Wild Cherry

Type: Black tea
Class: Flavored
Flavor: Cherry
Intensity: Medium
Mood: Spaced out
Perks: Looseleaf, bulk, cheap ($2.39 for 100g)
Source (in Montreal): La Vieille Europe (3855 St-Laurent)

Client in the resto: Do you have wild duck?
Waiter: No, but we can piss off a domestic one. 
-- Russian joke

We discovered this one some time around 2004-2005, and it has become a staple tea, imbibed two cups for each one of other teas. The black tea gives cherry flavor a bitter twist, reminiscent of the dark ripe fruit itself; once brewed, the drink is of dark red-orange hue. Despite being a black tea, our subjective non-scientific testing demonstrated great relaxing and spacing out potential, as well as an impressive sensory compatibility with the band Sigur Ros.

About a year ago, wild cherry disappeared from La Vieille Europe, to be replaced(?) with cherry flavored green tea. While still tasty, it lacked the bitterness of black tea, making for lighter, but less complex pattern. The beginning of 2010 was marked by the return of the wild cherry on the shelves of La Vieille, and tasting confirmed that it is indeed the real thing, and not cheese.

Comparison with other relatives:
Most of the cherry flavored teas I came across so far were green teas. A very tasty variation, Kyoto cherry, can be tried at L'Escalier (ex-Utopic-ex-Ludic) near Berri-UQAM metro. It has a pronounced fruity taste, balancing out the classic green tea taste. Another variation is the cherry and rose green tea from Camelia Senensis, similar to Kyoto cherry.

White Tiger

Type: White peony tea
Class: Flavored
Flavor: Blueberry, pomegranate essence
Intensity: Mild
Mood: Pensive
Perks: Looseleaf, bulk, organic
Source (in Montreal): DAVIDsTEA

This tea does not suffer from low intensity; it enjoys every moment of it. The blueberries and pomegranate are very subtle, and don't overpower the taste of the actual tea. It has great refreshing potential, with the sour notes of blueberries, but overall taste is tiger-tread light. 

While I did expect the Tiger to be a bit more aggressive, it is a rather nice discovery as is - a good white tea with a hint of sourness, which will most likely be a remarkable drink during the summer heat.

Comparison with other relatives:

Tiger's randy cousin, the Lipton nylon bag kind of white blueberry-pomegranate  has a distinctly fruity component, overshadowing the taste of tea, and essentially shifting the balance into the herbal/pure fruit infusion territory.

Things a changin'

Howdy,

So, Tasty Hot Water shall be changing slightly (for the better). I'll be adding authors such that more tea reviewing is possible!

I shall also try to centralize tea resources/places in and around Montreal (and maybe a bit of Toronto) into one page to make it easier for people to get their tea fixes.

More to come later.
Until next time!

A Nice Cup of Tea

A friend of mine posted this essay by George Orwell on facebook the other day. As it talks about tea, I thought I should post it here :)

If you look up 'tea' in the first cookery book that comes to hand you will probably find that it is unmentioned; or at most you will find a few lines of sketchy instructions which give no ruling on several of the most important points.

This is curious, not only because tea is one of the main stays of civilization in this country, as well as in Eire, Australia and New Zealand, but because the best manner of making it is the subject of violent disputes.

When I look through my own recipe for the perfect cup of tea, I find no fewer than eleven outstanding points. On perhaps two of them there would be pretty general agreement, but at least four others are acutely controversial. Here are my own eleven rules, every one of which I regard as golden:

* First of all, one should use Indian or Ceylonese tea. China tea has virtues which are not to be despised nowadays — it is economical, and one can drink it without milk — but there is not much stimulation in it. One does not feel wiser, braver or more optimistic after drinking it. Anyone who has used that comforting phrase 'a nice cup of tea' invariably means Indian tea.

