Tea and Me

It’s the second to last day of the calendar and we’ve returned to the matcha  —  Gingernut Matcha to be precise. Ingredients: Japanese matcha green tea, ginger, cinnamon, natural flavour granules, chilli They describe it thus: Our limited edition Gingernut biscuit matcha blend is so moreish with milk! Get your matcha kicks with a ginger tingle this Autumn - Winter season!  I have to admit that I was extremely pleased to discover that today’s tea was matcha as it meant I didn’t have to drink and review it straight away. Now, that might sound a bit harsh, but there is a good reason for it. Unfortunately, Father Christmas has visited my house a few days early and left a not-so-nice present for me, one for which the following are required, and as I opened the calendar door I have to admit I was praying for matcha, while all the while wishing I could go back to bed (I couldn't as I have a hairdresser's appointment, and my hair takes many ho...

In a flashback to Summer – today it’s Ice Cream Matcha. Ingredients: Japanese matcha green tea, carob powder, natural flavouring. They describe it thus: Everybody's favourite summer treat - Enjoy a creamy, moreish ice cream matcha cone in the afternoon sun! Try me iced or hot and I'm awesome with milk! Oh look, another matcha, and this time it’s the Summer-inspired Ice Cream flavour. The packets really are building up now, aren’t they? I’ve been seeing other people’s pictures of their advent drinks on Bluebird’s Instagram page and I have to say none of the matcha’s look particularly appealing to me whether they’re made with water or milk. However, I took advantage of the free posting offer that they’re doing at the moment (finishes at midnight tonight) and bought a latte shaker, so I at least when I do finally get round to trying them (sometime over Christmas, I promise) I will be able to make the latte bit properly. Review to follow.  ...

Oh look, it’s another matcha — this time it’s Salted Caramel Ingredients: Japanese matcha green tea, cocoa powder, natural flavouring granules. They describe it thus: Nothing beats a dollop of homemade salted caramel that melts away in your mouth! Insider scoop - founder Krisi said this is her favourite matcha creation yet because it is the perfect balance of sweet and oh so smooth!  So, the Bible says something along the lines of ‘ask and you shall receive’ and it appears that in this case it is right. Having mentioned the other day how I would have included Salted Caramel in the advent calendar, it is today’s tea. I have to admit that part of me would prefer it to be a tea bag rather than yet more matcha, but at least this one has a flavour that I’m actually interested in so I’m sort of looking forward to trying it — probably at the weekend once I find my latte frother. The review will follow once I’ve tried it. 

Today it's another matcha — this time it's Mixology Matcha . Ingredients: Ground green tea, ground white tea. They describe it thus:  Bluebird's Mixology Matcha contains rare and unique white matcha, grown at higher elevations to ensure an antioxidant boosted, even more nutrient rich cup.  The white tea in this blend is grown in Kenya and has 3 times the normal antioxidant levels of Japanese matcha. You still get the traditional Japanese ocean taste and grass green colour, but the antioxidant levels are significantly boosted. So, it's another matcha. I have to admit that with the quite impressive selection of flavoured matchas available at Bluebird I'm disappointed with what has been put in the advent calendar so far. Obviously, this is personal taste and I don't know what is still to come, but if I was doing it I would have put things like cocoa, salted caramel and gingernut in as they're slightly more festive — and might even...

WTF? — today’s tea is Chilli Kale Matcha . Ingredients: Japanese matcha green tea, kale, cayenne They describe it thus: A double whammy of green power in this blend of Japanese matcha green tea, curly leaf kale + a fiery kick of cayenne chilli to boot!  I honestly don’t even know where to start with this one. I don’t like chilli much anyway (I am a real wuss when it comes to spicy food) and the idea of kale tea truly turns my stomach and then there is the matcha, which I’ve discussed my problems with previously. This is another tea that is going to have to wait until another time (and maybe quite some time — although if I’m doing a matcha tasting I might as well get them all done together). Instead, tonight I am back on the Milk Oolong from Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. which is perfect for unwinding after another long and tiring day. This tea is not quite as perfect in taste as Camellia’s Tea House’s version which is more creamy and i...

It's time to mix it up a bit — it’s time for some  Pure Matcha . Ingredients: Pure grade Japanese matcha powder. They describe it thus: The Detox Warrior. The Energising Elixir. The Slimming Superhero. The Hangover Destroyer. These are some of our nicknames for the Superhero Superfood - Matcha! Matcha is a traditional Japanese powdered green tea with up to 10 x the benefits of regular green tea, 7 x the vitamin C as orange juice and 3 x the energy boost as an espresso shot! It's packed full of antioxidants, minerals and nutrients and is said to aid weight loss, lowering blood pressure and increasing concentration levels and clarity of mind. The first thing to say about this is that I had no choice but to look at the back of the box despite not wanting to as I had no idea what this was. As you can see from the picture it’s a white package that has nothing of any use written on it (Bluebird and the best before date). A quick perusal of the box, try...