Summery Rummery: A cocktail with citrus, rum, and hibiscus tea

June is iced tea month, so Kenny Chesney sent me a bottle of rum.

Yeah, think about that for a second.

Actually, the rum distillery that Kenny Chesney owns (Blue Chair Bay) sent me the rum. Not him, personally. Because that would have been way too cool. But still, it's rum.

The idea was to celebrate Iced Tea Month by making a cocktail using rum. It sounded like a fun challenge. And, rum.

The concept for this recipe boinked into my head after I squeezed some juice out of some citrus fruits for another recipe. There's a lot of flavor left in that leftover fruit. I thought about sangria, and then I thought about the tea recipe.

And then I decided to use the fruit to infuse citrus flavor into some rum. While I used partially-squeezed citrus, you could certainly use un-mashed fruit. And then when you're done infusing, I'll bet that chunks of the rum infused fruit could find some other uses.

Let me know on that, huh?

Citrus and Rum Hibiscus Tea

For the citrus-infused rum:
1 orange
1 lime
1 lemon
Blue Chair Bay Rum (as needed)

For the cocktail:
2 teabags Hibiscus Tea
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 ounce citrus-infused rum
Orange slice, for garnish

Chop the fruit into chunks and put them into a suitable container for infusing. A quart jar should be fine, unless you've got something more decorative (because it does look sort of pretty).

The rum will take on citrus flavor pretty quickly, so you can make this as little as a day ahead. It will take on more citrus flavor as time goes on, but you don't want to leave this forever. I learned that lesson a while back. The pith (the white part of the citrus) is bitter, and if you leave the citrus in the rum indefinitely, the rum will start picking up the bitterness.

If you want a long-term infusion, just use the zest and fruit, and discard the pith. A few days or a week, and you're fine, though, if the pith is included.

But it's wise to sample the infusion after the first few days to make sure that bitterness isn't creeping in. And tasty.

Back to the recipe...

Brew a strong hibiscus tea (I used the tea from The Republic of Tea) then let it cool to room temperature.

Add ice to a large glass, then add the agave and rum. Fill the glass with the brewed hibiscus tea, and stir. Taste and add more agave, if you prefer it sweeter. Garnish with an orange slice and serve.

Hi-Caf Gingermint Green Tea

Did you know that June is Iced Tea Month?

Yeah, me neither.

But with the huge celebrations of Ice Tea Month about to ensue, I guess now is a good time to talk about the sample of Hi-Caf Gingermint Tea that I got from my good friends at The Republic of Tea. I did a whole bunch of posts for them a while back, and recently they offered to send me some of their new Hi-Caf tea.

It sounded intriguing.

Most of my tea drinking happens in the afternoon or evening, and usually I'm not interested in caffeinated beverages at that time of day.

But, I'm one of those folks who is prone to migraines, and sometimes I wake up with one. Caffeine is supposed to be good for migraines, but along with the headache comes a wonky stomach, so my usual coffee isn't really a good idea.

That's why I was so interested in the Gingermint Green tea. Both ginger and mint are soothing to the tummy, so I figured this tea would be the perfect hot caffeinated beverage for those migraine mornings.

Funny thing is that I haven't needed it yet. But I've tried it and I like it. The ginger is present, but it isn't super-strong. Meanwhile, the mint is soothing.

When it gets really warm, I'm thinking it would make a pretty good iced tea, too.

Have you tried these yet? Do you like caffeinated teas?

Disclaimer: I was sent this product as a sample. I was not required to write about it.

The TEAm Disbands

Aren't they pretty? And they taste good, too!

This is my final post as part of The Republic of Tea's TEAm, and I have to say it was an interesting experience. I tried (and learned about) more varieties of tea than I would have ever sampled under other circumstances. Some I might (maybe, eventually) have tried on my own, while others were at the edge of my normal tea-drinking comfort zone. I found some new teas to drink, and some others, like matcha, that I'll be incorporating into recipes.

