• Afternoon Tea,  DAVIDsTEA,  Making Tea at Home,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    Huge DAVIDsTEA Haul | Making Loose Leaf Tea

    I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this time, while enjoying the Summer season. I hope this video post adds a smile to your day!

    A few days ago, I shared my recent DAVIDsTEA haul video on YouTube! In this video, I share the tea items I ordered, as well as showing you a detailed look at how I like to make each tea. You’ll see me making a delicious layered iced matcha latte, tea latte, iced tea, pot of tea and a yummy hot cup of tea (to name a few). You can watch the video HERE or down below:

    Is anyone else tea obsessed? I love stocking up on favourites and trying out new teas!

    If you want to try any of the teas mentioned or the tea ware items shown in my video, I do have clickable links in the description bar, on my YouTube channel!

    Have a lovely rest of your day! xo

    This post contains affiliate links.

  • Afternoon Tea,  Coffee Shop,  Lifestyle,  Making Tea at Home,  Pawfectella Everything!,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    The Mochi Kit | Paragon Tea Room | Tea-Infused Mochi

    Hello everyone! I hope this blog post finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and well, during this time. <3 

    #BlackLivesMatter | To learn more, click HERE.

    In today’s blog post, I am sharing my experience of making tea-infused mochi! Mochi is a delicious treat that pairs well with a cup of tea. When I saw that Paragon Tea Room came out with The Mochi Set, I couldn’t resist purchasing one and testing it out. I am not a big baker though, so I was a bit nervous. Michelle, the owner of Paragon Tea Room assured me that the recipe (included in the set) was “dummy proof” and making mochi is surprisingly easy!

    Last Saturday, I decided to to put my baking skills to the test and use The Mochi Set (you might have seen my Instagram stories of the experience)! If you would like to see a closer look at how my experience went, make sure to grab a cup of tea and let’s get started!

    What is Mochi?

    Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice, water, sugar and cornstarch. Mochi is typically flavoured with green tea and/or filled with a sweetened bean paste. This makes it a delicious vegan and gluten free treat.

    What does Mochi taste like?

    Mochi has a dough-like texture and makes me think of a gummy candy/marshmallow type dessert. It has a starch after-taste.

    If you have had mochi before, how would you describe the taste?

    The Mochi Set | Paragon Tea

    Your mochi dream comes true! This set is inspired by all of your creativity! In this set, you will be introduced to making your own TEA-INFUSED mochi with a side of tea dip at home.

    Paragon Tea Room

    The Mochi Set from Paragon Tea Room comes with nearly all the ingredients you need to make 6 servings of mochi. The set includes:

    Three Types of Tea Powders:

    It also includes:

    The set comes inside a rectangular box and is well packaged. Even Ella was curious about what was inside!

    Following the Recipe |
    Matcha-Infused Mochi

    After reading over the recipe, I decided to make a matcha-infused mochi and a matcha-infused dip.

    I found both recipes straight forward and easy to follow.

    After adding and mixing in all the ingredients together, it was time to microwave the dough! This part I found a bit challenging, as I don’t own a microwave. Steaming was the next option, but I wasn’t sure the best way to go about it! I asked my dear friend Angie (from Over-the-Kitchen-Counter) to help me out! Even though she had not heard of mochi before, she gave me the best advice and tips! I used two pots and my stove to steam the mochi dough. It steamed perfectly! A special thank you to Angie! <3

    Making the Matcha Mochi Dip

    While I waited for my mochi dough to cool, it was time to make the accompanying matcha-infused mochi dip:

    This was very fast and easy to make and I loved that I got to use Oat Mylk! I prepared the dip on my stove top.

    The dip turned out fantastic! And I loved the cheerful green colour from the Paragon Tea Baking Matcha.

    Roll it Out!

    After my matcha-infused mochi dough had cooled off, it was time to roll it out and create individual pieces. I made my mochi into balls, but you can make them into squares too!

    After the mochi balls were prepared, I decided to semi-stuff them with the dip. I also frosted the tops of them! I was so surprised at how well they turned out and how easy they were to make!

    I would like to do a better job on how they look visually, but I think that will come with practice and time.

