Unicorniverse – Magic Matcha
Sixty Vines – Ranch Water + Gingersnap Old Fashioned
Postino – Ebbio Sparkling Rosé
Nickel City – Flaming Moe
Tag: beverage
We’re All Mad About Tea Here
Coming from a long line of tea-lovers, it’s no surprise that I was enamored with matcha and rooibos long before finding an affinity for coffee, too. Once I got a Nespresso machine to make instant espresso shots at home, the balance shifted significantly. It’s hard to compete with that level of convenience, consistency, and ease. Still, nothing can replace the craftsmanship of delicate Jasmine or bold earl grey. Thankfully, you don’t have to. Mad Tea is the brilliant solution that makes no compromises.
Sealed in fully compostable Nespresso Original Line capsules, Mad Tea is the first of its kind in many ways. No measuring, no steeping, no plastic trash; it really is the complete package. What grabbed my attention first, however, was the ability to make a fully vegan Thai tea latte in under 30 seconds. In fact, that’s true of all the flavors. The entire array is vegan, gluten-free, tree nut- and peanut-free, kosher, and even packed in separate facilities from all dairy ingredients! What more could you ask for in an afternoon (or evening) pick-me-up?
On that note, a big benefit to branching out from the usual Nespresso pods is that there are more low- and no-caffeine options to suit all times of day. Especially as I get older, I can’t expect to keep drinking rocket fuel and then sleep soundly later. Switching to tea pods not only satisfies my craving for a warm, comforting beverage but also allows me to enjoy my drinks without the jittery aftermath that often accompanies high-octane energy drinks, natural or otherwise.
Most importantly, it’s genuinely some of the best tea I’ve had outside of a cafe. There are currently eight flavors, spanning the globe for tea varietals:
- Brown Sugar Milk Tea – Smooth and rounded, creamy and sweet. Ideal for making boba tea.
- Chai Tea – Like pumpkin spice but better, folding cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into every harmonious sip.
- Matcha Tea – Rich, bold, and subtly grassy. Genuine matcha with body and froth, not some pale, generic “green tea” blend.
- Chamomile Lavender Tea – Gentle, soothing, and clean, with a slightly herbaceous quality. Very relaxing and easy to drink.
- Jasmine Milk Tea – Both calming and invigorating, highly aromatic with the scent of fresh blossoms and cut grass. Delicate yet luscious at any temperature.
- Peach Oolong Tea – Remarkable juicy, fresh peach flavor. Perfectly sweetened, nothing else needed, brilliant both hot and cold.
- Thai Tea – Vibrant orange from strong black tea, blended with star anise, cardamom, and a hint of vanilla. It begs for a splash of condensed coconut milk to complete the classic presentation.
- Earl Grey Tea – Bright and zesty, with the essence of orange on a base of robust black tea.
For the indecisive, you can get a variety pack to try one of each, ensuring that every craving is covered.
Go on, get mad; to taste Mad Tea is to love it. Thankfully, you can use the code BITTERSWEET to save 10% through Madtea.com and keep it flowing.
This post was made possible as a collaboration with Mad Tea. My opinions can not be bought and all content is original. This page may contain affiliate links; thank you for supporting my blog!
Wordless Wednesday: It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere
Eberly – Spritz + Bowling Green
Marlow – Known Traveler
Marlow – Superbloom
Marlow
Sunny’s Backyard – Sweater Weather
Cosmic Coffee & Beer Garden – Forever Crush + Margarita
Pinthouse Pizza – Beer
Eberly – Negroni
Egg Creams Are No Yolk
What has no eggs and no cream, but is specifically named for them? Despite the misleading moniker, the classic egg cream formula has never contained either. Born in New York in the late 1800’s, it relied on whole milk for creaminess, seltzer for a bit of fizz, and chocolate syrup for that beloved cocoa flavor. Though they fell out of favor along with the demise of soda fountains, I’d like to think this nostalgic treat is primed for making a comeback.
Fizzy Fun
Far lighter than the decadence of a frosty milkshake but with the same sort of flavor, it’s hard to describe the appeal of the egg cream without experiencing it for yourself. Carbonated milk would be a tough sell, even for the most adventurous gastronomes, and yet that’s basically the result. Frothy and creamy, sweet but not cloying, it seems to fall perfectly in step with the seltzer trend still sweeping the nation. In fact, you could happily swap in hard seltzer for a more adult drink.
What’s In A Name?
Given the clear omission of the two headlining ingredients, it’s a bit of a mystery as to how the egg cream ever got such a name. Leading theories include…
- The Yiddish Twist: Some believe the name comes from a Yiddish wordplay. “Echt” means “genuine” or “real,” while “keem” translates to “cream.” So, “egg cream” could be a playful way of saying “real cream,” even though the drink never actually contained cream.