And I learned a lot about steeping temperatures and times, although it's way too much to remember. I'll just read the packages.

And I've got enough tea and tea-related gadgets to keep me steeped in tea for a long time. And I've started drinking tea more often. I might have a caffeinated tea mid-morning or an iced tea in the middle of the day. At the end of the day, an herbal tea, hot or cold, often keeps me company as I wind down.

Ah, it's good to be me.

Although I'm saying that this is my final post for the TEAm, it's not actually a required post. I already fulfilled my commitment with them, and I really didn't need to write any more. BUT, since they give a discount code for my readers each month, I thought it was worth writing one more post, just so you can take advantage of the discount, if you're interested.

And just because I'm done with the commitment, it doesn't mean I'm necessarily done writing about tea. In a few cases, I didn't have enough time to work out any recipes with the tea in time to write a post before the discount expired. And I really wanted to pass that discount along.

I've already made one recipe with hibiscus tea, and I've got ideas for a few others - cocktail infusions, baking recipes, and other oddities. I'll get to those later.

Won't that be fun?

This month I got the Harvest of the Seasons collection, which is four tins of loose tea including a winter tea that features citrus, a spring tea with fig and rose, a fall tea with apple and almond, and a summer tea with lime and strawberry. I have to say that this was, without a doubt, the prettiest presentation. The tins all have clear tops, so you can see the teas, which makes this a really great gift item.

And of course the tins are reusable, so when the tea is gone, you can fill them with more tea. Or paperclips. Or whatever.

And now for your goodies!

Use the promo code HARVEST4

If you purchase one Harvest of the Season Gift Set from The Republic of Tea between now and August 10, 2013 you will receive one complimentary People’s Stainless Steel Brew Basket (limit one per customer).

The Republic of Tea is also launching a line of Cuppa Cake Teas and a refreshing Hibiscus Watermelon Superflower Tea this month. The Cuppa Cake Tea collection is comprised of three calorie-free, gluten-free teas (Blueberry Bundt Tea, Lemon Chiffon Tea and Caramel Vanilla Tea) with flavors inspired by delectable cake recipes from the local bakeshop.

The caffeine-free Hibiscus Watermelon Superflower Tea (available in late August) offers sweet-tart premium Nigerian hibiscus blossoms combined with the cool taste of ripe watermelon to infuse a well-balanced flavor reminiscent of berry and bright citrus. A donation of $1 from the sale of each tin will also be donated to Action Against Hunger, a global nonprofit working to end hunger.

Thanks to The Republic of Tea for sponsoring me as part of the TEAm!

It's tea time again ...

It's tea time again. I have to say that I'm not usually a fan of sweetened teas. Normally I drink tea unsweetened, but I decided to have some fun with the mint herbal tea that I got in my last shipment from The Republic of Tea.

Nothing earthshaking, but I brewed the mint tea with two teabags in a cup of water and let it steep until it was just about room temperature. Then I tossed a tray of ice cubes into the blender, whizzed them into snow, then added the tea and a tablespoon of agave nectar.

I whizzed that until it got frothy.

Poured into a glass.

Yes, it's essentially sweet iced mint tea, but the presentation is nice, with the froth on top. I think next time I'll chill the tea completely so the ice doesn't melt as fast.

This would also be good with some fruit. Or maybe a whisper of lemon.

But back to the teas

The theme of this month's bounty of brewing was Wonder Herbs, so the three teas were from the new collection of SuperHerb teas that, according to the folks at The Republic of Tea, contain "various nutrients and antioxidants that assist in attaining peak performance, strength, longevity and can be an easy and satisfying part of a daily wellness regimen."

Yeah, okay. But what do they taste like? pretty good, actually.

They said: 

MORINGA SUPERHERB™ (Tea for Nourishment) – Known as the “miracle tree,” Moringa (mor-IN-ga) has small, vibrant leaves that have long been prized in indigenous cultures for their healing properties. We have combined moringa leaves with green rooibos, sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms for a naturally caffeine-free blend of moringa tea.

