This Month in Tea // January Blog Round Up

National Hot Tea Month may be over, but celebrating the beverage will never stop. There were a ton of educational and fun tea related posts last month that I can’t help but share in my first blog round up for 2018. If you want to learn more about why a tea detox can be unsafe, how a roasted Japanese green tea tastes, or even make your own matcha gummy bears, then you’ll enjoy checking out the post recommendations below. I think I can hear your kettle calling you, so you better get your tea and start reading! I’m off to pack for the Toronto Tea Festival this weekend.

Tea

My Japanese Green Tea | Teatox: Herbal Tea in Detox Diets – I’m still bummed out (that’s putting it nicely) that a “teatox” is a thing and still a popular thing. Ricardo educates on why they are a waste of money and how some can actually do more harm than good. As he mentioned, drink tea for the enjoyment. Anything else is just a bonus.

Biodiversitea | 10 things I like about tea – What do you love about tea? Megan highlights some excellent things tea offers and reasons to love the beverage. I’m sure many other tea drinkers can relate to this list!

Tea Rabbit | Hojicha – Evolving Taste Through Roasting – This blog post does a fine job at introducing hojicha (a roasted Japanese green tea) to readers. It even takes a look at before and after roasting hojicha. Tasting notes are included!

Food

Simply Taralynn | Chocolate Matcha Muffins (gluten free & dairy free) – Matcha is one of my favourite teas to pair with chocolate so I get pretty excited when I see a recipe include the two ingredients. I saved this one from Taralynn instantly and can’t wait to make it with some of my favourite matcha.

Cooking with Janica | Matcha Gummy Bears Recipe – I’m not a huge fan of gummy bears, but how cool do these matcha green tea gummy bears look?! I would make these for others, for sure! I love that this recipe also features one of my favourite matcha brands, Encha. If you want to make these, there is a simple video tutorial included on this post, too.

Kitchen Heals Soul | The Best Hot Chocolate – I’m a huge tea drinker 365 days of the year, but you will find me reaching for warm cups of tea more frequently during the colder seasons. While my tea habits have replaced my hot chocolate habits from when I was young, I still appreciate a rich cup of it every now and then. However… it’s even better when you infuse your hot chocolate with tea! Just like this recipe from Janice. Earl grey hot chocolate anyone?

DIY

Hello Glow | DIY Matcha Bath Melts for a Soothing Winter Soak – If you seen my DIY Green Tea Body Scrub, then it’s given that I would be a fan of these green tea bath melts. I love DIYs that are simple and well explained, like this one from Hello Glow. Even better, there is a beautiful how-to video to follow when making these.

Misc.

Live Lovely Photography | Say No More Often – While this post isn’t related to tea, I came across it because it is part of Courtney’s Tuesday Tea series where she shares weekly wisdom. I’m someone who definitely has a hard time saying “no” to things, and ends up drowning myself with commitments. If you feel the same way, I recommend taking a quick read through this and learning the signs of when you should stop saying “yes”.

Enjoy this January blog round up! Do you have a blog you think I should check out? Let me know in the comments below!