Christmas Guide 2012! Dessert Teas to Compliment Your Holiday Dinner!

I know that cake looks good don't it? But you're thinking right about now, that you have eaten a ton and you don't really want to put on the extra pounds. Don't fret, have your desert in a Tea Cup!

Yep! There are some wonderful teas out there that will give you the same comfort as a piece of cake after you are done stuffing yourself with the meal course. Or you can forgo a large portion of desert and pair it with a delightful tea.

Here's my recommendations for desert teas to serve at your holiday dinner. At the top of my list is, Earl Grey! This is my favorite black tea hands down. Earl Grey is a British concept. They took a high quality black tea and added the flavor of bergamot oil. Now the French took it a step further and added lavender, which actually boost the bergamot flavor. Read my archive on Earl Grey Here! The Lavender Earl Grey I LOVE is from The London Tea Room. Try booth of these teas with a splash of cream or milk and it will boost the flavor even more. Black tea has caffeine so it will give you a boost.

Now if you want something that taste just like a dessert, at the top of my list is Teavana CoCoCarameal Sea Salt! I swear you will think this is cake or some decadent dessert. It's an herbal tea so there is no caffeine. It's made with sweet caramel, decadent chocolate, a hint of cream and a light sprinkling of sea salt. When I tell you this is delicious, I mean it. I checked today and they are having a sale on this particular tea.  Click Teavana

Next up, is also from Teavana and one of my favorite Oolong teas, Toasted Nut Brûlée.  This tea has less caffeine than a black tea because it has a different fermenting process. Click Here to watch my video about Tea groups from my archives.

Now I know you hear a lot about green tea and weight lost. But actually Oolong does a better job at boasting the Metabolism. This tea is made with roasted almonds, hazelnut, warm coconut, cinnamon and caramel. LOVE IT! Click Teavana

I would not dare forget chocolate! I tried this particular Talbott Tea for the first time a month ago at the World of Chocolate. I also met the owner Shane and he was a hoot. Chocolate Almond Allure is the perfect blend of black tea with chocolate (cacao nibs) and almonds to enhance the flavor, cause what chocolate without nuts. Click Here For Talbott Teas

So you don't want to drink your cake. You want a tea with the right amount of sweetness but with a edgy spice. I recommend Rooibos Vanilla Chai by the Premission Tree Company. This tea is the perfect blend of Masala Chai Spices, Red Rooibos and a hint of Vanilla. You don't like the the flavor of vanilla, no worries they have a regular Chai Rooibos. 

You should also follow them on Twitter because they are always tweeting special deals. Right now they have a 15% off coupon when you sign up for their emails. They also have great gift sets and oh yeah, their Mint Medley is my FAV peppermint tea.  Click Here for Persimmon Tree Tea

Now Sweet Simpllici Teas have a Chocolate Chip Chai!  Yes, Chi and Chocolate! But my favorite from Sweet Simpllici is their Berry Sleepy Herbal Tea. No it won't put you to sleep, but it sure will relax you from the madness that began early on Christmas morning. It's the perfect blend of hibiscus, roasted chicory root, boysenberries, lemon verbena leaf, cranberries, blackberry leaf and chamomile. Click Here For Sweet Simpllici 


Shut Up! See you can have dessert in a tea cup.
You just have to be willing to venture out. Now trying teas is trail and error. But you will never know, if you don't try. Do something different this year, introduce your guest to the wonder of tea. Yes!!! Tea With Rae is Back!! Weekly Reviews!!

You don't know how to brew loose tea, don't worry I've thought of everything. Watch my Video on how to brew Tea HERE!

Post Script: All of these are loose teas so you will need something to brew them with. First up for a simple cup of tea are tea balls. Now don't be confused, I'm recommending my hand made tea ball infuser Click Here

Buttttt okkkk... You can also use tea bags... They are great for the disposal of loose tea after infused. Yes I'm fancy, but honestly I use them too. Click Here. These are from Teavana, but any will do.

Also for the tea lover in your life this Teavana 12 Holiday Gift Set is perfect and it's on SALE! Click Here!

Tea With Rae: Pure Happiness!

I simply love peppermint tea; And honesty I have a favorite already, Mint Medley, it's a perfect blend of peppermint and spearmint tea. I wasn't sure if another peppermint tea would meet the cut.

So when Tea Gschwender sent me a sample of  Pure Happiness it took me forever to brew it up. *Confession* Now don't get me wrong, I also love Tea Gschwender, it was the first loose tea that I purchased on my own. So I had no real reason to doubt the quality of this tea, I was just wondering if the blend would meet the cut.

So I finally gave it a try and boy was I surprised. I discovered that you can really do a lot with peppermint. Pure Happiness is a wonderful blend of Lemon balm leaves, applemint, peppermint leaves, marigold blossoms, blue mallow blossoms, cornflowers and English daisies.

