Dilmah Supreme Ceylon

We've been wanting to try Dilmah teas for quite some time, having read its praises in online reviews. We were delighted to find some in a local shop last weekend, and have been serving Dilmah Supreme Ceylon this week in the parlor. We're quite partial to Indian teas, as we like our teas strong, and the Supreme Ceylon is that. It's very smooth, with no tannin detectable. It's not as bright and lacks the slight citrus undertones in the Adagio Ceylon Sonata that we are particularly fond of, but we are enjoying the robust heartiness of this ceylon, which no doubt owes its taste and aroma to being a single origin tea. It's the perfect breakfast tea to accompany McCann's Irish oatmeal, or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Those who prefer a malty Assam tea may find this too thin or bland for their tastebuds, but this is an easy transition tea for someone wanting to try a slightly familiar taste that is not a mixed blend.

Prickly Pear Cactus Lemonade

We've never written about a non-tea product here in the parlor before, but I thought readers would enjoy a photo of  homemade prickly pear cactus lemonade. Yes, it really is a bright magenta color, and this photo doesn't do it justice at all.

London Cuppa

We're drinking London Cuppa this week in the parlor, a tea we found in a most unusual place (but which, of course, we had to buy to try). It's a blend of Kenya and Assam teas that is very strong and yet mild, a smooth tea without a sharp tannin taste. It's a great way to start the day, strong but not too bold. We approve of that in a tea. And we really like the graphics on the box (nice layout, nice scene, makes us feel we're in England and not the wild west).

Hawaiian Islands Tea Company, third flavor

Over the weekend, we grilled a flank steak and made a zucchini casserole and Italian potato salad, with which we served Hawaiian Islands Tea Company Mango Maui iced tea. It's a thin, slightly mango-y flavored tea, requiring no additional sweeteners. We would rate this second of the three teas from this company that we've tried. Our favorite, however, remains the passionfruit, which had a distinct flavor and taste all its own, while mango and pineapple were largely just slightly fruity, sweet teas. But it was a lovely souvenir, and we think any tea lover would enjoy souvenir tea, as well.

Hawaiian Islands Tea Company

The Hawaiian Islands Tea Company Pineapple Waikiki is the second of three tropical fruit tea blends being sampled this hot spring season as an iced tea. The pineapple was sweet as described on the company website, requiring no additional sweetening, but not zesty in our opinion. The flavor was thin rather than robust, and seemed fleeting to the palate. We do not think we'd like this as hot tea. We prefer the passionfruit to the pineapple as an iced drink thus far, and will be sampling mango next.