I say:
It's a mild green tea flavor, and not as bitter or astringent as some I've had. Green and refreshing is how I'd describe it. No strong flavors stand out here, so it's easy to drink.

They said:
BAOBAB SUPERHERB™ (Tea for Centering) – Known locally as kuka, baobab (BAH-oh-bab) is considered the “tree of life” for its massive, drought-resistant trunks that provide shade and shelter in Africa. The earthy, light notes of the baobab leaf are blended with a touch of mint for a healthy baobab tea
experience.

I say:
MMmmmm. Minty. I love mint teas. Baobab trees are really cool-looking. I've never seen a live one, but they look cool in photo. I didn't know the leaves were useful, so that's good to know. But, mmmm ... mint. This is my favorite of the three.

They say:
JIAOGULAN SUPERHERB™ (Tea for Stability) –A wild vine native to southern China, jiaogulan (JEE-ow-goo-lan) is described by local inhabitants as the “immortality herb.” Ancient cultures believe this adaptogenic herb, similar to ginseng, could benefit the whole body. Recognized for over a thousand years for its anti-aging, anti-anxiety and antioxidant properties, jiaogulan is thought in Chinese culture to provide unusual longevity. This fragrant, healthy cuppa of jiaogulan tea is infused with monk fruit, a celebrated natural sweetener, and a hint of spicy ginger root. Refreshing sipped hot or over ice.

I say:
This wasn't as strongly gingery-spicy as some of the previous teas I've tried, which is great if you're looking for ginger flavor without as much of the spicy kick. I liked this one. Still thinking about a recipe using one of the ginger teas. Perhaps this will be the one.

And now for your discount
(because I love ya so much)

If you purchase one tin or refill bag of The Republic of Tea’s new SuperHerb™ teas between Wednesday, June 26 and Wednesday, July 3 you will receive one of their most popular glass teapots for free—the Perfect Two Cuppa Teapot (limit one per customer). Use the promo code SUPERHERB4.

Isn't that little pot CUTE? It doesn't show in the photo, but this can be used to steep whole-leaf teas right in the pot. There's a little removeable springy thing in the spout that will filter the leaves out as you pour.

Also, this thing looks delicate, but it's pretty durable. I've dropped the lid three times now (I'm a klutz) and sent the teapot skidding once, and there has been no breakage.

This is a sponsored post as part of my participation on the TEAm for The Republic of Tea.

Hibiscus Ice Cream

I was drinking a glass of hibiscus tea and I thought it might make an interesting flavor for ice cream.

So, of course I made some. The interesting thing was that the tea didn't infuse into the milk as quickly or efficiently as I expected. Probably because the teabags are designed so water passes through. But my milk/cream mixture was a lot thicker.

Maybe it would have worked better with just the milk, since it's thinner than the cream/milk mixture. It worked well enough with a little encouragement, though. I had to squeeze and massage the teabags to get the flavor and color infused into the milk. The other choice, I suppose, would have been to open the teabags and dump the contents into the pan with the milk - and then strain the mixture through a fine strainer.

It was really interesting that the mixture turned a lovely purple shade. Hibiscus tea is a reddish-magenta color when it's steeped in water.

I received the tea from The Republic of Tea as part of my participation in their TEAm, but this is not one of their scheduled posts. I just happen to like hibiscus tea and decided to give this a try.

Hibiscus Tea Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Hibiscus Sangria Ice Tea pouch
2 Hibiscus tea bags
1 tablespoon rum

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pan. Heat, stirring, until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the tea bags and bring the milk to a simmer, then turn the heat off. Squeeze the bags (kitchen tongs work well, or use a spoon to press them) until the milk is colored and flavored with the tea.

Remove the teabags. If you have any hint that the bags might have broken open during the squeezing, strain the mixture through a fine strainer.

Transfer the mixture to a storage container and refrigerate until fully chilled.

