Tea Review: Strawberry Velvet Cake by Ahmad
Image by Libertad on Pixabay
Rita Mock-Pike
I decided to try one last Ahmad brand tea this year. Since I loved the Strawberry Sensation so much, when I saw the Strawberry Velvet Cake dessert tea, I thought I’d give it a brew.
As usual, Ahmad meets the standards of pretty darn good tea. However, I couldn’t tell much difference between it and Strawberry Sensation, so the price tag felt a little steep in comparison ($5 for the Strawberry Sensation, $12 for Strawberry Velvet Cake tea with shipping).
Drinking it several times over the month, however, I noticed the subtle nuances of the flavor, and I began to appreciate the unique notes a bit more.
Despite being gluten-free, the tea has a little bit of a “velvet cake” flavor. The list of ingredients simply says “black tea, natural flavoring, and rose petals” in most cases, so figuring out exactly what creates the hint of cake flavor is challenging. The main concern is the gluten status, which happens to be “free,” so I can still drink it.
Ultimately, despite my initial impressions, I would actually say this tea is worth the extra price. I wouldn’t recommend drinking it in tandem with other fruit teas on the regular, however, as some of the subtle notes won’t rise to the surface as well. Instead, enjoy this as the tea type suggests: as a dessert tea.
Personally, I’ve enjoyed it on a cooling October evening or mid-day at seminary while I’m trying to piece together scenes for a screenplay I’m writing for class. Additionally, it pairs exceptionally well with homemade gluten-free butter cookies and oat flour bread with creamed honey. But mostly, I’d recommend enjoying it solo, without accompanying foods, so you can pick up on all the fine details of the natural flavoring. Sip sparingly for a true savor and enjoy both hot and cold.
Editor-in-Chief of The MockingOwl Roost, Rita Mock-Pike is the granddaughter of aviatrix, Jerrie Mock, first woman to pilot an airplane solo around the world. Rita has found inspiration from her grandmother’s life and flight and pursued many of her own dreams in theatre, podcasting, novel writing, and cooking up delicious food from around the world. She now writes on food, travel, pets, faith, and the arts. She’s happily married to Matt, and faithfully serves the very fluffy kitten queen, Lady Stardust.
