Tea of the Week for April 17, 2023!
Spring has begun & there are a couple of things that come to mind when I think of spring. Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest, I think of the beautiful cherry blossom trees that grow everywhere here. But, back when I lived in Southern California, we would enjoy the Jacaranda trees this time of year – trees covered in beautiful purple blossoms lined the streets of Garden Grove (where I lived) and it was simply breathtaking.
Another thought that comes to mind with the coming of spring is hummingbirds! My gramma had a couple of hummingbird feeders positioned just outside her kitchen windows & they were frequented by hungry hummingbirds all day long. It was truly something to witness & it’s something that I miss. I know that we have a large bird population up here in the Pacific Northwest, but I don’t see a lot of hummingbirds. I suppose they’re probably out there, but I don’t see them nearly as often as I did while living in SoCal.
So, I wanted to celebrate the hummingbird with tea this year. I know that there’s a cake called “Hummingbird Cake” & although I’ve never tried a hummingbird cake, I have to admit that the idea of a cake featuring the flavors of pineapple, coconut and pecan sounds heavenly.
Here is that tea: a tea with pineapple & coconut flavors, some spices (allspice & nutmeg) & a hint of pecan (nut-free) essence with an organic honeybush base. It’s really good! It’s also organic, vegan, gluten-free & all natural!
organic ingredients: honeybush, coconut, pineapple, allspice, nutmeg & natural flavors
more about this tea: As I mentioned above, this tea is my celebration of spring & my ode to the hummingbird. I focused on the flavors of a Hummingbird cake for this tea – pineapple, coconut & pecan, with a touch of spice – but I didn’t add a lot of my cake essence because I thought that the other flavors might get lost in the mix. I wanted to focus primarily on the pineapple & coconut – I think I managed to accomplish that! The tea is a delightful medley of pineapple & coconut, with a hint of allspice & nutmeg & a kiss of pecan. So yummy!
to brew: shake the pouch well to incorporate the ingredients. Some of the spices may sift down to the bottom of the pouch & you definitely want some of those in your measurement. Use 3 ½ grams of tea to 12oz of very hot water (190°F). Steep for 10 minutes, strain & allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy!
serving suggestion: I really like this tea served hot. It does not need sweetener because there is some natural sweetness to the cup, although if you want a more “cake-y” experience, you might find that the addition of about ½ a teaspoon of sugar will bring out those flavors a bit more. I also LOVE this tea with a drizzle of honey.
