Aslan Chai is ground from whole spices. The ingredients are real and the list is small: green tea, cinnamon, black pepper, fennel, cardamon, brown sugar (not included in their sugar free version)
I have tried several preparations of the tea to find my favorite one. I tried it over the stove with half almond milk and half water. This method was quite nice and muted the spice a bit. If you are not a fan of spice, this preparation method is for you. I, however, love the spice, so my favorite method is to brew the tea in all water, and add a splash of almond or coconut milk. I do this over the stove if I have some time, but if I'm feeling lazy, I just put the tea into a mesh trainer and go.
My final thoughts are that I do really enjoy this tea. The spice is perfect and the combination of spices is great. I do wish that the tea flavor was stronger, but they have the spices down. The powder does separate to the bottom of the cup if you brew via tea mesh ball, so you'll have to stir it every now and again. I give this a 8.5/10.

Happy Chai Drinking,
<3 TTT

Hello world! Yes, It's been a little while. Yes, I've missed you. Yes, there are many many posts coming your way that I have been preparing, including one about how I've coped with some major life changes. But all that excitement aside, let's get on with it, shall we?

Rooibos Rocks was kind enough to send me their Rooibos Sampler Tin, which has 10 tea bags each of Natural Rooibos, Chai Rooibos, Honeybush, and Green Rooibos. As many of you know from prior reviews, I love rooibos. I think it is a perfect alternative to caffeinated teas or coffee in the evening as it has a full-bodied flavor that is rich and creamy without the caffeine. It's loaded with antioxidants, it decreases blood pressure, aids in digestion, and has many more benefits.

Hello everyone! Since today was a gloomy, rainy morning, I needed some Chai to perk up my day. Luckily I had some from The Chai Box handy. This is a brand that I first learned about and interacted with on Instagram, and I am so happy that I did. It is owned by a sister duo who grew up drinking Chai and blending it themselves at home. I got a pack of All Chai'd up from them and I tested it numerous (you don't want to know the number) times to make sure I had a comprehensive review for you. Verdict: Love it!
Those of you that know about me and my tea tastes know that I am super picky with chai. I have a certain expectation of flavor profile -- no fake cinnamon, balanced, right amount of spice, not too dainty. All Chai'd Up is described as "Full Body + Balanced" and I could not agree more. This is a true Indian Chai -- the exact flavor I would expect from a home brewed chai. None of the flavors compete with one another; you can distinctly taste each and every spice. My only critique is that I would have liked more ginger taste, but I think that's just a personal preference.

I believe this  Zhena's Gypsy Tea Hazelnut Chai was a gift, because I have no recollection of buying it. This morning before work I was looking for something to put some perk in my step, which made me reach for a chai.
(Thought I'd give you all a different angle of my tea mug on this review.) I'm sad to say that I was not impressed! There was no flavor. I was trying so hard to find SOME kind of flavor. Near the end, maybe after 15 minutes of brewing, I was able to taste a little bit of some spice -- I'm thinking it could have been the clove but it wasn't strong enough for me to be sure. There was some creaminess, which I think could have been from the vanilla bean or the natural flavoring that should have provided us with the hazelnut. In any chai you expect a punch of spice -- this tea did not give me that satisfaction this morning.

I'll be honest, I expected a lot more from this tea. At first, I didn't taste much at all -- minimal tea flavor, extremely slight spice. I let it brew longer and longer, in hopes of extracting all the flavor I could, and now it definitely tastes over-brewed. I taste some chai spices, but not much of the cinnamon. This blend is quite drying and lacks in flavor. The problem may be due to some flavors developing quicker than others, leading to a partially over-brewed taste, while also missing some. I give this a 4/10 for effort. It's not bad when it is brewed for a very long time, but I wish it was better.

In my quest to stay fit whilst having a desk job, I have turned to dessert teas to curb my ever present sweet tooth. My criteria for a proper dessert tea are:
1) Just sweet enough to stop the craving. Not so sweet that I feel as gross as I would have if I had just eaten a real dessert, in which case, I should have just gone for the dessert.
2) Something so delicious that I find myself reaching for the tea as opposed to the real dessert
3) Definitely something decaf. I go for these teas in the evening when any caffeine would keep me up till the wee hours.
4) Variety! I can't have too much of the same flavor or I get over it very quickly, and in turn, will go for a pastry or a cookie.
5) While I am a honey fanatic, I'd prefer that my dessert tea comes with its own sweetness. Having to add sugar negates my desire to have this tea as a dessert alternative.

Here are the three that I have chosen as my favorites. Each has a unique flavor fit for any sweet tooth.

Chocolate Chai is the perfect blend of cocoa powder and chai spices. Neither overwhelms the other, nor is the cocoa too dry tasting. The rooibos has a natural buttery flavor and sweetness that instantly amps up this tea.

Caramel Apple tastes as close to the real thing as a tea could get. It has the slight sour yet sweet flavor of an apple, paired with a creamy caramel flavor. It's like the carnival made a pit stop in your very own tea cup.

Peppermint Chocolate has just the perfect mix of chocolate and mint. The mint cools and calms as a nice relaxing tea to drink to unwind from the day. It's like a spa in a cup.

What are your favorite dessert teas?

Happy tea drinking!
<3 TTT

Even tea comes in our most beloved fall flavors. I found both of these gems at Trader Joe's. I just couldn't resist trying both. I just recently discovered that I actually do like pumpkin, and have been trying all sorts of it since-- bread, pie, and now tea! (Also, yay!, because I can finally use my camera after ages of it being locked up in storage)

This summer I wasn't able to go through too many teas because of the multiple moves, but here are the three that I finished.

Tea takes a while to go through, especially when your collection is as obnoxiously large as mine. But here are the teas that I finished this semester.

