Remember a few days ago when I said I was working on a flash diffuser for my camera? Well today’s photos are the product of my trial and error! In case you didn’t know, my photography expertise is nature themed, put me inside and I am far from the best at it, especially when the lighting on the inside is awful. I wanted to improve the photos I take and my options were make a lightbox (which I really did not have the desk space for) or make a flash diffuser, and I chose the option that would not take up a ton of space. This means I can use my flash without having the really unpleasant ‘flash’ effect, it diffuses the light giving it more of a natural feel. Sadly I cannot re-photograph all my old teas, since some of them were one serving samples and I have since run out, but I will be able to get new and exciting photos as I can!
Today’s tea is a colorful herbal blend from Verdant Tea, Ginger Sage Winter Spa Blend, a blend of Sage, Goji Berries, Rose Petals, Ginger, Lemon Peel, Burdock Root, Elderberries, Rhodiola, and Tulsi. I originally picked up this blend because it has a few of my favorite ingredients in it (goji berries, roses and ginger) but I found myself intrigued by the other ingredients purported ability to assist in colds and sniffles. The aroma of this tea is a little strange, mixing roses, ginger, sage, mint, and a sharp mix of citrus and berry note. It is a blend of floral, fruity, and herbal, it is savory and sweet. When I say the aroma is odd, it is not unpleasant, just an unexpected combination.
Once I steep the herbal blend the aroma fills the room and takes on a very nostalgic quality, specifically it reminds me of the way my grandparent’s house smelled back when they lived in Augusta. The smell of roses and herbs, lemons and earthy roots, and a finish of spice and berries. I find myself sniffing the wet leaves and getting lost in my memories, and that makes me happy. The liquid on its own is mild and unassuming, blending sage and rose with a hint of citrus.
The first thing I notice on my initial sip is the warm, tingly, mouthfeel from the ginger. The taste is both sweet and mellow, blending floral rose, citrus tones from the lemon peel and berries, herbaceous sage and tulsi, and a hint of earthiness from the burdock. The aftertaste is primarily elderberries. As the tea cools it becomes more herbaceous and savory and less sweet. This tea did not make a difference one way or another for cold season, but it was a bit of a lifesaver when my stomach ulcer acts up, turns out it is the only herbal blend that not only doesn’t hurt but actually soothes. Thanks to its stomach soothing and pleasant taste, it has become a staple in my tea collection.
For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/verdant-tea-ginger-sage-winter-spa.html
This is my fave herbal of all time :)
I am not sure it is my favorite, but it is certainly high up there. Hmm, now I need to figure out what is my favorite herbal :)
love love love this one.