    After I was done making the tea-infused mochi, I made two cups of Paragon Tea Ceremonial Matcha Lattes with Oat Mylk, for my husband and I. I thought they would pair nicely with the mochi. All the matcha flavours were happening that day! 😉

    It was time to taste test these tea-infused mochi balls and see how well I did:

    According to my husband, the matcha-infused mochi tasted amazing. He actually ate more than half of them, so I must have done something right!

    I also loved my mochi too! They tasted so fresh and delicious. I also love that I now have the opportunity to make mochi 5 more times, from this wonderful set.

    Have you ever made mochi at home before? If so, how did you find the experience? I am still surprised at how easy they were to make! I really found The Mochi set to be extremely helpful for a beginner.

    The Mochi Set retails for $53.35 CAD, but is currently available for a launch price of $48.00 CAD. You can order it online (they ship to Canada and the USA) or pickup in-store, if you are local! You can find it HERE.

    And that is it for today’s blog post! I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend and talk to you all soon! <3

  • Afternoon Tea,  DAVIDsTEA,  Ella Adventures,  Lifestyle,  Making Tea at Home,  Pawfectella,  Pawfectella Everything!,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    DAVIDsTEA Haul | Tasty Summer Teas

    Hello everyone! I hope this blog post finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and doing well, during this time. <3

    In today’s blog post (and in honour of #TeaTimeTuesday), I am sharing my recent DAVIDsTEA* haul order (with the help of Ella the Mini Poodle). I needed to stock up on some favourites, but also wanted to try out some new teas too!!!

    *As some of you know, I am a huge DAVIDsTEA fan and this past year, I had the amazing opportunity to become a DAVIDsTEA Affiliate. Some of the links, in this blog post will be affiliated links.

    So, if you are ready: make sure to grab a delicious cup of tea and let’s get started!!!

    The Matcha Teas:

    I ordered three matcha teas from DAVIDsTEA. I am a huge matcha lover and enjoy it daily! It provides wonderful health benefits (check out my IGTV video to learn more), but also tastes soo so delicious too!

    Raspberry Matcha

    One of the teas I had to stock up on is Raspberry Matcha. You might remember seeing me review and talk about it on my IGTV videos, as well as my last DAVIDsTEA Youtube video.

    On IGTV, I made it iced and in the YouTube video, I made it hot. I absolutely love both options, but if I were to recommend how to try it first: make it iced! It is a refreshing, satisfying treat!

    We’re taking energizing matcha to new heights. Fuel your morning with this fruity and invigorating blend of Matcha Matsu powder, pure cane sugar and the natural flavour of ripe raspberry. Whether you sip it as an iced latte or in your post-workout smoothie, this finely ground flavoured matcha is an easy & delicious way to enjoy the feel-good benefits of green tea.

    – DAVIDsTEA

    This time, I decided to purchase the limited edition tin of the Raspberry Matcha. This is a tea I plan to always have at home, as long as DAVIDsTEA has it in their collection!

    You can also shop by gram below:

    Blueberry Matcha

    Another matcha tea I needed to re-stock on was Blueberry Matcha. I was long overdue to order some! Like the Raspberry Matcha, it tastes amazing iced or hot. I also like to add it to my vanilla protein smoothies or my dairy free/gluten free muffins.

    Kick your summer vibes up a notch with our sweet and revitalizing Blueberry Matcha. Bursting with freshly picked blueberries, mega-healthy matcha green tea and pure cane sugar, it’s an iced tea latte waiting to happen. The best part? This deliciously fruity blend is packed with all the energizing and metabolism-boosting benefits of matcha for an instant pick-me-up. Good vibes all around.

    – DAVIDsTEA

    I ordered 50 grams of Blueberry Matcha. But that was pretty silly of me! I regret not ordering more since I tend to go through it so quickly.

    Bubblegum Matcha

    The last Matcha tea I ordered is one that I have been quite curious to try! I had attempted to order it, on my past DAVIDsTEA order, but it sadly was cancelled. This time, I got lucky and was able to get it!!!