When the mixture is cold, churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a storage container to freeze until firm.

Iced tea, anyone?

I'm really loving the monthly shipment from The Republic of Tea, and this month it was all about iced tea  which is perfect since the local weather is starting to transition from snow to ... uh, well, there's been a bit of rain and hail.

But never mind that. It's no longer so chilly that I feel a need to sip warm drinks all the time, so iced tea is a good option.

The big teabags (or tea pouches, if you prefer) are designed for making a quart of tea at a time, which is a reasonable amount. And not so huge that I have to rearrange my fridge to make space. I've been brewing the tea in quart canning jars, since they're safe for hot liquids and I've got plenty of them around.

The teas also come with instructions for "safe steeping" which is handy, and of course instructions on how long to steep. I have to say that I really never paid much attention to instructions about how hot water should be for tea or how long to steep, but it does make a difference. See, I'm learning new stuff here.

Inspired by traditional Spanish sangria (and caffeine-free since it's an herbal blend) Hibiscus Sangria Herbal Iced Tea reminds me of berries. Mostly raspberries. I adore teas with hibiscus, and the color is so darned pretty.

A cold pitcher of this with fresh berries and some citrus slices floating in it would make a great summer drink. Maybe some sparking water or lemon-lime soda for a little fizz. Maybe a little tequila for the adults. I think this could be a great alternative to regular fruit punch.

Since this one is caffeine-free, it would also be great for kids, and you could serve it unsweetened, naturally sweetened with some fruit juice, or add the sweetener of your choice in the amount of your choice.

The Ginger Peach Black Iced Tea is similar to the ginger peach tea that I received in another shipment. I love the flavor. When peaches are in season, they'd be a great garnish for this tea. Just spear a bunch of peach slices on a skewer, and have a little nosh with your drink.

Limon Black Iced Tea is Kosher-certified and has blend of black tea from three Rainforest Alliance Certified tea gardens. I didn't know there was such a thing, but now you know, too.

The limón in this tea isn't just a weird spelling of  lemon - it's actually dried lime from Guatemala - and it adds its citrus brightness to this tea. This would be a perfect iced tea to use for an Arnold Palmer - a mix of iced tea and lemonade.

How did it get that name?

Wikipedia says, "According to Palmer, he was in the habit of drinking ice tea with lemonade at home, and in 1960 at the US Open at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, CO, he ordered the drink at the bar. A woman sitting nearby overheard him, and ordered 'that Palmer drink,' thus giving the mix its name."

I like that there's a Colorado connection. And I like citrus. If you don't want to mix this with lemonade, it would still be good with lemon, orange or lime slices as a garnish. Doesn't that sound summery? Makes me want to go out and buy a big floppy garden hat with a long, flowing bow.

And no, there will be no photos of me with a garden hat, flowy bow or not.

The Watermelon Mint Iced Tea surprised me. Watermelon is a subtle flavor, but it was noticeable in this tea. My vision for this one is a watermelon/tea granita. Or maybe a watermelon/tea slushie. Remove seeds from watermelon and freeze. Put the prepared, chilled tea in the blender along with the frozen watermelon chunks and blend.

Doesn't that sound good? You could also freeze the tea in an ice cube tray and make your slushy even slushier.

And here's my super-tip of the day. FREEZE THE TEA. Yup, freeze some tea in ice cube trays and use them in your iced tea drinks. That way you don't water down the tea as the ice melts. Mix and match flavors, or pick a neutral flavor for the cubes so it will match with all the iced teas.

And the frozen tea cubes might be interesting in cocktails, too. Right? Or am I just crazy?

But it's not all about me. The Republic of Tea also has iced tea recipes to keep you hydrated all summer long. And, I might add, they have some pretty cool-looking glasses and pitchers and stuff. I was just browsing there, and I found a few things that might have to fall into my basket because they'd be really lovely in blog photos.

And, as usual, there's a promotion this month.

