Knit Pillow

I've been wanting to transform this old pillow for the longest time and I finally decided to knit it a nice cover. It turned out lovely! The yarn only cost me $12 and I knit it in 2 days. I plan to make lots more.

Review: Tea Campaign Canada

I'm going to be posting a set of reviews on some lovely Darjeeling from Tea Campaign! I've loved working with Tea Campaign and I have been running their Instagram account. If you are into some good tea then it is certainly worth a try!

Review: Tea Campaign Canada Darjeeling First Flush 2014 Blend

Tea Campaign Canada, a fairly new tea company, is based in Ottawa, ON. This tea company focusses only on one type of tea - Darjeeling. They buy their high quality, organic tea in bulk and sell large packages. Their goal is to offer high quality tea at an affordable price. This way of buying tea is perfect for those who know exactly what tea they want and plan to drink it every day. 

Their Darjeeling First Flush is a darker blend compared to other first flush teas I’ve reviewed, making me think the leaves were picked later spring rather than early spring. The last darjeeling I reviewed was picked mid-March. I would guess this darjeeling was picked around April due to more fermentation. 

The smell is minty and grassy, the most common flavor profile of first flush Darjeelings. Though this tea has a delicate smell, it is just a tad stronger then other Darjeelings I’ve had this past month. I steeped 1 teaspoon in one cup of water for 4 minutes. After steeping, the tea had a completely different smell. It became more musty and vegetal, reminding me of broth. The taste is more sweet then the smell. This is the type of tea that grows on you as you drink it. It is best to enjoy with no additives. 

Despite maybe being a little more fermented, it is still quite delicate. It reminds me very much of Oolong due to the vegetal notes. It does have a nice, sweet aftertaste though. I have had multiple cups of this tea and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also decided to try some of this tea iced. Darjeeling isn’t a typical choice for iced teas but it turns out really lovely. I added lemon and honey to create the perfect summer drink. 

Check out the Tea Campaign website here: http://www.teacampaign.ca

Gluten-Free Vanilla Orange Muffins

I absolutely love these gluten-free muffins with a big cup of darjeeling
Check out http://www.teacampaign.ca for some great Darjeeling!

GF Vanilla Orange Muffins

2 1/2 cup oat flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cream (or milk)
1 egg
3 Tbs honey
1 Tbs olive oil (or butter)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp shaved orange peel

1) Preheat oven to 350F
2) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
3) Scoop a little more than 1/4 cup into each muffin tin
4) Bake for 20-25 minutes

Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

It's finally warm and sunny so I hope you're ready for lots and lots of summer recipes!

I decided to kick spring and summer off with this Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

I used some amazing First-Flush Darjeeling from Tea Campaign Canada. I'm currently running the Instagram for this tea company and I highly recommend their darjeeling. Check out their website here: http://www.teacampaign.ca

Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

4 cups hot water (175F)
4 tsp loose leaf darjeeling (find the darjeeling I used here: http://www.teacampaign.ca)
2-3 Tbs honey
1 lemon

1) Measure out 4 tsp. of darjeeling and 3 Tbs of honey

2) Heat water to 175F and steep the darjeeling in 4 cups of water for 12-15 minutes (this can vary depending on your preference)

 

3) While the tea is still hot, add 2-3 tablespoons of honey and stir to help it dissolve

4) Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice until the taste is to your liking

5) Set tea in fridge for 2-3 hours until chilled

Lovely Cowls in Lovely Colors

My most recent project- these lovely cowls in lovely colors <3