So did you know that for every day, there’s a food or drink that’s celebrated with their own special day? There are even national months dedicated to various food and drink. With that said, June happens to be National Iced Tea Month. I’m not one to really take these food and drink celebration days seriously, but I will admit it does make it fun. I’m making an exception to celebrate Iced Tea Month with this week’s Sunday Fun Day Giveaway…. Iced Tea! I learned about a local tea company here in Chicago during the recent National Restaurant Association Convention that I just had to share with readers.
Tiesta Tea was founded by Patrick Tannous and Daniel Klein, former students of University of IL – Champaign/Urbana. They studied abroad together and we came across a traditional Czech tea house in Prague. There, they realized how tea was very much part of European culture and wanted to take that aspect and use it as an opportunity here in the United States. Once back in Illinois, they utilized the school’s entrepreneurial resources to create their business from the ground up. Today, they have found their niche in the tea business and has been recently awarded Best New Product of 2011 by the World Tea Expo for their innovation, colorful and fresh tea tins.
When I met Patrick and Daniel, along with their colleagues at the National Restaurant Association Convention, I really loved their energy and enthusiasm. They truly stand behind their product and it’s easy to do because it really is a wonderful, unique type of tea they provide. Most teas are dried leaves, maybe even packed with herbs or flowers. Tiesta Tea is much more interesting because aside from the usual leaves, you’ll find dried fruit, flower blossoms and buds, bits of herbs and spices, as well as fruit leaves. Combined with the tea leaves, you not only get an amazing tea but the aroma alone sets the tone even before you start drinking. Furthermore, these teas have a purpose with each blend…
Tiesta Tea offers five lines of loose leaf teas categorized by their effects on health and physical well-being. Each line has a wide variety of flavors specifically designed for you. Tiesta Tea specializes in green tea, black tea, white tea, herbal tea, fruit tea, Rooibos, Maté, and oolong tea. Our mission is to transform tea from an affordable luxury to a daily health necessity.
Tiesta Tea strives to develop the highest quality specialty tea blends in the world, all of which are fomulated to provide a specific health or mood result. We have created five varieties of tea to cater to your daily needs: Energizer, Slenderizer, Relaxer, Immunity, and Forever Young.
Ingredients: Rooibos, lemon grass, orange peel, apple, ginger root, coconut fruit, cinnamon, cardamom, currants, red peppercorn
I haven’t tried all of them yet, but I did try the Banana Split and Pineapple Calypso. Both were amazing in aroma and in overall flavor as well. I tried both of these as hot teas and as cold iced teas. They were equally good in both ways but I prefer them cold. With the brightness of flavor and aroma, having them over ice was a perfect summer drink. Normally I like my tea sweetened but these teas has so much flavor and natural sweetness from the ingredients that I didn’t need additional sugar.
Thanks to my new friends at Tiesta Tea, they will be sponsoring this week’s Sunday Fun Day Giveaway by giving a lucky reader a sample of their awesome teas! Read on to find out how to get in on this week’s giveaway…
Some guidelines:
I like a hot tea in the morning with just a little splenda!
I heart iced tea, it's the perfect drink to cool you down in the summer.
Tea is a major beverage in my house. year round I drink it hot, without anything added to it but in the summer, I have grown to love southern sweet tea
I like my tea sweet and hot.
I love their Chocolate tea that they have. It is nice because it is healthy but also offers me a chance to cure my sweet tooth.
Second to iced, I like the fruity flavored tea, usually without sugar.
ljyoung85 at gmail.com
In the mornings I like my tea hot with nothing added, except for maybe some lemon. In the summer months, I love serving it chilled over ice.
Love iced tea in the summer and hot tea in the winter.
caryn9802 at yahoo dot com
Ice cold in the summer- and piping hot in the winter. Is there any other way? 🙂
I prefer it iced. I'll generally throw a few bags in a big jar and do a cold brewed batch. These teas look amazing!
In the summer I drink unsweetened iced tea with 1 Sweet N Low and a lemon. In the winter I like black tea with honey and lemon.
I love flavored iced teas and iced tea with lemon! Perfect for Southern summers. 🙂
I prefer sun iced tea! calvad at aol dot com
I keep it simple… just a little sugar!
iced tea in the summer and green tea in the winter!
I use hot decaf green tea with half of a splenda to curb any late night cravings, but I love iced tea with just a bit of sugar or simple syrup!
I like my tea hot, with honey!
lesleymitchell52@yahoo.com
Easy 🙂 Hot. Green. And in a clear glass. 3 times a day. Heh.
Please feel free to contact me at – sales4545 at gmail dot com
White tea with ginger, warmed!
theyyyguy@yahoo.com
I just put sugar for an extra quick energy kick:)
i like fruity teas.my favorite is green and white tea.
i usually make a pot and drink it at all temperatures.if i have any left over i put it in the fridge.
thanks!!
cyclona66 at aol dot com
i like fruity teas clarkmurdock@yahoo.com
In the summer I love my tea cold with a lot of ice and in the winter it's wonderful hot with a drop of honey!
diane Baum
esldiane@gmail.com
I like my tea with a little sweetner and lemon or honey
emmaspeel(at)gmail.com
I like my tea with ice and lemon with a pinch of sugar
cookster77@aol.com
It really depends on the weather. If my toes are frozen, I'm gonna love my tea hot. If it's an over ova heyah, I'm lovin' the iced tea. I'm mostly lovin' the iced tea.
heatherpooh (hotmail)
I like my tea unsweetened because I usually choose flavors that are fruity to begin with. Email: yona(at)pricelesswriters.com
I love Tiesta Tea!
dayni22 at yahoo dot com
How do you like or prefer your tea?
I like iced tea (esp raspberry)and some hot teas — Tiesta Tea is my new favorite loose tea! I have had the Pineapple Calpyso and it is great!