Big Apple

Urgh, I knew this would happen. I just knew it! Baby #2 is currently waging war on my ability to hold anything down longer than an hour: prenatal vitamins? Nope. Captain Crunch? Bye, bye. Applesauce? At least it tastes nearly the same down as it does up. Oatmeal? Not a chance!

I had my fingers crossed that this pregnancy would be different, but no, “morning” sickness—more like all-day-and night sickness—has kicked in. BIG time. Thus I’m on Diclectin, which takes away the nausea + vomiting, but leaves me super drowsy! So drowsy that I couldn’t wait to put my 19-month-old down for her after-lunch nap so that I could have one too!

Which brings me to tea. I’ve been craving it like madness, but then the thought of getting the kettle boiled, tea in cup, water over tea, waiting for steep, etc, was enough to send this pregnant gal back to bed. Too much work? Hey, I’m growing a human here. It takes a lot of effort! Plus, I never know if I’m going to open up some tea-pouch and have the scent send me reeling to the bathroom.

My solution? A tea that has a short steep time (pregnancy makes me impatient) + it has to be fruity (fruit doesn’t set off my nausea) = BIG APPLE. I erred on the side of caution by only steeping it for a minute, which turned out to be the right choice since this tea is light and apple-y, with the tiniest hint of caramel. To me, so much more satisfying than Baked Apple or Mom’s Apple Pie.

Now, fingers crossed this drowsiness subsides so I have the energy to brew more complex teas again…

First Big Apple of the season today!! YAY!

Our temps are warming up, so I broke this one out for a scenic drive today.

It’s still a favourite of mine, and I will refill for the season.

It’s light, and sweet and juicy. I like to cold brew this one in the warmer months, too.

This tea is delicious!

The dry leaf smells wonderful – fresh tea and fresh apples. There is a lot of tea leaf in this mix, a good balance of the green and white – along with a generous amount of dried apple pieces.

Steeped 3 min – 92F water. The fresh appley taste really comes through, and it doesn’t taste at all artificial – it is followed by smooth green and white teas lingering. No spices, nothing exotic – just good, clean apple tea. Tried adding a bit of raw sugar at the end and this was nice as well!

Iced – doubled the amount of tea used previously and poured the steeped tea over ice. Let this sit a while and came back to it – this is awesome iced, really quite refreshing! Again, tastes like apples and tea – not artificial or like apple juice. Added agave when I poured some for a friend and she said it was great!

This is a light tea – so if you pick up 50g your little silver sachet will be stuffed full, definitely a bonus! I went back a few days after purchasing my first 50g to buy another 50 in a tin so I can add them together. It’s that good!

This was good this evening, but not phenomenal. I gave it the right temperature, at least I thought I was, I liked the steep time, I am just not blown away by the apple in this. I like the taste of the base white tea, but I am not crazy about this particular type of apple. I find it almost a dry taste in my mouth, as opposed to the more berry heavy white teas that I have. I am going to try this a couple more times before I really make up my mind, but so far it is not my favourite white tea I have ever had.

Edge of bitterness on the sweet taste at the finish of the sip. There is definitely apple flavour on the after-taste. I’m detecting a hint of a type of full coconut-like/caramel-like taste in this. I can’t seem to extract the flavour of the white or green tea.
As the tea cools, I’m getting some roasted tones- presumably from the green tea in the blend.

Dry: Lovely green tea leaves blended with white and dried apple chunks. Smells sweet and apple-y, almost like green apple candy (Jolly Ranchers, anyone?).

Steeped: Clear amber liquor. Warm and cozy aroma of tea and apple blended together in harmony. I was really excited about this from the dry leaf and the smell wafting from the infuser.

Taste: Unfortunately, this one did not live up to my expectations, at least per the directions. I steeped exactly as the label stated at 3 minutes. It isn’t awful, but it tastes like a light and basic apple tea with a pretty significant bitter bite. I only had a small amount of this, so no second chances unfortunately. If I ever try this again, I would not steep for longer than 2 minutes.

I’ve had a few cups of this now, and its quite pleasant. Dry, it smells quite apply (though a different type of apple scent to what I’m used to. And I know my apples, my home state ain’t called the Apple Isle for no reason!). Steeped, there’s a lovely soft apple scent. Steeped, you can taste the base white with the apple being the prominent flavour. I found that using the recommended temperature for this can produce a bitter white, so I steep it a bit cooler, around 80oC. And coupled with a short-ish steep time, you can get two strongly flavoured cups or 3 softer flavoured infusions out of the leaves (using DT’s 1.5 teaspoons). Will have to try it iced before I finish the bag.

Yum this smells like some sort of apple candy I can’t quite put my finger on. I’m getting a hint of apple in this one, reminiscent of an apple oatmeal flavour.
Perhaps I’ll try it iced before I leave a rating.

The last little while has been tough on my United States neighbor..including the iconic city of New York or the “Big Apple” as we like to call it.
this is my own little way of showing support to New Yorkers and other east Coasters.
I am raising a steaming cup of tea named in honor of New York in a toast to those struggling after the hurricane Sandy devastation.

I hope all of you come out of this safe and sound.

In the pouch this tea smells fresh like green apple candy also a little nutty and a tad earthy.
Once brewed it gets more rich….really warm and inviting the apple making my mouth seriously water.
I put more in and steeped longer to get more flavor from the white tea not realizing it had green tea in it as well so I am hoping it won’t become bitter.
Oh but it does smell amazing.It’s a perfect contrast to what’s going on outside.

It tastes like warm days wrapped in perfectly comfortable sweaters as rain and snow fall outside.
It has a little tartness that is just lovely and balanced with the warming effect of the tea.
It’s also refreshing and light (iced is on my mind soon!)

I did steep too long so it was a tad bitter but unlike lesser teas it did not ruin it the loveliness still comes through.

I don’t believe this will be a staple but I sure as hell will enjoy it while I have it!

Made for me at a DavidsTea store. 3-minute steep.

I really need to stop trying flavoured teas. The older and grumpier I get, the more I want straight tea. And yet, I tell myself, somewhere that perfect blend awaits …

Well, this one’s fine and dandy, as flavoured teas dominated by their flavours go. Pleasant apple taste without being too sour. But, as usual with many of DavidsTea flavoured teas, I don’t taste any tea. Not enough white tea, at least. You can taste white tea in the DT Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, for example. Really, there’s nothing wrong with Big Apple, except that I want to taste tea when I drink tea.