Teavana Cococaramel Sea Salt Herbal Tea

Outsides:  Honestly, I don't even feel like typing this long-ass list of ingredients, so I won't.  It's pretty much rooibos tea with coco nibs, nuts and flavorings.  I have to say, this dried tea tastes delicious and if Teavana was smart, they'd expand this mix to the cereal/trail mix food world.  I put 2 teaspoons of this stuff in 8 oz of boiling water and let it steep for 5 minutes or so.  I'm not gonna lie, the color of this tea is completely unappetizing.  It looks like dirty sewer water, which is only made worse by the pieces of rooibos floating in it.  It smells tasty though, like chocolate caramel.

Insides:  First off, I probably should have added more of the herbal tea.  Second off, this does not work unless you add some kind of sweetener to it (I added Stevia, which actually works quite well in this since you expect chocolate drinks to be thicker).  Anyway, this has a nice chocolate flavor to it with hints of nuts and caramel.  I don't taste any salt in it if that's what you're wondering, but this is a nice, multi-dimensional chocolate drink.  It's also a great low cal, low fat, low sugar alternative to hot chocolate, although the chocolate flavor should be a little stronger.

Overall:  I like this more as the dried tea, but it's still not bad for a chocolate craving.

Flavor:  Chocolate with other flavors
Price:  About 6 dollars for 2 oz, but 2 oz will not last you as many cups as with regular teas.
Uniqueness:  Pretty unique.  I've never seen a chocolate herbal tea like this before.
Usability:  Needs sweetener but good for a chocolate craving.
My Rating:  Try it!

Teavana is a chain tea retailer that can be found in malls across the United States and Canada.

Teavana MateVana (mate with rooibos, chocolate and nuts)

I haven't tried mate until a few weeks ago but I like it and think it's something that I'd like to get more of eventually.  Mate is a popular South American drink that seems to be as caffinated as coffee, but has some vitamins and minerals as well as just tasting more mild, so it's a good alternative for people who don't like coffee or want to switch it up once in a while.  Plus after looking at the prices, I actually feel as though I'd be willing to buy mate from Teavana if it's good (a few are under $6 and they have more interesting flavors than Prestogeorge).

Outsides:  This blend contains mate (please don't call it mate tea, Teavana, because mate is a completely different plant), various cocos and chocolates, rooibos, various flavorings, almond pieces, cactus blossoms, sunflower and cornflower petals.  It smells chocolatey and looks very colorful.  I brewed 2 teaspoons of this in 8 oz of 95 degree water for 6 minutes.  The liquid is a dark brown color and it has a light chocolate and plant smell.

Insides:  It's not as sweet tasting as I thought it would be, which is good.  There is a definite chocolate taste with the mate acting as a decent base (it seems to give it an extra roasty flavor).  It's strange because past the scent, the liquid doesn't really taste like much, past maybe a little savory from the nuts.  Adding sugar helps bring out the sweetness and flavors.  It's not a bad chocolate drink, it just isn't the taste explosion I was hoping for.  It's also a very smooth drink.

Overall:  Not bad but not amazing.

My Rating:  Try it!

Teavana is a chain tea retailer in malls across the United States and Canada.

TasTEA Time! Adagio's Chocolate Chai Black Tea

I actually don't have much of an intro to this other than I make chocolate chai tea concentrate so unfortunately, Adagio has that to live up to.

Outsides:  I figured I'd show you the bags these things come in.  Chocolate chai has all the typical ingredients of chai PLUS CHOCOLATE so yum yum.  I steeped it in almost boiling water for...4 or 5 minutes, which is longer than Adagio wants but I like my chai spices strong.  It's a orange brown color but I'll be reviewing it with cream because that's how most people drink it.  It smells not unlike gingerbread.

Insides:  I'm not really impressed.  The chocolate flavor is there so that's nice, but the chai base is just not as strong as I was hoping for.  It's not really that spicy and honestly, even the chocolate flavor doesn't add much to the taste.  It's still not bad but I'd reccommend the Thai Chai over this any day.

Overall:  Meh.  I'm glad I got this in a sample. 

