Featured & Popular Tasting Notes
Today has been a weird day. Last night I got home really late. I decided I wanted to unwind and watch a little tv before I went to bed but instead I ended up falling asleep very quickly on the couch. I was so exhausted that I woke up around 8am still on the couch with the tv on. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve done that. I felt very disoriented when I woke up and I’m still not feeling quite so normal. This week has been a trip. At least once a year I go raw for a few weeks. I started eating raw food on Monday. Unfortunately, the first day of being raw is horrible. I was so unproductive because I had a bad headache, was very mentally fuzzy, felt pretty weak, and was hungry all the time. By Tuesday I was feeling a little better but still about half productive. Wednesday, I finally felt better and was able to catch up with work. Now I’m feeling pretty good. In a couple of days I will have that raw food energy. Each time I go raw, it gets easier and I have fewer bad days before the good days start. The first time I went raw, I was miserable and extremely hungry for the first week and it wasn’t until the end of the second week that the energy kicked in. Every day I allow one cheat by having one cup of tea. This tea was my cheat today.
I’m sure this tea is even more amazing since it’s the only warm thing I consume. I love this! Honey and caramel are the main notes. It is very sweet and a little malty. I can also taste vanilla, floral, bread, peppercorn, and plum notes. There is also just a touch of chocolate. It is so very delicious! This tea, our Red Queen Cupcake (strawberry, chocolate, espresso, vanilla) tea, and Taste of India (strong breakfast blend that incorporates Assam, Darjaeeling, and Nilgiri teas) will be up on our website by tomorrow.
This is an interesting tea. While it does have some similarities in flavor to the Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black it also has some of its own uniqueness. It comes from Sansia, Taiwan. That region produces predominantly green tea, so this is a bit unique. Also, a local varietal is used Ching-xin Ganzai. The leaves of this tea are also insect bitten, so it does have that honey sweetness. Such a delicious tea!
Last night, after my four hour hike in the wilderness, I indulged into an Offley 10 years Port wine and some good quality dark chocolate, the one that snaps when you brake it.
But since a girl can’t stuff herself with that kind of goodies everyday day, I chose WP Mint Chocolate Chip to satisfy my chocolate craving today.
I’ve said it before, I don’t have a big sweet tooth, but dark chocolate is my weakness.
I could not pass the opportunity to buy this cause I’m also a mint lover. The combination of both mint and chocolate is to die for.
Oh, this smells wonderful, and tastes even better. Just the right amount of peppermint freshness and natural sweetness from the excellent Fujian black base.
I love that there are only two ingredients in this: peppermint, black tea. No fake candies of any kind, my idea of the perfect flavoured tea :-)
Oh, and this is my 200th Steepster note!
Woohooooo! Grats on 200! C’est magnifique!
Haha! Merci ma chérie :-)
Oh, felicitations! :)
Ah, merci, vous êtes bien mignonnes de pratiquer votre Français pour moi ;-)
Oh mais tout le monde parle francais! Moi aussi je veux parler francais! :D Haha
Lol, I love this place ;-)
Hey! You’re near MTL and I’m in MTL! Cool! :D
Virginia, I,m actually in the Laurentians, so it’s not that close but I go to Montreal a few times during the year, we could arrange for a meet up at Camellia Sinensis someday :-)
Sure! I’d be happy to share tea with you the next time you are in town :D Let me know!
J’ai beaucoup besoin a practiquer parler Francais, haha
I was never very good, especially at speaking it
happy 200!
Your French is good enough for me Whatshesaid :-)
Thanks TeaBrat!
Congrats on your 200th note! What are your favorite chocolate brands? Have you ever tried Raaka chocolate? They have one that is vanilla rooibos flavored :)
Thanks Kat_Maria!
To answer your question, no brand I’m afraid. There’s a nice chocolate bakery near by, they make the perfect super glossy 80% dark chocolate, that’s where I buy it all the time. Nothing compares to it IMHO. But I do have occasionally some Lindt sea salt dark chocolate, I love it too.
I don’t think we have Raaka chocolate around here. I don’t like Red Rooibos, but it’s interesting that they would make a tea chocolate :-)
I suggest the Lindt Madagascar bar….can’t get enough ;)
thank you Angel of teavivre for sending me this tea. As most of you know, greens are not my go to tea. That being said, these teas from angel are almost enough to make me want to change my mind. :) This is a fabulous dragon well. it’s tangy and very much GREEN but without that overly vegetal taste that i dislike. there’s a buttery sweetness to this as well that i am loving! i drank more than a few cups of this today. I may need to see if a joint order is possible since i DO love these teas but i can’t get through a 100g bag fast enough to keep the freshness!
I would definitely be up for that! I’ve heard so many good things about Teavivre but I haven’t tried anything from there yet. I don’t know which teas you’re interested in but I think I’d be willing to trust your judgment. :P
You can buy this one in a 50g bag as well. :)
(I told you before Sil…me think you are slowly leaving Dexter behind and joining forces with me to the “green side”, muahahaha!!!)
cameron – have to wait a while before i can pick up more teas sadly, but i’ll keep you in mind. heh teavivre has some incredible teas, and it seems like i am loving their green teas when it’s their blacks that are one of my go to places.
teafairy! NEVER!!
Don’t forget I have Fairy powers….
Sure thing, I’m in no hurry either so take your time. :)
(green side = scary. It’s nice, warm, safe over here in my “dark” corner. Happy on the dark side….)
(Haha! But Dexter, It’s a lot more fun when you play on both sides!!)
I’m with you guys on the dark side….haha. But so far I’ve actually enjoyed the green tea from Teavivre!
whatshesaid, that’s how the transition starts….
it may sound strange but i started to appreciate green or white teas after trying some good sheng
to be fair i do like green teas, i just don’t crave them like i do black teas…so if i buy too many of them, they end up losing their freshness…which is part of my operation to get to within 6 months of tea purchases…
I think that this is one of the ones I got too. Looing forward to trying the two dragon wells I got.
Having a nice cup of my favorite tea today on my anniversary. Today the hubby and I have been together for 20 years and this Sunday will be the 12 year anniversary of our wedding. Woo hoo! This week is really packed, we have a good friend’s birthday, our anniversary, father’s day, and a wedding. This week will certainly be busy but for now I’m relaxing and enjoying this delicious cup of chocolaty, caramely deliciousness. In other news, I noticed that the CDC came out with a list of Powerhouse (nutrient dense) Fruits and Vegetables. That’s pretty awesome, but ugh watercress, really. Guess I will have to look into some recipes that kind of hide the watercress. Here is a link for anyone interested: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/pdf/13_0390.pdf.
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!!!May the happiness that you share grows deeper with each year
Happy Anniversary!
Have a wonderful anniversary and many more years of happiness. :)
Happy Anniversary!
