Tea Sparrow & the Happy Tea Drinker

 

Photos by me; illustration via Tea Sparrow.

All around the world, people love a good cup of tea. 

Whether you're living in Chicago...

 

New York, 

 Lake Tahoe, 

 San Francisco,

or the chilly woods of Minnesota,

... chances are, you like to warm up in the winter months with an exotic chai blend, a light green tea, or perhaps a smooth earl grey.

Well, tea drinkers of the world, I encourage you to check out Tea Sparrow, the latest and greatest online specialty tea company. The company's motto, "The world of tea to your door," says a lot about their approach to delivering high-quality tea to monthly subscribers.

I was lucky enough to sample Tea Sparrow's "mixed" box, which includes their royal blend, earl grey supreme, chai americaine, midsummer night, and red rocks flavors. I loved every one! 

Read on for my week-long diary of tea adventures...

Sunday night: My tea box arrives in the mail. I promptly begin dancing around the kitchen and sniffing each resealable bag. I heat my first pot of water and try the earl grey, which I find to be bold with the perfect amount of citrus flavor. I put my feet up, relax on the couch, and plan which tea I'll try tomorrow.

Monday evening: It's been a long day and I could use a little rejuvenation, so I steep a mug of midsummer night after dinner. This lightly-caffeinated blend of green tea and oolong perks me right up. Its subtle highlights of jasmine, rose and lotus make me feel at peace. I'm inspired to roll out my mat for a calming vinyasa flow before bed. 

Tuesday morning: After noticing how full my tea cabinet is at home, I get a genius idea: I decide to spread the word about Tea Sparrow and share my teas at the office! I promptly pack up my tea selection (except for chai -- I'll save that for me since it's my fave), and bring it along to work. I set out the tea in a central location, send an email to my coworkers, and promptly receive emails filled with exclamation points, big smiles, and thank yous. By mid-morning, there's a consensus: Tea Sparrow is a hit! 

Wednesday morning: I wear my favorite winter hat, and as soon as I see the little love birds kissing design on it, I'm promptly reminded of my new favorite tea source: Tea Sparrow. Today, I try the royal blend, an English black tea with notes of caramel and rose. I stick my little pinky finger out sipping this one -- I just feel so fancy drinking it! :)

Thursday afternoon: Today I go for the red rocks blend, a caffeine-free rooibos red tea. This is now officially my favorite so far from the Tea Sparrow box. The calming, earthy taste is perfect for this gray Chicago day. I add some organic cane sugar and half and half, and the mixture is delicious... sweet but not overly so, rich and creamy. Even better than my morning cup of coffee! I don't even mind the tiny rooibos particles that managed to escape my tea infuser; in fact, I hardly notice them at all. (Note: I recommend a super fine weave on your infuser for this tea since it has itsy bitsy particles; you could also try using the Ingenuitea pot.)

Friday afternoon: I cuddle up on the couch with a cozy cup of chai and my Kindle fire to watch hilarious YouTube videos and read Mockingjay. It's a perfect, quiet Friday evening at home.

Saturday morning: I enjoy more chai with my incredible weekend brunch. I enjoy every sip, and can't wait to refill my mug with more of this tasty tea.

Thanks, Tea Sparrow, for a beautiful week of tea sampling! To learn more about how you can sign up, visit Tea Sparrow's subscription page, or check out their FAQ page. Keep in mind they carry a lovely line of herbal teas, too.


Cheers to all you happy tea drinkers out there!