My Rating:  Pass.

Adagio is one of the most reputable online tea dealers.  They have a lot of different varieties and even have free shipping until cyber monday.  If you go on my Twitter @teaandpolish, I try and send out $5 gift certificate codes every day.

TasTEA Time! Adagio's Valentine tea (chocolate and strawberry)

 

I used to hate desert teas because they were never properly flavored, and although this is a mix of fruit and chocolate, a lot of the sweet spices tend to overwhelm the tea.  However, I've been turned and realize that there are a lot of great sweetly flavored teas that aren't flavored with fruit.  Prestogeorge has a bunch and I've even wrote about Adagio's Pumpkin Spice.  But I love chocolate-covered strawberries.  They're like caramel apples in that you can pretend that they're healthy, but they're not and they're delicious.  A good thing about tea is that you should be able to get all of the flavor without as many calories.

Outsides:  I got this as a sample size from Adagio, which does make a decent amount of cups (I'd say about 8).  It was in a foil-lined bag which is resealable.  The tea was made using less than boiling water and steeped for about 3 minutes.  It's dark golden orange and smells very chocolatey with a hint of strawberry.  I then added cream, which I will explain in a bit.

Insides:  This tea needs to be rinsed or to be mixed with some milk/cream/soymilk because it is a bit too bitter and that bitterness masks the flavors.  However, milk really brings out the chocolate and strawberry so I'm willing to forgive.  The tea actually does a good job replicating the taste sensation of eating a chocolate-covered strawberry since the smell of chocolate is stronger but the two tastes balance out in the end.  Sadly, this is not the most versitile tea out there although it is fine without sugar.  It needs some sort of cream when cold though, but ultimately tastes better warm.

Overall:  I like it and would recommend people trying it.  Plus, it's nice having a tea that is flavored after a desert and actually tastes like it.

My Rating:  Try!

So, if you're in the US then you know that it's Black Friday.  This is good news since Adagio is having free shipping on any sized order (so you can get 5 samples for $10).  I think it's going on until Cyber monday but it might be only for today so get that tea!  And as always, first-time customers can get 5 dollars off their first purchase by getting the coupons I tweet at @teaandpolish.  

TasTEA Time! Prestogeorge chocolate chip black tea.

Yay!  I found my cup!

So, Prestogeorge is one of our local tea stores here in Pittsburgh (which you can order online from) and yes, those are real chocolate chips in that black tea.  I saw this tea on /r/tea and that's how I got introduced to Prestogeorge, which I will eventually write about my experience but let's just say that I'm a dedicated customer.  I have to say, I've seen chocolate chai but I've never seen black tea with chocolate chips in it so props to PG for being unique.  Oh, and this was $1.70 for 2 oz so it was dirt cheap.

Outsides:  You can get your tea packaged in either a cheap, paper bag (that actually seals pretty nicely and if you don't have canisters, seems to keep well in a dark, dry place) or plastic bags.  The tea itself is dark brown.  It smells a little bitter with that warm hint of chocolate.

Insides:  Ok first off, I don't know what kind of chocolate chips they use, but they're good chocolate (yes, I totally tasted one).  They're dark chocolate and I'm pretty sure they're not Tollhouse, but I'll have to ask them the next time I go there so I can make chocolate chip cookies.  As for the tea, it's a bit bitter.  Not undrinkably bitter but something that needs a bit of added something even after rinsing.  The chocolate flavor is good, adding a hint of sweetness and a nice cocoa undertone.  This is really good with sugar and/or milk and apparently, makes a good iced tea.  

Overall:  If you want a nice desert tea, something that'll satiate your chocolate cravings without the calories or something that's just unique, give this a try.  If you don't live in the Pittsburgh area and want to try something similar to this, just add some quality dark chocolate chips to your black tea mix (Try adding a bit of cocoa powder too, possibly with an oolong base).  Unless you hate chocolate, there's not much you can lose by trying this plus it's ridiculously cheap.  