    Bubblegum Matcha does not sound like a drink I would enjoy hot, but as an iced matcha or popsicle, it sounded very appealing! Both Linda @LSN2 and I were so curious about it. I decided to order 50grams to try it out.

    Blue bubble gum fan? Go retro with this cool novelty fruity matcha. It’s made with a lively base of finely ground green tea powder – hailed for its energizing & detoxifying benefits – plus a sweet hint of natural apple, pineapple & vanilla flavouring. Try it on ice or add to homemade ice cream or popsicles. No matter how you enjoy it, this one-of-a-kind matcha is the nostalgic treat your taste buds have been waiting for. 

    – DAVIDsTEA

    It is available by the gram or inside a special limited edition tin:

    I have not had a chance to make it yet, but I will keep you all posted! Have you tried it? If so, what do you think?

    The Green Tea:

    I also ordered another favourite tea of mine: The Countess of Seville. I tend to stock up on this tea quite often! It is a delicious blend of green tea with bergamot and light citrus notes.

    This tea is an online exclusive. It does not always show up on DAVIDsTEA’s estore, when it is sold out. If you don’t see it right away, make sure to check back! As I write this blog post, it currently is sold out and it was harder to find! I ended up doing a google search to find a link for it!

    There are so many rumours about Earl Grey and his gallivanting ways. We like this one, about a trip he took to Spain. It’s said he fell for the Countess of Seville, a beautiful, dark-haired woman with a penchant for oranges. But did he really woo her with this green tea scented with bergamot, orange oil, cornflowers and orange zest? Either way, it’s a sweet, romantic twist on his original recipe. (MK Kosher).

    – DAVIDsTEA

    The Fruit Infusion Herbal Teas:

    The last two teas I ordered were both fruit infusion herbal teas.

    Unicorn Dream

    A new fruit infusion favourite is Unicorn Dream! I ordered it in my past DAVIDsTEA order and I became addicted! I especially love this tea iced, but it is delicious hot too. This tea is quite sweet and very flavourful. Usually, I am not a fan of teas that have stevia added, but this one is an exception! I also think it would taste delicious as a popsicle too.

    Warning: This tea will add some magic to your day. Our caffeine-free fruit infusion is filled with smile-inducing ingredients – from blue butterfly pea, yellow everlasting flowers & pretty pink hibiscus blossoms to unicorn & heart-shaped sprinkles. The result is an enchanting & addictive herbal tea that’s tart and lightly citrusy, with dreamy notes of sweet cotton candy and creamy marshmallow.

    – DAVIDsTEA

    Not only does this tea taste magical, it looks magical! It is very colourful and has adorable unicorn and heart shaped sprinkles, marshmallows and even glitter balls that add sparkles to your tea!!!!

    You can watch my reaction to the sparkle in my IGTV video.

    Can you spot the unicorn sprinkle?

    Unicorn Dream is also available inside a limited edition tin, but you can also purchase it by the gram, like me:

    Rainbow Lemonade

    The last tea I have to share with you is one that is also packed with flavour. It is called Rainbow Lemonade.

    I could not wait to make it! I made it iced first and it had a delicious tangy, but sweet vibe to it! I also think it is beautiful to look at!

    I also enjoyed it hot and it was delicious too, but honestly…I think this tea is a great iced tea choice for your Summer afternoons!

    Get your ice cubes ready – this next-level lemonade iced tea is about to add a mouthpuckering twist of flavour to your summer sipping. Think ripe and juicy citrus, a tropical splash of pineapple, and a sweet hint of raspberry. Tart and refreshing, this caffeine-free tea tastes amazing straight up iced or with a little extra somethin’ somethin’. Get ready to see some rainbows with this one. What makes it great With its fruity twist, this lemon iced tea is a fresh and delicious substitute for the classic store-bought lemonade. For those days when you’ve got company, cool off your guests by brewing up a big pitcher with ice and lemon slices. It’s caffeine-free so the kids can get in on the action too!

    – DAVIDsTEA

    And that concludes this blog post! I hope you enjoyed seeing the selection of teas I ordered.

    Have you tried any of these teas? If so, which ones do you love?

