Four Amazing Tea Blends You Really Need To Try

January 25, 2016 319 view(s)
Four Amazing Tea Blends You Really Need To Try

Not to oversimplify or anything, but there are precisely two kinds of humans in this world. There are those who believe that tea is a flavor wonderland of joyous beverage experimentation. Then there are those who think of tea as the wind-chime-owning, Prius-driving cousin of coffee — who names each of their eleven cats after lesser-known Harry Potter characters.

The following tea blends are for the tea adventurers among us. But be warned readers, these forays into the dark alleyways of flavor-town are not for the faint of heart.

The Vitality Level-up

Let's start with a fantastic Slique Tea from Young Living. This concoction of Ocotea, Oolong, and Cacao isn't just overflowing with a ridiculous assortment of vowels. It's also packed with a virtuous menagerie of flavonoids. Ocotea is rich in camphor and safrole, two potent organic compounds with antibiotic properties. Oolong is a venerable Chinese green tea, filled with antioxidants and a cocktail of essential vitamins and minerals. Cacao is a stimulant and may be useful in lowering blood pressure, maintaining healthy skin function, and improving your overall sense of well-being. Vanilla fruit extract and frankincense complete the magic by adding a beautifully gentle mellowness to your cup. This stuff is an excellent overall vitality tonic. While you may need to imbibe a few cups to completely appreciate every corner of its intricate taste, it's a tea you'll return to again and again.

The day maker

It's hard to find a tea blend that won't work as your first beverage of the day. But this blend, which I call the Day Maker, is just the right blend of gentle and energetic. Drinking this tea is like being lightly slapped in the face by a fluffy white magical kitten who only has your best interests at heart. Grab two to three teaspoons of Darjeeling.

darjeeling assam tea garden

That's for the light floral zing. Then spoon in half to one teaspoon of rosebud petals. Less is more here. Too much rose will make any tea taste like the inside of your grandma's linen closet. Then follow that shebang up with a generous sprinkle (three to four teaspoons, tops) of Assam tea. Most people describe Assam tea as "energetic," but set against the Darjeeling and rose, the Assam adds a friendly, malty vibe without unduly dominating its flavor neighbors. Give it a try. It'll give you the morning happiness.

The flavor blast

Teas are good for subtle and low-key flavor, but sometimes you need a hefty jolt to the taste buds to get your brain into gear and your mood popping. Enter the Flavor Blast, stage left. The base for this tea blend is Sencha, a Japanese tea with a robust, almost grassy flavor. Many who enjoy Sencha savor that grassiness on its own, relishing its ability to evoke fond childhood memories. But we won't stop at the blissful simplicity of Sencha, this time round — not by a long shot. Into your base, add rooibos and elderberry.

Then add hibiscus, lemon, and cinnamon. Add these carefully, and to taste. Get it right, and you'll have this tart, spiced, grassy, semi-sweet convergence of flavors that'll make your taste buds look at one another and say, "Whoa. What just happened?". Be warned though, this is a tea you'll need to experiment with to find your unique jam. Everyone's preference is a little bit different.

The Sleepsplosion

When asked to brew up a tea to aid in sleep, most veteran tea wizards-will reach straight for the chamomile. And it's undeniably a safe choice. Chamomile is packed with the antioxidant Apigenin, an organic compound that can reduce anxiety and promote sleep.

But here's something a little different. Grab a banana, peel it, and slice it into a small pot of boiling water. Let that fruity goodness bubble away and do its thing for a good 15 minutes. Strain the banana water into a cup, and add a dash of cinnamon and honey. Its taste is easily as comforting as a koala licking your elbow, and better yet, you're downing a cup of liquid magnesium and potassium — minerals vital for promoting healthy sleep function. OK, sure, and if you're feeling a tad old-school, add some chamomile to the mix just to be sure.

To drink tea is to embrace life's subtle complexity

Poet and essayist Gary Snyder said: "There are those who love to get dirty and fix things. They drink coffee at dawn, beer after work. And those who stay clean, just appreciate things. At breakfast they have milk and juice at night. There are those who do both, they drink tea." Tea is an institution; a drink of endless, subtle experimentation; the grandest pursuit of poet-apothecaries since time immemorial. The next time you feel that familiar urge to curl your palms around the comforting warmth of your favorite chipped mug, consider one of these unusual blends. You may find it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

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