Aww, Happy Anniversary <3
Awww, thanks guys! :) The hubs and I are going out to our favorite vegan restaurant (Vedge) in Philly to celebrate.
That CDC link was interesting too. I wonder which chinese cabbage they used in the study exactly. Aren’t there a billion of them?
I have heard wonderful things about Vedge. Enjoy!!!
Stephanie-I was wondering about that. Some of the categories are rather vague. Maybe Bok Choy? Another thing that left me with questions was using B12 as a basis for determining nutrient density. I thought B12 couldn’t be obtained from veggies or fruits due to the depletion of B12 in our soil. Maybe I’m wrong but this is big issue with vegans since we need to supplement B12.
Thanks Cheri, we love Vedge. Some people don’t love the small plate sizes but for me that just means we get to order more dishes.
Happy anniversary. In Denmark you’d wait another 6 months and celebrate your copper wedding at 12½ years, possibly with a larger do for friends and family. Half way to silver wedding, you see. :) (Husband thought this was bizarre)
Happy anniversary!
Angrboda, that is a great idea! I love it. (Ours is coming up, and that would be a blast of a way to celebrate it.)
Angrboda-Love that! :)
Thanks, TeaBrat!
Happy Anniversary!!
Aww, so glad I saw this post, Happy Anniversary!!!
And thanks for that awesome link! The addition of banana and pear help to reduce that watercress taste in green smoothies, it works for me at least, just thought I’d share :-)
Thanks, Tea Pet!
TheTeaFairy-Thank you! Hmmmm, that sounds like a wonderful way to mask the watercress. I will have to give that a try.
Aaaah, my black malty full bodied tea, how much I love you.
First time I drank Bailin Gungfu, I heard the angels singing! (Pun very intended for Angel at Teavivre!)
It was about three years ago and I was a lot less experienced with tea in general. I remember thinking that I had finally arrived, that this was the reason I kept drinking and trying new teas.
The aroma is so inviting and homey, it’s like having a sniff at fresh baked bread just out of the oven. Think crusty rye bread.
It’s malty with big cocoa notes paired with dark honey…mmm…chocolate croissant.
Everything has been said about this tea, and yet, I felt compelled to review it again.
Only the best teas stand the test of time…this is not a one trick pony, it’s one that keeps coming back to my cupboard.
As I mention in my profile, I am MARRIED to straight blacks and VERY faithful to them…Ok, maybe I do cheat a little…but I always come back!
Reading the “I heard the angels sing.” I immediately picture Angel sitting across from you while you drank this tea and serenading you…tehehe:P
That sounds lovely. :)
Haha! albertocanfly, I’ll have to invite her over someday for a real singing tea session ;-)
Arshness, if you are a fan of this type of tea, I highly recommend it, it’s a classic and it’s very accessible to any tea lover!
I’m totally unfamiliar with that kind of tea. :) Just it sounds nice. I should try it some time.
Looking forward to trying this one—especially after this review! ;-)
I have some of this on the way too
I need to be sure & put this in my basket next time I place a Teavivre order. I’ve been out for quite awhile.
Since you mention buying this one a lot, do the harvests stay pretty consistent?
Or should I ask, did you order this recently and is it as good as usual?
Yes! The harvests are very consistent and I ordered just a few months ago. I never noticed any huge difference from one order to the next.
thanks, good to know! Hopefully more consistent than the Laoshan Black harvests. But I like the Bailin Gongfu better anyway. :D
OK, I admit it. I loveblack teas from Yunnan.
I also love pretty much every black bi luo I’ve ever had, & this one is no exception.
Deliciously honey malted, with an almost creamy mouth, it’s naturally sweet, pastry, yumminess.
Thanks to TeaFairy for my first sample from whispering pines.
I like this one a lot too and I am sad it’s out of stock :(
July 1st :)
Yay! :)
Brenden – Can you put me back some(more) GO to go with a July 1 order that will include the Bi Luo so I don’t have to do two? Pretty please?
You mean blend it now and set it aside for you? I’m sure I’ll have plenty of GO left on the 1st :)
Oh OK – I just didn’t want you to run out before I did my order – because that would make sad.
Ahh, no worries :) I’m all loaded up on the stuff! :D
That makes me happy. I want some to put back for later because I love the way it changes over time. Happy Solstice Brenden
Happy Solstice to you, too! And also Terri! Golden Orchid has hijacked your post. Oops :P
Black Yunnans rock, So glad you liked it Terri!
How bout Ailaoshan black, will you have plenty as well, or should I consider hoarding some more?
Tons! :)
That makes me happy (might still hoard just a little on july first though, I’m insecure)
Laughs! You remind me of me
Haha! And you of me :-) lol, now that we have TONS of tins, why not hoard right?
We’re prepared anyway. Although I have things to go in pretty much most of the ones that are coming
I haven’t tried the Golden Orchid, but tomorrow I’ll probably sample the ailaoshan black :)
Hope you like it Terri!
I’m having the rest of Yi Mei Ren from YS that you sent me. When I reviewed it a few days ago, I wrote that it reminded me of Oriental Beauty, it’s even more the case tonight, so sweet and honey like, I’m loving it!!
A friend of mine is going through something awful and there isn’t much I can do to help and it makes me sad…
So I turn to Laoshan Black this morning cause it seems to be my comfort go tea whenever I feel life is being unfair.
Its beauty and craftsmanship reminds me that there will always be beauty in this world no matter how bad things get sometimes.
Thanks for the welcoming and warming feeling LB, that’s just what I needed.
(Sorry, see some other notes for “real” description)
Hugs to you and the friend, both. It’s hard when you can’t fix it.
Feeling powerless is an awful feeling, especially when it is in relation to a situation that is affecting someone you love. I am sending of positive chi, warm hugs and sloppy baby kisses and smiles from my little one. Hang in there to the both of you.
All the good vibes!~
You guys are just the best, thank you XOX
Aww…sloppy baby kisses… Will try to channel all the good vibes towards my friend…thanks.hugs I’m thinking a good thought for you and your friend
Big hugs to you and your friend. Seeing someone you love struggle is never easy. I wish you and your friend lost of peace and comfort.
Hope things get better! It blows having to watch people you love struggle, but sometimes just for them to know they have your support is a big help!
It’s awful to feel so helpless in the face of someone you care for struggling through something awful. All I can say is that your support and love probably means more to them than you can understand. Hugs.
I can tell you are a wonderful friend, TF, & sometimes that is all one can be, & sometimes that is all one needs. I’m sending some good vibes from St Louis, on the wings of plucked harp strings.
I hope things turn around for your friend. I’m glad they have someone nice like you to stand with them.
Thank you so much for your kind words all of you…I am in awe at how nice and caring this community is…I’m sending all the good vibes to my friend, she really needs them.
@ all y’all – my cobbler is smelling pretty dadgum good
:)
I can smell it all the way in St. Louis!