* Secondly, tea should be made in small quantities — that is, in a teapot. Tea out of an urn is always tasteless, while army tea, made in a cauldron, tastes of grease and whitewash. The teapot should be made of china or earthenware. Silver or Britanniaware teapots produce inferior tea and enamel pots are worse; though curiously enough a pewter teapot (a rarity nowadays) is not so bad.

* Thirdly, the pot should be warmed beforehand. This is better done by placing it on the hob than by the usual method of swilling it out with hot water.

* Fourthly, the tea should be strong. For a pot holding a quart, if you are going to fill it nearly to the brim, six heaped teaspoons would be about right. In a time of rationing, this is not an idea that can be realized on every day of the week, but I maintain that one strong cup of tea is better than twenty weak ones. All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes — a fact which is recognized in the extra ration issued to old-age pensioners.

* Fifthly, the tea should be put straight into the pot. No strainers, muslin bags or other devices to imprison the tea. In some countries teapots are fitted with little dangling baskets under the spout to catch the stray leaves, which are supposed to be harmful. Actually one can swallow tea-leaves in considerable quantities without ill effect, and if the tea is not loose in the pot it never infuses properly.

* Sixthly, one should take the teapot to the kettle and not the other way about. The water should be actually boiling at the moment of impact, which means that one should keep it on the flame while one pours. Some people add that one should only use water that has been freshly brought to the boil, but I have never noticed that it makes any difference.

* Seventhly, after making the tea, one should stir it, or better, give the pot a good shake, afterwards allowing the leaves to settle.

* Eighthly, one should drink out of a good breakfast cup — that is, the cylindrical type of cup, not the flat, shallow type. The breakfast cup holds more, and with the other kind one's tea is always half cold before one has well started on it.

* Ninthly, one should pour the cream off the milk before using it for tea. Milk that is too creamy always gives tea a sickly taste.

* Tenthly, one should pour tea into the cup first. This is one of the most controversial points of all; indeed in every family in Britain there are probably two schools of thought on the subject. The milk-first school can bring forward some fairly strong arguments, but I maintain that my own argument is unanswerable. This is that, by putting the tea in first and stirring as one pours, one can exactly regulate the amount of milk whereas one is liable to put in too much milk if one does it the other way round.

* Lastly, tea — unless one is drinking it in the Russian style — should be drunk without sugar. I know very well that I am in a minority here. But still, how can you call yourself a true tealover if you destroy the flavour of your tea by putting sugar in it? It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper or salt. Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to be bitter. If you sweeten it, you are no longer tasting the tea, you are merely tasting the sugar; you could make a very similar drink by dissolving sugar in plain hot water.

Some people would answer that they don't like tea in itself, that they only drink it in order to be warmed and stimulated, and they need sugar to take the taste away. To those misguided people I would say: Try drinking tea without sugar for, say, a fortnight and it is very unlikely that you will ever want to ruin your tea by sweetening it again.

These are not the only controversial points to arise in connexion with tea drinking, but they are sufficient to show how subtilized the whole business has become. There is also the mysterious social etiquette surrounding the teapot (why is it considered vulgar to drink out of your saucer, for instance?) and much might be written about the subsidiary uses of tealeaves, such as telling fortunes, predicting the arrival of visitors, feeding rabbits, healing burns and sweeping the carpet. It is worth paying attention to such details as warming the pot and using water that is really boiling, so as to make quite sure of wringing out of one's ration the twenty good, strong cups of that two ounces, properly handled, ought to represent.

(taken from The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell, Volume 3, 1943-45, Penguin ISBN, 0-14-00-3153-7)

Kusmi Tea

Kusmi Tea opened its first store in North America about a month and a half ago. Montreal happens to be the lucky city :)
The shop is on St Denis in between Roy and Duluth.

In terms of decor, the place is very Ikea - white walls, white tables, white shelves, white floors. Pretty much like David's tea, though the layout is different.
The lady was very nice and helpful. You are allowed to help yourself to the canteens to smell the teas and pick whichever ones you want. So you can both sit & drink tea and buy tea. They also have some little snacks if you want.

