Celestial Seasonings Vanilla Strawberry Rose Tea

If you read my post on the Chocolate Raspberry Bliss Tea you will absolutely understand how visual I am..because I totally picked these up for the boxes and the eye candy. Look at this box, could you walk away from that? Not me.

So admitting that…

The aroma is delicate at first, intensifying as it steeps. It really smelled good but not incredible.

I tasted first without any sweetener and was pleasantly surprised at the faint taste of strawberry, and the slight sweetness. I added my sweetening and tasted again. Definitly jammy. Distinct strawberry jam flavor. The vanilla is a delicate aftertaste and the rose blends well, giving it a floral note without being overwhelmingly rose.

I did the unthinkable (it is Sunday after all) and added heavy cream, just as if it was a coffee.

It was wonderful! Still jammy but with a richness added to it. I was impressed with this tea.

Now, the Chocolate Raspberry was a solitary tea. A tea to pamper yourself with during a long bubbly soak with a LUSH bubble bar. This, not so much. It is a tea to chat with a good friend over, maybe share some simple vanilla cookies. It would be a great addition to a cream tea, because the simple food offerings would be complemented by the complexity of this tea’s flavor. Don’t have it with chocolate. I don’t think it would be good. Still trying to explain..

Umm..this is a country Victorian tea. Verandas, and country kitchens, biscuits and strawberry jam.

Delicious. I highly recommend it. Serve it in an ever-so slightly chipped red transferware cupand drink whilst staring out the kitchen window.

If my mom was alive I think I would probably make her a gift basket with this, some of the rose scones, some of the strawberry jam, and a jar of clotted cream, and then tuck a magazine in the side.

O.k..well, it would work for me!

Image:Marye Audet