  • Afternoon Tea,  DAVIDsTEA,  Lifestyle,  Making Tea at Home,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    DAVIDsTEA Spring Collection

    Tea Haul, First Impressions & Review

    I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I hope this blog post and new YouTube video adds a smile into your day!

    In this blog post/video, I share my latest DAVIDsTEA haul! I ordered two new teas from their spring collection, as well as a staple tea I was out of! Please note, that some of the links (in this blog post) are affiliate links.

    In the video, you will see a close up look at each of the teas. I share a close up look at the tea leaves/matcha powder, as well as show the teas being steeped and the final result. You will also hear my first impressions and taste reviews. You can watch the video HERE or down below:

    DAVIDsTEA Haul Items:

    DAVIDsTEA Unicorn Dream

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estore

    DAVIDsTEA Raspberry Matcha

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estore

    DAVIDsTEA Countess of Seville

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estore

    Unicorn Dream by DAVIDsTEA
  • DAVIDsTEA,  Jewellery,  Ohm Beads,  Tea,  Tea Reviews

    My Favourite Christmas Tea | Beadmas2019 Day 12 of #BeadmasStories

    St. Nick is checking his list…twice!

    As the Christmas season rolls in, it is time for my favourite Christmas tea: Santa’s Secret from DAVIDsTEA*! Have you ever wondered how Santa is able to deliver all those toys, presents and cheer in one night? Well, here’s his secret (besides Christmas magic, of course)! A delicious Chinese black tea with peppermint, vanilla and magical candy cane sprinkles!

    Santa’s best kept Secret!!!

    This tea is so delicious! I love having it black, but it also makes a delicious tea latte! There’s two ways I love to make it as a latte:

    Latte Recipe One:
    1. 3-4 perfect spoonfuls of Santa’s Secret
    2. Fill your Steeper with about 235ml of water (roughly right above the DAVIDsTEA logo)
    3. Feel free to add your choice of sweetener to the steeper (honey, agave, etc.) as the tea steeps. Roughly, 1tbs. Lightly stir in.
    4. Steep for 4-6 minutes, depending on taste level.
    5. Dispense tea into your favourite Christmas mug.
    6. Froth about 235ml of your choice of: Almond Milk, Soy Milk or Milk. I have a video about how I froth my almond milk, HERE.
    7. Pour your frothed milk over your Santa’s Secret Tea..and VOILA! Your Santa’s Secret Latte is ready to be enjoyed!


    Latte Recipe Two:
    1. 3-4 perfect spoonfuls of Santa’s Secret
    2. Fill your Steeper with about 235ml of water (roughly right above the DAVIDsTEA logo)
    3. Feel free to add your choice of sweetener to the steeper (honey, agave, etc.) as the tea steeps. Roughly, 1tbs. Lightly stir in.
    4. I also add a tiny bit of vanilla extract, just a drop!
    5. Steep for 4-6 minutes, depending on taste level.
    6. Dispense tea into your favourite Christmas mug.
    7. Froth about 235ml of Peppermint Chocolate Almond Milk. I have a video about how I froth my almond milk, HERE.
    8. Pour your frothed Peppermint Chocolate Almond milk over your Santa’s Secret Tea. Please note, the chocolate almond milk will not froth as much as normal almond milk…but this tastes like a peppermint hot chocolate and is sooo sooo delicious!

    HO HO HO!

    Now, as you know, today is the last day of Beadmas 2019 | #BeadmasStories. As for today’s giveaway, Ohm Beads and I are teaming away to give one lucky winner the Ohm St. Nick bead! This is a very special bead to me because he represents my chosen Saint Name. As a Catholic, I got confirmed into my faith when I was in grade 8. I remembering researching so many different saints, but the one that stood out to me the most, was my hero since I was a little girl: Saint Nicholas. He was so inspiring to me…and the fact that his memory lives on through one of the most magical and holy seasons was very special to me! Now, pretty much every single person made “fun of me” for picking a “boy’s name” as my Saint. But I didn’t care…it wasn’t about what people thought of me! And…my Confirmation Sponsor (unknown to me, at the time) had chosen St. Valentine as her saint!

