Home Made Tea: Homemade Tea Blends to Tickle Your Tongue

What is so hard about making tea blends you may ask? Well, one would think if you throw in a little of this and a little of that to your favorite tea you'd have a great homemade tea blend. I mean I love blueberries so why can't I just put a few dried blueberries into a cup of white tea - sounds like a nice flavored tea blend right?

It turns out that isn't how tea blending works. The flavor of the tea doesn't actually come from the dried fruit that you see in a blended batch of tea. The flavor actually comes from essential oils that are mixed with the tea. John Harney, who has been blending tea for over 30 years actually uses a small cement mixer to mix the tea, essential oils, and dried fruit in 25 pound batches. He uses a different plastic liner for each blend so the flavors don't mix.

25 pounds of tea may be a bit much for you and me but the basics are the same, all you need to make your own homemade tea blends is some essential oils, your favorite loose leaf tea, a few pieces of dried fruit for looks and a way to mix the batch as uniformly as possible. Getting a tea blend that tastes good is the tricky part. But practice makes perfect...

Another option for those of us that don't have the patience to make our own blends from scratch is to combine flavored teas - that way the hard part is done for us, just mix and match your favorite tea flavors, brew a cup and you are ready to enjoy! Adagio Teas has a very nice selection of flavored teas - try a few and make some mighty fine tea blends without all the worry about the right essential oil mix.

They have recently made it even easier to make your own tea blends - head on over to their tea blend section and click the 'ol button that says "Create Your Own Blend". They have a fun new tool that allows you to pick three of their fantastic teas for your blend - even specifying what percentage of the tea for each, then you type your tea blend name, a short description and even a story if you'd like. Then you get to select the artwork to represent the blend (or upload your own!) Kapow! Just like that you have a new unique tea blend designed by you! You can share it with others or keep it all to yourself - you decide. How cool is that? Oh and the best part is that you earn 10 frequent cup points every time someone buys your blend - which means free tea for you! I know exciting huh?

The season for eggnog is quite some time off, but you'll know it is time to celebrate when the stores start selling eggnog again. There is nothing better than a warm mug of eggnog, hmmm well except for maybe a little mug of cold eggnog - I can't make up my mind on a chilly winter day. (but let's not think about the "W" word right now)

Well Sherry Brew has suggested a delightful Holiday tea blend that is right up my alley - and yours too if you enjoy the sweet sensation of eggnog. Her Christmas Eggnog Tea is a blend of vanilla oolong tea, cream and rum - now that sounds like a blissfully sweet tea temptation to me, how about you? Try her Holiday tea blend today and toast one for me eh? Cheers!

This is a simple yet wonderful blend of black teas perfect for the coming holiday season brought to you by Adagio Tea member Gloria Ann. Gingerbread Man Blend is made from delicious gingerbread tea, a sprinkling of vanilla black tea, and a dash of cinnamon black tea all rolled into one fun and tasty seasonal tea blend.

Of course holiday cookies (and especially gingerbread) wouldn't be complete without milk so adding a touch of milk to this gingerbread tea really makes it sing... and dance and say you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man... tea.

Another M. Barnes creation - can you tell he has a thing for Fall? If your favorite season is Autumn as well - along with turkey, pumpkin pies, and spiced tea! This is a spiced tea blend that goes just as well with Thanksgiving turkey as it does with the Christmas goose (or a quick Chinese takeout so you can get to opening presents faster...)

This Pumpkin Patch Blend Tea is a mighty fine addition to any tea lovers tea cabinet. Made up of a blend of black teas: pumpkin spice tea, orange tea and cinnamon tea this heavenly tea blend is a delightful dandy of a drinkable tea!

Adagio Teas:
Adagio Teas is one of my favorite online tea stores. They have a fantastic site with a huge selection of delightful tea for sale. They also have tons of community based features so you can interact with fellow tea lover's around the world, perfect for discovering great new teas to try. Don't miss my favorite tea chef area for yummy tea recipes and contests.