If you purchase one tin of The Republic of Tea’s new Large Iced Tea Pouches between Tuesday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 28 and you use the promo code, you will receive one complimentary bottle of agave nectar which you can use to sweeten your tea or for whatever else you use agave for (limit one per customer). The promo code is #ICEDTEA4.

This post is part of my sponsored participation with the the Enlightenment TEAm. All tea-sippin' opinions are my own.

The Republic of Tea "Be Active"

I received another package of goodies from The Republic of Tea as part of my participation in their TEAm. I soooo wanted to come up with a recipe, but I ended up sipping my way through all the flavors as plain hot tea. The information that came with the tea mentioned that they'd make great iced teas, too. And I agree.

But the freakish cold weather we've been having made me want warm drinks.

If I was drinking them cold, I can imagine they'd work well as a base for a punch with the addition of some fruit and fruit juices. Or maybe some slushy drinks with lots of ice.

But oh, no. We had a blizzard here. In April.

So I drank hot tea. A lot of it.

Here's the scoop on the most current shipment:

They said, "This month we encourage you to Sip and Get Active with The Republic of Tea’s line of premium Be Active Teas! With a base of organic green rooibos sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms, these five herbal blends are designed for people with active lifestyles so that they can steep, ice and enjoy on the go."

I wasn't going anywhere. A tree ate my car.

So I hunkered and huddled and heated my tea.

No, I'm not going to start writing Seussian poetry. Now on to the tea.

I was kind of excited about this batch of tea because I like herbal teas. Which aren't really tea because there's no actual tea leaves in them. But whatever. Language is flexible and herbal teas are yummy. And different. With a lot of variations, because when you're not restricted to brewing tea leaves, you can mix and match a whole lot of things to come up with some fun flavors.

So here we go:

They said: "Get Active Tea (Herb Tea for Endurance) offers smooth and aromatic, flavor notes of vanilla that are accented by the tangy citrus of holy basil and natural orange flavor. This tea helps increase energy, stamina, endurance and promotes resistance to stress while antioxidants help protect from free radicals. Ideal for power walks, golf and light workouts."

I say: Yes to the citrus, but it wasn't like a lemon tea. This also includes sarsaparilla and licorice root so there's a more earthy flavor to it. This was my second-favorite of the bunch. I don't know if it made me more active, because I was mostly trying to stay warm. Remember that blizzard? Yeah, well, my furnace also decided to take a little vacation. I drank a LOT of hot tea.

But I digress.

They said: "Get Limber Tea (Herb Tea for Flexibility) offers bright and fruity notes with a hint of spice, lemongrass, orange peel and pineapple flavors. This tea helps to reduce joint swelling and inflammation, enables mobility and helps the body adapt to physical stresses that can cause pain. Ideal for pilates, tennis, yoga, and plyometrics."

I say: I don't know if I felt more limber, but this was a nice tea with a hint of ginger along with the citrus. The turmeric gave an interesting flavor. That's not something I normally associate with tea, but it worked well. Now that I'm thinking about it, an infusion of this would make an interesting poaching liquid for seafood. Maybe I'll give that a try.

They said: "Get Burning Tea (Herb Tea for Metabolism) offers the tangy sweetness of Sea Buckthorn with the spiciness of zingy chili pepper, cinnamon and ginger. This tea assists in accelerating metabolism, enhances caloric burn rate and fat oxidation and helps strengthen stamina and endurance. Ideal for cardio, boot camps, running, weights and spinning."

I say: This was my favorite and I've used up most of the tin already. It had a nice, spicy flavor, but the chili pepper wasn't a burn-your-mouth sort of thing. If I didn't know it was in there, I might not have been able to detect it. The ginger and cinnamon was nice.

I could see using this one in a hot mulled wine or maybe infusing it into milk that you'd use for cake. (so much for the idea of burning calories...) A mix of this tea and apple juice would be pretty good, too.

