Growing up in an English household, there was never a time when the kettle wasn't on the boil, or a pot wasn't brewing. Where other friends were being given fruit juices or soda pop, I was getting tea. It was always tea time in my house.
Tea has always represented comfort to me. The expression "tea and sympathy" was used a lot in my house growing up. Not feeling great?- have a cuppa. Had a bad day? - have a brew. Skinned your knee? - you get the idea.
Fast forward a number of years and the information that I now know about how caffeine affects your body. What was I to do? I can't count the amount of tea I used to drink each day, and the thought of giving up not just the flavour, but the emotions that surround a good cup of tea, was daunting.
I'll admit that it wasn't easy weaning myself off, and I will still occasionally treat myself to a good cup of black tea, but I make sure it's only one, and that it is a good quality, ethically sourced (fair-trade), organic black tea.
So you can imagine my delight when I met Lesley of 3-Teas. 3-Teas is a family owned business in Burlington, Ontario who "strive to provide only ethically produced or Fair Trade teas. They try to minimize their ecological footprint by using recyclable or compostable packaging and shipping supplies."
Lesley provided me with some samples of her tea, along with a great gift to offer to all of you my lovely readers. (more on how to enter to win further in the post)
I love the fact that 3-Teas sources only ethically produced or Fair Trade teas, and while not all of the teas are organic, they do source their teas from the best suppliers and tea estates around the world.
Here are the teas that Lesley provided me samples of and my thoughts on each:
Organic Lemon Green
Very mild smell, very definitely the scent of green tea. The Lemon fragrance did not make itself apparent until I had steeped the tea, which is ok, because that's when I want the fragrance. Tea is not just a taste experience, it is a sensory experience as well.
Green Jasmine with Flowers
Very light scent of Jasmine when opening the package, again more of the scent of the green tea at first. What I really loved about this jasmine tea, was that it didn't get bitter like some of the other jasmine teas I have had. This isn't the hand rolled Jasmine pearl tea, this is the actual Jasmine blossoms. Very lovely!
Lavender White Tea
When opening the package, I did catch an amazing fragrance of Lavender. As I mentioned, tea is more than just a taste experience, and the Lavender made itself known as the tea was steeping. Lavender is a very calming scent, and I would definitely recommend this one for stress management!
Egyptian Chamomile
This is one of the fair trade teas that 3-Teas offers. I had never heard of Egyptian Chamomile before, but after researching it found out that it is considered the best chamomile in the world and has the unique scent of apples. I definitely did notice the scent of apples when both opening the package and steeping the tea. Probably the best chamomile I have ever had!
and Green Matcha
Green Matcha is a new tea to me, and one that I have been hearing about for a while, so I was pleased that I was given a sample to try. Green Matcha is beneficial as you are ingesting the whole leaf, not just the brewed water from the leaf. It is high in anti-oxidants - one glass of Matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content. Matcha is prepared in a very different way from other green, black and white teas. It is a very fine powder, and a little goes a long way! Lesley explained to me that the way to prepare it is to make a small paste with water and half a teaspoon of the tea powder, then gradually add more water until you have a full cup.
I did find the taste a little different than I had expected, but by the second cup I found that I really enjoyed the taste. Green Matcha is also an excellent addition to smoothies.
PRICE POINT
The price points of all of the teas are very reasonable - they range from $7 - $12 for 40 g. Matcha is a luxury grade Japanese green tea, and because of that, the price point is the highest of the teas that 3-Teas carries, but it is definitely worth it at $20 for 75g as a little goes a long way. 3-teas also carries a good selection of tea accessories, again at very good price points - from $5 - $25. Gift cards are also available so that the recipient can choose what they like.
BOTTOM LINE?
I really enjoyed all of the teas, and look forward to trying some of the black teas that they offer. I find the price very reasonable compared to other loose tea retailers, and the flavours of the teas are quite enjoyable. I will definitely be contacting 3-teas to order from them.
HOW TO ORDER
You can order any of their teas and accessories online at their website www.3-teas.com Shipping is a flat rate of $10, however, if you are local, you can contact Lesley for pick up or delivery. 3-teas is also participating in a number of local fairs and festivals, and the teas and accessories can be purchased there as well. Be sure to visit and like their Facebook page HERE to stay up to date on where they are going to be promoting their teas next.
Want to win the prize pack? Click HERE to find the entry page Contest ends at midnight EST on July 25, 2013.
DISCLAIMER: I was not compensated financially by 3-teas for this review.
