Tea: Hot ChocolateType: Pu’er, BlackFlavour Notes: Cocoa, rich, sweetIngredient Origins: Yunnan, ChinaCaffeine Level: 3/5* Hot Chocolate was my first dabble into DAVIDsTEA, and I was not disappointed. This blend of pu’er and black teas with cocoa and chocolate turns into a sweet, creamy, near-fudgy cup truly worthy of its name. Though I am unsure of what kind of black tea is used in this blend, pu’er (or pu-erh) is all the…
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Tea: Front Porch Special Type: Black (Variety: Assam, Ceylon) Flavour Notes: Sophisticated, minty, floral Ingredient Origins: India, Sri Lanka, United States Caffeine Level: 5/5* I first tasted Piper & Leaf’s Front Porch Special during the summer of 2016 in the heat of Huntsville, Alabama, and I make a point to take a swig whenever I’m in town. A blend of Assam and Ceylon black teas, jasmine, spearmint, bergamot, and cornflower, the…
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Tea: Awake English Breakfast Type: Black (Variety: Assam) Flavour Notes: Bright, bold, malty Ingredient Origins: India Caffeine Level: 5/5* If I had to name a standard black tea from my childhood, it’d be Tazo Awake. Awake is an Assam black tea; and Assam is a northeastern Indian state where its black teas are desired for their full-bodied, dark, and malty qualities. Assam tea is the highest produced tea in the world. Preparation:…
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I decided to be a little adventurous for this meal. Never before have I made pesto, grilled sweet potatoes, or cooked with the enjoya pepper (the prettiest pepper I’ve ever seen). I decided to throw all of this inexperience on one plate, and it turned out pretty good. Instead of parmesan cheese for the pesto sauce, I used The Vegetarian Express’ Parma Zaan Sprinkles It has all natural ingredients, no artificial…
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Spaghetti has been everyone’s go-to quick meal for ages. Black bean spaghetti is equally quick and equally tasty. The noodles are a gluten-free alternative to traditional spaghetti that are rich in iron and high in protein and fiber, making it a healthy substitute. The brand of organic black bean spaghetti noodles I use is from Explore Asian, a company that specializes in gluten-free pasta. You can get them at Costco!…
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Quinoa is a seed that makes a great alternative to rice or pasta, making it especially perfect for those with gluten-free diets. Yesterday, I cooked with quinoa for the first time, with the hopes of making a simple, healthy meal that would keep me full. Ingredients: Inca Red Quinoa (or whatever quinoa you’d like) Sweet Potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks) Portobello Mushrooms (quartered) Spinach Garlic Salt Pepper Vegetable Oil…
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I am always in Asian markets, and last year, I came across a Korean sweet potato noodle. Naïvely, I only boiled and seasoned them since I was not sure how to cook them. Then, my symphony conductor made a dish that I had to try. Japchae (잡채) is a classic Korean dish made up of the clear (and gluten-free!) sweet potato noodle dangmyeon, stir-fried vegetables, and sauce. Japchae can be…
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One lazy Sunday morning, I was in the mood for a light breakfast. I did a quick kitchen scan and saw rice rollers, peanut butter, and raspberries. It didn’t take long to put something together, and I figured I’d share it with you all! Ingredients: Raspberries Organic Peanut Butter (or whatever peanut butter you’d like. Do you!) Bamboo Lane’s Crunchy Rice Rollers (or any rice cakes that are already cut…
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