Tea Tasting with Tea Sparrow

"We are poets, engineers, athletes, artists, lovers of nature - and fanatics of tea. Make each cup as timeless as mountains around us. Make loose leaf tea your everyday luxury."
Maybe I haven't acquired the taste of coffee despite my love for everything of Italian. I've always defined myself as a tea drinker and I always will be.

Being tea enthusiasts, Vivian and I attended a tea tasting convention here in Vancouver. Held by Tea Sparrow, there we went around the room tasting 20 different types of green, white, oolong, black tea blends and also purchase the loose tea leaves we fall in love with.




White Tea

White Rose Tea from Numi Organic Tea

 The prettiest loose leaf tea from their collection! 

White Wedding Tea from The Tea Spot 

Rich chestnut aroma mixed with Bai Yun tea leaves. ***Natalie's Favorite!!

White Tea Champagne from Tea Desire 

The staff mentioned this was the most popular tea of the day with one of the highest ratings.  ***Vivian's pick!!

Oolong Tea

Coconut Cabana from The Tea Spot 

This was another one of my purchase. This Taiwanese Milky Oolong has very smooth coconut aroma creates a delicate and calming experience. ***Natalie's Pick!

Black Tea

Usually black tea is my cup of tea. I love English Breakfast tea with bit of milk and sugar every morning and my pantry is full of Twining's Earl Grey. I actually found all of their black tea's too bitter for my taste to the extent I assumed their steeping time was not regulated properly. 

Crannyberry from Joy's Teaspoon

Rooibos Tea

Nut Crunch Rooibos from Florapharm 

Herbal Tea

Nutty Almond Cream: sweet almond with apple, cinnamon, and beetroot

   

Tea Sparrow Tea tips:

• Measure: To get the most out of your tea, use measuring spoons and cups to ensure accuracy when brewing each blend.
• Heat: For the super-enthusiast, use a food thermometer to reach the ideal steeping temperature specified for each tea. 
• Time it: Every tea has its own unique optimal steep time. We suggest using a timer so you can "set it and forget it" until it dings. 
• Enjoy: Above all, be sure to try new flavours, share with friends, and have fun! 

Although I am bound to making multiple trips to the washroom throughout the day, perfect blend in my favorite tea cups make me feel like Queen of England. It's the mini luxury time I grant myself to get me going. I brewed two separate pots of Coconut Cabana and White Wedding Tea last night to share with my husband. It does the trick to start sharing our day apart and appreciate the time together. 

In the photo are my new tea cups purchased from Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam from my recent trip! (Also available on the museum shop website if anyone is interested. They do feature other paintings like Sunflower, Almond Blossom, or Butterflies and Poppies other than my Irises.  <

Happy tea drinking everyone! 

P.S. What is your favorite tea? 

(Color matching teapots I found at a store on Main Street!)