TWHS Reviews Champagne Raspberry White Tea From Georgia Tea Company

I love me some tea. Even when International Champagne Day rolled around, I found a way to celebrate it amidst the international popping of bottles heard around the world.

Oh, how I felt a like a little kid on Christmas Eve when Georgia Tea Company shipped me a sample of their champagne tea for review! The company carries an impressive line of assorted gourmet teas, accessories and teaware. They also sent me their brilliant jewels of Amber Sugar Crystals, which is sugar in its most natural form.

After five minutes of brewing one tablespoon of the loose tea in my favorite teacup, the result was a light infusion of white tea, raspberry and champagne. If I was looking for an effervescent experience, I didn't get it. Instead, the tea lends more towards being a refreshing beverage to brew with a mild treat.

What stood out for me was the raspberry notes, as the tea is a light and aromatic alternative to my herbal tea. Although I don't see it as a daily consumption, I do look forward to enjoying the champagne tea on special occasions, like Christmas morning.

But it's good to know that at the start of cold and flu season, drinking white tea has its benefits:

* Higher antioxidants than black and green tea

* Helps the immune system ward off bacteria and viruses

* It is void of side affects in the battle of cancer cells and prevention of the development of new ones

* Helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol

What would be better than raising your teacup to toast Christmas morning? George Gissing's quote says it best:

"The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose."

Footnote: For a truly celebratory Christmas morning, pair your champagne tea with French Toast Scones.

Let's Toast It Up! TWHS Reviews Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

Forget a flower in your hair; add a Wild Hibiscus Flower in Syrup from Fine Wine House to your champagne!

Celebrate; it's what I do. Whether I find myself traveling life's journey teetering in the highest of stilettos, flat-lined in ballet flats or stumbling in stacked heels, I seek to find the lesson in the moment. Then I assess the situation, find my balance and keep it moving.

In the meantime, I seek the prettiest and most stylish ways to celebrate the smallest of victories (I made it through a last-minute deadline?! CHEERS!). In the first of a series called Champagne Life, I will be bringing you creative ways to incorporate champagne into your world. Why you need top off your celebration is up to you...

The generous folks at Fine Wine House are kicking off my series with a shipment of the popular Wild Hibiscus Flowers. Since 1997, the sustainably-farmed treat was created in Sydney, Australia and is used as an exotic way to add glamour to your champagne cocktail. The incredibly-edible jar of 11 flowers comes packaged in syrup. Each 8.8oz jar comes with a recipe guide to put a creative spin to your drinks and dishes.

I enlisted the help of my auntie, a connoisseur of champagne. Eager to see what the flowers tasted like, I cheated and took one straight from the jar. "Wow!" was my reaction, as the petals are a deep crimson delicacy of raspberry and rhubarb, with a pleasingly licorice texture.

I then added a flower to the bottoms of our stemless flutes, followed by a spoonful of the syrup. I topped them off with extra dry champagne. To get an honest reaction of the cocktail, I first sipped on the champagne in a separate glass, while the bubbles danced off the floral display in the bottom of my flute. Waiting for about three minutes, I noticed the flowers did not "blossom" as much as as the blooming teas I have enjoyed, but the visual display is still worthy of engaging in as the straw-colored champagne transformed into a raspberry-hued delight.

The Result: Sipping on the cocktail was indeed an impressive and tasteful treat. The presence of the syrup was apparent and altered the taste of the extra dry champagne to my palate's preference to a sweeter beverage. My aunt thoroughly enjoyed the experience; so much so that she is starting a list of people she will buy jars for. The best part is drinking down to the treat that awaits you; the champagne-infused flower!

I highly recommend giving Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup for the holidays. Whether you're giving it as a hostess gift or as a stocking stuffer, at $9.99, it is an affordable luxury for the person who has everything.


To order your jars, click here!