Volcano Green Tea from Carolina Parakeet

I've finally sampled the last of the new teas I purchased at the Carolina Parakeet Tea Room and Gifts in Anderson, S.C., last month, and this time, I was trying the Volcano Green Tea.

I was intrigued that this is a US-grown tea, and it is described as being "forest grown tea under canopy of Ohia trees & Hapuu ferns & processed in Volcano Village at 4000' elevation" in Hawaii. When I opened the package, I immediately noticed how very large some of the tea leaves are, such as the one to the left of the teacup and saucer here. It was easily an inch and a half long!

After steeping the tea according to the package directions for just two minutes, I took a sip and was impressed by the smooth green tea taste. As summer winds to a close, it was nice to skip the fruity teas I've been drinking and enjoy the pleasure of a pure green tea. I had several resteepings of this tea, and I loved knowing that it was grown in Hawaii. Have you enjoyed any US-grown teas lately?

Pu-erh Pistachio from Tea Bird Loose Teas

When I had the pleasure of visiting the Carolina Parakeet Tea and Gifts in Anderson, S.C., a few weeks ago, one of the teas I purchased to take home with me was this Pu-erh Pistachio. I have enjoyed pu-erh teas for years, and I like the distinctive earthy taste of them, but this is the first time I have come across flavored pu-erhs in a tea shop, so I had to try one.

This one consists of pu-erh tea, pistachio, natural flavoring, and rose petals (a surprise ingredient). It certainly makes for an attractive blend!

And I loved it! I could detect that earthiness I like in the pu-erh, but it was definitely moderated by the addition of the other flavors, and that made me like this pu-erh even more. I was so impressed by this tea that now I'm on the lookout for other flavored pu-erhs to try!

Tea Bird Fig Festival Tea from the Carolina Parakeet

While at the Carolina Parakeet in Anderson, S.C., over the weekend, I did't spend nearly as much as time as I would have liked checking out the tea selections, but one that caught my eye immediately was this Fig Festival blend. I tried a fig tea once years ago and loved it, but I've never seen a fig tea since. As soon as I sniffed this one, I could tell it would be one I would enjoy, and oh, did I!

Because these teas are blended there at the shop, Carolina Parakeet can tell you right on the package that their tea consists of "Black Tea (66%), Date Pieces (Dates, Rice Flower), Sultanas, Planed Almonds, and Freeze-Dried Fig Pieces." And my goodness, this is some delicious tea! It's got that "dessert tea" taste I so love because it (sometimes) keeps me from reaching for sweets. I've learned that I like most any tea with almond flavor, and I'm assuming the extra natural sweetness in this tea comes from the dates, figs, and sultanas. I've heard it said that good loose tea is a "cheap luxury," and I quite agree.

I also wanted to mention the unique tea display cabinet there at the Carolina Parakeet, which I think is both attractive and ingenious. Owner Donna Siemen told me that her husband, Wolfgang, built it to her specifications. See those colored circles underneath the bags of tea?

That would be the "sniffer" bottles, quite a few of which I slid out and sniffed while I had a few moments at the shop. (And if this fig tea sounds good to you, don't forget to enter the giveaway in Monday's post.) To learn more about the Carolina Parakeet's tea selections, which are available by mail, click here. And I look forward to trying a few more teas I purchased at the shop, so look for more reviews soon!