I had the Christmas tea and Paw had a different one (the name of which, unfortunately I forgot. We went two tuesday's ago). I just remember hers was a green tea.

Now, I haven't really had much Kusmi Tea in the past (I don't buy it, though it is available in some stores like La Vielle Europe and Exofruits).
I tried both my tea and Pamela's tea. I would say they were generally okay. They definitely have a very strong tea taste with only a hint of additional flavoring. But, in a way, because it's so expensive, I guess I was expecting it to be better.

The shop is a great place for gifts, being that the tea is so pricy. The canisters are very decorative, as are the teacups and tea sets. There are also coffrets available with an assortment of various teas, including their exclusive blends (of which the Christmas Tea was a part of). In addition, they have some other tea accessories, like fillable fabric tea bags (unfortunately, one use only - well multiple infusions, but you can't use it again). What's cool is that the price for their bags is cheaper than at David's tea, which is suprising considering that everything else is so expensive.

Anyways, I'm glad I tried out Kusmi Tea. I'm not sure I'll go and buy tea there for myself, as it's not my favorite thus far, but I'd definitely go back when gift shopping :)

David's Tea

Helloes!
Last Saturday (July 4) I went to David's Tea with Paw following the Carifiesta Parade. We went to the Mont-Royal location (it's about a 10 minute walk east of Mont-Royal metro).

It's a nice, smallish place with contemporary decor (the whole white walls/art deco thing going on). They have a wide selection of tea and tea accessories (pots, spoons, books, strainers, etc). You have the option of buying tea, taking tea to go, or sitting around and sipping your tea held in nifty little nylon leaf strainers (on the cup). Be warned though, there is not much seating space - there are only about 4 tables, each with 2-3 chairs. Luckily, we got a table and we able to sip our respective teas.

Pamela got the "White Tiger" tea (if I remember correctly). The description follows:

Look out for white fur, black stripes and ice-blue eyes. White tigers tend to be bigger and stronger than their orange cousins. This blend is just as powerful. It’s got the smooth, immune-building strength of organic white peony tea. Plus the additional antioxidants of pomegranate essence and whole blueberries. A real fighter! It’ll scare off every free radical in the area.

It smelled great, but unfortunately didn't taste like like blueberries or pomergrante, eventhough white tea is pretty mild. So a bit of a disappointment there.
I tried the Spicy Chocolate Rooibos, though I don't recall it being spicy. Anyways, here's their description:

What could be better than chocolate and pink peppercorn? How about chocolate, pink peppercorn and banana! With sweet bits of apple. This organic tea is absolutely incredible. It’s complex, comforting and rich. Satisfying, smooth and mysterious. With a light pique of peppers to keep your guests guessing. Try it hot or iced. And don’t worry, we can’t stop drinking it either.

Before getting it, I had no idea there were bananas in it. So when I was drinking it, I hardly tasted any chocolate and had a big dose of banana flavor. It was a banana tisane parading at chocolate! dun dun dun. It still tasted good, but I think the chocolate flavor should've been more pronounced or perhaps the name should be reconsidered ;)

After that, we perused around the store looking at all their products and trinkets. We stumbled upon a teastick, which is pretty cool. I've never seen anything like it before. However, 25$ is pretty steep.

We then decided to purchase some loose tea of our own.
Much to my surprise, I purchased two types of Rooibos (this coming from a previous Rooibos hater - but I guess my first experience with it just really sucked).
I got Creme Caramel Rooibos - which is one of their top sellers. It smells amazing and actually does taste caramelly. So definite props there.

There are few dessert teas more satisfying than Crème Caramel Rooibos. Smooth, sweet and creamy, it’s a taste sensation. And the best part is that it’s actually good for you. South African rooibos is caffeine-free and soothing, and it’s filled with antioxidants and essential minerals. So indulge in a caramel dream. It might be the healthiest thing you do all day.

