Poached Pear Cider Tea from Teavana: a mini tea review
I was looking for a tea to replace Teavana’s discontinued Toasted Nut Brûlée for those times that I want dessert without eating dessert — ya know, have my cake (or cookie) and not eat it too! In the case of Toasted Nut Brûlée it tasted like a cinnamon oatmeal raisin cookie with chopped nuts.
Teavana’s new Poached Pear Cider herbal tea, while nicely spiced and lightly fruity, is not the replacement I was hoping for, but it is very yummy. I was plenty happy to drink my entire cupful, and I’d do it again too.
Fresh, fruit-from-the-tree pears can be both fruity and a little floral. So it should come as no surprise that Poached Pear Cider tea brings a lightly floral aroma and taste to the mix of fruit and spices in this herbal tisane. I find it both refreshing and warmly comforting. It’s like a mashup of a clean floral tea blend with a spiced cider.
Poached Pear Cider’s spices are not overwhelming. They are milder than those in, say, chai. But the cinnamon and cardamom make themselves known enough to add a nice accent to the floral fruitiness of the pear.
As I glance at the ingredients, it would appear that most of the pear flavor comes from added natural flavoring as opposed to bits of dried pear, but it works nicely. This probably makes the pear taste somewhat fresher than bits of dried pear. There is also an overall light taste of dried fruits (apples and raisins) and lemongrass with citrus peal without being overly fruity or citrusy. I find it nicely balanced.
The color of the brewed tisane is beautiful light amber and my cup seemed to have a hint of blush too.
I will be looking forward to more of it this autumn as a refreshing alternative to anything pumpkin or to actual hot spiced ciders.
As I drink more of it, I’ll add comments on brew time, temperature, and whether or not I’m able to brew more than one cup from the same bits. I know from past tea blends, temperature can make a huge difference with tea leaves and especially some spices, so it will be interesting to see what happens with this one.
aLightningbug 
Oct 24, 2015 @ 10:05:19
Even the picture of Poached Pear Cider Herbal Tea is an art form! Yesterday I was at an Amish run business (Andover, OH) that features mostly Amish crafted furniture and bulk foods and noted a variety of flavored ciders (oops! didn’t pay attention to brand names!) for sale. I wish they offered complimentary tasting…I might have bought some. Your blog is exciting my taste buds! Thanks for sharing.
Oct 25, 2015 @ 12:49:52
It is beautiful! They really know how to make a lovely mix. Our local farmers market had several types of ciders from a nice apple blend to all honey crisp, to pear cider. I want to try everything! Thank you for visiting again, Gina Blue!
Oct 26, 2015 @ 09:55:43
Honey crisp is a great eating apple…I didn’t think it would make a great cider. I’m getting ready to make my annual batch of apple butter…I usually use a combo of Jonathan and Cortland. Any suggestions??
Oct 27, 2015 @ 15:01:04
I agree. Honey crisp is a great eating apple, but not what I like in a cider. I was glad the farmers’ market had samples to taste. It was light in both color and flavor. I could see, maybe, kids liking it since it’s so mild. I like cider to have more depth. My favorite ciders are probably blends of different apples.
Cortland and Jonathan apples sound good for apple butter from what I know of them. I’ve never made my own apple butter, but you’re putting ideas in my head and that’s dangerous. I might have to try it. My step grandfather used to make his own apple butter (and lots of other great jams and jellies).
If you want to experiment, I might suggest Stayman / Winesap. They are really yummy cooked! They may take longer to get soft when cooked though. Other than Cortland and Jonathan it would depend on what you might like to change about the taste or texture (if anything). Granny Smiths would add tartness. Golden Delicious would add sweetness and would break down quickly for sauce or butter.
Just curious how you make your apple butter if you don’t mind sharing. Do you cook the apples with skin and core to start? Or do you core & peel first? I might like to try it in a slow cooker if I could make that work …
Thank you.
Oct 29, 2015 @ 10:53:11
Ah, you ask interesting questions! Over the years I’ve always peeled and cored, then cooked the apples. And I would throw out the peelings. Well, two years ago, my partner noted the waste of throwing out the peelings and suggested I cook them. I did. I was amazed at the increased productivity! What I did then was to add this very concentrated mass to the next batch of butter. The final product was thicker and had a heavier, not so fruity taste. I’ve never tried cooking the whole apple and then putting it through my food mill. This isn’t my year for experimentation.
Yes, I start my apple butter in a slow cooker set on “high”and cook it overnight. To accelerate the process, what I do the next morning is to drain off some of the liquid and then resume cooking again on “high.” I end up with a very dark, firm butter. Somewhere along the way, I came across a method of testing the butter for thick consistency. You put a small amount of butter on a plate and set it in the freezer. Fifteen minutes or so later, check it for liquid “ooze” or “weeping.” When you have the least amount of “ooze”, your butter is ready for canning. I still do this.
I’ll be picking my apples next week and will take what’s available. Then the homey smell of apples and spices will fill the house!! Thanks for your apple suggestions and this fun exchange!
Oct 25, 2015 @ 14:52:21
This sounds really good! I also really like your style of writing. I cannot wait for your review on Caramel Almond Amaretti Herbal Tea. It has all my favourite things in one place; I love caramel, I love almonds, I love amaretto, and of course I adore tea!