March / April 2015) and are categorized as “Moonlight” due to their superior quality and aroma. In other words, this is one fine black tea blend. Who would like to try a cup with me? 🙂

The…

View original post 769 more words