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's Prestogeorge's site.  Note that you can only buy 4 or more oz of tea, but I'll review more teas that I think everyone can enjoy!  Prestogeorge

K-cup Reviews: Cafe Escapes Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa

That's right.  Two in a row!  I don't normally drink 2 cups of hot chocolate on the same day, but I'll consider one my desert.  I also felt the need to do a back to back with the Grove Square because...well, you should know which one makes the better cocoa.

Outsides:  A standard K-cup making a slightly darker than normal hot cocoa.

Insides:  Ok, the Cafe Escapes Hot Chocolate is not quite as sweet as the Grove Square and a little more chocolaty, but it tastes like it has artificial sweeteners when I don't think it does.  It's more of an aftertaste but  you don't get that with normal hot cocoa.  This is a bit sad because it's actually pretty good until that.

Overall:  Honestly, what's wrong with just using your Keurig to brew 8 oz of water and mixing a packet of hot chocolate in it?  It's gonna be cheaper than this stuff.  It's gonna be better than this stuff.  So yeah, don't buy it.

My Rating:  Pass.  Here's the GM affiliated site:  Cafe Escapes

K-cup Reviews: Grove Square Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa

I kinda think hot cocoa K-cups are a waste of money.  For one thing, it takes the same amount of time using an electric kettle as it does the Keurig.  Even a microwave takes what, a minute and a half.  And then really the only work you do is stir.  Now, I guess you can get these for the office for that one person who doesn't like coffee or for teh childrens, but to me, personal use of these seems a bit silly.

Outsides:  Your standard K-cup except it's brown!  It looks and smells like normal hot cocoa.

Insides:  Ok, this one isn't bad.  It's rich, chocolaty and sweet, plus it isn't too fake tasting.  From what I remember, this is better than the Cafe Escapes milk chocolate one (I'll review it next to make sure) in that it tastes like appropriate hot chocolate.

Overall:  If you feel like you need some hot chocolate, whether it be for your office or kids or even just something to pop in, this one's not a bad choice.  Plus it's cheaper than the Cafe Escapes.

My Rating:  Try it!  This brand's interesting in that it doesn't have a Green Mountain Affiliated site, but you can easily find them at Sams Club and here's the holiday pack on Amazon.

K-Cup Reviews: Coffee People Donut Shop Coconut Mocha

Yes, I'm going back to reviewing tea soon, but it was a rough day at work.  You see, I work 2 jobs:  One at Big Lots during weekdays and the other at Pitt during the weekends, which is great because the worst days at BL are during the weekends.  People are cranky, think they're the center of the universe and all shop on the same day.  I haven't had that many bad days at BL after not working weekends, but I guess everyone wanted to do their last minute shopping and dear god, it was a doosey.  All I really want to do is have some of this fru-fru flavored coffee and relax (probably make a cup of tea later).

I was excited about this for three reasons.  First, Coffee People is generally a good brand.  If you look at the Keurig website and other venders, you'll notice that the Coffee People Donut Shop is usually at or near the top of the list.  It's also a medium roast, which is a bit unique for a lot of flavored coffees because they tend to be light roasts.  Last but certainly not least, it's coconut and chocolate!  I mean, that sounds delicious, like a Mounds bar without the sugar.

Outside:  It's your average K-cup, but it does have a pretty cool design on the lid.  Sadly, this does not amaze me with its brewing smell, just a little bit of coconut but the coffee itself smells like coconut.

Insides:  The coffee isn't the strongest in the flavor department, but is very smooth and slightly sweet.  The coconut flavor is more in the smell than in the coffee, but that's actually pretty nice since it isn't overpowering.  and the chocolate serves a a nice background flavor.  It's not very bitter or acidic and tastes more like a cookie than coffee.

Overall:  I think it's solid and a fun flavor to boot.  The coffee's a bit light, but if you're just looking for something different or need a cool flavor to mix into your collection, check it out.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the website.

Starbucks Frappuccino Mint Mocha

What:  Mint coffee

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  This was something else that I just found in my fridge that has been there since September or something.  Now, the difference between this and the Snapple is that this has milk in it and although the expiration date says February 20, 2012, I'd rather drink it sooner than later.  Starbucks drinks tend to be below average taste for an above-average price and mint X coffee seems a bit...iffy.

