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Tea Time Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte Recipe

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A very special Sweet Harvest Pumpkin Tea Latte recipe, inspired by my visit to the Celestial Seasonings Headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Read all the way to the end for an incredible $100+ value Tea Lovers Giveaway!
Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte Recipe from dineanddish.net

This past week I had the chance to visit the Celestial Seasonings Headquarters, one of the largest specialty tea manufacturers in North America. One of my favorite things about my job is getting to see the “behind the scenes” of brands I love and use everyday. Opportunities like these…to meet the people and see the hard work and dedication that goes into bringing my favorite cup of tea to life is something I really love. I could never imagine all the thought and effort that goes into something that gives me my most simple of pleasures each day, like tea time.

Tea TimeThe people at Celestial Seasonings were as warm and welcoming as their tea… they made us feel so comfortable and appreciated. Driving up to the facilities was especially humbling as the entire company was standing outside, holding signs and cheering our arrival. I was so touched and I know the other bloggers I was with felt the same way. For a corporation this big to stop their production line to welcome us is a pretty big deal.

Celestial Seasonings Blogger Welcome

We took in a lot of great information during our day, but I’d like to share 5 fun facts I learned while on my tour. I hope you can learn a few things about Celestial Seasonings and you just might learn how you’ve been making your tea wrong all these years, like me!

Top Five Fun Facts About Celestial Seasonings Tea

 

1.  We had the chance to do a tea tasting while at the Celestial Seasonings Headquarters. Did you know there is such a thing as a “Super Taster“? Well Celestial Seasonings very own blendmaster, Charlie Baden, has been the expert hand behind Celestial Seasonings Teas for over 30 years. I was fascinated to learn that Charlie can blindly taste teas and can tell you everything that is in his cup and can even tell you what region the blend came from… all from taste! Isn’t that incredible? Needless to say, I was not nearly as successful with taste testing as Charlie is!

Lemon-Zinger

2.  Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, second only to water.  In many cultures it has become a vital part of everyday living. In some, serving tea is wrapped in ceremony and ritual, while in others, sharing tea is a time for fellowship or refreshment. I know for me, tea is a part of my special mid-day chill out time and part of my bedtime routine. I love a cup of Sleepytime Extra before going to bed. How about you?

tea-quote

Tea-Fact

3.  The use of tea in the culinary world is quickly gaining popularity. We had the pleasure of enjoying food created by chefs using Celestial Seasonings as an ingredient. Towards the end of the day we  also enjoyed very special “tea cocktails”.  My friend Amy shared the recipe for my favorite cocktail we had over on her blog..check out the Jammin’ Lemon Ginger Drop recipe!

Tea-Mixology

cocktail-hour-2

Tea-Cocktail

4. Celestial Seasonings cares deeply about working with those who use sustainable farming practices. They also have made the environment and future of our planet a priority… Celestial Seasonings uses natural fiber, chlorine-free tea bags that are biodegradable and compostable – making them better for you and for the planet. The unique pillow-style tea bag doesn’t need a string, tag, staple or individual wrapper, which helps save 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills every year!

Sleepytime-line seed-to-sip

5.  I love Celestial Seasonings packaging, don’t you? We had the opportunity to learn how each box of tea comes to life through artist illustrations. The original paintings from the Celestial Seasonings tea boxes are displayed in the front lobby of the Celestial Seasonings visitors center. Did you know if you are in Boulder, you too can take a tour and learn all the great things I did? I highly recommend it! It’s a fascinating company to see the behind the scenes of.

artists-painting

Bonus fact…I am one of those people who always just kept my tea bag in my tea, even while I drank it. I just assumed the longer the bag was in the hot water, the more flavorful it would be. I was completely wrong. Here’s how the folks at Celestial Seasonings (who you know, know a thing or two about steepology) suggest we do it. 

Watch the clock, not the color. Never brew tea by color if you want the perfect cup. Some teas brew light, others dark. Always brew by the clock — Celestial Seasonings recommends three to five minutes for green and black teas, four to six minutes for herb teas and six minutes for wellness teas.

Squeeze the bag. Some people have debated — to squeeze or not to squeeze. Celestial Seasonings recommends squeezing the bag. Why? Tea leaves can absorb up to seven times their weight in water and compressing the bag enhances color and flavor. So, give a gentle squeeze to the tea bag before removing from the cup.

