Eight months gone and the ninth month of the year is beginning, a time for looking forward to cooler temperatures and the annual re-coloring of the foliage around us before it quits the branches and blankets the ground. Some teas and herbals to help you more fully appreciate this time of things falling:

1 Dessert in a Cup: Scottish Caramel Toffee Pu-erh Tea – Loose Leaf*

Pu-erh teas are in a class by themselves. They are what’s called “fermented” teas. The leaves are processed like a black tea (in this case) and then stored awhile. It gives them a somewhat unique flavor profile that many describe as “earthy.” This version adds in sweet caramel and toffee to combine with that earthy quality for a flavor that is sweet, burnt, and sugary – dessert in a teacup. This flavored tea also includes almond pieces, so if you have a nut sensitivity, this might be an issue.

2 Vibrant: PG Tips Vibrant Mandarin Orange Green Tea*

Part of that new line-up of teas from an iconic British brand. A top brand of tea in the UK, PG Tips is a Unilever brand. Their original special blend has been pleasing palates for over 75 years. In late February 2014 they added some updated blends and flavored teas to their line-up. This one is a natural blend of fine quality green teas from Kenya and Indonesia, this PG Tips green tea is bursting with vibrant mandarin orange flavor.

3 Crisp like Autumn Air: Apple Spice Flavored Black Tea*

Ceylon high-grown (5,500 feet elevation) black tea combines with apple pieces, cinnamon, blackberry leaves, safflower petals, and other natural flavors. The vapor-proof triple-layer bag seals in the aromas and flavors, so this tea arrives at your door with the freshness it had when it was sealed in that bag. This is one of my favorite Autumn flavor combos.

4 A Favorite Fall Flavor: Twinings Pumpkin Spice Chai*

Pumpkin time is here again! This spiced Chai (the Hindi word for “tea”) will fill your senses with that wonder pumpkin essence. In addition, you will get the perfect balance of flavors of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Steep in water heated to a full boil for 5 minutes. You might want to add a touch of sugar. I like it with milk and sweetener.

5 Basic Black: Taylors of Harrogate – Pure Assam Tea Bags*

Some sources say this tea is grown from Chinese seeds, but that is not quite accurate. The Camellia sinensis assamica was already being cultivated and used to steep up a strong beverage when Robert Fortune was able to sneak plants and seeds out of China. The Brahmaputra River flows out of China into the state of Assam in Northern India and is partially responsible for the abundant crop and hearty flavor of this style of tea. While some tea growers have begun processing the leaves into orthodox black teas, green teas, and even white teas, the bulk produced is still CTC Assam, which is the basis for this tea. Malty, brisk, and full-bodied, this tea will be a real eye-opener in the morning. I enjoy it with milk and sweetener.

Hope you get to try some of these during September and get ready for the joys of harvest!

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

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