Packaging:  Again, I like the mini-milk bottle.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks like coffee and it smells minty.

Taste:  If you're not a fan of coffee but you love Thin Mints, check out this drink.  It's minty with a hint of chocolate and that whole coffee thing is more of an aftertaste (I don't even taste it at all but it does make your breath smell bad).  I actually really enjoy it especially for breakfast or whenever you want a coffee treat.

Overall:  I like it.  I wish they made this a regular edition as opposed to just some random thing they get once in a while.  For on the go or just even as a treat, check it out.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Don't know if this has the iced drinks, but here's the Starbucks shop.  They look like they have some nice cups too (that are probably at a ridiculous price).

Coffee Break! Starbucks Frappuccino Lite Mocha

A comparison between the large diet and the small regular

What:  Diet coffee

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  I really don't.  Starbucks is a giant corporation that makes pretty mediocre coffee at a pretty high price.  The Frappeccino is a coffee drink meant for non-coffee drinkers, however they are pretty fatty (the smaller one in the comparison picture is 200 calories while this one is 150).  People are going to buy their drinks whether I say anything bad about them or not so let's just review this.

Packaging:  I actually like the bottle.  It has this milk-bottle shape to it which makes it seem classier than it actually is.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks like coffee and it smells like coffee

Taste:  So, you probably wouldn't be able to tell it's diet from the before and middle tastes.  There's a hint of cocoa in there (Mochas are coffee drinks with a little bit of chocolate in the foam) and the coffee goes down smooth.  But then the Splenda hits you and stays in your mouth forever.  And since they're using skim milk, that hits you too (although I like skim milk).  Oh god, and the coffee breath!  I know you should expect it, but it just seems worse with Starbucks.  Unlike the Monster coffee drink, the coffee tastes cheaper than what you're paying for and I know this is because of the brand name (it's weak and it has that strong aftertaste cheap coffee has).

Overall:  Wow, I complained a lot there.  I think what I want to say is that this isn't something I'd recommend to most people (which is pretty obvious).  There are times when I give the go-ahead, like if you're in a hurry and need a caffeine boost and don't mind the horrid Splenda.  However, you can make this same product at home for about 30 cents at home (that's probably including the start-up cost of getting a coffee machine) and that's what gets it for me.

My Rating:  Pass.  You can get these anywhere, even if you're in other countries (I think).

Hot Cocoa Time! Stephen's Candy Cane Cocoa Peppermint

What:  Hot cocoa with bits of candy cane in it.  A thing to note is that this candy cane is supposed to melt but will more likely end up sticking to anything and everything it touches from the mug to the spoon you mix it with.

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  Mint tends to be one of the more popular hot chocolate flavors and this one has little bits of candy mixed in the cocoa.  My mom got me a huge box of this stuff and I can tell you that it's great for company after a night of throwing snowballs or walking two miles in the opposite direction from the dorm (I will never trust that person with directions again).  But I have matured and tasted many more a hot cocoa so how will Stephen's hold up?

Packaging:  Foil bags.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's standard hot chocolate with a little bit of a pinkish tint.  There's also that hint of peppermint in the smell.

Taste:  Well, it's not as creamy as Land-o-Lakes, but it has a really strong minty candy cane taste.   It's sweet but not too sweet and another nice thing is surprisingly, it does mix well and doesn't leave as much of a cocoa residue as other brands.

Overview:  I think one of the nice things about getting close to the holidays are some of the limited edition flavors of food and this is no exception.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.  Something tells me that this is the uber-bulk pack, though.

TasTEA Time! Zhena's Cacaoberry Tea

What:  Zhena's Gypsy Tea:  Pink:  Tea for Women's Health Cacaoberry (to be exact)

Where:  California

Why Should I Care:  So, this is by far one of the most interesting teas I've seen.  Unfortunately, this was a special edition and is not available though the site (we got it about a year and some months ago).  However, Zhena's has a lot of interesting flavors and is generally a nice company.  They're fair-trade, organic, give you these cool tins for your tea and offer cheap(er) refills.  This particular tea is a mixture of Sencha (Japanese green tea), Rooibos, Raspberry and dark chocolate.

