Tea Drops – The Goods

Get a little TEApsy with Sashee Chandran

December 23, 2015

I really enjoy traditional black, white, oolong, and green teas, but I’m also drawn to creative and novel interpretations of the tea experience. My fascination with blending tea with spices from around the world has led me to some delicious creations. I love the element of surprise in blending a traditional tea (like Earl Grey) with a complementary but unusual companion (like rose petals or raw cacao).

That’s probably why I so enjoy mixing Tea Drop blends with a variety of different spirits to create tea cocktails. Tea cocktails give a new spin on teatime, and would also be a unique addition to your upcoming holiday gatherings. They will greatly intrigue your guests, and lucky for you, they are simple to create.

I get so much inspiration from my traveling bartender friends Mint and Mirth from Portland, Oregon. They are a rad girl duo who come up with some of the most unique (and delicious!) cocktail creations. I often look to them for cocktail ideas. We even collaborated on a new tea-infused cocktail they introduced at a recent wedding, called Lady May Gimlet. It was a huge hit!

I wanted to share some of my favorite tea-infused cocktails for the holiday season. These are easy to prepare, general crowd pleasers, and are sure to make a sophisticated, boozy addition to any gathering. All of these recipes can be made using the Tea Drop Sampler. I hope you enjoy them while creating some unforgettable holiday memories! And please be sure to sip (and drop) responsibly.

Photograph: Sweetlife Photography

Lady May Gimlet

Mint & Mirth share the cocktail recipe that incorporates Tea Drops’ popular Sweet Peppermint from the Tea Drop Sampler.

Ingredients:
● 2 oz Aria Portland Dry Gin or other dry gin
● 1 sweet peppermint Tea Drop
● 1/2 oz mixed berry juice
● dash of aromatic bitters

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice, shake well, then strain over ice and garnish with citrus.

Photograph: Sweetlife Photography

Photograph: Myles Katherine Wedding

Fresh Cut Cocktail

I was so inspired by Mint and Mirth’s original Fresh Cut cocktail and loved the mixture of gin, Chartreuse French liqueur, and lime. I felt that our Citrus Ginger Tea Drop would make a great addition for those who found the lime juice in the original recipe to be a bit tart. Below is my adapted version of Mint and Mirth’s original Fresh Cut cocktail.

Ingredients
● 1 ½ oz. Gin
● ¼ oz. green chartreuse French liqueur
● ¾ oz. of tea from the Citrus Ginger Tea Drop
● Dash rhubarb bitters from Brooklyn Bitters
● Optional: Splash of Tonic

Directions:
Prepare a Citrus Ginger Tea Drop, allow to cool and set aside. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with lemon and enjoy.

Vanilla Tea Hot Toddy

Whenever I sip on this hot toddy, I’m instantly transported to sitting by a crackling fire wrapped in my wool blanket, catching up with some of my favorite people. If I could bottle up our Vanilla White Tea Toddy that describe it to people, that’s the mood/place I would describe. I love the blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and cream in Rumchata — it is incredibly delicious and comforting at the same time. Below is my favorite recipe for a winter toddy made with our popular Vanilla White Tea Drop, with a deelish Rumchata infusion.

Ingredients
● 1 Vanilla White Tea Drop
● 2 TB of Rumchata

Directions:
Prepare 1 Vanilla White Tea Drop using 6 oz of boiling water in your favorite mug. Add Rumchata and mix. Enjoy!

The Uncommon Life

Summer on Ice – Sashee Chandran’s Iced Tea Tips

August 12, 2015

I love summer, not just because it’s travel season or light and bright into the evening, but also because it’s iced tea season! There’s nothing more enjoyable to me than grabbing my favorite iced tea blend and walking around to explore a new city on a warm summer day.

When I founded Tea Drops, I wanted to make the ritual and preparation of tea easy for others without sacrificing the loose leaf tea experience. Sure, you could use a tea bag, but tea connoisseurs the world over agree that loose leaf preparation is more flavorful – some go so far as to condemn the tea bag as one of the worst inventions of the 20th century! The aim is to make loose leaf teatime easy to prepare whether at the office, on a camping trip, or simply relaxing at home. Simply drop a Tea Drop, stir, and sip a delicious cup of tea anytime, anywhere.

But – you can also make a delicious brew served over ice! It’s incredibly easy and fun to make an iced tea blend just for yourself or to serve at your next summer bash… or infused into your favorite summer cocktail!

Reach up to iced tea heaven by following these simple steps:

1. Add a Tea Drop of your choice and 3 tbsp boiling water in a cup until the drop dissolves. Stir.

2. Add a half cup of ice to a 8-10 ounce glass. Pour the mixture over ice.

3. Fill the remainder of the glass with cold water. Enjoy!

Makes 1 serving.