Celestial-Bear-Sign
You made it to the end of the post! I hope you learned some things and found the things I got to experience at Celestial Seasonings informative! I have an extra special giveaway Tea Lovers giveaway for you today! I think you are really going to love what I have in store for you. Thanks to my friends at Celestial Seasonings, I was able to go on a mega shopping spree for you and me at the Celestial Seasonings gift shop! Look what I have for you!

Celestial Seasonings Tea Lovers Giveaway on dineanddish.netTo enter the giveaway for a collection of goodies from my Celestial Seasonings trip, fill out the giveaway widget below the recipe!

Also, I bought myself an espresso machine for my birthday and used it this week to make the most delicious Pumpkin Spice “La-Tea”. The recipe was from the Celestial Seasonings recipe page, but you’ll want to check it out below as well!

Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte Recipe from dineanddish.net
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Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte Recipe

A spicy full bodied fall flavored tea latte from Celestial Seasonings.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients

  • • 2-3 bags Celestial Seasonings Sweet Harvest Pumpkin Tea
  • • 1 cup milk
  • • Pinch cinnamon

Instructions

If you have an espresso machine: Clean your machine’s coffee basket thoroughly. Cut open 3 tea bags, pour tea into basket and compress as if it were coffee. Brew a single “shot” and pour into coffee mug. Steam milk using wand and pour over brewed tea. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

    Without espresso machine: In a medium saucepan, gently heat milk over low heat until very warm but not boiling. Add 2 tea bags and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, remove tea bags. Using a whisk, beat milk until it foams. Pour into coffee mug and sprinkle with cinnamon.

      Notes

      Slightly adapted from Celestial Seasonings

      Thanks for going on this journey with me! And a special thanks to Celestial Seasonings for being a sponsor of Dine & Dish. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own! 

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      7. Natalie says

        Sleepy time! And peach! And peppermint! Just depends on the season of the year and the time of day!

      14. shannon says

        so many to pick from I’m a HUGE tea drinker. You should see it I have so many teas it takes up the whole bottom 2 shelves of my Amish Pantry 🙂 Some of my faves Green Decaf Mint, Apple Cinnamon Spice, Sweet Coconut Thai, Morning Thunder, Sweet Pumpkin Spice, All their Holiday teas, and so many more!

      18. Amanda says

        Looks like you had a fun trip. Maybe I’ll get to go check it out someday. Loooove their Sleepytime and Tension Tamer teas. (P.S. I’ve been squeezing my tea bags wrong all these years. I had no idea I should steep, THEN squeeze — not the opposite. Thanks for sharing the cool things you learned!)

      22. Justina says

        My favorite Celestial Seasoning tea is the holiday tea CANDY CANE LANE. Just love the blend of decaf green tea, peppermint and vanilla. I drink it in the evenings year around!

      26. Eileen says

        I love pretty much all teas, but I think Sleepytime is my favorite. You have to love the sensation of getting drowsy over a peaceful cup of tea. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

      28. Ginger says

        I especially LOVE Red Zinger and Lemon Zinger from Celestial Seasonings…but the Honey-Vanilla Sleepytime is awesome at night! Thank you for such a fun contest/giveaway opportunity! 🙂

      30. Francis says

        I grew up with Sleepytime and I consider it my main go-to. I also love True Blueberry and Tension Tamer. I like to add local honey to give my tea a little extra sweetness. 🙂

      36. Amy @ MomAdvice says

        BEAUTIFUL captures of our time there. I can’t wait to link up to this delicious tea latte for our notebook post next week- it looks divine. Most of all, so thankful for time with YOU! It absolutely made my week to get some time in together!! xo

      40. Megan says

        I think many of us grew up drinking Celestial Seasonings, so I enjoyed your post! My mom had tins with the Sleepytime art and I remember looking at them over and over as a kid.

        Also, I know you linked to the Wikipedia article, but I wanted to point out that being a supertaster is not the same as being really awesome at tasting 😉 Supertasters generally don’t like bitterness especially in things like teas – it sounds more like Charlie has a perfect palate.

      41. Mark P says

        Been using various Zingers as flavor enhancers for my tumbler of brewed iced tea; Lemon Zinger, Red Zinger, and Black Cherry Zinger, in that order of popularity.

      45. Tracy says

        I’m normally an Earl Grey gal, but at this time of year, I’m all about Celestial Seasonings Sweet Harvest Pumpkin.