It turned out really well Terri – it works really well with the blackberries. I mad some coconut whip to go on it and its great! Thanks for the recipe :)
Now I’ll need to make some this week
Maybe I’ll make some coconut milk black raspberry ice cream to go with it!
Oh that sounds so good
Wow, is this what all Keenums taste like? This is really really good. I almost placed my order yesterday thinking that eh, the Keenum sample I got wouldn’t prove order worthy. Boy was I wrong. This was really good. Did I say that already? For me it was a bready sweet taste. There wasn’t a smoke taste like I was expecting. This had me wanting to drink the entire sample pack in one sitting. On the order it goes, and I thought I could weed it down… doh! For those more seasoned keenum drinkers who have had THIS tea, how does it compare? Have I been missing out on another really good type of tea?
Tiff – resistance to WP is futile. And dang! Why haven’t I tried this?
“Have I been missing out on another really good type of tea?”
I’m a very big Keemun fan! My most recent Keemun stash order was for 1 kg and it only lasted about 6 months!
looseTman – What is your description of the defining taste of a keenum?
1 kg, that is a lot of keenum!
MzPriss – order is in progress…..
I’m a huge Keemun fan as well. looseTman – what kind was it that you bought so much of?
Order placed.
“Prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile.”
Tiff – I wish I had ordered some of this now. But I did a huge one and it’s on it’s way. I’m drinking some North Winds now.
TeaTiff & MzPriss: steepster.com/looseTman/posts/166936
@MzPriss: I ordered a sample of this with my order that should arrive on Saturday. I’d be happy to split the sample with you if you’d like to try it.
Oh mj that is so very sweet! I think I probably need a little sample order from WP anyway. But I appreciate the offer very very much.
@looseTman thanks I will check it out
TeaTiff, you should explore Keemuns. There are some lower grade ones that smell like someone just hit you in the face with a dirt clod, and then are are extraordinarily delicate keemuns that speak of old and sacred places in their complexity. I have reviewed quite a few if you peruse my tealog…. they are one of my favorite teas.
I just was saying that I think I need to try this one. I’m not a huge black tea fan, but everyone’s amazing reviews just make me want to taste it. I’ll probably get another sampler pack from WP at some point, and this one will be in it.
Keemun is my comfort tea :)
Lol, teaTiff, now that I’ve read this review, I’m thinking exactly what MzPriss said: Why have I overlooked this one? Not a big deal though, was just thinking about what was going to be my next big reason to place another order. Now I know :-)
MizPriss if you are not able to secure a sample I can send a long some since this did get included in the order.
looseTman – I actually own a bit of this tea. I had forgotten about it as at the time Keenum wasn’t on my radar. I am going to go back and revisit this one along side the WP.
donkeytiara – I started looking through your log and I had to stop:) They are all sounding so good!
Cheri – I would actually be interested in learning which black teas you have enjoyed? I have seen from your log that you are mostly oolong and white.
WP – I am very impressed by all the teas I have tried and look forward to the order arriving. This one was a very comforting tea, nothing too fancy that I felt like I had to devote a ton of time, just yummy and relaxing.
TTF – So which teas from WP have you not had yet?
I have a passionate love for good Keemun. But there is plenty of lesser Keemun out there and I’m having to wade through it to get to the good ones. I really like one from The Steeping Room. I have a bunch of samples I need to try.
TeaTiff – Yes, you’re right, mostly oolongs, whites and greens. Not a lot of blacks, and those I’ve had are flavored for the most part. I’d like to find blacks I like, but I haven’t yet found anything that really stands out.
TeaTiff, I look forward to your comparison especially since I’ve not yet had the pleasure of WP’s Pine Peak Keemun.
1 T + 8oz X 3/5 min
I still haven’t done a gongfu steepings with this tea yet, & I really should.
(Sars, I’m going to buy that damn yixing I wanted for smoky teas now. I blame you. hahaha)
Anyway, it’s very tasty, in a pine & brown sugar kind of way, not overly smokey, but delicious. I’m drinking it plain, but I happen to know for a fact that a little Maple syrup turns this one into a wonderful dessert.
Terri – I ordered this one this morning:
http://yunnansourcing.com/en/qin-zhou-pottery/3019-qin-zhou-teapot-engraved-leaves-180ml.html
Who meeeeee? Lookie here… I asked YOU for a link for teaware. I can’t help it that you kept on going :p
MzPriss, the pot is gorgeous. I keep saying myself I don’t need it(. The only excuse I need 100ml or smaller)
MzPriss, that’s my favorite one from their new collection. SO jealous!
Priss, that is Beautiful!
I ordered this one, which I’ve been drooling over for weeks
http://camellia-sinensis.com/en/teapot/theiere-de-mme-sheng-sg-26
Sars ;)
Both of your new teapots are so lovely! Eeeee!!! Teawares!!
OMG!!! Those are both BEAUTIFUL!!!!
And the one Terri got also comes in a round, fat – pumpkin style… whimper…
http://camellia-sinensis.com/en/teapot/theiere-de-mme-sheng-sg-1
Yeah, that roundish one is really cute too. I picked mine cuz I like the simple designs on the lid, & I already have several round teapots, so I liked the different shape.
Terri, I saw that pot few weeks ago. Gorgeous !
mustnotstartbuyingteawaremustnotstartbuyingteaware
:)
Those tea pots are all so cute!
OMG those black pots. * Restrains self *
I know priss…I know!
Terri, if you have an overabundance of this tea and don’t want it all the badly, I will buy it from you…it’s my favorite tea ever I think. lol
Brendan…maybe we’ll do a trade?
I like that idea! :) I’ll send you a message!
And why have I not tried this tea before? Because I’ve been stupid, that’s why!
Using 7g for medium gaiwan.
It’s such a beautiful leaf. A mix of pale green, gold, and dark purplish brown.
http://instagram.com/p/rc29iYwhy8/
Oh, that’s a big wow…I’ve been drinking it two days in a row. It’s probably one of the best pu’erh sheng I have drank so far.
It’s so sweet! Really, at one point during the session, it felt like I was drinking honey. It has none of the acidic astringency sometimes found in sheng.
It’s just a tad smokey, and that smoke seems to fade away as the tea gets sweeter. Cause yes, it keeps getting sweeter. I taste sweet corn…and buttered green beans.
it’s also a little woody, some cedar and fresh camphor notes at the end of the sip make my tongue tingle and my body warm. I love that feeling…
It’s so juicy, and it’s as if it sparkles in my mouth like fine champaign would.
20 + gongfu steeps and it keeps on giving…
Happy mouth. Happy soul. Happy fairy.
Pic of the brew:
I am so jealous that I can barely stand it. I had some less than amazing purple tea experiences in the past, so I skipped this one. Now I am kicking myself!!!!
That makes two of us…I’m kicking for ordering so little!!!
