Vegan winter teas are a 'cool' surprise

By Giselle Wedemire

The last time I wrote about DavidsTea's seasonal teas, I was peeved at the lack of vegan-friendly options available. I was at the point where I was considering boycotting the store because it seems like it's been such an extreme uphill battle for me to find readily available limited edition teas that don't contain bits of shellac or dairy in them. But (for now), that's changed.

On Nov. 2, DavidsTea unveiled their winter tea lineup and, to say the least, I was floored.

Screenshot via DavidsTea.com

Number of new vegan fall teas leaf - I mean 'leave' - something to be desired

By Giselle Wedemire

From the heightened appreciation for a good squash soup to the open invitation to start dressing in layers and boots until I start to resemble Rhian from My So Called Life, fall is definitely my favourite time of year. And with fall comes an increased need for a hot cup of tea. 

Pretty much the perfect autumn view

One of my favourite things to do on an autumn weekend morning is waking up before Mr. Picky Bitch, going into my little reading nook, and cozying up with a book and a hot cup of tea.

This makes the release of the new fall-themed teas at DavidsTea a very exciting time of year for me. I mean, it's got autumn-inspired teas and cute mugs involved, so how can I not love it? Look at how cute the new fall mugs are; the vintage camper and fox mugs? Get out of town! They're so darn cute I cute pinch them (but that might not work, since they're made of ceramic).

Summery iced teas to help you keep your cool

By Giselle Wedemire

Summer is here which, for some, means it's time for SPF, vacations, and sandy beaches. Or, if you're like me, you soak up the summer heat by donning your favourite/only oversized floppy sun hat, fixing yourself a cold drink,  and parking yourself on your porch for a bit of outdoor reading.

While some may reach for iced tea on hot days, I'm really more of an iced coffee kind of girl. (I like to mix my iced coffees with a splash of soy milk, a squeeze of agave nectar, and a handful of ice cubes, and then BAM, I've got myself a kickass porch-reading, sun-tanning drink!)

Shout-out to Brian K. Vaughan for the amazing-ness that is volume 1 of Paper Girls.
Not only is it super badass, it's also perfect for outdoor summer reading,
as pictured above with my amazing ice coffee and my hella cute pedicure.

But if you're of the iced tea persuasion, there a few new vegan options at DavidsTea you might want to scope out. At the time of writing, DavidsTea has two summery tea collections on offer: their Summer Collection and the Boardwalk Collection. 

New teas might add a bit of a 'spring' to your step

By Giselle Wedemire

Spring has sprung today, my fellow picky bitches! Congrats; we made it out of winter alive, which means we can (hopefully) start putting our winter clothes in storage, bust out some lighter threads, and dig into less carby, more rejuvenating fare.

To help make the transition from winter's heavier palate to spring's lighter menu are DavidsTea's springtime tea collection. Of the five teas being promoted for this time of year, three of them seem to be vegan (and, as usual, they are all gluten-free):

And, of course, it wouldn't be a proper springtime post without some mention of Easter. In addition to the standard seasonal teas above, the folks at DavidsTea have also resurrected (see what I did there? I made an Easter joke) three fan favourites for their special Easter tea collection. 

This limited edition collection brings back three previously discontinued dessert-themed teas that are perfect for those with a sweet tooth. However, if your sweet tooth is a bit more discerning as far as animal-derived bits go, you might want to stay away from this festive trio, since only one of the three teas seem to be vegan**:

Sadly, the other two Easter teas and the remaining two Spring teas contain milk in various forms. (Seriously, why? You can just add milk to the tea once it's done steeping, that way everyone can enjoy these teas! But I digress...)

Are you excited to try out any of these seasonal teas? What are you going to do to celebrate the first day of spring? Are you going to hole yourself up in your apartment and bake for a few hours like me, or are you going to head outside and actually enjoy the great outdoors? Let me know by commenting below, or by tweeting me at @PickyBitchez

* Even though their site says that the Pistachio Ice Cream tea contains "natural and artificial pistachio cream flavouring", a DavidsTea rep assured me via email that it does not have any dairy in the tea blend. Sounds a bit suspicious to me -- because what else could this pistachio cream flavouring be made from? -- but until I have further evidence, I have to trust the rep and report that it's dairy-free. Please let me know if you hear anything to the contrary.

** The ingredients for the Jolly Jellybean tea cut off about halfway through the word 'pineapple', but the rest of the ingredients are vegan; if you happen to hear of any further ingredients that were cut off that might deem this tea not vegan, please let me know!

