Chocolate Tea... Well, That's Just About the Best Thing Ever

I walked into my local grocery store yesterday looking for Earl Grey tea. I walked out with a charming tin of... hmm... we'll call it "pricey" tea. It wasn't Early Grey - it was chocolate tea.

Yes, I said chocolate tea.

Do I love chocolate? Yes, I do, as I'm sure you do too. What is chocolate tea like? Read on, and I'll tell you.

Opening the tin is like stepping into Willy Wonka's candy room - you know, the one with the chocolate river? The smell is absolutely amazing.

The tea bags, too, were luxurious, crafted of "silken" sheer fabric.

Then comes the brewing. For the price, I was surprised that the tin contained only twenty tea bags. Then, I discovered that one tea bag is to be used with sixteen fluid ounces of boiling water - which is what my teapot holds. So, that's about three teacups full of tea.

Would the drink itself live up to its aroma? Would it need milk or sugar? On the first sip, I was hooked. The tea was more delicate, more subtle, than I had imagined, and it did not contain the bitterness I had expected. It was light and almost floral, and definitely striking of very dark chocolate.

Don't expect this tea to taste like hot chocolate, because it does not. It is something of its own. It is light and refreshing, and very caffeinated when compared to other teas. In fact, each cup contains 40 to 60 milligrams of caffeine, whereas most teas top out at 40 mg. That makes it the perfect afternoon pick me up for a writer pounding away at the keys.

Then, I discovered that Amazon carries, not just a few flavors of Harney and Sons teas, but many. You can view them all here.