Teavana:
Teavana is a wonderful tea shop that I often stop by when I get a chance (for the free tea samples of course). They now have a wonderful web site that is sure to tempt your tea-stebuds (ok bad pun - good tea though) If you like to try new teas, tea blends, gourmet honeys as well as teapots, cups and accessories Teavana is a must see.

Let's face it Winter is coming sooner than we'd like but there is nothing better than curling up with a nice sweet batch of pumpkin gingerbread cookies on a cold Winter night - well until now!

Jamie Lynn Strand has created a unique seasonal tea blend that will satisfy even the toughest sweet tooth critic - why don't you give Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies a try and let me know if that doesn't tempt your taste buds this coming chilly winter season!

This delicious tea blend is made up of gingerbread, masala chai and pumpkin spice tea: a winner in my book with Adagios wonderful masala chai.

Just in time for Halloween Brenda Alvarado came up with a few festive tea blends to make your fangs bristle with delight!

Halloween is bursting forth from the underworld soon so get ready to tickle your toes with a fearful delight - feel safe (or not so safe) with a devilishly delightful cup of tea.

I first happened upon this dangerous homemade tea blend while researching tea legends for another project, immediately I was bedazzled by Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil - such a welcoming name if ever I have heard one.

In Brenda's words it is "A tea as dark as the Dr.'s heart. This black tea is highlighted with berry blues and a hint of vanilla in honor of the frozen yogurt he shares with his love." Comprised of Ceylon Sonata black tea, vanilla, and berry blues this is one tea that will leave you horribly infatuated.

I've recently been reading about Spearole tea, it is a tea blend of Green Tea, Olive Leaf, Oil of Spearmint, Grape Skins, Grape Seeds, and Spearmint Sprouts. Recent studies by scientists at The University of Queensland in Australia have shown that this power pack of antioxidants can greatly cut blood pressure and make it easier for the body to process sugar.

What does that mean? Well basically good health and a nice trim waistline - and a mighty fine tea blend perfect for this coming Winter...

Spearole tea is being sold by Dr. Red Nutraceuticals: A word of warning for those looking to try this amazing tea... That is also the company who funded the study so the results may be a bit biased.

The study did show that even drinking three cups of green tea a day could help one stay trim. Below is a great new green tea blend that would work perfectly to test that theory for yourself.

Another great tea blend to try during the spring and summer (and sniffy sneezy season if you celebrate the 'ol alergy season) is Spearmint Morrocan Twist which is suggested by Chris Groff. A combination of gunpowder green tea, spearmint, and chamomile that will give those allergies the boot. The gunpowder tea is high in antioxidants like the ever popular spearole tea, plus the added spearmint and chamomile are natural sniffle fighters as well.

This is a green tea blend that is chock full of goodness both in flavor and health benefits - always a plus in my mind.

Now this is one fantastic idea for a Valentine's day gift or a just because I love you gift! Kevin Burg has created this fine tea blend for his one and only Jamie (well let's just hope she's the one and only for Kevin's sake) - Valentine's Day Blend is a lovely mix of Earl Grey Bravo black tea, chestnut tea, and a spicy touch of the burgundy-red liquor of Assam Melody tea - a delightful black breakfast tea from Assam India.

Give this delightful tea blend a try, and share in the magic that Kevin has created for Jamie. Hmmm, that sounds a bit voyeuristic maybe you'd better just make your own tea blend next Valentine's Day. If you'd like to make your own Valentine's blend jump to this section for details... how to make tea blends.

Hello Lover's! I can feel it in the air... is that love? Or, maybe I'm just bit by the summer vacation bug. I think everyone could use a little extra passion fruit iced tea as summer hits full swing and we look for something cool and refreshing. Enjoy the sun with this magical mango treat from Zack McDougall - Mango Passion Iced Tea Blend.

This tea blend will whisk you away on a tropical vacation for the tongue. A combination of Mango tea and Passion fruit tea this blend can be enjoyed hot or cold to give you a little tropical taste of paradise. If you need a little warmth from the inside out, or have a need to cool off from a hot day at the beach this is a good tea blend to have on hand.