Tea and Coffee: Art of Tea / Green Mountain
Winter drinks, so warm.
Tea and coffee delight with
Giant, steaming mugs.
See, every now and then we really do burst into haiku. And today's items might make you do so as well- loose leaf tea and single-cup coffee are nothing new to us, but these flavors are.
First, we've got a half dozen loose leaf blends from Art of Tea. We've been tasting varieties like their Silver Needle and many others, most Organic or Fair Trade. Winner of many World Tea Expo awards, their wares were new to us, and we especially liked their Passionfruit Jasmine and Carmelized Pear. These were two fairly sweet teas with fruit flavors that didn't overwhelm the tea itself, and both smelled divine and offered nice color. It's easy to over-steep jasmine, so beware- this is an excellent dessert tea for pairings that are lighter.
We also liked the Mandarin Silk, which was the 2008 winner for Best Flavored Oolong by the Specialty Tea Institute. It's distinctively vanilla-citrus, works with a variety of cuisine though best with Asian, can holds up well to even rich dishes. It's also the best of the bunch to drink on it's own. The Green Kukicha also works alright on it's own, but it is best with seafood, as it balances any fishy tastes. Finally, their Vanilla Berry Truffle wasn't such a hit- it smelled great and looked nice in the cup, but tasted a bit muddy and slightly too astringent. Overall, these are great winter brews for any tea fan, and they have plenty more to choose from, including sampler sets. Prices vary, but can run from $11 for a single ounce, or much less in bulk (under $4/ounce).
If it's something darker you're after, perhaps try some coffee from Green Mountain and their labels specially for Keurig's K-Cup brewing systems. We've previously tried out several of their flavors, but this time we've got two classic types- Timothy's Italian Blend, and Green Mountain Sumatran Reserve. Both are dark, bold, and flavorful- the Italian a bit lighter and sweeter, and the Sumatran a bit more acidic. We liked that the Sumatran is both Fair Trade and Organic, and both are inexpensive at $15.45 for a box of 24 (and less if you buy in bulk of course). As usual, we find K-cups to be the best convenient coffee, and the wide range of Green Mountain offers something for everyone. Holiday and seasonal blends are also available, and can be purchased from a variety of retailers including Amazon.
About the Author
Greg Greg dreamed up the idea for the Truly Network while living in Hawaii, which began with a single site called TrulyObscure. In 2010, when advertisers and readers were requesting coverage beyond the scope of that site, TrulyNet was launched, reaching a broader audience over a variety of niche sites. Formerly the head technology correspondent for the Des Moines Register at age 16, he has since lived and worked in five states and two countries, helping a list of organizations and companies that includes the United States Census Bureau, TripAdvisor, Events Photo Group, Berlitz, and Computer Geeks. He also served as the Content Strategy Manager for HearPlanet, a multi-platform app that has reached over a million users and has been featured in the New York Times, Hemispheres Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Fox Business News, PC Magazine, and even Apple’s own iPhone ads. Greg has written as a restaurant critic and feature journalist for a number of national and international publications, including City Weekend Magazine, Red Egg Magazine, the Newton Daily News, Capital Change Magazine, and an arm of China Daily, Beijing Weekend. In addition, he has served as a consulting editor for the Foreign Language Press of Beijing, as well as a writer and editor for the George Washington University Hatchet, the school newspaper of his alma mater. Originally from Iowa, Greg is currently living in the West Village of Manhattan.