Packaging:  All their teas come in these nice metal tins, whether it be loose-leaf or sachets.  Unfortunately, the sachets aren't individually wrapped, but they are made of corn-silk meaning that if you don't have a metal ball for brewing tea, this gives you the same effect.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's darker than your typical green tea but lighter than Ceylon.  The smell is fantastic.  It's like you have a cup of raspberry hot cocoa in your cup.

Taste:  The flavors really blend well.  When you drink it, there isn't a specific taste that overpowers and makes you say "Oh, I'm drinking green tea" or "Oh, I'm drinking hot cocoa".  I'm thinking the rooibos is used to make the tea have a slightly thicker texture and add a bit of that sweetness.  The green tea itself is actually really high quality, having none of that grassy taste that a lot of green tea does.  It's naturally a little sweet so you don't need sugar, but you can add it to bring out the chocolate notes and personally, I think this would be a little weird as an iced tea, but you can try.

Overall:  Let's see.  It has a hit of chocolate without the calories and even boosts your metabolism, organic, fair-trade, tasty.  The only two real downsides are that 1)  it's discontinued and 2)  Zhena's is a bit pricey.  I'm going to counter the second point by saying that it's high quality, worth the money you're paying and you really shouldn't buy it for everyday drinking anyway.  If you see it, buy it or beg the person who has it to make you some.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's Zhena's site.  I should also point at this sight for some great gift tea for holiday gift-giving, whether it be the tropical ones or the holiday ones.

Hot Cocoa Time! Land O Lakes Classic Dark

What:  Extra Chocolatey Hot Cocoa

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  The thing I've noticed about dark chocolate cocoa is that it generally has more cocoa with the same amount of sugar and cream.  I mean, dark chocolate is pretty much just more chocolate and less milk.  Anyway, this is usually my stand-by when I drink hot chocolate

Packaging:  Foil bag

Non-Taste Senses:  It's a little darker and grayer than your average cocoa and smells more chocolaty 

Taste:  Oh man, it's so chocolaty.  It still has the same creaminess of the other ones but with double the cocoa

Overall:  If you like chocolate, check this out.  If not, stay away from this.

My Rating:  Try it.

Hot Cocoa Time! Land O Lakes Chocolate Graham hot cocoa

What:  Graham Cracker Hot Cocoa?

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  I'm guessing this is supposed to taste like chocolate and wheat.  Also, this is theoretically the best cocoa for marshmallows.

Packaging:  Foil package

Non-taste Senses:  It looks like hot cocoa but it smells like...coconut?

Taste:  It tastes like chocolate with coconut too.  I dunno.  The hot cocoa portion of it is really rich and creamy but that added bit of coconut throws me off.  It's ok but it's not something I recommend to people.

Overall:  I've tried about 7 flavors of Land o Lakes and this one's my least favorite.  I'm pretty sure it's seasonal and that's how it should stay.

My Rating:  Pass.  This particular flavor is special edition so you're not going to find it on the site.

Hot Coco Time! Land O Lakes Chocolate Suprime

What:  Regular ol' hot cocoa

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  I honestly just felt like having some hot cocoa.  It IS that type of weather, plus hot cocoa's great for people who have major chocolate cravings.  Even it it's 150 calories per cup, that's better than 300 calories per bar (the excuses I make).  I also have a bunch of hot cocoa so I figured, why not!

Packaging:  Land O Lakes is nice and uses foil packages as opposed to paper.  Well, that's not so nice for the earth-loving hippies but whatever.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks like normal hot cocoa and it smells like normal hot cocoa.

Taste:  I think the best thing about this brand is that they don't skimp on the (powdered) milk.  It's super creamy while still having a nice chocolaty flavor.  It's also nice and thick so it kinda fools you into thinking you're drinking milk instead of water.

Overall:  I like this brand.  It's rich, creamy and has everything you want in standard hot cocoa.  Check it out.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.