Tea of the Week for August 24, 2020!
So this is kind of my own invention – I started out with the idea of a Voodoo Cocktail – which is coconut rum & butterscotch schnapps (and other ingredients). Never tried it, mind you. At least, not the cocktail. As I’ve said on many occasion (and will surely say it again) I’m more of a tea-totaler – but I do like to play with (alcohol-free) rum essence for my teas because I do like the flavor of rum – so long as the rum isn’t too intrusive of a flavor.
This blend starts with a blend of yerba mates (both toasty roasted mate & fresh green mate). Then the experimentation began: I started out blending toasted coconut, butterscotch essence & a hint of rum essence – that’s the Voodoo. After the first taste test, I decided I wanted to add a little something more to it & that something was cashew essence.
I’m so in love with this blend – the cashew added just the right amount of nuttiness to the cup – it adds a nice toasty flavor that is enhanced by the roasted mate & it adds just a little bit of depth to the coconut flavor. It all works together so nicely. A warm, invigorating drink that is perfect for autumn & nobody is more excited about autumn’s arrival than yours truly!
This tisane is organic, VEGAN & gluten free. The cashew essence is nut free – however, the coconut is considered a tree-nut so if you’re allergic to coconuts, this is not a tisane for you.
Taster size is approximately 15g
organic ingredients: green & roasted yerba mate, toasted coconut, calendula petals & natural flavors
Oh – wow! I love this more than I thought I would. I figured I’d like it – I mean, butterscotch & coconut? Yes please! But I love the way the flavors all come together. Hints of coconut & rum. Sweet, creamy butterscotch & a kiss of cashew. It just works.
Sweet & toasty! This is the kind of drink that makes it OK that I’m awake because the absolute worst moment in the day being that moment when I wake up . . . a cuppa this makes that moment better.
to brew: OK, so I’ve been experimenting a little bit with brewing mate & I’ve been doing a little bit of ‘research’ (google search) on the best ways to brew mate. Here’s what I’ve found: heat 11 1/2 ounces of freshly filtered water to 185°F. Give the pouch of mate a good shake to redistribute ingredients & then measure out 4g of leaf. put the leaf in your teapot or other brewing vessel and moisten the mate with a little bit (1/2 an ounce) of cool, freshly filtered water. After the water is heated, pour over the pre-moistened leaves and steep for 5 minutes. strain & enjoy.
This blend tastes good without sweetener, but I like adding just a teensy bit of sugar (or brown sugar) to the cup – it enhances the butterscotch flavor. Really tasty!
