Walking along the coastline of Ireland on the road through Dingle, was one of my fondest memories. The bus ride from Dublin to Dingle was a lovely experience filled with many stops and Cadbury Chocolates. Each bus stop had a vending machine inside and multiple selections of this delicious treat. The chocolate in Ireland is different than here in America due to varying pasteurization laws and their chocolate seems way more decadent as well as creamy. After many hours on the bus, I arrived in Dingle. This is a quaint little town in the southern region of Ireland. The Dingle Peninsula was home to a bottlenose dolphin that resided in the sea. Personally, I did not get the chance to see this wonderful being, yet, I love the idea that it was there. What a peaceful place Dingle is and this dolphin knew it. I traveled to Ireland in the year 2001 and the dolphin stayed for decades since the 1980s. Thinking back to walking on the road down to the peninsula brings many happy memories into my mind. For example, the cool air and then of course, a rainstorm. I ended up in a tiny pub listening to amazing conversations between the regulars there. How nice it would have been to have tried a hot cup of tea on that rainy day in Ireland.
Today I will be reviewing Sheffield Spice and Tea Company’s “Irish Morning” Black Tea. The ingredients of this tea are: Black Tea, Coconut Chips, Strawberry Leaves, Flavoring, and Safflower. When I bought the tea I was told there was a hint of Rum in it. Reading the label, it also says “With Cream.” After the tea steeped for seven minutes, I put some whole milk in it to cool it a bit so I could drink it. From the first sip, I was back in Ireland. The aroma of the tea is strong and pleasant. I can really taste the Strawberry Leaves and they linger for a nice aftertaste. The Rum flavoring stays on the taste buds as well and I can smell a hint of it before each sip. Irish Coffee has that nice flavor of Irish Whiskey so this was a delicious difference for me. Another delectable treat to add to my palette if you will. This tea just may be traveling with me back to Ireland if I get the chance to go again. The caffeine level is Medium so it will be excellent to keep me awake on a journey or late at night when I need to complete a project. There is an allergy warning on the label for Coconut Chips so be warned if you need this information. I do not want anyone suffering just to try this wonderful tea. If you would like to purchase their tea, click the link. I hope this review was helpful and thank you for reading! Have a Wonderful Weekend.
-Karen Hilliard
I have always loved Highland Cows or Scottish Coos. This particular animal was photographed by my friend on her trip to Scotland. While writing this blog, my mind drifted to conversations I had with her during her trip to Ireland and Scotland. I remembered this lovely picture of the coo named Torin. My friend stayed at a lovely Air Bnb called Quila Cridhe and they actually have a tea service daily so this all fits together. We are all connected! If you would like to know more about Torin, she says he likes being in the spotlight. You can find more information about Quila Cridhe and their coos here. Just click on their name and the link will take you to their Instagram page. After talking with my friend, I want to travel back to Scotland just to stay there!