As I am on this tea journey, I'm learning so much about teas. Blended teas can give you so many options. Its like when I mix my lip sticks and come out with something brand new and exciting. What I love most about this tea is the refreshing taste. While I can taste the peppermint, I understand that the combination in the blend is what makes it great.

Yes, this tea is a winner! It's a mild minty flavor that gives you a blissful boost. It's an herbal tea, which means no caffeine. As you approach the winter months with colds, the flu and scratchy throats, peppermint tea is a soothing remedy.  Both of these teas can be purchased on line, just click on the tea name to get to the website link. Happy Cuppa!

Post Script: Don't forget your fablous Tea Balls  to brew your loose tea; Designed by yours truly. They are 15% off, as is the entire RLT Collection. The Coupon Code at check out is blackfriday2011 http://www.rltcollection.com

TeaWithRae: Chai Anyone?

When chai tea became the trend I made my way to Starbucks to check it out. Yep! The tea lover that I am didn't want to be out of the loop. But honestly, it was an epic fail.

Over and over again I kept trying different brands of chai tea and finally, I just gave up. To me, chai tasted like someone simply mixed cloves, cinnamon and vanilla extract together and called it tea. It was way too spicy for me. So I decided that I was done with chai. But then many of my Twitter followers kept telling me how much they love chai tea. So for them and in the spirit of being fair in my Tea With Rae project, I decided to keep trying. I started to think that maybe I hadn't had the right blend of chai and that I needed to give it a try for the sake of the project.

You can count this blog as the first in my series on my chai tea adventure. The Persimmon Tea Tree Company sent me two of their chai teas when I told them that I didn't like chai. And honestly, it took me forever to taste them, but boy, wasn't I pleasantly surprised. Rooibos Chai and Rooibos Vanilla Chai were both winners!

Before I dive into these teas, let me tell you a little about chai. Chai tea has been a favorite beverage for centuries in the East, especially India, but recently has become a popular beverage in the West. The most trendy way to drink chai tea is "latte," half milk and half tea blended together. I haven't acquired the taste of milk in my tea just yet. But I'm working on it.

Chai typically begins with a black tea and then it's blended with a rich and complex mixture of spices. While there are different recipes for chai, the most common mixture is cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, pepper and ginger. It is typically served sweet (add sugar) to bring out the flavor of the spices.

But for me, there wasn't enough sugar in the world to make me like chai tea. Then along came two teas blended not with black tea but with rooibos tea which comes from the red bush in South Africa.

The Persimmon Tea Tree Company hit it out of the ball park with these rooibos/chai blends. I think they are perfect! The red tea adds balance to the mixture of spices. While I like both blends, I prefer the Vanilla Chai because it has an extra punch making the mixture of spice and sweet perfect. The Vanilla Chai is blended with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, vanilla, cloves and orange pieces. I'm sure the orange pieces add extra sweetness to this chai blend. I have had this tea every week since I tried it a few weeks ago. And when I drink a tea more then once a week, it is definitely a winner!

Over all, I have a newfound respect for chai. It's a perfect tea for that pick me up in the middle of the day. And just like with most teas, there are a wealth of health benefits that come from both the combination of rooibos and the chai spices. Together they are loaded with antioxidants. Check out here what Persimmon Tea Tree Company has to say about the health benefits. I love that they highlight the health benefits on every page.

Now that I have conquered my fear of chai, I must explore other blends. I will keep you posted. Happy Cuppa!!

Tea With Rae: Two Ways to Brew Your Loose Tea!

I'm always a Diva... So much so that I decided to design and add to RLT Collection wonderful hand beaded Tea Stainers because absolutely everything I ever saw to strain tea was boring. Yes, my Tea Bracelets are fab! So when I received these t-sac tea filters from The Persimmon Tree Tea Company I was not impressed. I don't even buy paper plates or use paper napkins... Honest to God. Just ask anyone who knows me well. So paper filters for my premium loose tea just seemed out of the question.

But two weeks ago, I had pneumonia. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest. And to make matters worse, I had a temp of 102, which felt like I was sitting inside an oven.

Needless to say I was one sick woman. I started drinking my favorite Mint Tea like 80 going north. If you have not tried this mint tea, do so. OMG! Spearmint and peppermint mixed. Honestly, I have found nothing like it yet. That's why it's still posted in What's In My Cup. But anyway, back to my point.

The mint is great to help relieve congestion so I was drinking it like crazy. The problem was I had no energy. So after I had used the three tea bracelets I have for my personal use, I found myself leaning over the sink trying to clean out the old brewed tea to make a new cuppa. Then it hit me, I had those darn tea filters. So I put my Diva aside and the rest was history.