    To find out how to win this bead, head over to my Instagram, @fashionstoryteller and look for one of those photos used in this blog post!

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! xx

    Emily D.

    *P.S: some of the links, in this blog post are affiliate links.

    St. Nick by Ohm Beads
  • DAVIDsTEA,  Guinea Pigs,  Harlow,  Tea,  Tea Reviews

    A Christmas Tradition: DAVIDsTEA | 24DaysofTea | Why this calendar is so special to me.

    DAVIDsTEA #24daysoftea is back!!!

    Back in 2012, my fiancé (now husband) and I started a new Christmas tradition with DAVIDsTEA #24daysoftea. Every evening, we would enjoy a tea of day, along with our baby guinea pig, Harlow (she liked to take little licks from our fingertips). We looked forward to discover what tea awaited us: black, green, oolong, herbal…what would it be?

    Photo of the DAVIDsTEA Advent Calendar back in 2012
    The calendars have come along way!

    A tea advent calendar was the most perfect invention for me! And I was instantly obsessed and just knew I had to get my family and friends involved in the fun too.

    In 2012, I had just moved across the country in July…and I knew this would be a special way to still feel close to them, at such a special time of the year. It soon became my tradition to stock up on calendars (as soon as the store opened) to make sure my family and friends could all get one! DAVIDsTEA would sell out DAY OF…if not, MORNING OF! Luckily, last year…they seemed to finally have better stock!

    A photo of DAVIDsTEA 2013 #24daysoftea Advent Calendar…and all the calendars I bought for family and friends. I would line up to the store, first thing in the morning!
    Baby Georgina investigating!!!

    Each year and onwards, it became a time to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of the holidays…and became a time of day we treasured. It warmed out hearts and souls…and we loved that our loved ones, though far away, were sharing in this wonderful experience with us.

    2015 Advent Calendar #24daysoftea
    In 2015, Glitter and Gold was one of the #24daysoftea…and it was our featured wedding day tea!!! So crazy cool!

    The #24daysoftea calendar also became a heartwarming tradition with a very special guinea pig; my beloved Harlow. Harlow passed away this year…and it will be the first year I do not get my tea taster/tea assistant to help #HarlowApprove the tea of the day. It’ll be different, but I know she will be there in spirit, in her own way. Here are some of my favourite photos of Harlow during the #24daysoftea countdown!

    #HarlowApproved #24daysoftea DAVIDsTEA
    I’m not sure about this one, Mom! #24daysoftea
    I like the smells of this one, Mom! #24daysoftea
    What day are we on now, Mom?
    We miss you, Harlow!

    I also enjoy the Christmas countdown with…ALL OF YOU!!! On my Instagram, it has become my tradition to also share the tea of the day with you all…through fun photos of the day!!! I love hearing your thoughts on the teas and seeing your photos too!

    Pandora Santa

    And now…for some truly exciting news to share with all of you:

    I am now part of DAVIDsTEA Affiliates Program. It honestly feels like a dream come true because besides jewellery, #tea (and especially, #Davidstea) is my biggest obsession. What this means, is if you order through my affiliate links (featured in my blog posts, on my Linktree, instagram stories and youtube channel), I’ll receive a small commission, much like a sales associate would, at a retail store. It’s pretty cool and I’m so thankful. ?? I would not have these amazing opportunities without each and every one of you…so a HUGE HUGE THANK YOU!!! ?☕️ And an additional thank you to any one who wants to shop with these links. That’s super kind and generous of you! ??? .

    If you would like to shop the #24daysoftea Advent Calendar, here are my affiliate links:

    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA.

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canada.

    I’m looking forward to counting down to Christmas with all of you!!!!
  • DAVIDsTEA,  Making Tea at Home,  Tea,  Tea Reviews

    How To Make A Tea Latte

    There is nothing quite as cozy and delicious as a frothy tea latte! And I am one who loves to indulge in a tea latte nearly every morning! To be honest, I use to only drink green tea, but when my husband surprised me with the Breville Milk Cafe frother, my morning teas got fancier!

    In this video, I show you how to create your own tasty tea latte at home! I hope you enjoy it.

    xx Emily