Blaarrgghh.. maybe I will just order some. I want more Foxy Roxy also, Foxy Roxy.
Lol. Who the hell is foxy roxy???
(Innocent face)
She’s some girl I know. Cute. Fun at parties. You know the type. :p
Haha!!
Wait a minute… Fun at parties? Fairy, you holding out on me?
Lol, i invited you but you didn’t come silly!!! Moon parties, sheng parties…RIGHT HERE ON STEEPSTER :-)
Excellent tea.
The fact that you like it, makes me like it even more mrmopar :-)
Excellent descriptive review!
We used to sell 2010 and 2011 harvests. The smoke note didn’t really start until 2012, which shocked me a bit when I first tasted 2012. This is one of my special teas that I only brew when I know I can dedicate at least 10 steepings to.
Method: The first time, I made this exactly as the instructions stated. The tea had an amazing aroma, but the flavor was just too subtle for me. So today –
3/4 tbsp, 8 oz, 190 degrees, 3 minutes, brew in mug strainer, constellation cup
Aroma: This smells like some kind of sweet dessert. It has a very familiar aroma, but I can’t quite place it, which is driving me nuts!
Flavor: Sweet and fruity, again like a dessert. I want more. MORE!!!!! It’s lovely, but I definitely think I will do 1 full TBSP next time, and see how that tastes. I may increase the time also. I think this is lovely, but I could personally use a stronger flavor. In. Yo. Face.
Preparation
Pretty cup :)
Cutest cup everrrrr! :D
I agree about the cup! This tea sounds so delicious to me from Brenden’s description. And now this makes it sound even better.
Thanks, all! I do adore this cup. It is called a Four Seasons cup and it has constellations representing each season. I had to have it!
I am going to go add a bit more leaf and try a re-steep on this one. :)
This was the one tea that intrigued me aside from the ones I actually bought already.
It’s deeeelish!!!
I LOVE this tea. LOVE
No, I love it :p
no I love it schoompie! Also, I’ll be needing your cup
Everyone is like totally mackin’ on my cup. Here you go, my dearest. They have other designs, too. Mine is the four seasons.
http://yunomi.us/shelf/suppliers/suppliers-tea-ware/oiso-kobo/
Thank you darling. I’m on the site now. That will have to be my Rivendell/Sleeping Bear cup
Make sure you give them your email to get 5% off
And it shipped pretty fast, considering the distance
I will – I think I’m going for the Autumn Sky
Awesome! I hope you love it!!!
I might sleep with it
LOL
I feel this should have a companion tea called Elrond.
Everyone is mackin’ on your cup, including me! And I loved Rivendell first :-P
Now that I can fully express my love of shous, I decided to brew this one up.
Method: rinse 10-10-10-15-20 and dump. Steep 20-25-30 and drink. 5 g, 4 oz, 200 degrees
I think I finally found a shou method that works for me!!!! SO EXCITED! I am seasoning my TeaVivre pot in this tea, so I decided to drink some also. I’m feeling all relaxed and mellow. Had a nice lunch with friends downtown. I have a pot of shou simmering with my yixing on the stovetop. All my pups are happy and spry today. Life is good!!!!!
This tastes like honey and caramel. I may not even needed quite so many rinses, but I was making some for the seasoning, and it all worked out. So happy!!!!
Preparation
Wait, your love of shou’s?! When did this happen?! :D
Like yesterday, Brenden. Keep up, will ya! :p
Hehehe, always! :)
Paging Dr. Sheng…
I’ve been told it’s okay to love both sheng and shou.
^This is the truth. ;-)
But don’t tell sheng that! :D
A mix between the two is easy to do. A little sheng and toss in some shou will make for a happy you. What can I do as it is always true. A sheng a shou it’s all some puuuu….A small Haiku…..for you…
I like shou, but mostly by default.
Lol, this thread was very funnney! And yay for shou love and happiness sarsy <3
My name is Dr. Sheng. Please make a note of it, Fairycakes :p
Me? Love Sheng AND Shou? It just seems so… wrong! LOL
Really, mrmo? Do you mix them for real? I love your poem. :)
You name is Dr Sheng? My gastroenterologist name is Dr Shou, but when asked he didn’t know anything about the health benefits of Shou puerh. True story.
No way, Allan!!!! Shouldn’t a gastroenterologist know all about shou???? Especially one NAMED Dr. Shou?
Apparently not. But that is really his name.
So I’m trying Temple Stairs for the first time, and I think I agree with your method, Sarsonator. I dumped the first two, and started with the third, and dumped that about a third of the way through. The fourth was much better for me. Lesson learned.
I think it just depends on the shou, Cheri. Some do great with one rinse and some seem to have more of a fermentation flavor (as AllanK calls it) to get past. Glad it worked out for you :)
MissB is a star! I have been equipped with no less than four boxes of this one AND a myriad of other samples. I counted them. There were nineteen different teas in the box. Nineteen! Many of them are herbals, so I’ve got a lot of choice in my Before Bed Beverage now. (As has Husband, of course. I’m not that selfish) Some of them are from companies I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of before. How exciting!
So, yes, this is intended as a Before Bed Beverage, but as I’m writing this it’s only actually mid afternoon. I just couldn’t wait. I have high hopes of this one. I’ve come to be quite fond of the normal Sleepytime before bed, so in my mind adding vanilla to that couldn’t possibly go wrong. The worst that could happen, that I can think of anyway, is that I can’t actually find the vanilla in it at all, leaving me with something that tastes much like regular Sleepytime and then… what have I lost, really? Not much, the way I see it.
Well, I can detect the vanilla in the aroma, definitely. It’s rather peculiar, because it depends on how close I put my nose to the cup. I do have a bit of a cold, but my nose isn’t completely incapacitated at this stage (and I hope it stays that way!), so I can still smell things. If I put my nose close to the cup, I can pretty much only smell mint. If, however, I’m sitting normally upright with the cup in front of me letting the steam waft up past my face, it’s all sweet and vanilla-y. It’s almost as if the mint is a heavier scent and doesn’t make it all the way up to my face. I’ve never noticed this happening before. Isn’t that odd?
I tend to like steeping Sleepytime for a pretty long time so I’ve done that with this as well. It must have got at least six or seven minutes I think. Now that it’s stronger I can also smell the vanilla among the mint when putting my nose closer to the cup. It smells wonderful!
I’ve tried a few sips, but I can’t really taste anything. Still too hot. I’ll have to be more patient, I suppose… Ah yes, that’s better.
It still tastes like Sleepytime. I’m not sure I would have been able to tell that it’s a different variety had I not known, but as I do know, I can find the vanilla. I can find it because I know it’s there but that doesn’t mean that it’s not done properly, if you know what I mean. Sometimes you don’t need to be able to taste everything. Sometimes just a hint is enough to enhance an overall experience. Just think of a sauce which has just a pinch of salt versus the same sauce with too much salt in it. The pinch of salt enhances the flavour of the whole, but too much of it just takes over. I tend to like heavily flavoured vanilla teas, but in this particular blend I think the vanilla works much better as that enhancer. It smooths the whole thing out and adds a touch of sweetness.