These t-sac filters are wonderful! Easy to use and dispose of, these paper filters are eco-friendly, all natural and unbleached. Yes, I'm using disposable. Yikes! But the best part for me is that these paper filters contain no artificial ingredients so it will not taint the flavor of the tea. And, at the end of the day, that's really the most important thing, maintaining the integrity of the tea.

This tea journey that I am on has reminded me to always have an open mind. T-sac tea filters are pretty good. For the disposable person t-sac is the most perfect invention. And they come in four sizes. You can use them for a cup of tea or a pot of tea. Will I ever give up my fancy tea bracelets? Of course not! But now I know that I have an alternative that will maintain the integrity of my premium teas. And for you loose tea newbee's, t-sac is the perfect fit. Not a lot of fuss, just scoop and brew. And for you sophisticated people don't forget my Tea Bracelets.

Monday, March 7th I'm launching Tea With Rae: Wellness For The Mind, Body and Spirit Blog Talk Radio. In honor of Women's History Month, I will be exploring issues about women for women. Please join me on Monday's at 8 p.m. cst.

Grab a cup of tea and sip wellness and talk wellness with me. My show will be talk radio to the max! So I need you to tune in and talk back. I see this show as an extension of my ministry and work as well as building on my work around social media. Blog Talk Radio was the next natural step. Yes, it will be candid, honest and transparent. Take a look and please follow my  Blog Talk page. #IcannotdoitAlone.

TeaWithRae: Breakfast Tea For Everyone!

I am sort of set in my ways when it comes to my tea routine. I almost never drink anything in the morning other than English Breakfast tea. And on the days when I'm super tired I will reach for the strong flavor of Irish Breakfast tea. For a person who does not like coffee, I don't even like the taste of coffee, breakfast teas are the jump start I need in the morning.

Traditional Hardy English Breakfast

That's why I always say that I must have been British in another lifetime. Not only do I love tea, I love English Breakfast Tea. My only diversion is no milk. Brit's are famous for a dash of milk and sugar in their tea. But I go for just a dash of sugar.

Anyway, on this tea journey I have learned that while it's true that the British typically reach for a hearty black tea to match their hearty English breakfast in the morning, English Breakfast tea, might not have originated in England, thus shattering my hopes that maybe I was a Brit #ForReal.

It was long believed that Breakfast Tea originated in Edinburgh, Scotland by Brodie Drysdale in 1867. And it's popularity lead British tea shops to add "English" to their black tea blends. But for sure, in 1843, New York tea merchant Richard Davies, an English immigrant, created a blend of black tea with Keemun Congou, Pekoe and Pouchong that he called "English Breakfast Tea."  He sold the tea for 50 cents and it's success led to other brands and the overall success of "English Breakfast Tea."

So while the origins of English Breakfast Teas are in dispute, the variations of breakfast tea blends remained undisputed. Almost always, breakfast blends are made with teas from Assam for a warm malty smoothness, Sri Lanka for it's brisk golden quality, and Kenya for it's strength and depth of flavor and color. And many American companies, like with Davies, use China Keemun in their blend.

The breakfast tea connoisseur that I am, I love to try different breakfast blends, but when I received this Better Morning Blend from Two Leaves and a Bud, I was in doubt. Morning tea is suppose to be BLACK! I asked myself, "What have I gotten into on this tea journey?" I just have not been ready to step out of my box. So each morning I would turn on the tea kettle, determine my breakfast blend and sit to enjoy my morning tea that is BLACK! But honestly, I've had this blend for about a month now and I knew that I had to bite the bullet and sample the darn tea.

This tea blend of lemongrass and peppermint, combined with citrus, rose hip, and stinging nettle notes was indeed an eye opener. It's fresh! And it does give that morning push that we are often seeking. This herbal blend is a great alternative to a heavily caffeinated traditional morning blend. And the health benefits are screaming at us. I already blogged about peppermint, but this stinging nettle plant is rich in vitamins A, C, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. And rose hip is rich in vitamin C and also contains some vitamin A and B, essential fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoids. Both have claims to work against arthritis. Hello, give your grandparents a cup of this tea! 

So did it pass my test? Yes, but I still love black tea as my first cup in the morning. Honestly, I will probably reach for their Original Breakfast Tea blend for my first cup and drink the Better Morning Blend as my second cup. Sometimes I still want the bang that I get from a black tea, but not the caffeine. The two together work perfectly for me. But those who want no caffeine, the Better Morning Blend is perfect! And for me, it's the perfect second cup!

Two Leaves and a Bud Original Breakfast Tea is made with organic Assam leaves, from Assam India. It's everything I look for in a black breakfast tea. Strong, smooth, malty and coppery, just the way I like it.