Their blurbs are so descriptive. I imagine the writers must have a fun time with them. Especially with the one I got next (mostly for the name, but also it has guava in it and guava = win).
Swamp Water!!!!

For kids only

We called this tea Swampwater to keep adults away, but it doesn’t seem to work. Every time they taste it, they drink the whole thing down. Because the natural, tangy sweetness of green rooibos, guava, passionfruit and little candy sprinkles is just too irresistible. Even the murky green colour doesn’t scare them off. Maybe we should explain that it’s full of antioxidants. And caffeine-free. Reverse psychology…

When I first infused it, the color wasn't *that* disturbing. It smells a bit citrusy and generally pleasant. When I finished the first infusion though and prepared to pour more water in, there was a bit of concentrated liquid at the bottom that really did look like swampwater. Imagine the ooze in ninja turtles, but darker. Like jungle leaf green. I actually said "aaahhhh...." (not a scream, just a general exclamation of surprise and awe). So the name actually fits the tea. I also love the idea of asking people if they want Swampwater.

Paw got Sencha Pear and Coffee Pu-erh. I have not tried them myself, but from what she tells me the Sencha Pear is very good, it actually tastes like pear. The Coffee Puerh is supposedly a mix of Puerh, coffee and chocolate and smells great, but again, just tastes like Puerh. So sadness there.

All in all, a pretty good tea experience at David's Tea. To recap, here are the ratings for what I tried:

White Tiger (a sip):

Because it smells nice, but only tastes like white tea. Where's the blueberry goodness?!

Spicy Chocolate Rooibos:

Tastes good, but is banana tisane parading as chocolate with not much chocolate flavor. False advertising *shakes fist*

Creme Caramel Rooibos:

Tastes amazing, goes down smooth and great for falling asleep as it has no caffeine.
Swamp Water:

Tastes good. Props for Guava and the fact that I can go around asking people if they want Swampwater :)

I passed by their other location via automobile the other day, but haven't had the chance to pop in. They also offer tea samples of the day :)

Short tidbits:
I went back to Dervish that same day and tried the East African Chai and Paw had the Irish Creme Chai. Both very good. Mine had lotsa cinnamony flavor and hers very coffeeish. I would like to note that Dervish makes awesome chai, but a mug costs you about 5.50$. So I wouldn't go there all the time, as I consider that pretty expensive for a cup of tea.

The Salon has moved and their teas will be sold in a store across the street from their previous location.

Byblos Le Petit Cafe serves great Iranian tea, but also great Iranian food. If you go, pass by on Sunday night for their traditional meal, "Le Dizzy". Included in the price is a tea :) It's lots of fun to eat the dish and one of the waiters gives you a crash course in how to eat it.

Next I hope to try Cha Noir in Verdun :)

What's your Dosha? + Boosting your "Immunitea"

Greetings Tea drinkers :)

I went on a trip to Toronto last weekend with a friend. Naturally, I had to head to the Tea Emporium (a friend here requested the "Garden of Eden" tea, which is a green tea with lots of berries in it. Really tasty and fragrant).

Anyways, my friend, her cousin and I perused the tea catalog for other interesting looking teas/tisanes after picking up "The Garden of Eden". We were all curious about the Ayurvedic Teas - first because we weren't sure what ayurvedic medicine consisted of and second, well, how does the tea help? :)

Trusty Wiki says:

Ayurveda (Devanāgarī: आयुर्वेद, the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to India,[1] and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.[2] In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda[3] comprises the words āyus, meaning 'life' and veda, meaning 'science'

Ayurveda stresses a balance of three substances: wind/spirit/air, phlegm, and bile, each representing divine forces.[7] According to Ayurveda, these three regulatory principles--Doshas (Devanāgarī: त्रिदॊश्)—vata (wind/spirit/air), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm)—are important. It is believed that building a healthy metabolic system, attaining good digestion, and proper excretion leads to vitality.[9] Ayurveda also focuses on exercise, yoga, meditation, and massage.[10]Thus, body, mind, and spirit/consciousness need to be addressed both individually and in unison for health to ensue.

