It’s been over two decades since I’ve been in the presence of my Nana, she and I had a special relationship. She wasn’t just my grandmother, she was also my friend and we would hang out like friends do: lunch and a movie, sharing recipes and cooking in the kitchen together. I come from a large Sicilian family, so the kitchen is a BIG part of my childhood. My Nana’s kitchen in particular, she taught me how to use my instincts to cook delicious meals for the family. One of her favorite flavors was hazelnut. I remember she would brew coffee and add hazelnut creamer and the aroma would fill the kitchen air with warmth and sweetness. To this day, the smell of hazelnut will take me back to her kitchen and it’s always my “go to” tea when I get overwhelmed by all the other tea options in my kitchen, it just feels like home. That said, not ALL hazelnut teas are alike and not any hazelnut tea will transport me back to Nana’s kitchen. The hazelnut tea I reach for is a black tea by Leland Tea Company called Kookiedoodle. I’ve been sipping this tea for over a decade and I never get tired of it. If my Nana were still around, it’s the tea I know she would enjoy the most and we would brew it in her kitchen.
I know a good tea when I smell it, this tea smells amazing! It has an aroma of roasted hazelnuts, cinnamon and vanilla - hazelnut, being the most prevalent scent. Hazelnuts have a distinctive scent and flavor that is unique from other nuts, it has a delicate aroma of butter and salt with a bit of sweet oak. It is often used for cooking and used in spreads, like Nutella. The spices of cinnamon and vanilla give this earthy tea some spice and sweetness without overpowering the senses. Much like many of my Nana’s recipes, some of the most flavorful recipes only require a few GOOD ingredients - more isn’t always better.
Brewing this tea feels like you are brewing a cup of autumn leaves in your kitchen. The soft shades of brown cascading in a circular stream in your cup look like tiny leaves blowing in the wind. You won’t need to set your kitchen timer to know when it’s ready to sip, your instincts will guide you. The first sip is like walking through the doorway to the kitchen, once there, you know you’ve arrived home. Flavors of sweet roasted hazelnuts with just a touch of spice, simmer on your palate. The cinnamon is a lovely accent to the hazelnut, it brings out the oak and the vanilla adds sweetness to offset the more earthy flavors in this brew. No sugar needed here, but I do usually drink this with cream, the cream gives the tea a nice compliment - Nana would definitely approve of this ingredient.
If you ever feel stressed and overwhelmed by life, take a tea time out and reach for this sweet treat. The aroma and flavors will soothe your soul and bring you back to your internal home where you can sit with happy memories of laughter, love and friendship. Nana and I wish you a happy tea time.
Tea time is about connection, a brief moment in time that anchors the soul to the present moment - a sweet respite from the noise around us.
Website: https://lelandtea.com/product/kookiedoodle/
Many Tea Wishes To You,
Fairy Teamother
I can really taste the hazelnuts when I read this. What a lovely story with your grandmother, thanks so much for sharing! Looking forward to you next post. :)