Sunday, 19 February 2012

• Best Tea Find: David's Tea

  

  I briefly spoke of this hidden gem in a previous post, because it was well worth the mention. I didn't go into too much detail because it is also well worth its very own post. David's Tea is all over Canada, but much to my excitement, they've recently opened up a shop in the West Village on Bleecker. There's also a place on the Upper East Side that I can visit in a pinch, but I much prefer their Bleecker location. 

  
  

  He wants more tea.

  
  I was not much of a tea drinker, but since I don't particularly enjoy the taste and sharp, jittery boost of coffee, I have been trying to broaden my horizons. After I found that amazing tea set on the side of the road, all I have wanted to do is experiment with different flavors. When my husband and I were looking for The German's birthday gift, this place caught his eye and we've been in love with it ever since. Fun fact: we got her a pretty teapot with matching cups, and she gave me the teapot that matches my tea set! All is right with the world.

  

  
  When you first walk in, there is an expansive counter in front of a wall with three very long shelves filled with canisters of tea. They have multiple different types of tea, with main categories being: black, green, white, oolong, rooibos, pu'erh, maté, and herbal. They have various dessert and breakfast teas, and with each new season, they switch it up and introduce new flavors. Their selection is vast, and it is nearly impossible to be bored with any flavors. Employees gladly bring you a canister of your choice and allow you to take in the delicious, strong aroma before choosing. You also get fun samples to try whenever you're there, and you can also order drinks and enjoy them in the cozy seating area in the back.

  

   

  

  
  Of course, like any good shop, they give you multiple options of purchase. You can get sample packs (such as those seen in the bottom left corner of the above photo), pre-packaged tea (bottom right), or you can buy it per ounce, fresh from the canisters. They have various teapots to choose from, with different colors, design, and size, as well as multiple mugs, canisters, teabags, and more. The options are endless. Just check out the description of their travel tea mug! "...A design so slim and stylish you’d never guess its stainless steel walls conceal pure functionality. There’s the removable infuser, perfect for steeping loose or bagged tea. And the vacuum-sealed double walls keep tea warm or cold for hours. So light, you can toss it in your bag and never feel it. There’s even a hidden compartment under the lid to store loose tea. Secret’s out…"

  
  

   

  Since many of you may not have a David's Tea shop near you, fear not! They have a website. It's easy to navigate and boasts a lot of great finds. Take a look!

  

   

  

   

  

   

  Read My Lips is one of my favorite teas so far. Just check out this description(!) "Okay, this is probably the world’s best chocolate tea. Honestly. Better than dessert. More reliable than sex. It’s a totally decadent combination of China black tea, vanilla, peppermint, chocolate bits and spicy red peppercorns. Plus it contains little red candy lips for a kiss of sweetness. In other words, it’s a completely satisfying spring experience with no guilt or strings attached." Sounds delicious, right? It is! It's light, flavorful, and is a great alternative to a calorie-packed dessert.

   

  

   

  Mother's Little Helper is my second favorite: "Need a little relaxation? Try running for the shelter of this mother’s little helper. It’s got organic valerian (aka “nature’s Valium”) to take the edge off your 24/7 reality. Plus there’s chamomile, peppermint and lemongrass for an added dose of tranquility. And pretty blue cornflowers just to make you happy. One sip and you’ll feel like you’ve spent the day at a spa."

  
  

  
  Clearly, they know how great they are. If you read their 'about us' section, it's quite confident! "...You’ll make friends with our staff. You’ll ask them to let you smell another tea please. You’ll start coming in regularly to taste the tea of the day. Then all of a sudden, another very attractive tea lover will catch your eye. You’ll fall in love and purchase an environmentally-friendly iconic cup as a sign of your undying affection. Then, as a couple, you’ll start bringing teas to parties instead of bottles of wine. You’ll start ordering new blends for each other online, late at night. Next thing you know you’ll move in together and have to rearrange your kitchen cupboards to make room for a double tea stash. You’ll order our designer blooming boxes with Love Tea #7 as your wedding favours. What’s not to love?"  I didn't meet my love there - I took mine with me! 
   

  

  $29.50 and my new must-have
   

  I strongly encourage tea lovers everywhere to give these guys a chance. I've already gone back for another fix and each time I come home, I carry more packages of tea with me. Prices for everything are very reasonable, with tea ranging from $2.50 to $7.50 an ounce (online, you get a minimum of two ounces). Their teapots are efficient, stylish, and come in many different styles, and they have plenty of mugs and cups. The teapot I got The German was only $30, and it came with two teacups. Bigger teapots of the same line are only $10 more. You can get steepers, glass teapots, stainless steel teapots, Nordic teapots, and even mugs that have steepers, perfect for running out the door with your fix.

  

  Oh, and for those of you who love coffee or both, they have a delicious best-of-both-worlds called Coffee Pu'erh: "Pu’erh has come a long way since its heyday as a tribute tea to Chinese emperors a thousand years back. It’s still got that legendary taste, but the new “cooked” varieties are really something special. Our blend helps mark this milestone by combining pu’erh with two coffee bean extracts, chocolate, caramel and almond flavour. Even your coffee-addict friends will go crazy for it."

  Do you love tea? Would you give this a shot?

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