Tea Review: Snowflake and Cupid's Blend

As you all know, a couple of weeks ago I was delighted to discover Lady Elegant's Tea Room in St Anthony Park. Unfortunately at the time of visiting I was strapped for cash in all meanings of the phrase. I returned again with my mom this weekend and made a few purchases.

The store features over 80 varieties of loose leaf tea and not only tells what the top 10 best sellers are but also gives sample smelling jars so you can see and experience the scents, flavors, and textures. They also have a tea of the day sampling station available every day the gift shop is open. I decided to go with the seasonal and holiday appropriate teas. I bought "Snowflake", which is their #1 best seller. My second choice was "Cupid's Blend". You avid readers know how much I love heart day.

"Snowflake"

This tea lived up to its expectations as the best seller of the store. I was a little leery at first, wanting to go for a black tea with a more established flavor like Earl Grey or the Scottish Breakfast. Anyway, the ingredients are as follows:

-blend of black teas from Ceylon, South India, and China

-almonds

-cinnamon

-coconut flakes

I used a normal (not heaping) teaspoon of the tea and infused it in a regular sized coffee cup. This amount was more than enough, which I was happy to know. This way my tea will be lasting a while, as some loose blends require up to two teaspoons per cup. The tea steeped and was strong and dark. The blend of different black teas probably contributes to the full, black flavor. The almonds and coconuts added a touch of toasty sweetness without being overbearing. It was delicious. As the name suggests, the perfect blend to wake and warm you up on a midwinter's day.

"Cupid's Blend"

This tea was almost worth buying just because it LOOKS so beautiful! It's got the Valentine's feel down with the rosebuds included in the mix. Before I go on, here is a list of the ingredients in this decadent tea:

-black tea

-cocoa bits

-natural flavors

-strawberry bits

-yogurt bits

-rosebuds

-vanilla

YUMMMMM!! My best friend, Jessica, was over when I tried both of these. She is also an ardent tea drinker and was just as excited to sample these as I was. We both enjoyed looking in the tin of this one. The small dried rosebuds add such a romantic touch. The tea was not as strong as the Snowflake. This may be due to using only one kind of black tea. The more prominent flavor was the cocoa, which was noticeable in the aftertaste. The strawberry and vanilla added to the sweetness. This tea's flavors would be marvelously accented with some sugar and milk, or as I like to use, vanilla soymilk. This tea is absolutely delicious and appealing to the eyes and nose as well. If only my sweetheart were here to enjoy a cup of Valentine's tea with me. Actually, he doesn't drink it. I would set a cup in front of him and then drink his after I've finished mine.

I hope this was enjoyable. Again, those of you in the metro area, if either of these sound good there is a trove of flavors to be enjoyed. Stop by this place, seriously! Also, if there are any tea flavors you recommend, please pass them along and I'd be most happy to try them! Happy tea drinking!