Peppermint Hot Cocoa

SIPDOWN 3

A pouch received from subscription; but I have no idea when. Who cares? But I had to cancel the subscription, as getting each envelope through customs is annyoing and slowing things down a lot.

And why this tea today? Well, my train home has broken down. And I had to wait about 20-30 minutes for another, which was fine in matter of time, but the weather outside was frightful. Around -4°C, drizzle, strong wind gusts. And no place to hide. Argh! So, I was craving something quite sweet, but strong, and if possible not fruity. This was a perfect hit. And moreover, sipdown!

I thought I have oversteeped it. I prepared it and went with cup of coffee (for my mum) to the living room. Spilled the coffee. The tea has survived. I put the tea on the coffee table, decided to clean up the floor. Brought coffee again, and spilled again. What? I had to clean the bottom of the glass this time. And during that I spilled it for third time… (and last time)

But back to the tea. This tea, steeped for longer than usual and in my previous attempts, was very dark when I finally reached my cup. I was afraid it went bitter and maybe even awful. I took the fill-your-own-bag out and sipped. It was strong, indeed. Quite bitter. But actually, I felt robust roasted dandelion root which was actually fairly similar to dark hot chocolate. And as there are some nibs and shells in, it was actually pretty good and those gave it some cocoa notes! The dandelion root added some bitterness which wouldn’t be case, if they used only cocoa nibs and shells I think.

The peppermint was fairly hidden in aroma, but present in taste as a refreshing, light menthol taste. As I was hoping for more dark chocolate, than mild one, I was glad it wasn’t too strong… but present.

In conclusion, it is a fine tea, nothing I would have to drink often, but stands up its name well. The dandelion root is interesting ingredient, indeed. But the flavour itself is something I don’t actually need to have recreated as a tea.

Bird & Blend Advent Calendar 2021: Day 3!

I’m generally a fan of anything with mint and chocolate, so I was predisposed to enjoy this one. As is so often the case, the cocoa flavor is a bit muted, but the dandelion root provides a nice deep flavor base.

I guess I don’t have much to say about this blend—I enjoyed it while I was drinking it, but it wasn’t terribly memorable.

Bird & Blend Advent Calendar 2021 – Day 3

Hmm… This is just okay for me. With tisanes like this, I always want more chocolate. And that’s the case here as well, the peppermint overwhelms it and the chocolate is just a slight hint in the background. I will say, I do enjoy the roasted dandelion root here, it adds a nice depth and cozy toastiness. Although I’m getting a slight banana flavor from it? Not that I mind, it’s just a bit out of place he he.

I haven’t had many dandelion root teas. I know there’s a brand called Teeccino that makes a variety of them, I’ll have to keep an eye out for that…

B&B Advent 2021 Day 3

Creamy peppermint with hints of chocolate. I like that they changed the base of this to dandelion root. As the tea cools, some of the flavour starts to dissipate. A describes this as a creamy peppermint tea with a chocolate aftertaste.

I was dubious about this one because it has so few ingredients, but I figured I’d give it a try anyway. I’m glad I did, because this is a lovely chocolate tea. The cocoa shells are delicious, and the mint is fresh. With milk, it reminds me of a tasty Smith’s mint hot chocolate I tried a few years ago. The resteep tastes mostly like chicory, so I may skip it in the future. But this first steep is more satisfying and delicious than I would have believed were possible! My only comment is I wish the ratio of cocoa shells to mint were higher, because in some cups, it tastes much too minty and less chocolatey. I really need to order myself those cocoa shells I’ve been talking about for years!