Saturday, December 28, 2013

Gingerbread Spice by Celestial Seasonings



Seller's Description: "Step into a cozy kitchen warmed by the spicy aroma of freshly made gingerbread — with no baking required!"
Ingredients: Cinnamon, roasted chicory, ginger, natural flavors (soy lecithin), roasted carob and Luo Han Guo.
WebsiteGingerbread Spice by Celestial Seasonings
Sample source: Provided

Teaware: 16oz glass tea infuser
Measured dry: 2 sachets
Water Temperature: 212º F
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 3 teaspoons of raw sugar

As soon as I opened the box, I was hit with a wave of ginger. There's no missing its spicy bite in this tea, and as I tend to be a bit of a ginger fiend that was no problem for me!

It's not until you steep it up that the other notes come out to play, but not in the way I was expecting. This strikes me more as a ginger tea than a gingerbread tea... or at least not your usual holiday gingerbread... something a lot older.

When I visited Hampton Court Palace back in 2003, I picked up a recipe book from the Tudor kitchens and have since tried out some of the dishes. This tea reminds me more of the flavor of their Gyngerbrede honeyed treats than a more modern cookie. It's where the "bread" part of gingerbread cookies got their name. Those treats were made with honey, white breadcrumbs, cinnamon, ginger (of course!), and ground black pepper.

Sipping this tea, I had to check the ingredients again to make sure this one didn't have the black pepper in it. It has that kind of a robust yet gentle bite. Part of that may be due to the roasted ingredients, but I think I may have to make up a fresh batch of Gyngerbrede in order to compare!

All in all, this was a very interesting cup and it has sparked my curiosity. 

Prominent Notes: Ginger!
Aftertaste: A slight honeyed effect with hints of pepper
Overall: Curiouser and curiouser

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