“Would you like to try our teas?” said the nice representative from Adagio Teas. “Yes, yes, yes,” I replied. I was given a gift certificate to purchase some tea and teaware. The package arrived a few weeks ago and I waited until my BFF R visited last week to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea for two.*
I was excited to try Adagio Teas and carefully unpacked the gift items I had ordered:
♥ Decaf Earl Grey Tea – a decaf blend of tangy Ceylon black tea, flavored with bergamot – a citrus fruit.
♥ Decaf Orange Teabags – a brisk decaf black tea, flavored with zesty orange rind dry notes and hints of sweet orange juice.
♥ Decaf Chamomile Iced Tea pouches – a premium herbal tea in cold-brew pouches that make four cups of tea. This tea contains the finest chamomile flowers from Egypt’s Nile River Valley and is naturally caffeine-free,
♥ PersonaliTEA Ceramic Teapot and Two Ceramic Tea cups – a personal teapot with a large infuser basket for the tea leaves. I selected the set in pastel pink (my favorite). It also is available in sky blue, black and white.
♥ Glass Jar for tea storage – The jar is made out of Borosilicate glass to block UV rays from harming the tea.
I found both the teas and the teaware reasonably priced. Definitely a good gift idea for a housewarming party, BFF birthday present, yogi, or for anyone who likes tea. The teapots range in price from $14 for ceramic to $24-$34 for glass, and $49-$59 for cast iron. And you can try sample packs of loose teas for as little as $2.
Stop, Breathe, And Enjoy A Mindful Cup Of Tea
Preparing a cup of tea using tea leaves can be a very mindful experience. Boiling the water, measuring out the tea (all you need is 1 teaspoon of loose Adagio tea per cup), inhaling the fragrant tea leaves, watching the water change color and then savoring each sip.
If you want to practice meditation while the tea steeps (which takes about 3 minutes for most Adagio teas), I recommend sitting down, closing your eyes and silently repeating the mantra “So Hum.” Being a yogi, I find this helps me relax and gain mind body awareness. “So Hum” is an ancient Sanskrit mantra meaning “I am that,” which represents the connectedness of all beings. Repeat “So” on the inhale and “Hum” on the exhale.
Fresher Than Store Bought
The Decaf Earl Grey Tea was an amazing improvement on my British Blend tea bags and great for breakfast. According to Adagio Teas, “common tea bags use tea dust” which doesn’t sound appealing compared to Adagio Teas, which come direct from growers and are fresher than store-bought.
R and I liked the Decaf Orange Tea too. We enjoyed a cup after dinner.
And yesterday I made a pitcher of the Decaf Iced Chamomile Tea. It is ideal for today’s 90 degree weather and hot summer days.
Steeping A Perfect Cup and Other Tea Tidbits
The Adagio Tea website provides an abundance of information about the key ingredients to making a perfect cup of tea. They say that the “trick to steeping tea correctly comes in five parts: water, weight, temperature, time and equipment.” If you are passionate or simply curious about tea, I highly recommend you check out their tea-making tips and explore all their other fun websites, such as teamuse.com (filled with practical insights on the benefits of tea) and teamap.com (great places to find tea nearby and wherever you travel). Their content is written in a fun and friendly manner.
Reading My Tea Leaves
Drinking these teas brought back memories of my childhood — when I would enjoy a cup of tea with my nana. Sometimes she would read my tea leaves after we finished drinking our tea. Like a dear nana, she always gave me positive fortunes.
Being ever inquisitive, and older and wiser, I decided I was going to try to read my own tea leaves. I sipped my Earl Grey Tea and then googled the ritual to learn more about “Tea Reading Tasseography” from the Tea Association of the U.S.A. It was all so fascinating. I followed their directions, circling my cup of leftover leaves, What mysteries would my leaves reveal? Hmm, hmm, hmm!
I saw a few straight lines on the bottom of the cup – this means quick journeys.
I saw what looked like a flying bird near the rim – this brings good luck and if flying, good news from the direction it comes.
I saw an axe on the bottom of the cup – oh no, oh no, oh no – this can mean difficulties closing in the near future. (Note: please take a look at my tea leaves above and let me know if you see an axe too. Or what do you see?)
Wish my nana was here to tell my fortune. She was definitely a better Gypsy than me!
Giveaway for Chocolate Chai Tea
I hope you will go and explore Adagio Teas. Meantime, leave a comment about your favorite time to enjoy a cup of tea and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below for a sample pack of Adagio Chocolate Chai Tea.
Judi
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a gift certificate to purchase Adagio Teas. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
The tea really was soothing and fragrant.If we are looking at the same tea leaves, flip it over. I see the beak, head and neck of a swan gracefully leading to the body – which is peacefully floating along.
You are as good a tea leaf reader as my nana! Thanks BFF R.
I like tea in the morning with some toast.
Perfect time for tea.
Reader K said: “Judi, thanks! I don’t drink coffee just tea and I loved the post.”
Reader J said: “Nice! My two favorite teas are hibiscus and spearmint (not peppermint). Perfect on a snowy day like today.”
I love drinking tea in the evening! It relaxes me!
Christina, a perfect time to drink tea.
I love fresh summer teas with fruity flavors… <3
Rachel, do you add fresh fruit to your iced tea? It’s yummy.
Tea in the evening once the kids are asleep…ahhh. 🙂 Chocolate Chai sounds interesting.