Tea Forte Chest Sampler Collection: My roommate and I got this as a gift from a friend, so I wasn't able to try every single of the 40 flavors as we shared this set. However, I fell in love after the first tea I tried from this set and have all intentions of buying this set for myself one day. It is $45, which seems like a lot, but considering that you get 40 teas, it turns out to be a pretty good deal for such a delicious brand. There is a great variety of Green, Black, Oolong, White, and Herbal teas; crazy flavor combinations and more traditional flavors. A+.

Hickory Farms Ceylon Tea Collection (French Vanilla): I also got this set as a gift. So far, I have only finished the French Vanilla one, which is pretty good. It's not the best quality of tea base that I have had, but the flavor is nice and it's one of those tea bags that I can throw into my thermos and forget about without it tasting over brewed. I call this my "lazy day" tea option because it is so quick and simple and quite good. It's also great for entertaining! Having such a wide variety for guests is a good thing.

Lupicia Melon Oolong: This tea is fantastic! My roommate and I would go through this like it was nobody's business. When we had guests over (and we always have a lot because they want to drink some tea with us), they would always ask to try this one. The oolong base is great quality and the melon flavor sweetens it up and makes it taste slightly creamy. Definitely something I will repurchase.

Tazo Apricot Vanilla Creme & Tazo Berryblossom White (not pictured): These two white teas are phenomenal! The white tea is quite strong in both of these, perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. The flavors are both a perfect blend along with the tea. The Apricot Vanilla Creme is creamy as the name suggests. The Apricot adds a touch of sweetness. The Blueberry Blossom is floral and sweet. I plan on buying both again!

David Rio Elephant Vanilla Chai: This is probably my favorite flavor of the David Rio Chais that I have tried. It is super creamy and rich, but no so much so that you feel stuffed after finishing a cup. I put 2-3 tablespoons of the powder into hot water and voila! A delicious treat for the morning or after a long day of running errands or work. As I said in a previous post, this is my favorite chai blend.

Disney Wonderland Tea (Pomegranate): I was initially attracted to this set of 12 teas not only because I am an Alice in Wonderland fanatic, but also because the price was great for the amount of tea and there are so many different flavors to try! The link is to Amazon, which is more expensive than in stores! This is similar to the Hickory farms set in that this is my "lazy day" tea. Just throw it into your thermos and you're good to go. This flavor in particular definitely had a fruity note, but I wasn't exactly able to associate this flavor with Pomegranate. Nonetheless, it's a pretty good tea and something I would recommend picking up whenever you're in Disneyland.

Happy Tea Drinking!
TTT <3

May I suggest for you a chai? This chai is by far my favorite, and believe me, I have tried my fair share at cafes and mixes purchased from stores. David Rio has been my favorite brand for the past year. My parents, knowing about my tea obsession, bought me 4 flavors from David Rio last year, and I instantly fell in love. I would have one cup a day, until I realized that I was running low and decided to drink it more sparingly (silly, I know, but that's how it was). I have since then repurchased David Rio chai blends countless times. I have tried and loved their Tiger Spice Chai, Orca Sugar-Free Chai, and their Flamingo Vanilla Decaf Chai. I am very intrigued to try their Toucan Mango Chai!

It is the perfect blend of creaminess, spice, and tea flavor. The ingredients are very high quality, GMO free, contain no gluten or trans fats. Delicious and not too bad for you! What I look for in a chai is that it is spicy but not so that I can hardly taste anything else. I also desire a moderate amount of sweetness, and creaminess that doesn't over power the spice. Yes, I am quite particular with my chai. David Rio checks off on all of the above.
I generally whisk 2 tablespoons of powder, instead of the recommended 3, into a tea cup of hot water. You can also make this with almond milk or regular milk, but I generally go for water because it is quickest and not so creamy that it takes away from the spice. My roommate and I also sometimes mix this chai mix with hot chocolate mix and put that into hot almond milk.

This chai is the best on those cold winter mornings or evenings (there's a decaffeinated blend!) or for those days when you need to indulge because you deserve it.

Happy Tea Drinking!
<3 TTT

This post is coming to you Tuesday night instead of Monday because of midterms :( My apologies!

This tea is my favorite to drink when running errands, which usually starts at the mall. You know how it is. The first store I always walk into is Teavana. I walk straight to the cash register and order the same tea; the chai mix they have on display with light sugar. It is a mix of Mahara Chai Oolong, which gives just enough energy for an extended period of time, as opposed to black tea, which tends to give a spurt of energy that dies down. This is mixed with Samurai Mate, which is rich in caffeine. This combination not only tastes absolutely delicious, it gets the job done of making my errands feel relaxing while giving me enough energy to keep going.

The best way that I can describe the flavor is a muted chai. You taste the spice, but it is not as strong as in most chai teas. This might be due to the creaminess from the pineapple and papaya tropical notes. This chai is perfect for those of you that are new to chai, would like to try it, but are afraid of the spice. This was actually the first chai that I ever tried, and it truly made me fall in love. The only reason I have yet to purchase this tea blend is that not having it at home helps me justify buying it as a hot beverage every time I go into a Teavana.

To give myself a 30 minute get away from the craziness that is called studying, I made myself a David Rio Tiger Spice Chai in my favorite Big Bang Theory mug that my wonderful boyfriend bought me (if you don't know what the the picture on the mug means, please watch this video for 1.5 minutes of pure enjoyment), I lit a destination candle from Bath and Body Works called Meet Me in Tahiti (it was limited addition to the link is to Amazon), watched one episode of Friends, and, of course, wrote this blog post. As you can see, the theme to this break was "favorites and escapes".  Now back to studying!