Pumpkin Chai

Story Time:I really need to find time for stuff. Guitar, hanging with friends, school work, ect. I just can’t wait till the house is back to normal. I think that will help tremendously.

Tea Time:I can’t believe how fast my order got to me; and for 5 bucks! I think I put in for it on Thursday and I got it on Monday! I just love the cut little orange tin too!

Ok, one problem that I have found with this tea is that it can be a bit weak and washy. However when I add in the pumpkin cream from Culinary tea’s it is awesome.

Normally I do a normal pot brew, but after reading how everyone said it was way better brewed chai style I decided to give it a try. I did 4 cups water with half a cinnamon stick in it and brought it to a boil. Then put it on low and threw in 5 tsp of leaf in and brewed it for 5 minuets. Then I strained the leaves into a pitcher and sweeten it with brown sugar. I did not add milk or cream.

I am starting to think that you can’t drink tea done chai style with out milk or cream. When I drank it it tasted strong, but in a unpleasing way. Almost more like it was concentrated or something. There was also an odd bite to it. Not astringency, but just a weird bite. I tried to make home made black chai yesterday and ran into a similar problem. However, I thought I used to much spice and should just use less spice if I am going to drink it with out creamer. I now think otherwise.

I drank my cup, but got a upset stomach. I think from know on if I am going drink chai strait, I should just stick to the tea pot.

I have yet to make a cup of this this fall season, but I have it in the crockpot for some butternut squash soup and it smells amazing. Like everything I adore about fall. Now I just have to wait 8 hours… grumblegrumble

I made this up as a latte today, hoping that I might fall in love… but alas, my hearts desire lies elsewhere!
It’s just… weak. and I still taste that uncooked pumpkin flavour. Bleh.
With milk, it actually tastes somewhat floral as well, but it’s that same pumpkin note I am picking up. Sugar didn’t help much either. Ah well, atleast I had a sipdown! :)

Oh………..my………………………….god.
I have died and gone to tea heaven.

Steeped this up for the max time, added cream, brown sugar, and a pinch of white sugar.

This…is better than…. most things.

I really don’t understand how this is so amazing.
I’ve had pumpkin chais. And they were always weak crappy chais with no pumpkin flavor.
But this? ..Wow. That’s really all I have to say at this moment.
I have to keep this stocked up, for the rest of my life.

Edit.
I really, REALLY can’t get over how PUMPKINY this is. Flipping pumpkin pie in a glass. Not just the spices that go into pumpkin pie, this tastes like amazing ripe pumpkin.

Another…this one from Monday… The last time I had this it didn’t taste anything like pumpkin chai. So I wonder if I somehow got a bad batch. But this time around the pumpkin really came out to play. I even made a cup for my cousin who (news to me) a tea drinker (her mom too)! What can I say my grandma raised her kids right and she also taught her grandchildren well too. :) I really enjoy the rich pumpkin flavor and the hints of cinnamon, and maybe nutmeg I think? The next time I do this I’m going to try it as a latte and rim the mug with cinnamon and sugar….I think that would really make the flavors pop! Also upping the rating.

Wow. It’s been so long since I’ve written a note on steepster that I…don’t really know what to say. I feel as though I first fell off the tasting note bandwagon, and then as the summer sweltered hotter and hotter, I sort of fell off the hot tea bandwagon as well. And as my samples continued to pile up around me, I just turned a blind eye to it all (har har) and chugged water. What a mistake it was to abandon tea for so long. I had this as a latte yesterday while at DT (where I of course picked up the green carry mug, omg omg omg), and made it again for myself first thing this morning. Nothing calms an anxiety-ridden heart like a cup of tea, and that, my friends, is a scientific fact.

What this tea tastes like: my goodness, I don’t even know if I have a tea vocabulary anymore. I get the thick, almost waxy and candle-like (in the best way possible) breadiness that lends this tea so, so well to having milk or cream in it, and the flavours I generally associate with pumpkin. I am no expert on what authentic pumpkin tastes like, but I know I like this tea for it’s pumpkin flavor, chai spices (although those aren’t too strong for me, I don’t think) and the candle-y breadiness that I love so much.

Let’s see how long it is until I write again! I’ve missed you guys!

It’s fall, so it’s the perfect time of year to try this Pumpkin Chai from DAVIDsTEA! I’m so excited. I’ve been drinking Starbucks’ spiced pumpkin lattes to get my fall fix. But I’ve really wanted to try this Pumpkin Chai from the moment I heard about it. Thanks to Kittenna for making it possible!

The dry leaves definitely smell pumpkin-y. Part of me really wants to grab these orange hearts out of the mix and pop ‘em in my mouth just to see if they do taste like pumpkin. But alas, I’ll have to wait until the tea is brewed. Pouring hot water over the leaves releases a whoosh of pumpkin spice aroma. Mmm, wow. This smells awesome!!

And it tastes just as delicious as it smells. Mmm yum yum yummy yum! I’m not sure it can replace my Starbucks addiction, but this is pretty incredible. I’m definitely going to have to stock up on this myself! Thanks again Kittenna!!

OKAY SO BEST NEWS EVER..

I applied to a DAVIDsTEA that’s opening near my house they called me back the NEXT day because apparently my cover letter was “awesome” having group interview today with other applicants.

I’m hopeful for the job..would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to have it(For the tea benefits and to have something more stable then contracted Peer Support Work!)However I am not jumping up and down because I did that once for a job at LUSH which I did not get it and it totally broke my confidence..I was so nervous last night but I feel much better still nervous but not panicking.I have to take each step as it comes..gracefully!( it took me 10 years to do that by the way)If I don’t get it
then I can try again later..or apply for less a TEA-LIKE job.But I’ll shed a few tea tears I can promise you that if I don’t get it..

ANY TIPS are much appreciated and wish me luck!

PUMPKIN CHAI you are fall in a cup..with a touch of Halloween and sweetness..my first tea I ever drank from DT.(I still don’t consider it a real Chai but this is sooooooooooooooooooooooo good it can lie to me about anything!)

SOOOOO excited…nervous..I’m going to kick ass :)

Dear David’s Tea,
Please stop putting all your samples in itty bitty tins that I can’t get my scoop in without tea spilling everywhere.
Love Jillian.

Oh. My. God. This tastes like those Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes only better! The flavours taste more authentic and the spices are fresher and well…spicier. The addition of some milk makes it creamy and smooth-tasting, and for once I’m actually able to taste the pumpkin. The spices in this blend work really well with the pumpkin – I can taste primarily cloves and cardamom which I like better than the cinnamon that’s often used in autumn-themed teas.

I bet this would be fantastic steeped as a traditional-style chai with steamed milk and honey.

Sip down since I apparently forgot to log when I had this yesterday. Having another cup today after jumping in the lake this afternoon :) while its not super sunny up here, no trip to the cottage is complete without jumping in the lake, even in winter!
Today I’m making this steeped in milk since these spices seem to call out for it. I’m not sure that I’ve ever drink this just as regular tea. We’ve got the fire going so sipping on this, I can almost pretend its a cold fall afternoon….even though its not really. I won’t restock this as I’m not overly a fan of it. This is sort of in with the Della terra version, while not a bad cup of tea, it is something I tire of rather quickly…and the stupid candies annoy me. :)