I've been trying Two Leaves and a Bud tea in their sachet tea bags, but most of their blends are also sold as loose teas. The bags give you the opportunity to have the whole leaf unfold and maintain it's flavor. The pyramid shape allows the tea to brew and expand in an organic way. The sachet bags are environmentally safe corn based tea bag, not giving you the chemical and dyes in some tea bags. This tea company is another winner. I will be making my way through some of their other tea blends and report back.

I am also going to join the associates program with Two Leaves and a Bud real soon. That will give you discounts and promotions and also give me a percentage of the purchase. That will give you a way to sow into my work. I will give you all the details on Tuesday. In the meantime, check out Two Leaves and a Bud.

Tea With Rae: What's In My Tea Cup!

Until recently I had never drank peppermint tea made with loose leaves. And honestly, I will probably never go back. The freshness of loose peppermint tea cannot be denied. When I open the can of Mint Medley, from The Persimmon Tree Tea Company, I feel as if I stepped into a garden of peppermint leaves. It is a perfect blend of organic peppermint and spearmint leaves grown in the US. 

Mint Medley has become a favorite and I find myself reaching for this tea tin almost everyday. It is great for on-going nausea. The health benefits are endless. It relieves muscle aches, headaches, migraines, stress. And now that it feels like someone is sitting on my chest and I have a mean cough, I'm sure it will help to relieve some of this congestion in my chest. Mint Medley has been in my tea cup more than any tea as of late. It has really helped with my winter cough and congestion related to this bout of pneumonia.


You can read my full review on The Persimmon Tree Tea Company mint teas. 

Tea With Rae: The Wonder of Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea has a wonderful place in my heart and memory. On hot Chicago days I would sit in the yard of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and Ms. J as I call her (Jacqueline) would pick peppermint leaves from her yard and make us a wonderful iced tea. I think I was in equal awe of the taste of this delight as much as I was by Ms. J traveling across the country campaigning for her husband to be president of the United States but yet had time to grow peppermint. She is amazing!

I so enjoyed those days sipping peppermint tea and soaking up Ms. J's wisdom and knowledge. Over the years it seems that each time I drink peppermint tea, my heart goes back to those days when I was young, vibrant, and HIV free. But those days are long gone. These days I'm dealing with the daily struggle of living with AIDS. And with this comes a ton of medication and side effects. #ForReal.

About two years ago I started a medication, Isentress, the very week it was approved by the FDA. I didn't really care about the side effects because taking it meant that I would be free of Fuzion, the HIV medication I injected in my stomach twice a day. Anything was better than that drama. I cried every time I injected myself. Well, let me tell you, it's been one uphill journey with this switch. The medication is working just great so there is no point in changing. I just gotta cope regardless.

But honestly, I was fed up with the intense headaches that Isentress cause, and equally fed up with popping pain medication every day in addition to already taking 15 pills. So, while writing my tea blogs, I've been in search of teas that have wonderful health benefits. One of my tea partners, The Persimmon Tree Tea Company, is very health conscious with their teas.

They had seen my tweets about my headaches so when I received a package of teas from them to review, to my surprise, they had added two teas to help with my headaches.

I gotta tell ya, these two teas, Mint Medley and Amore, are very different but equally wonderful. When I opened the tin of Mint Medley it sent me instantly back to those days in Ms. J's backyard. The aroma of this perfect blend of organic spearmint and peppermint, made from dried leaves of those plants, made me feel as if I was surrounded in a garden of peppermint leaves. The strong aroma is equally matched by the smooth but strong mint taste. Until now I had never experienced a blend of mints. There is something to be said about mixing the two different mint flavors. I can't quite put my finger on it, but they seem to go together just like strawberries and bananas. Alone they are equally great, but together they are sublime.

Now Amore is different in so many ways, but it shares the same aroma power as Mint Medley. Amore is an organic white tea, blended with rose, peppermint and other botanicals, but you clearly know that it has the power of peppermint when you open the tin. The rose and botanicals soften the tea like a flower garden in the middle of a park dominated by green grass. While you can clearly taste the peppermint, the softness in the smell is also in the taste.

I loved them both! Now did they help my headaches? Yes, they did! Not only did they help reduce the pain in my head, but they also helped me to relax.

The benefit that I hadn't counted on was my tummy. You all know the ongoing GI issues I've been having. Well, the peppermint seems to have a calming effect on my nausea.  Basically, the peppermint soothes the inflammation in the digestive tract which decreases nausea and vomiting.

Overall I give these peppermint teas two tea cups up! In addition to helping headaches, including migraines, they are rich in Vitamin B which boosts the immune system. This would be a perfect choice for a cold and/or the flu. Additionally, it is said to reduce muscle pain, which means ladies, it is GREAT for menstrual cramps. And let's not forget, Amore is a white tea, so it is also good for depression. Peppermint tea is a winner! And The Persimmon Tree Tea Company has two wonderful blends that are now a staple in my tea cabinet.