I’m really glad I decided to ask for someone to play middle-man so I could have some. I don’t usually like doing that because it seems such a lot of bother for everybody involved. I shall have to put together a really great box to send back to MissB after we’ve moved now.
when are you moving?
She already moved.
She has a queue.
(Yes, Ang. I am your secretary now.)
i know she has a queue..i’m just used to see her prenotes when it’s from the backlog lol
TIME WARP. This might not be backlog, though, and that last sentence really reads, ‘…a really great box to send now after we’ve moved.’
haha
ANG WE NEED YOU TO EKSPLAYNE
I think you need to come visit me Anna. I think we would have fun together being weird. Except that my hair might get jealous and try to take yours out.
I agree. Imagine how awesomely we could stalk Ang if we teamed up on the same continent!!!
And I’m sure our hair would probably just merge. For world domination.
oh man. I’m coming your way… we can stalk ang, and hit fru p on the way!
…gosh. O.O hides
Yes, Sil, this is from the queue and from before we moved. I try to remember to write ‘from the queue’ on them, but I’m not very good at that. I don’t know why I don’t just start with that sentence when I write the post in the first place. 99% or what I post are from the queue, so you can generally assume that it’s a couple months old.
Also, you two are scary. Seriously. Scary. (But I’d still feed you and rustle up something you could sleep on if you showed up)
SIL DID YOU SEE DID YOU SHE WOULD FEED US FOODS AND BUILD US A NEST DID YOU SEE
HALP!
Would she also hug us and call us George? ;)
I would, Geor-I mean Sil.
Thanks, Anna, for starting this craze. Thanks also, ifjuly, for supplying me with more. And thanks, nay lynn, for shipping me even moooore!
if you can’t tell, I love this tea.
This time i had it with a bit of sugar and no milk. It was still heavily melon flavoured, although I have to say i think I prefer it with just the slightest dash of milk. There’s something a bit…earthy? lingering in the back-sip and I find a touch of cream smoothes that right out. That being said, I feel as though this will be a tea I drink all summer. I’ve only ever had two melon flavoured teas, but so far this is the most flavourful.
More.
More.
MORE.
MORE.
MOAR.
More?
I just came.
Now now.
bow chica bow wow
scandalized.
Baby, I always bring it.
I’m under your spell.
Oh, we both know you just want my ripe, juicy melons.
And that’s okay with me.
i want your melons..
Me too. How many does she have?
Oooooh, I want Anna’s melons. :P
0_0
Anna’s melons are all mine. They’re so full and ripe.
O_O
It’s so annoying when your mind is in the mood for tea, but your body simply isn’t. I woke up this morning and groggily stumbled into the kitchen, but no tea in particular was calling to me. Last night I’d had high hopes of trying some of my new teas this morning, but it was a different story when I woke up. So I brewed up something that’s tried and true, that I can generally rely on to brew a consistent cup. And it still tasted lovely and I felt all validated for having topped up with my last Butiki order, but I’m still just generally “not feeling it” as far as tea is concerned. Not a bad thing necessarily though, as I drink a lot of black tea and taking a break for a few hours never hurt anybody…much.
It’s Friday! May the work day pass quickly.
I have those mornings every once in a while. When I do, I drink coffee. I rarely drink it anymore but I still like it. The easy thing about it is – I only have one delicious kind.
That makes sense. I’m not a coffee drinker though, but I figure that not having anything at all would work too haha.
Boo. Hope you snap out of it with the tea thing. I hate it when you stand ther ewith so much tea and nothing sounds appealing… :|
That’s exactly it, cavo! I was like how can I have 140 teas and not want any of them?
Maybe take a break like MzPriss suggested, or pick a tea that is really different from what you usually drink? I hope you snap outta the funk and the rest of you day is spectacular. May the day pass quickly and easily, and the weekend be wonderful!!!
I had a couple of days a while back where every tea I tasted tasted BAD. And these are teas I love from the same bag I had been drinking from. I just didn’t have any for a coupl of days and it got better. I thought it was odd though
One of the antibiotics I was on last month did that to me. There were just some flavors that were completely gone for a little while, and things just tastes awful.
When that happens, I like to restrict myself from having my favorite teas for a week, until I crave them. I usually don’t last a week.
All good ideas!
That sort of thing happens to me as well from time to time. I normally drink black tea in the morning, but occasionally I feel kind of jaded, like, “I’ve already drank everything I have…sigh…there is nothing new under the sun…sigh…”. The first thing I usually do it drink a big glass of water. Then I’ll switch it up…drink something I normally wouldn’t drink in the morning, like an herbal tea, or white tea. Or ice tea.
Re what MzPriss said, I also occasionally have days where every tea tastes bitter, & my allergies sometimes mute my tastebuds, which is irritating because that special tea that is so nuanced just becomes a plain old cup of tea (& I start wondering if maybe I imagined all those amazing things I wrote, LOL).
I’ve been there Keychange! It’s an icky feeling, like your hobby failed you. Not cool tea, not cool :/
Yes yes yes!! as if my previous recollections were wrong, or like my hobby—my escape from the world—is somehow broken and I can’t enjoy it anymore. And then you panic and think you’ll never want tea again.
LOL, we all know THAT will never happen!
Ack!! Exactly. What if you are all of a sudden OFF tea, forever?? As if that would ever happen, but then… what if it did?!
I found this started with me after I began my tea sommelier certification. Almost like knowing so much about it, tea lost some of its magic. But then it came back, just not to the same level of crazy for me.
When I sent majority of this package off to Veronica, I decided to save a few tsps just to make sure my initial dislike was not just a fluke. So this afternoon I grabbed out my packet and brewed up a cup. This time around I get the faintest bit of what could be called cotton candy if I stretch my imagination and concentrate but realistically it is just a sweet black tea and not much else. I am glad it went to a home where it has been given far more love than I ever could. As for the last tsp, I am opening up the swap to Roswell Strange (yet again as I may have added stuff last night at 3 am when I couldn’t sleep :O) so that she can give it a try.
Preparation
Oh Gosh, I get the feeling this swap is gonna be huge!
It fits in a bubble envelop still, I have not reached the point where I need to put it in a box. However, it is definitely the biggest swap yet. And I think recently I have had a tad bit of a panic over the surplus of teas I own so I am sending some of that your way :P
Your’s is in a bubble envelope right now too, but I think it’s the biggest bubble envelope I’ve sent (anyone) yet…
I am quite fearful of my cupboard exploding. I keep thinking about the packages on the way and between my few orders, this swap, and a package from MissB (who is ever so sneaky with adding tea), I worry what that number might be.
