My older age has softened me a tad. Not physically, but preferentially. It seems that while I still like sweets, depending on what it is, I tend to either like a small taste of really sweet things or a less sweetened taste to things I really like. There must be truth that one can grow saltier with age. However, when I find a good balance that doesn't bring out my non-culinary salty side, I can dig it.
So my drink pick of the week is Arteasan, a nice eclectic line of cold teas that have delicious culinary pairings. Don't think honey and lemon, but rather great mash-ups like Watermelon/Mint with Matcha tea, Passion Fruit/Elderberry/Peppermint with Green tea, Peach/Rosemary with Yerba Mate tea and Pineapple/Starfruit/Ginger Oolong tea. When the sweet factor is toned down, the subtle nuances of the ingredients and the wonderful observations of them being paired together with their respective teas shine through. Each of the four flavors hint at subtle restorative mental wellness properties like glow, be well, focus and cleanse and the delicateness of each ingredient speaks to that. These are great on their own and can even be paired with spirits for cocktails (gin, perhaps) or with champagne for spritzers. Arteasan is proof that when the sweet is toned down the flavor shines through.
www.Arteasan.com