They said: "Get Hydrated Tea (Herb Tea for Refreshment) offers citrus notes of fruity hibiscus, black limon (dried lime) and black currant. This tea helps boost levels of rehydration and refreshment and is full of antioxidants and electrolytes. Ideal for hiking, surfing, bikram yoga and running."

I say: I love the flavor of hibiscus, so this was a sure winner. Hibiscus reminds of of raspberries, and I love chilled hibiscus teas. As soon as the weather makes it worthwhile, I'm going to cold brew some of this for sure. Did I feel more hydrated? I don't know. I've been drinking so much tea lately, I don't think I'm in any danger of drying out any time soon.

They said: "Get Restored Tea (Herb Tea for Recovery) offers notes of caramel and coconut sweetened by dates. This tea, abundant in antioxidants, helps recovery by rebalancing acidity, increasing oxygenation and helps protect from toxin absorption. Ideal after any physical activity and/or at the end of the day."

Ah, here comes the coconut. I despise coconut. But you know what? I didn't taste coconut. This one's got carob and chicory and to me it tasted vaguely of chocolate and maybe slightly nutty. It's also got ramon nuts. I have no idea what those are or if I tasted them at all, but maybe that's where the nutty flavor came from.

I normally drink my tea plain - no sweeteners or milk. But I think this one would be a good candidate for adding a bit of milk or cream. Or maybe infusing it into warm milk and then adding some cocoa powder and sugar to make a crazy hot chocolate.

So there we go. Five teas and their tasting notes.

Have you tried any of these? Do you drink tea for flavor, or do you look for teas with health benefits? What's your favorite herbal tea flavor? Tell me, I'm curious, and I'm always looking for different teas to try.

Along with my teas, the folks at The Republic of Tea also sent me a nice sports bottle to carry my chilled tea with me on-the-go. Like, when it gets warm enough for me to want to carry a chilled beverage with me.

Not today.

If I was a good blogger, I could have offered you a code where you could have gotten a free bottle with a purchase, but this post is waaaaayyy too late for that.

I'll get yer code next time, I promise.

This post was sponsored by The Republic of Tea as part of their TEAm program.

Ponce Panini and Honey Matcha Bread

As part of my partnership with Good Cook, I was sent a set of their nonstick knives. The blades are high-carbon steel with a brightly colored nonstick coating, and each one comes with its own color-coordinated knife guard.

So far, I think my favorite of the group is the bread knife, although the red utility knife is going to be very handy for tomatoes.

Now, don't get me wrong - these knives are no substitute for that hand-forged knife made during a full solar eclipse and quenched in unicorn tears that you picked up on your last trip to Atlantis.

These are affordable knives. You can take one to the neighbor's barbecue and you won't have to file an insurance claim if Crazy Aunt Sally packs up your knife along with her left over potato surprise salad.

These are the knives that you pack up and take with you to a picnic or to a potluck. They're nice to use, but not tragic to lose. The least expensive knife is $14.99 and the most expensive is $29.99, so they're budget-friendly. 

Maybe these wouldn't work for slicing sashimi, but they're great for slicing sandwiches. And the little serrations are great for cutting tomatoes. I'm still testing to see which knife I like best for slashing bread dough, which is something I do a lot around here.

The splash of color is nice, too. I'm sure you'll be seeing them in photos on my blog, just because they are so colorful. 

Ponce Panini

See, I think that red knife looks good back there!

I'm using "panini" in the American sense of the word here ... and while you're at it, this is a sandwich, so I'm listing ingredients but not specific amounts for each item. I'll leave that to your excellent discretion.

Butter
Bread
Brown mustard
Thinly sliced ponce (recipe here)
Tomato slices
Baby spinach
Smoked mozzarella

Butter the sides of the bread that will be the outsides of the sandwich. Layer the ingredients. I like to have the cheese right next to the bread, and since I wanted the spinach to wilt a bit that was right next to the cheese.