**Yours(?) Oh gosh, I’ve been out of school too long – I can’t remember my grammar anymore… I’m trying to do some sipdowns today: I’d rather not get over 200.
haha I am very conflicted over what I should drink. I don’t know if I should be diving into my samples box, drinking teas from swaps, going for sipdowns, or drinking older teas (not that any of them are THAT old since I only got into teas in August but still). I keep leaning towards sipdowns just because I keep trying to control my stash haha.
Right now I’ve got samples that are close to sipdown size, some of my oldest teas (mostly DAVIDsTEA blends), and the 2 Butiki teas from my BF order I’ve yet to try out of my closet – and I’m kind of rotating between those things. I was hoping I could make Orange Matcha a sipdown today, but I still have a little left. I was tempted to add it to your package, but I’ve already sealed the bubble envelope up since the little strip was coming off :(
haha I decided to recycle an envelop I got in an old swap (mostly because I didn’t have one large enough at home and it is always so frustrating to have to package everything up at the post office. People look at you funny when you have a giant pile of teas :P. Anyways, in order to seal it up, I used a whole bunch of duct tape and then I keep reopening it and resealing it with another strip of tape to ensure it stays closed when it travels. So I will apologize in advance for the surplus of tape. However, speaking from experience, it is actually quite easy to peel away and open when you want to.
I have a small(ish) stack or regular envelopes and then a second of various sized bubble envelopes so I can package everything here at home instead of doing the awkward at the post office thing. The one I used for this swap was the biggest size I had.
Alternate! 1 sipdown, 1 older tea, 1 tea you like. :) Keeping everything in rotation is a good idea. I’m focusing on samples right now though because stuff keeps falling out of the box onto the floor.
hahaha mine is quickly getting to be that full too. Although my bag of swaps is also exploding. I guess just reaching for whatever appeals to me at the time is a good way to go about it.
All my tins or bags of tea which are large enough to stand upright are kept in our living closet sorted by tea types (grouped, basically) with the exception of the 20 or so teas I have in the kitchen on rotation. I then have a drawer with is filled with samples I immediately or quickly want to get to. All Matcha is kept in the freezer. Everything else (samples, small bags of tea, etc.) are kept in huge ziploc bags labelled by tea type (Black, White, Herbal, etc.). I then have a spreadsheet on my laptop which organizes things by company and then, within company, tea type. Next to that information is something like: “Tin”, “No Tin”, “Sample”. If it’s in a tin, I know it’s in the closet, same with “No Tin”. If it says sample, I know the look for it in the immediate sample drawer or one of the labelled tea type bags. With this system, I’ve never ‘lost’ a tea :)
Oh, and all my Tea Bags are kept in a special chest from my Grandmother (it has about 10 perfectly tea bag shaped compartments) in the kitchen…
haha Roswell Strange, you are so organized. I have all my teas on the floor surrounding my staircase. Some are in a large box which is my sample box, some are in a bag which is the swap box, ones from swaps are kept in the original package they came in and all those packages are sitting in a huge teavana back on top of my tins of teavana teas. There are some teas stored in tins on my kitchen counter (those are mine and my roommates favourites). I also have a spreadsheet where the teas are sorted by company and highlighted in different colors based on type. Also I list where (who) each tea comes from, who I sent the teas to, and if I would buy the tea again. On that spread sheet, I also include tasting notes so I can quickly see why I would/would not restock them. Also, last night I made a separate list of all my caffeine free teas so I can quickly decide what I want to have in the evenings/at night.
Yeah, the tea types in my spreadsheet are done by colour too (I use DAVIDsTEA colour system because all my tins are DAVIDsTEA tins that match tea based on the colour). I also have a system in the spreadsheet to know whether I’d restock: N/A (Haven’t tried yet), No Restock, Restock, and Unsure. I should mark who teas came from in swaps, but I don’t. Usually I can remember…
How much to do you guys charge for setting up and data entering onto one of those fancy spread sheets?
Dex, I would happily make a spreadsheet for you. Granted I can’t fill in the origins of your teas or tasting notes or stuff like that but I can use your cupboard as a guide and organize them by company and color code by type :)
I was just about to offer to do the same thing! Honestly, it doesn’t take long to do so I wouldn’t at all mind helping :)
LOL Thanks guys, really I was kidding. I would never be disciplined enough to keep it updated. I was just in awe that both of you actually keep that kind of data.
My mom used to be a bookkeeper and so I kinda grew up with spreadsheets. I think it is more habit than anything :P
Similarly, my Mom was a secretary for years before she quit to return to school and get her Masters so as soon as I started having to use Microsoft Word or Excel for school she taught me how to do everything properly according to MLA Style Guides and things like that – though tea is the first time I’ve ever used a spreadsheet practically outside of school :P
I work accounting, I look at spread sheets all day. I can appreciate how awesome it would be to keep my tea organized, but it would end up being too much like work. Respect you guys for keeping yours up to date.
Sad, sad sipdown. (157)
My caffeine-free options seem to be dwindling by the minute. This is one I really enjoyed. the marshmallow leaf base makes this fluffy and sweet and helps to keep the mint from being over powering. Furthermore the chocolate in this is a nice milk chocolate flavor that helps make this creamy and smooth.
I may have been checking Butiki’s website daily (okay, hourly) waiting for Nutmeg Cream and Eggnog & Pralines to be posted. Once that happens I can place an order and get more of this tasty treat. Hopefully, I will also be able to add a fair amount of Birthday Cake to that order as well. Then I would be in caffeine-free heaven.
Flavors: Chocolate
Preparation
i’m guessing new teas may not be posted until stacy gets back from vacation
I know but I can still dream :P
Yea, last I heard it’ll be a bit before she can make some more Birthday Cake.
Then I will just have to stock up on this to hold me over
So, I am probably not supposed to mention this but the new teas will be posted on Monday. Monday is the last day to order before my vacation starts. So, it is possible to get teas before I leave. The birthday cake will probably be after vacation though unless I can get an accurate account of how much is needed to make today.
hahahaha
Oh? I’d sent you a note via Steepster Stacy, saying 8 oz (if I remember correctly? It’s been a bit). Was more wondering still if we needed to all order it through one person, or make our own orders. For me though it can wait – perhaps it can’t for VariaTEA! ;)
I do miss it but luckily I am a patiant person so I don’t mind waiting.
MissB-Just sent you a message. Sorry, my Steepster messages are kind of a nightmare at the moment. I just sent you a message. I’m trying to coordinate with a few other people that sent me private messages saying they would like to purchase some Birthday Cake.
Oh, would Hello Sweetie be showing up any time soon? :O
Cavocorax-We are doing a special preview for the month of February where anyone that purchases one of the Amoda blends will receive a 2 cup sample. Then starting in March it will be available full-time.