Another deliciously fun idea is to mix different varieties of tea together. Blend a Citrus Ginger Tea Drop with a Sweet Peppermint Tea Drop to create the ultimate refresher, or a Sweet Peppermint with Rose Earl Grey to create a unique, delicious twist. You can put your culinary imagination to the test and create a range of creative iced tea blends.

Right photo by Diego Jimenez/@dejota3

We’ve been playing around with some delicious & refreshing mashups. Here are some of our favorite iced tea blends, all of which can be made with the teas in our Tea Drops Sampler Box.

Citrus Ginger & Sweet Peppermint: Ultra refreshing! Follow the steps above using these two Tea Drops.
Vanilla White Coconut: Follow the steps above with a Vanilla White Tea Drop and add a splash of coconut milk for a delicious, creamy treat.
Rose Earl Grey London Fog: After following steps 1 & 2 above with a Rose Earl Grey Tea Drop, substitute water for milk in step 3.
Minty Rose Earl Grey: Spruce up your Rose Earl Grey Iced Tea by mixing in a Sweet Peppermint Tea Drop. Follow the steps above using these two Tea Drops.

I’m excited to see what Iced Tea creations you’ll come up with next – there’s just so many! Make sure to share your iced tea creation on social with #TeaDrops so that I can try your recipe too.

Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet Sashee Chandran

April 20, 2015

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design enters our assortment, we’re always excited to learn more about the person behind the product.

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Sashee Chandran, the maker behind our new Tea Drop Sampler.

Photo by Diego Jimenez/@dejota3

When did you know you wanted to work in tea?
I was always drawn to the intimate and communal nature of tea, and its ability to strengthen the bonds of friends and strangers alike. Throughout my life, I have fantasized about owning a tea shop. I even kept a little booklet on hand for when I felt inspired to write down what my tea shop would serve. Later, through my natural inclination to make, share and talk tea with others, I came across many who found the traditional tea rituals too daunting or time consuming. With these challenges to overcome, Tea Drops was born. It would be the first tea to create an all encompassing experience with the rich taste and tradition of loose tea, and a pinch of raw organic sugar for a no-fuss preparation.

What was the most exciting thing about becoming an entrepreneur?
The most exciting part is knowing that on a daily basis, I am tackling the challenge of making tea more accessible and enjoyable to people, and little by little I’m making progress on that goal. It isn’t about meeting one huge goal, it’s really about accomplishing small victories along the way. My team and I use the hashtag #smallvictories a lot, to celebrate something as simple as an easy craft fair set up to gaining a new retail account.

What does your typical day in your workspace look like?
I’m incredibly lucky to work out of a certified kitchen in the beautiful hills of Los Gatos, California. We peer out our kitchen window and have a stunning view of deer, trees, and other natural beauty as we grind our organic tea and spices. We are embraced by the delcious scents of tea and spices all day. We also have a packaging area where we prep and wrap all of our teas by hand so they are ready to be shipped and enjoyed by you!

Photo by Diego Jimenez/@dejota3

Is there a trinket, talisman, or other inspirational object you keep near? If so, what is it and what does it mean to you?
I take my Khordz Mug everywhere with me. I drink an insane amount of tea per day (10-15 cups), so it’s critical I have a portable tea cup that can go anywhere with me, no matter what the activity. It’s like my blanky.

Imagine you just showed your work to a kindergartner for the first time. What do you think he/she would say?
“Oooooh. How coool. YUMMMY, too.”

We actually have a lot of kids who come up to our booth at various craft shows, and we always demo how our Tea Drops dissolve in hot water. They are both amazed, intrigued, and love the taste as well. It’s wonderful to see parents sharing the love of tea so early on.

Right photo by Diego Jimenez/@dejota3

What quote or mantra keeps you motivated?
I actually have many. Here are a few of my favorites:

“As you walk, the way appears.” – Rumi, Persian poet and Sufi master

Fear is obviously a huge factor that can hold you back. I always love being reminded that I do not need to have all of the answers when I continue on my journey. I have to have faith that guidance will appear the more entrenched I become in my path/work.

“I don’t want no mediocre.” –T.I., Rapper

My small team and I often blast this song when prepping for a show or order, because quite frankly, we can’t tolerate medicore.

“Nothing in this world will take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Genius will not. Education will not. Persistence and dedication alone are omnipotent.” – President Calvin Coolidge

It’s pretty self-explanatory – persistence is key. Especially when I feel intimidated, I always have to remember that.

Video courtesy of Ezra Productions