The Best NYC Tea Spots

The New York Observer recently published a top ten list of places for tea in New York City. Geared towards the hip-and-with-it crowd, it features some enticing venues such as Sanctuary T which appeals to a "more disheveled customer".

For the more sophisto crowd, there is this article from The New York Times published last March.

Creating the Perfect Cup of Tea

If you happen to live in the greater Rochester, NY area check out this class at the Pittsford Wegmans on January 28th. According to the Wegmans website:

If you’ve avoided trying loose leaf tea because it seemed too complicated, relax. Simplicity is the key! We have learned so much about tea, we’re excited to share our methods and techniques for making a great cup! Our tea experts will help you understand the vocabulary of teas, how to properly prepare it, what tools you need, and will answer many frequently asked questions about tea. You’ll also enjoy a light dinner along with a variety of our new whole loose leaf teas from around the world to complete this unique learning experience.

More information can be found here.

Plucker's Pick Tea Critic's Club

The online retailer Plucker's Pick is offering an interesting deal. For $5 you can join their Tea Critic's Club. This involves receiving a 1 ounce sample of their tea plus four samples from competitors such as Bigelow and Tetley. After drinking you can post your review on their website. The response so far seems to be small but positive. I intend on joining soon.

Sign up here.

PG Tips Christmas Message

With no mention of the product.

Review: The Guayaki Bottled Line

Mixed Case of 12 ($39.99, Guayaki.com)

Along with their line of Yerba Mate and Yerba Mate related implements, the people at Guayaki put out a line of bottled drinks designed for cold consumption. Looking conspicuously like Snapple bottles (aside from the euphoric rain forest creatures on the label) the lineup features fierce minimalist names such as Pure Endurance and Pure Heart. Toting heavy organic/fair trade/kosher/sustainable credentials each drink (save for the Unsweetened Yerba Mate and Traditional Mate) contains yerba mate blended with flavors like mint and citrus. Though I haven’t yet seen any of these drinks available in local stores, I was fortunate enough to try all but the Pure Mind Blend (a full review of which can be found here).

Generally speaking these drinks are very good. Refreshing but not overpowering, they combine light flavoring with a slow and steady yerba mate kick. Lacking the high sugar content (and corn syrup content) of most similarly shaped drinks, they are a pleasant alternative to what is typically found in the cold drink aisle. One notable standout is the Empower Mint which climaxes in a genuine mint finish without the sticky sweetness of other mint beverage competitors.

Will bottled yerba mate begin to change the face of the convenience store drink section? We will just have to wait and see.

Review: Guayaki Yerba Mate Pure Mind Pomegranate Clarity Blend

Case of 12 ($39.99, Guayaki.com)

Guest Reviewed by L.S. Sacks

With a deadline looming on some schoolwork I decided to give the Clarity Blend from Guayaki a try. Having never experienced any sort of yerba mate related product before, I can say that this first endeavor was delicious, but with a bit more of a caffeine punch than I expected. The gentle flavor may not betray all the energy that the Clarity Blend carries with its earthy, fresh brewed quality.

The natural type flavor combines subtle pomegranate with an aftertaste of bitter mint leaves. The balance of sweetness and tartness is nice, without anything overwhelming on either side. What I particularly liked about this drink is that it doesn’t leave you feeling thirstier like other, sweeter bottled beverages. It is a happy divergence for those seeking more flavor than water, but without all the sugar of the soft drink market.

My only side note is that if you are normally sensitive to other energy drinks this may not be a suitable alternative! I personally can drink tea but the caffeine in coffee is just too much. While I really enjoyed the flavor of the Clarity Blend I will most likely not be drinking it again, as it was a little too much for my system to handle.

A Polish Take on the Mate

According to YouTube user Etheliel, "it's Polish but he's joking as a stupid".