#*green tea

[otherkinteahouse-blog]

Simon Blackquill

Criteria from requester: No loose leaf

The Twisted Samurai is only half right. While Blackquill has the demeanor of the noble and imposing samurai, he really is a good person at heart. (As another primary of mine is Athena Cykes, I should know!)

Keeping true to his samurai persona and intimidating presence, I decided to go for a Japanese origin tea with a hint of bitterness and a whole lot of tradition. Something with a good flavor "edge." Tea fans, you should know where this is going.

Yep, good ole matcha. There's multiple options from Rishi Tea to enjoy matcha. Pictured above is traditional matcha that is whisked with a bamboo whisk. Matcha is technically not loose leaf, it's a fine powder that's mixed. The whisk whips up a fine layer of foam. To counteract the bitterness associated with matcha, traditional tea ceremony matcha is served with wagashi, a small sweet typically made with sweet bean paste and sugars.

Also available is a Crystal Lite version that you can just mix in with a water bottle. It's not the same quality, but it's good for on the go.

[otherkinteahouse-blog]

Wendigo/Ice Dragon

Criteria from wendigokin requester: "Cold" flavor

Crossposting with another request, ice dragonkin, since I think it fits both. Ice dragonkin anon, I have something else in mind for you so hang tight!

The wendigo is a creature from Native American Algonquin myth. Legend states that if a man consumes too much human flesh, he will transform into a ghoulish cannibal in a constant state of painful hunger. No matter how much a wendigo consumes, its hunger will only grow. Trappers, loggers, hunters, and other woodsmen were the most susceptible to becoming wendigos in the worst case scenario they get lost in the northern US's frigid and snowy winters.

For any cold flavors I instantly think mint, which is commonly served iced. I initially erred on the side of black tea but green also serves well for boreal kintypes.

Stash Tea has simplified iced tea with mix-in tea powders, but specifically for our wendigo friend Mint Green is what I'd go with. All you need is a cup of water. Pour, stir, enjoy.

[otherkinteahouse-blog]

Hedgehog

Criteria of Requester: Sweet flavor

Hedgehogs are omnivorous, eating a variety of grasses, seeds, berries, fruit, insects, even carrion. Berries constitute the majority of a hedgehog's diet for certain subspecies. To fit (most) of a hedgehog's diet, I decided to look into green tea with berries or fruit that would be more on the sweet side.

Lupicia's Strawberry Vanilla is a sweet treat with a moderate amount of caffeine. You can accentuate the sweetness with sugar and milk for a fruity tea latte, but this tea can also stand up well on its own.