Tea Talk

My sweet tooth has reared its ugly head. I don't know if it's the time of year with the days getting shorter or the weather getting colder that has triggered me. It may be a combination of both. Regardless, I don't want to give in to the cravings and raid the leftover Halloween candies. Instead, I've been reaching for my sweet or dessert teas to let me feel like I'm having a treat, but with no calories. So, what teas have I been enjoying? I have a nice variety of dessert teas with a sweeter flavor, but this time of...

As the weather cools off and we head toward the holidays, my taste buds start telling me it's Chai tea time. What exactly is Chai tea? Well, I guess that depends on where you live. In other parts of the world, the word "Chai" is synonymous with tea. While we commonly know chai as a "flavor" of tea, it actually translates to "tea" in Hindi. Masala chai is usually made with ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper, along with black tea leaves, hot water, and hot milk. Typically, you add a sweetener such as honey or sugar. I...

When I was a young girl, my Grandma made me black tea that we would enjoy together. That started me on a love affair that continues to this day. I personally like the robust flavor black tea offers. As fall makes its appearance, my tastebuds definitely kick back into black tea mode. I especially enjoy the fall flavors like Aunt Patty’s Pumpkin Pie, Caramel Karma Black, Cranberry Orange Ceylon, Apple Cinnamon French Toast, and Maple Harvest Ceylon, to name a few. If you’re more of a purist who prefers the natural flavor of tea with nothing else added, I also...

When I was a kid, I loved going Trick or Treating. My friends and I used old pillowcases to collect all our goodies because they could hold way more candy than those small plastic pumpkins. We hit all the houses in our neighborhood and then hurried home to empty the bag to see all our treasures. In my world, chocolate candy was the best, can you say Snickers, M&Ms, Reese's, followed by sweet tarts and bubble gum. I know this is a dentist's dream. Fast forward to when my kids and nieces were little. We had a family dinner at...

October is here! For me, that means a break from the super hot temperatures, which I don’t mind, and relief from the high humidity, which I dislike. It is frustrating when you’ve showered and are ready for the day, and then step outside and immediately feel like you are in a sauna — so much for that lovely morning shower. But with fall, all that is in the rearview mirror. I look forward to the cooler temperatures, beautiful fall leaves, and the spectacular color changes they bring to our landscapes. I also look forward to cinnamon teas. Why cinnamon teas?...