So, we were all given a quiz to determine what our Dosha was and the Dosha with the least "points" was the tea that we had to drink to balance everything out.
If you want, you can take a quiz here:

I ended up being Pitta deficient, so bought that herbal infusion which is a mixture of: fennel, licorice, cardamom, cloves, orange zest, ginger, cinnamon, cocoa, linden, raspberry leaf, hibiscus, chomomile, pepper, alfalfa and rosehip.
It has a mild taste and is not disagreeable in the least :) As a bonus, it has no caffeine if you want to fall asleep.
I also tried the Kapha infusion (which was what my friend's cousin was deficient in). It had a bit of a stronger cinnamon taste, if I remember correctly. The only one I haven't tried is Vata.

In addition, these Ayurvedic infusions aren't very expensive. It's about 7$/50 g, which will last you a while. Each teaspoon is good for 2 infusions. We'll see how balanced I am after a while, I guess. Regardless, it tastes good, so I'm not complaining.

Ayurvedic tisanes Kapha and Pitta get 4 teacups out of 5 :D

Another interesting tisane I tried was something called Lapacho. It was in the same section as the Mate - and happens to also be grown in South America.

Here's what wiki has to say (i'm wiking tonight it seems):

Lapacho or Taheebo is a herbal tea made from the inner bark of Pink Ipê, Tabebuia impetiginosa.

Lapacho is used in the herbal medicine of several South and Central American indigenous peoples. It appears to have antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, and is used topically to treat minor skin injuries, such as insect bites, as well as for other conditions such as psoriasis. Lapacho is used by herbalists as a putative treatment for cancer, HIV, candida and numerous other maladies. Studies by the U.S. National Cancer Institute showed that lapacho may prevent, delay, or treat cancer; but the oral doses needed to reach useful levels in the blood may also cause side effects such as anemia, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.[1] The active ingredients such as lapachol have been found to possess significant toxicity.[2][3][4]

Taheebo is the common name for the inner bark of the Red or Purple Lapacho tree. This tree grows high in the Andes of the South American rainforest. The Red Lapacho's purple-colored inner bark was one of the main medicines used by the Incas and has been used for over 1,000 years by the Callawaya tribe, descendants of the Incas

What the lady at the store told us was that it increases your immunity, is high in minerals such as calcium and is generally good for your health. Now, I'm not certain considering what is quoted above. It seems that the verdict is somewhat ambiguous. Though, I guess in small doses it can't be all that bad. She also said it's an acquired taste. I agree there. It tasted like what I imagined brewed twigs to taste like. Not old twigs though...young, fresh twigs? It wasn't gross, just interesting. My friend was quite taken with it and so I think she'll be buying some. I'm not sure I'm sold on the tisane, but I'd probably have some if it's there.

Lapacho gets 2.5 teacups out of 5 because it tastes like twigs and has sketchy benefits :P

Finally, my friend's cousin bought Wintermelon Rooibos tisane from the Tea Emporium. Rooibos generally has a light flavor and is easily mixed with other things to give it an interesting taste. I'll probably do a more extensive Rooibos text some time later. Her cousin is big on non caffeine stuff, so this works.
This dude gets 4/5.

I'm slightly lazy and so did not include the tea cup pics. They'll come later :) (or not).

Anyways, if you happen to be in the Toronto area, The Tea Emporium is a great place to check out. The location near Bernard is in a mall and is really just a boutique with teas and tea accessories. You can also have tea to go.
If you want to sit down, drink tea and maybe have some treats, the location on Eglinton avenue is bigger and lets you do that.

There is also Davids Tea in Toronto, but I didn't check it out over there.

Happy Tea Drinking,
Until next time :)