Use a sandwich press to cook and smash the sandwich (don't smash too hard or you'll have spurting tomatoes) or grill the sandwich in a pan as you would for grilled cheese, until the bread is toasted an the cheese is melted.

Slice and serve while hot.

Honey Matcha Bread (in the bread machine)
Since that was a simple recipe, here's another for the bread I used for the sandwiches. I liked the flavor of this bread a lot, but the color was a little odd. Not quite green, but not quite any other normal bread color either. Like you'd look at it and say, "what color does that want to be, anyway?" I think the color would actually have been better if I had added more matcha to make it more obviously green.

1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon honey powder
2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 ounces) bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon matcha tea
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup water

Add all the ingredients to your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Some want the yeast on the bottom, some suggest that it be on top. Some want water poured in first; some want you to pour it over the flour. So follow their recommendations.

If you have specific settings, set the machine for a medium loaf, light crust. Press buttons as appropriate. When the bread is done, remove it from the machine and let it cool on a rack before slicing.

This post was sponsored by Good Cook.

Mango-Matcha Smoothie

A while back, I mentioned that I'll be working with The Republic of Tea for the next few months. I just got a whole boatload of Matcha tea along with a bowl and crazy little whisk.

I'll be honest here and say that I've never actually tried matcha tea, so this was a completely new experience for me. I've tried a lot of other teas before, and I'd heard of matcha. And I knew a lot of people used it in cooking and baking.

Matcha is actually very finely ground green tea (which is supposed to be really good for you, right?) and it's the tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies, according to info I got from The Republic of Tea.

Here are the descriptions of the teas I got (quoted from The Republic of Tea):

• Our premium U-Matcha Natural tea contains tender, shade-grown leaves that have been ground to a fine powder creating a rich balance of flavors. This matcha tea is ideal for blending with water for sipping or for cooking. 
• Our premium U-Matcha Yuzu tea blends fine matcha powder with yuzu for a citrus flavor. This matcha tea makes a bright addition to mixed drinks, spice rubs and sweet desserts. 
• Our premium U-Matcha Ginger tea blends fine matcha powder with ginger. This matcha tea boasts a spicy kick and wakes up the flavors of miso soups, stir-fry and other savory dishes. 
• Our premium U-Matcha Roasted Rice tea blends fine matcha powder with roasted rice to create a nutty finish of flavor. This matcha tea provides warm nuances for sweet baked goods, savory dishes, shakes and lattes. 

So there we go.  Now you probably know more about matcha than I do. What I thought was interesting was the brewing method. For a hot tea, you're supposed to whisk it for a minute or two until the tea is frothy. I's way different from my usual brewing method. For cold tea, you can just mix it in, without all the whisking.

And of course, you can cook with it. They sent me a whole bunch of recipes and there were also recipes inside the can the tea came in. And it wasn't just drinks - there's soup, salad dressing, dessert ... lots of stuff.

The U-Matcha Ginger was my first taste on an evening when I thought the ginger would be good for a slightly unsettled tummy. Then I decided to make a chilly fruity drink. I've got to say that this stuff really makes things green. I'm looking forward to adding it to foods that I want to color naturally.

Mango-Matcha Smoothie
Recipe © by www.cookistry.com. Do not republish without permission.
1 mango
2 bananas
1 teaspoon matcha ginger
1 cup milk (plus more as needed)
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Peel the mango, remove the pit, chunk it, and toss it in a blender. Peel the bananas, chunk them, and add them to the blender.

Add the matcha powder, milk, salt, and honey (if you're using it.). Blend until smooth.

This is pretty thick as-is. If you want something a little thinner, add more milk and blend again. If you want it sweeter, add a bit more honey - the sweetness depends a bit on how sweet your fruit is, so make it to your taste.

I received product from The Republic of Tea as part of the TEAm blogger program.

As a special bonus for my readers, you can get a free electric matcha frother with any order of U-Matcha Tea from The Republic of Tea when you use the promo code #MATCHA4.from March 22, 2013 through March 29. Cheers!