      54. Dawn says

        I love the Honey Vanilla Chamomile. It was sent to me while I was overseas once and it was so comforting and delicious. 🙂

      55. Terri H says

        Used to be Sleepytime or Sleeptime Vanilla, but one taste of Honey Vanilla Chamomile and I was in love! I also love Candy Cane Lane and stock up whenever I find it!

      66. Urban Wife says

        I love all of their teas, but a favorite has been Sugar Plum Spice although I never find it at grocery stores near me. We went to Boulder a few years ago and did the tour at Celestial Seasonings – it was one of the highlights of our vacation!

      70. Marissa says

        All of those welcome signs! What a bunch of wonderful people. I didn’t know much about Celestial Seasonings, and now I really want to visit when we’re next in Boulder (I was born there). I’ve always loved Constant Comment (it’s sort of my namesake haha!) Lovely post!

      72. katy says

        Celestial Seasonings is one of my all time favorite places to visit. As for favorites, I really love their winter, holiday flavors. My husband enjoys their lemon zinger.

      73. Anna (Hidden Ponies) says

        I’m just becoming a tea lover, and, as someone who doesn’t drink coffee, I love all the flavours available this way! I think my favourite is chai, but they also have a vanilla tea I love, and now I need to try the pumpkin one 🙂

      74. Maddie says

        My favorite tea from Celestial Seasonings has got to be the peppermint tea! It’s so nice and refreshing, but at the same time relaxing before bed time 🙂

      76. Vikki Sorensen says

        My favorite tea is Sleepytime. Such a lovely and gentle blend, perfect to settle in with.

      79. lisa g says

        We just tried the honey vanilla chamomile. We love it. Our boys (5 and 4) asked for a cup before bed. Their little sister (1) got some in her cup too. They take it with hone and lemon. Mom likes it with just lemon.

      81. Boneita says

        I like all of the teas with spices, such as the Pumpkin Pie. In the summer, the fruity teas make the best iced tea coolers, like Raspberry Zinger.

      85. patti k says

        My favorite is Raspberry Zinger! I am intrigued by the Pumpkin Spice tea. I love pumpkin drinks but don’t like coffee…or aything that tastes like coffee! Excited to try it. 🙂

      87. Terri L says

        My fav is Sweet Harvest Pumpkin all the way! I literally buy a whole bunch because I drink soooo much of it!

      91. Christina says

        Sleepytime Extra is my favorite medicinal tea, but I love mixing the peppermint tea into hot chocolate! Peppermint Mocha La-tea!

      104. Charlotte says

        I love love love sleepy time, so I always have that in my apartment. But I’m trying to branch out!

      107. Migdalia Pizarro says

        Serene Moments Vanilla Jasmine. Don’t get enough of these moments …so I create my own

      122. Traci says

        My favorite among others is the Celestial Raspberry Zinger, I especially love this flavor in the summer with a fresh squeeze of lemon, ice cubes and wild clover honey. Mmmm.. so yummy.
        I also enjoy Raspberry Zinger nice and hot in the winter with, seemed coconut cream, and brown sugar! Delicious!
        Cheers!

      125. Janice Pittenger says

        Trying to switch from coffee to tea. Trying all different types. Would love to try these.

      146. Marissa says

        I drink one of their Sleepytimes everyday, be it “Extra” “Sinus Soother” or the original. 🙂 I usually splurge on a holiday blend or two….and I’m also super excited to try out their newest teas, the ones with lavender and aloe!

        P.S. Their factory tours are so much fun. 🙂 I can’t believe you didn’t mention the mint room–eye-watering good!

      151. shannon says

        You can do this using your Keurig also if you have a resuable kcup. Fill the kcup with the tea, or place both tea bags in your cup if you don’t have a kcup just for loose leaf tea. Brew it using the smallest cup.

        I do this all the time.

      153. Isabel says

        My all time favorite Celestial tea is Roobois, sadly I haven’t found it in stores recently. Second favorite is their Green Tea with lemon:)

      162. Hannah says

        Fave tea is definitely peppermint! During high school, I’d bring peppermint tea with a bit of honey to my theatre friends, and it was all they drank!

      165. Monica Geglio says

        Your floral tea cup is so darn cute. I love celestial tea and now I need to buy some fine china to put it in. 😉 Your blog is beautiful by the way. Very nicely designed.

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