#teasmitten

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Super delighted by the new teacup I got for my birthday!  It's amazing how a cute cup can improve my tea sipping experience.

This one is from David's Tea.  I love it so much that I want to get the others in the collection.  There's three total:  Honeydew, Robin's Egg and Coral.  These dainty porcelain teacups come with a matching saucer.  Elegant, yet modern!

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TASTE: Fudge Brownie with Green Tea Mousse, Samovar Tea Lounge

Fudge Brownie with Green Tea Mousse - doesn't that just SOUND amazing?!!? 

I'm a dessert person, by nature (not choice), and during our visit to Samovar, we opted to get the Brownie with Green Tea Mousse to go. 

LOVE chocolate and LOVED my meal earlier in the day, but I have to say this dessert was a bit disappointing.  The brownie was SUPER chocolatey and had a dense yet dry, crumbly texture.  I prefer my brownies moist and chewy or even cake-like would have been better.  The focus was really the coco here, as it was bitter.  Sad face on that end, but I do have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the green tea mousse.  It was DELICIOUS!  The texture was perfect and flavor was delicate. You were able to clearly taste the genuine flavor of the matcha green tea.  Only thing is the green tea mousse component of the dessert looked more like an afterthought or decoration (for color and fluff) versus being an actual part of the dessert to compliment the brownie.

Whatever the case, that dessert DID inspire me to make some homemade green tea mousse of my own.  I'll let yall know when I get to that.  I'm not a cook by any means, so it'll be a fiasco, I'm sure. 

<3, Jenn

photo courtesy of:  foodspotting.com

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DRINK: Muscat, Lupicia

Muscat flavored Black Tea (#5218) by Lupicia Brewing Time:  2.5-3 minutes Infusion:  1-2 cups

After a long week at work, I needed a pick me up and immediately reached for my Muscat flavored tea.  The tea is very fragrant, and the grape scent very apparent.  Both taste and smell was reminiscent of grape candy from childhood days - but not too sweet.  It was a perfect balance of sweetness!  It is still a black tea after all, and it did not cross the line of being sweet enough to be a light juice.  I enjoyed this tea warm, but the refreshing and sweet nature of the tea makes it perfect iced as well!

<3, Jenn

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“Surely a pretty woman never looks prettier than when making tea.”

― Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret

You mean, like her?  Sure looks pretty...

Source: picsauce.com via Courtney on Pinterest

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Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. ~Thich Nat Hahn

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VISIT: Samovar Tea Lounge (Part 1)

photo credit: samovarlife.com

Samovar Tea Lounge 297 Page Street San Francisco, CA 94102 415.861.0303 samovarlife.com

This past Saturday, I got to catch up with my Teasmitten partner-in-crime, Flora.  We ventured off to Samovar Tea Lounge in Hayes Valley, where we also utilized a fantastic Groupon -->holler at half off food! ;D

Samovar offers brunch, sandwiches and salad options; however Flora and I opted for the Tea Service.  Not your typical high tea, the offerings included:

Moorish Service Halloumi & Veggie Kebabs, Mint Salad, Hummus, Roasted Eggplant, Greek Yogurt, Herbed Crackers, Chevre-Stuffed Dates, Mint Tea

English Service Shiitake Mushroom or Wild Smoked Salmon Quiche, Cherry Oat Scone with Devonshire Cream & Jam, Fresh Fruit

Chinese Service Smoked Duck (or Veggie) Stir-fry, Squash Dumplings & Pu-erh tea (only available at Yerba Buena location)

Paleolithic Service Kale and Carrot Salad (drizzled with tangy sesame dressing), Steamed Beets, Choice of Wild Smoked Salmon, Braised Tofu or Smoked Duck.  Houjicha Roasted Japanese Tea

Japanese Service Tofu or Smoked Salmon Maki Bowl, Soup & Ryokucha

Russian Service Tarragon-Marinated Beets, Smoked Whitefish & Horseradish, Deviled Egg with Caviar, Herbed Crackers, Fresh Fruit, Chocolate Brownie

Indian Service Tofu Curry, Basmati Rice & Masala Chai

Flora opted for the Moorish Service (her review to come!), while I enjoyed the Japanese Tea Service (pictured above).  It was DELICIOUS!  Everything was flavorful and nothing was too heavy.  The kale salad, which is typically bitter was offset by a delicious dressing.  If you like Japanese food, I would definitely recommend this dish! 

The tea served with it was Ryokucha.  Ryokucha is Samovar's version of Genmaicha, a brown rice green tea.  Samovar blends Japanese matcha powder with brown rice and steamed green tea to create this special house blend.  It was very smooth and a little bit milky, a very comforting tea.

<3, Jenn

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Here's a quick video I came across for Teance in Berkeley.  Just a follow up to my review posted yesterday!  

This place is a definite stop for tea lovers out there.  So many options and varieties!

<3, Jenn

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In the spirit of the Olympics, let's join NBC correspondent, Mary Carillo, as she goes tea tasting in London!  The number one thing you want to take from this video is to learn how to "hoover." ;D