T is for Tea!

As a girl raised in the south with an Anglophile grandmother, I can’t help but be a tea drinker. I lean heavily toward black teas (Red Rose) and really enjoy a slight citrus infusion (Lady Grey). Sometimes I splurge and have the occasional Chai or Jasmine. I’m a creature of habit, so if it’s not Constant Comment or one of the ones mentioned above, it’s probably not in my pantry.

One of the things I miss about Sherri Kenyon’s cabin is the huge stash of Teavana canisters in the kitchen. On a cold day of writing in front of the fireplace, it was always fun to try something like Lapsang Souchong (which smells off-puttingly strongly of pine needles, but is surprisingly robust and tasty).

It’s an extra special treat for me that my sweetling doppelganger Jackie Gamber (who taught me to sprinkle cinnamon on the bags when making tea in my coffee pot) has chosen the perfect English Tea to accompany AlphaOops: H is for Halloween.

The tea Jackie chose is called Chanakara Dragonfruit Tea. It’s a blend of hibiscus flowers, orange peel, ginger, chicory, damiana, peppermint, and dragonfruit flavors. Even better — Jackie sent me some to try!

I’m still trying to place the scent…it remind me of something. I’ll let you know when I figure it out. Like the Lapsang Souchong it’s very earthy, but not quite as strong (it’s also caffeine free). Jackie recommends drinking it hot, so I did, and sure enough — it tasted like autumn. I couldn’t pick out the candy flavors as distinctly as she did, but I enjoyed letting the spicy aftertaste sparkle in my mouth and trigger long-forgotten memories.

What a lovely morning.

Click here to read Jackie’s lovely write up on the Taste of English Tea Blog, and to find ordering information for Chanakara Dragonfruit Tea.