Tealicious

Mmmmm tea.... :) I'm, slogging my way through a paper and all I can think about is making myself some iced chai tea. My fella has some in his pantry that I love to steal. And yes, I could buy my own but it just seems more special to be able to have it when I come over to see him :)

image and a great chai recipe found here

The tea in question is known in these parts as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and we found it at a fantastic tea shop in Toronto called David's Tea. This Chai blend is your classic combo of black tea with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, and is best steeped in a pot of hot milk with a touch of honey. The thing I love most about chai is how multifaceted the taste is: spicy, warm, earthy, and refreshing all at the same time. I highly recommend picking up some chai if you're trying to cut down on coffee consumption or if you like hot cocoa but want to try something new. Actually, while we're on the subject of sweet stuff, why not check out the caramel rooibos? It's smooth and creamy-tasting and will make you go nuts-in a good way. By the way, I'd like to say right now that I am in no way affiliated with David's Tea...although if they would like to compensate me for shamelessly promoting their product that'd be just fine with me :P I just love tea.

I also happen to love the presentation of tea, so when the packaging and the product are gorgeous I get deliriously happy. Par example? Kusmi Teas (seeing as I've already wh0red out David's Tea enough for one blog entry). Kusmi is perhaps one of the oldest tea purveyors in the world; they offer Russian-style blends dating back to the nineteenth century. I had a taste of their Polish blend No. 18 and was in bergamot heaven. And then I saw the tin.

And then I saw their other tins. Hellooo gorgeous! I am absolutely in love with everything about this tin; the rich colours, the vintage typeface and the chinoiserie-inspired design on the label. Imperial Russian style with French flair. I want to design a room around this freaking tin. Maybe something Ottoman-inspired, with loads of purple silk throw pillows. Not unlike this completely realistic representation of life in Abu Dhabi as featured in Sex and the City 2. Eh, ok let's not go that far, but we can agree that both the tea and the movie are a heck of a lot of fun to look at. Want more? Of course you do!

See you after the jump for some more deliciousness!

Ok so I caved and posted the picture after reviewing some screencaps from the movie. Y'all are lucky, I was thisclose to turning this entry into a fangirl post about the hunky Danish architect Samantha lands. Whew.

What? Don't you enjoy macarons and champagne in the desert?

Alright, now that we've got our composure back, let's lose it over some more genius product packaging

Love the vintage vibe of the last 2, in addition to the fact that they're stackable :)

If you're in the mood for some quality tea or are on the hunt for some cool tea accessories, check out some of these links! (Warning: massive Toronto bias ahead)

The Red Tea Box
Beautiful little tea room on Queen West. The tea is wonderful, the cakes are little works of art and the food is fantastic. I'm a fan of the Moroccan mint tea served with lavender shortbread cookies. Ask to sit out back in the carriage house or on the patio-it's a great way to spend an afternoon.

House of Tea
280 kinds of tea from around the world. Need I say more? Also the owner is hands-down the most knowledgeable teaophile I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, as well as the nicest. Talk to her for a bit about your preferences and request a custom blend :).

Tealish
Just across from Trinity Bellwoods Park! I love grabbing a cup of iced fruit tea and then sitting in the park to study. Ok well half the time I zip around the corner to drool at the goodies for sale at the paper place. Creatives beware....the combo of stimulating tea and gorgeous paper products will send you into overdrive.

The Tea Emporium
Houses one of the largest selections of loose leaf teas I've seen (behind House of Tea). Nice roomy space to enjoy a cuppa :)

Tea in the Sahara
This Canadian tea brand is available at various stores in Ontario but I happen to like getting my fix from the Outer Layer on Queen so that I can buy tea and browse their fantastic gift selection at the same time. And then wander around Mokuba (which happens to be next door). Tea in the Sahara, in addition to some seriously great estate teas, also makes some beautiful blends. Their 100 Mysteries Ayurvedic Tea is wonderfully calming and tastes of apple, cinnamon and almond. For those of you who prefer something more summery, my entire family is in love with Busy Being Blue, a blueberry tisane with currants and hibiscus...yummm.

Anyhow I hope you've enjoyed this post! Check back later on for a DIY chai recipe :) Happy grumping!

-GT