Coffee, Tea, or... Both?
10 teas- both bagged and loose leaf. One company. We’ve been busily slurping down cups of tea to figure out just which Bentley Teas (from Boston Tea Company) to recommend. And if that wasn’t enough, we’ve also been sipping Java Juice, liquid coffee extract, available in four flavors. If our previous coverage of tea and coffee weren’t enough, hopefully these drinks will catch your interest!
For starters, we weren’t impressed by Bentley’s packaging- the containers are fairly plain, and the bagged teas weren’t nearly as interesting as some we’ve seen. But some of the varieties had caught our eyes- in bags, Blackberry Black, Raspberry Green, Pomegranate in both green and black, a strong, bold Ginger Peach Black. The loose leaf Rooibos with Organic Lemon, Honey, and Chamomile was especially intriguing, even if it wasn’t especially strong, but made for a great bedtime drink with no caffeine. Their Bombay Chai had a bit too much clove for our tastes and the quality of the tea itself wasn’t particularly impressive. But the Ginger, Peach, and Apricot loose leaf was quite smooth, fruitier and more flavorful than the straight Ginger Peach bagged version, and our pick of the bunch. Finally, the Pineapple Paradise was a good summer tea, and the base was an interesting Sencha that went well with the citrus- but tasted a little off to our tasters, either because of the rose flavor or the tea itself. Bentley offers a wide selection of white teas as well, and their prices are quite reasonable- around $9 (50 bags) or $15 (for a little over 3 ounces loose leaf). Available online and in some stores.
Java Juice is the best instant coffee we’ve tried. The company goes out of their way, it seems, to avoid the natural comparison- the words “instant” don’t appear on the front page of their website. Instead, phrases like “machine-less coffee”, “shelf stable” and “just-add-water convenience” confuse perhaps, and “liquid coffee extract” makes it seem better suited for flavoring or baking. But no, Java Juice, whether the decaf, the French Vanilla, Hazelnut, or Original variety, is basically instant coffee.
And it’s good- better than any powdered or crystallized version that we’ve tried, freeze-dried or vacuum packed. You can understand the reason for Java Juice cloaking their language- instant coffee doesn’t have the best reputation- but they’ve got a great product for camping or traveling. Just add hot water, and you’ve got a cup of pretty-darn-good coffee. It won’t replace a real cup of joe- the flavor isn’t quite as full or rich, the smell not quite as enticing- but is actually quite good! We slightly preferred the hazelnut, but the flavors weren’t particularly strong. Available online, at around $1 a bag (one cup per bag).