Awesome! :D Thanks
So, nothing against it, but I’m not much of a Valentine’s day type of gal. I much prefer unexpected love days throughout the year :-)
But since today is supposed to be about love (and not about picking up some cheap flowers last minute at a grocery store cause you feel you have too), I chose to do things I really love.
Drinking this tea was one of them. Top 3 favourite tea of all time for me. Discovered Da Yu Ling last year, I keep two from different companies, equally good. Learned that it is grown at the highest plantation in the world, 8500 feet altitude!
This green oolong is similar to some of my favourites Tie Guan Yin, but brings it to the next level.
I’m using the yixing pot I dedicate to fragrant green oolongs. The brew is a beautiful bright yellow colour.
The aroma is breathtaking. I picture a vast garden with luxuriant vegetation all around as I sip on it. Think orchids and lilac scent, mixed up in a twirl of honey and fruity notes. Not sure what’s the specific fruit I get, but it feels like apricot to me.
It’s very sweet, and yet, the finish is minty fresh. Not in your face mint, more of a sweet faint spearmint. The most fabulous phenomena about this tea is how long the taste lingers in the mouth. Long after I’m done drinking it, I can still feel its imprint.
This type of thick buttery mouthfeel always reminds me a silk ribbon dancing in my mouth!
It’s pure liquid gold, but I rarely see people reviewing any Da yu ling at all.
Is there other Steepsterites out there that are as taken by it as I am??
I’ll end this note with a little love story…
It might have been the side effects of the snowstorm, but my cat Happy today was such a little bugger. Dexter (my dog) and I were trying to chill, me having tea and reading a book, him all curled up next to me. Happy likes Dexter’s ears. He’s obsessed with them . He keeps toying with them while Dexter tries to nap. Eventually, Dexter wakes up and gives me the helpless puppy look while Happy takes over his whole head. So what does a 100 pound dog do to an anoying kitty you ask? Well, have a look here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/12529529795/lightbox/
No worries, although it looks like it, Dexter is not having a “Happy meal”, lol!
Here’s how it usually ends:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/12530016644/
As the song goes «…so “happy” to-ge-therrr…»
aww…cute critters…
Yours is pretty cute too, Cryptickoi :-)
thanks..that’s Sprout,he’s a quite the character…
Your animal buddies are adorable!
Haha! Love Sprout as a name!
Thanks Gmathis, I think so too :-)
AAAAWWWWwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeee – how cute is that….
So cute!
OMG!!! cryptickoi, what’s up with that??? Awwww, don’t I love poeple and their fury friends:-) A French Bulldog? They look so in love!!
Gus is a Boston Terrier…
here’s Sprout and Mr.Krinkle(named after the Primus song)…http://www.flickr.com/photos/117587293@N05/12531782284/
they’re comedy…
Your family bunch is so awesome cryptickoi! (Lol, Mr.Krinkle )
yours are very cute…how many do you have?
Four cats, one dog…all rescues, except for the doberman. They all seem to knock at my door winter time, how can I say no??
very nice…food gets scarce in winter I guess..saying no is difficult for me as well…
This tea is delightful, as always. I sent a few parcels across the pond, so I’m spreading the Japon love. This tea is really making it’s way around! I’m just sipping away at a resteep right now, where I mixed 1/2 tsp. of Cacao in to “revive” it a bit. It smells nothing short of amazing. Yep, the roasty toasty goodness of Japon with a hint of chocolate from the cacao.
In other news, I just did 40 minutes of yoga and completed my second day of a self-induced squat challenge. I have been feeling so crappy lately, just in general. I’m also constantly exhausted. I’m up early every day and I overloaded my courses this term, but I can’t stay awake later than 9/10pm. No matter what I do. That just doesn’t say “healthy” to me in my mid-twenties. To that end, I’ve told myself I’ll get up 45 minutes earlier each day and do a yoga session when it’s still dark and quiet in the house.
Good call on the exercise/yoga. It seems counterintuitive but the more I exercise the more energy I have.
It’s true! I don’t generally have an overabundance of time, but I’m just going to have to find it because you feel so much better.
Right…I tend to get my exercise in 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there type of stuff…whatever I can squeeze in! It all helps!
Yoga definitely helps, although when I’m really pinched for time, I use my kettlebells… 10-15 minutes and I’m sweating and feeling more energized than any yoga class or running sessions three times the length. It’s a surprisingly good workout.
Have you ever gone to hot yoga? I may go tomorrow with my roommate though I am not a huge fan of heat so I am not sure how I will deal with that.
DELETEless than a minute ago
Oh yes. I’ve done hot yoga for years. I absolutely love it. But I also absolutely love heat haha. Heat and humidity actually. The hotter, the better.
I like the “DELETEless than a minute ago” :P. And I absolutely hate humidity so I have avoided it for so long but I imagine it must feel pretty good.
Haha what is that?
It does! It can be hard to breathe if you’re not used to the humidity, but after you leave you feel amazing.
My roommate said something similar
I quickly became addicted to it actually. Not the not being able to breathe bit, just hot yoga in general hah.
The only thing is, after years of resisting, I finally said I would go and turns out the instructor is sick and there may not even be a class tomorrow
Oh no! That would happen when you finally decide to go haha. I’ve also had instructors I just don’t like. If that happens, I would suggest trying another. I don’t do Bikram hot yoga though – is this the kind you’re planning on?
I don’t believe so but tbh I am not sure.
Well, I do hope it works out for you. :) Also, this is a long read, but I was in stitches by the end of it.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3153/Hilarious-Yoga-Mat-for-Sale-Ad-on-Craigslist.html
Haha. That does not make me feel any better about the “hot” part of hot yoga.
Hot yoga is definitely… acquired. I struggled through my first few classes, big time. My friend that went with me? Slept through it. :$
Your friend sounds like me, MissB! Heat = naps. :)
This morning I made fresh peanut butter to have with my toasts. It was warm and so creamy, I ate a big spoonful before spreading it!
Not all teas make the peanut butter list. (K S already know that) I usually have my regular straight Assam, Yunnan and Keemun to pair with it. Don’t like any flavoured tea with it.
You have to understand that I’m picky cause peanut butter is considered heaven food in my household.
K S mentioned in a recent post that earl grey came highly recommended on his PBJ tea list so I made a mental note of that (I personally am more of a purist, I prefer classic unaltered PB on my toasts, I ditched the J a long time ago).
So, I chose this favourite Earl of mine. I usually prefer this version cause the creamy part mellows the bergamot I sometimes find offensive in blends. The reason I like it so much is that unlike other EGC, this one doesn’t scream vanilla. I don’t mind vanilla when it’s done right, but it can be heavy and a little sickening to me. Here, it just rounds the edges of Miss Bergamot. It’s a perfect cup! And yes, it complimented wonderfully my PB toasts this morning.
So K S, thank you, earl grey officially makes THE PB list!!!
Wow, making fresh peanut butter! That’s ambition.