New year, new teas...new you?

By Giselle Wedemire

A cup of tea can do a world of good when you're not feeling well. If you're cold, it can warm you from the inside. If you're tired, a caffeinated tea can really wake you up. And if you're feeling a bit under the weather, a herbal tea can soothe and nourish you.

Photo courtesy of Free Food Photos

And that's the idea behind the latest collection of teas from DavidsTea. Released on Jan. 7, the limited edition Feel-Good collection aims to improve overall wellness and, according to their newsletter, make it "easier" to stick to your New Year's resolutions.

However, as we've learned, not all brews from DavidsTea are vegan-friendly. Of the five brand new teas, four are vegan (and all are gluten-free). That's not a bad turnout, but the secret animal-based ingredient in the sole non-vegan tea is a bit of a head-scratcher. 

Here are the four new teas Picky Bitchez can sip on, worry-free:

Turns out that while us vegans can sip on the above teas without question, we won't be able to find relief after a hard night of partying. According to the teal tea purveyor's website, the new Hangover Helper brew contains "natural yoghurt", which, if you ask me, is the last thing I'd want in my tea when I'm wrapped in the cocoon of self-loathing that is a hangover. 

Luckily for Picky Bitchez who may have had a bit too much fun the night before, I've been around the block. For those days when you just want to draw the shades and laze about on the couch all day, I highly recommend cooking up some hash browns and toast, dabbing your temples and neck with Escents Aromatherapy's Head Aid rollerball, and getting into some hangover yoga.

What do you think of "yoghurt" making a cameo in tea? What are your fool-proof hangover cures? And what are your thoughts on turmeric teas? (I'm personally a fan.) Let me know by tweeting at @PickyBitchez

Warm your bones with new winter brews from DavidsTea

By Giselle Wedemire

Temperatures are dipping, and mitts and toques are starting to make their annual return to Canadians' outfits. With this increasingly nippy weather, snow is inevitable, so I've got my winter jacket on stand-by just in case I wake up to a blizzard one day (which, truth be told, is always a terrible sight to behold first thing in the morning).

Softening the blow of winter's return is the allure of warming and comforting beverages of any kind. Whether your poison is a mug of hot chocolate, a pot of tea, or a gigantic thermos of coffee (no judgment), there's plenty of choices out there for those of us who constantly need to warm our bare hands against a hot mug of something in the winter.

I'd make a predictable Game of Thrones joke, but instead I'll say this:
just looking at this picture is making me crave a hot cup of tea.
Picture via Pixabay

'Fall' in love with new flavours from DavidsTea

By Giselle Wedemire

Fans of sweater weather and all things cozy, rejoice! With September just a few days away, DavidsTea has released its fall collection of teas. 

And even though weather experts are predicting unseasonably warm temperatures for Alberta this autumn (with many days expected to peak in the 30 degree-range), there's something incredibly comforting about sipping a cup of tea while marvelling at the changing leaves outside. 

Just looking at this picture makes me want to don my favourite sweater and leggings, STAT.

Whether you reach for a cup of tea this fall in a sweater or a tank top (because Alberta weather can be a cruel and unpredictable mistress sometimes), it's important to note that not all of DavidsTea's offerings are vegan. Some are enhanced with not-so-vegan ingredients, as we found out earlier this year. Here's the 411 on which of the five DavidsTea fall collection teas are vegan-friendly*:

As a chai tea lover, I'm bummed out that I can't try their new Pumpkin Chai (because it contains milk and butter). However, I'm kind of relieved that I can't try their Peanut Butter Cup flavour because even though I love anything that's peanut butter and chocolate flavoured, there are some things that just shouldn't be in a cup of tea....

Have you tried out any of the new fall-themed teas from DavidsTea? Let us know by tweeting us at @PickyBitchez or by commenting below.

*No worries for the gluten-free Picky Bitchez: DavidsTea blends are gluten-free.

Some of these teas are not like the other...

By Giselle Wedemire


It seems like everywhere you look, there's a Davids Tea store popping up. While that might be a bit of a hyperbole, there are currently eight Davids Tea retail locations in Calgary at the time of writing this post. (Another shop may very well open up tomorrow for all I know.)

Here's a look at Calgary's eight DavidsTea locations.
Screenshot via Google Maps

 
Suffice to say, there are a lot of DavidsTea stores in town (and, in fact, across Canada and the U.S.). And with a seeming endless list of tea flavours ("over 150" according to its website), it can be kind of overwhelming when shopping for tea as a celiac or vegan.