Thursday, February 18, 2010

Tea Forté Review



I don't know about you, but I really enjoy a good cup of tea!  My search for a good quality of flavored tea had been a fruitless one for a long time....that was until I discovered Tea Forté.  From the Tea Forté website (http://bella213.wordpress.com/wp-admin/www.teaforte.com), you can learn the following about the company:
Founded in 2003, Tea Forté aims to capture the "Art of Tea". We’ve consulted with chefs and restaurateurs in culinary havens worldwide to create the most innovative and delicious blends of tea with whole leaf teas, rough-cut herbs and flowers. Our pyramid infusers crowned with our signature leaf, combined with our custom-designed accessories, elevates a cup of tea into an extraordinary experience for all of your senses.
Tea Forté unique products are available at fine retailers, restaurants, hotels and spas worldwide, as well as here on our website. So settle in with a cup of tea and explore our online store. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments.
Peter Hewitt
Founder & CEO
It was about a month ago while attending a conference that Tea Forte was offered that I was first introduced to their product. For me, it was love at first sip!  So far I have tried the following flavors (with the description from the Tea Forte website accompanying them):
Belgian Mint - Two favorite flavors, chocolate and mint, are perfectly balanced to create an infusion with a rich aroma and a sweet, satisfying finish.
Coco Truffle - The world’s finest cacao beans create this rich, chocolate reward. This healthy infusion is nearly as gratifying as a velvety truffle.
Raspberry Nectar - Luscious, succulent raspberries highlight this ruby red hibiscus flower infusion. Pleasantly tart and extraordinarily sweet. *my favorite*
Decaf Breakfast - A robust, full-bodied, naturally decaffeinated black tea. Fully satisfying any time of the day. Enjoy with milk and a touch of sugar.
Citrus Mint - Cool, brilliant peppermint is complemented by sunny citrus zest. A perfectly refreshing cup that warms the body and soothes the soul.
All of the teas I have tried are caffeine-free.
Now, I realize this tea is more expensive than the Lipton Tea you can easily find in the grocery store, but believe me when I say that it is worth it!
I decided to go the less expensive route and purchased their Luci Loose Tea Infuser (pictured to the left)  which is an easy to use loose tea infuser that is perfect for brewing a cup, mug, or small teapot. Just add loose tea to the stainless steel base, twist on the colorful ceramic top and steep. After steeping, place the infuser on the accompanying tea tray to capture the drips.   I then purchased the loose tea version of my favorite teas, saving a lot of money in the long run!  For example (using pricing for Raspberry Nectar) : 20 pyramid infusers are $24 and 48 pyramid infusers are $48 - price per serving is $0.83 - $1.00.  Now let's look at the price for the loose tea: $15 for 35 servings - price per serving is $0.42 per serving!  I know this is still more money than Lipton Tea, but the quality is definitely worth it!
One more thing worth mentioning is their Tea Forté rewards program, which you can enroll is for free on their website.  As a Forté Rewards member, you'll receive 5% in Forté Rewards on every purchase you make at teaforte.com.