Bubbie's Baklava
Originally posted: December 10, 2015
Every Christmas I spend in Saskatoon I get a lovely basket of Christmas baking from my friend Beth. Her mom happens to be one of the best bakers who's wares I've had a chance to sample, so I quite look forward to seeing what tastiness awaits me. Every year without fail there is a piece of baklava in that basket. Because I'm not spending this Christmas at home, I hoped that this tea might just fill that Christmas baking void that is beginning to form in my soul.
Bubbie's Baklava smells absolutely amazing from the get-go. It overwhelms the senses with the scent of honey, cinnamon and chicory so I was curious to see how the smell would transfer over to taste, especially since it can lay
claim to having one of the longest lists of tea ingredients I have ever witnessed: Oolong tea, roasted chicory root, pineapple, papaya, cinnamon, walnuts, apple, ginger, roasted almonds, cardamom, rose pepper, pistachios, rose blossom and artificial flavouring.
My immediate reaction to tasting this tea was not pleasant. Without sugar it starts bitter and quickly overwhelms the tastebuds with the raw flavours of every spice involved. I would not recommend this tea to those who prefer not to use any sweeteners, but if you are like me and want to add sugar to everything this tea is perfect for you.
Everything about Bubbie's Baklava is transformed once it is cut with some sugar. The spices
become perfectly balanced with the sweetness and it boasts a rich, bold flavour that any baklava lover would enjoy. Before I tried the tea I was unsure about how well this would relate as a Christmas tea, but the warm spices given off in the scent paired with the sweetness of the fruit flavours and it's nutty undertones make it wonderful for a cozy night in (fireplace recommended for ultimate Christmas experience.)
One final note: This tea expands quite a bit when steeping so take care when choosing the amount of dry tea leaves to use.