- Lost in Translation: Another theory suggests the name stems from a miscommunication. The drink might have been inspired by a Parisian beverage called “chocolat et crème,” and in a Brooklyn accent, “et crème” could have been mispronounced as “egg cream.”
- The Frothy Connection: Others suggest the name might simply be due to the drink’s appearance. The frothy head created by the seltzer water resembles the texture of beaten egg whites, hence the “egg” in the name.
Essential Ingredients
What we do know for sure is that the actual ingredients are simple and accessible. Naturally, any non-dairy milk is welcome here, based on your personal preference. Oat milk is booming for its velvety texture, making it a top recommendation for this application too.
- Chocolate Syrup: Rich and decadent, it provides the base flavor.
- Milk: Adds body and a creamy texture.
- Seltzer Water: Creates the signature frothy head and delightful fizz.
Note: Chocolate isn’t the only option, though it is the most popular. Any sort of syrup, from peppermint to strawberry, can be added or substituted at will. The only limit is your imagination.
DO Try This At Home
Such a simple concept doesn’t need a formal recipe. There’s no need to measure, but if you want someone to hold your hand through it, here’s what I do. Mix 2 – 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup and 1/4 cup non-dairy milk vigorously in the bottom of a glass, then top it off with seltzer water.
The preparation is as much a part of the experience as the drink itself. Traditionally, soda jerks would expertly pour the ingredients into a tall glass, creating a cascading effect. Then, with a flourish, they’d stir it vigorously with a long spoon, creating a frothy crown of bubbles.
A Bid To Bring Back The Egg Cream
The egg cream endures, hanging on by a thread, poised for renewed mainstream success. It’s a symbol of a bygone era, a time when community gatherings and social interaction centered around shared experiences. In every sip, you can taste the enduring joy of a good, frothy beverage. It’s not just a drink, it’s a piece of our shared history, waiting to bubble up once again.
Corny But Tea-rrific
Summertime in the south means brutal heat, a profusion of sweet corn at every market, and endless streams of iced tea. Combine all three into one glass and you get Sweet Corn Milk Tea.
What Is Corn Milk?
Corn milk is nothing new, of course. A longtime staple in Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Guatemala, Brazil, and beyond, the uniquely sweet properties of fresh summer corn have frequently been leveraged in both refreshing and warming drinks, depending on the region. The original experience is a bit like cereal milk, predating processed cornflakes.
- Guatemalan corn milk, known as atole de elote, is infused with a whole cinnamon stick and served hot.
- Cachaça, a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice, plus sweetened condensed milk enter the picture for making the Brazilian version called batida de milho verde. Consider it a more tropical version of English milk punch.
- Susu jagung, literally “corn and milk,” is a more recent trend emerging in Indonesia, often served more as a thick dessert soup.
What Is Milk Tea?
Boba tea shops have popularized the concept with the addition of tender tapioca pearls soaked in honey syrup, but in truth, any brewed tea with a splash of milk qualifies.
- One of the bestselling drinks in Japan, Royal Milk Tea is made with a blend of Assam and Darjeeling tea leaves and milk.
- Robust Ceylon or Pu-Erh is the base of Hong Kong milk tea, which is lightened with canned evaporated milk.
- Brilliantly orange-colored Thai tea is intensely sweet and aromatic, flavored with various spices and enriched with a heavy pour of sweetened condensed milk.
- Chai isn’t just a highly spiced brew, but the generic word for tea in India. It’s simply made by steeping black tea in milk and water, then sweetening with sugar, although it’s highly encouraged to avail oneself of the wide array of aromatic spices.
We could be here all day talking about various milk teas, so suffice to say, these are a few of the many different styles.
What Is Sweet Tea?
Finally, we have classic southern sweet tea. Brewed hot in large batches to ensure that every grain of sugar has fully dissolved, it must then be chilled and served ice-cold (by law, I believe) in comically oversized glasses. Pure black tea is classic, but lemon, raspberry, and peach are common, equally beloved variants.
Put That Together And You Get: Sweet Corn Milk Tea!
Somewhere along the way to heat stroke and an afternoon nap, sweet corn began to blur the lines into sweet tea, corn milk into milk tea, and before I could stop myself, the connection had been made.
Juicy golden kernels of fresh summer corn blend into a silky-smooth pourable cream. A touch of sugar (or your favorite sugar-free alternative), salt, and vanilla heightens the naturally rich, floral, and subtly savory flavors within. This would be a brilliant topper for oatmeal, poured over pound cake, or even blended with frozen bananas to make a sunny yellow smoothie.
I’d implore you to trust the process and go forward to the full tea experience. While you can use any leaves you prefer, I’d suggest a robust black variety, such as smoky Lapsang Souchong or astringent Pekoe for a bold, bracing, and invigorating contrast. Milk tea should be soothing, while ice tea is refreshing,balancing both elements in one tall glass.
Let’s make this the summer of corn milk, shall we? If oats can hit it big, why can’t corn, the third leading grain crop in the world, do the same?