Mmm, this one is wonderful.
Lol, no merits here, it’s actually super easy when you have the tools. I have a high power blender (vitamix). I just buy a jar of roasted peanuts, and in 30 seconds I have fresh warm peanut butter! I make a one week provision every week end, it’s not really cheaper but it tastes so good, once you start you can’t stop!!
Nice! I read those vitamix blenders are very powerful. Maybe if I ever get a blender I’ll get that one. :)
Lol, I think I should just work for them, I’ve been such an ambassador since I got mine, I’ve convinced many people to buy one. It’s just a life changer, it makes hot soup within 10 minutes, it actually cooks by friction! So yes, hope you get to have one someday, much more than just a blender…
Wow, they’re expensive! Just looked it up. I had no idea they cook by friction. I was wondering why the peanut butter was warm haha.
When I have PB I like it on a Ritz. I do this often as PB is definitely heaven food. I often toast PBJ sandwiches in a skillet. Yumm. This is making me hungry. lol I have never made PB. The ‘natural’ ones I have bought seem to separate really bad. Maybe they have been on the shelf too long?
Oh, and if PB is heaven food (and it is), then EG is heaven drink. Sorry Sil, deal with it. ha
Heaven food: buttermilk donuts, lemon meringue pie, meat loaf (well, that’s soul food).
Fjellrev, yes it’s quite an investment and I first thought you had to be nuts to pay that kind of money for a blender, lol! Turns out it is worth every penny, as it replaces so many appliances…
K S, agreed that earl grey is also heaven drink, just like jasmine tea, it’s been part of my life since childhood…
I am so going to try a grilled PB sandwich now! Think it works without the jam??
Yes, can’t stand store bought natural peanut butter, they’re so hard to mix with all that oil on top. But when you do it yourself, you don’t have that problem, it doesn’t separate cause you put it in the fridge right away. So good!
Lol, gmathis, thank god it’s dinner time, so hungry!!!
You “ditched the j a long time ago” ? You ditched the j ?!!!? Why did you ditch the j ? Poor j ….. It’s ok j I still love you. I’ll take the j – you can have the icky bergamot stuff ;))
Hahaha! Oh Dexter, aren’t you the funny one…yeah, thanks for taking care of poor J.
(Bergamott hater!!!)
I probably need to retry with Fresh PB because olala this food is kind of mystery …why does my daughter love that…(skippy brand)
Haha, Ysaurella, just saw your comment, we also have the infamous Skippy here, that stuff is so sweet, I call it peanut jam! I can’t stand it and don’t like the natural PB found in stores, nothing like making your own with fresh roasted arachides, I highly recommend but don’t take Skippy away from your daughter, she will hate me :-)
I’d already committed to this one before realizing it was one of those nightmare samples.
1. It’s not in the database.
2. It’s barely googlable and not available to purchase online.
3. It turns out it’s an in-house (but possibly sourced) blend at this three-locations-in-the-entire-US coffee chain.
4. If I love it, there’s no way in hell I’m ever going to be able to score any more.
So let’s steep this sucker and hope for the worst!
In the bag, it smells really, really delicious. It’s strongly coconutty, but also a full-on, really gorgeous pistachio. I know it’s supposed to be almond, but this smells exactly like Sicilian pastry filled with pistachio cream. Sorry, almond flavouring – you and pistachio were switched at birth. In addition, this is a really, really beautiful tea – long strips of coconut, lovely shades of green. I’m sold.
In the cup, incomprehensibly, this just gets better. Coconut wise, this is as fresh as it comes. David’s Tea’s coconut always has a slight oiliness to it – I’m not saying it’s stale, but it’s mature coconut. Lupicia’s coconut is all coconut cream, a complete piña colada experience. But this? This is all fresh, crisp, pale, natural coconut.
Flavour wise, it’s not over the top, but definitely present. It’s a complete mouthfeel experience – I love how some teas are there, unapologetic, throughout the entire sip. This is definitely one of those – tongue tip-to-aftertaste delicious. It might just be the natural sweetness of the coconut, but I also get a vanilla-esque smoothness right at the end of the sip.
Well, this was completely awful. Who has an uncle in Blowing Rock, NC?
I would have loved to hold on to the remains of this, but since it seems so rare, I’ll drop it back into the box – I’d say the sample is good for about three more cups. Thanks a lot for sharing this one, KittyLovesTea!
[Sample from the second round of the EU Travelling Box, spring 2014.]
Preparation
I think I have a decent amount of this tea left. I swore this already had a review page :/ I got it from Chuckieroy last year and I hadn’t realised how un-sourceable this tea was.
Oh no, maybe I missed it was already in the DB! The search is so weird lately (also I have the attention span of a strung-out guppy, but really, let’s blame the search).
Also the review was really in good jest, loved the tea, and I’m sure I can find a way to get my greedy little hands on some more. You put so much good stuff in the box!
Oooh, I hope I get to try this one! Sounds delicious
Yeah, I’ll drop in samples of the other two coconuts I’m referencing, if anyone else wants to make a comparison. =)
Sounds great, thanks! I love coconut (:
“nightmare samples” lol—or packets! Yes, I find that sometimes my tea choices for the day are altered by whether or not it will require a fact-finding mission in order to post a tasting note! It does not take that much time, but it does take some…
I went to Blowing Rock a few times. Lovely place! If I am ever there again I will look for the tea shop.
Haha, yeah – for me it was more the issue of possibly drinking an awesome tea and not having any clue where it came from or how to get more.
A-hah! ashmanra, I hereby name you our uncle in Blowing Rock!
Family 20 miles away from there. I will have to look closer the next time I visit.
This all sounds very promising, keep me updated. =)
I’m drinking this tea out of my new birthday mug, and it’s been poured from my new birthday teapot. I have named the latter Freddie, after the character Freddie Miles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, because it’s fat-yet-elegant, showy and has weird colouring. Birthdays aren’t very gifty to me, unlike Christmas – I’d rather get together with friends and chosen family for activities and Symbolic Things. I prefer getting myself birthday gifts – small things I don’t really need, but that make me happy. So on Monday I was out all day on a magpie spree with my special sweetface Em. When I got this, they offered to deliver it for me. I mean. It’s a tiny teapot. It was hilarious. When it had been settled that it did, in fact, fit quite easily into my bag, they knocked €2 off. It really cracked me up.
My friend T. inspired me to pick this up (Hey T. – good news, I have enough to share!) She’s been ogling it for a while and I figured I’d do us both a service and act as a test subject. I wanted something fit for spring – complex, floral, but yet light and not too overwhelming. Mariage Frères definitely delivered on all accounts. First of all, this is a beautiful tea. Long, thin, needly leaves in various dark shades of green, the occasional light leaf breaking it up nicely, and an absolute abundance of lovely petals.
Scent wise, it excites me a lot, because to me, this is the spring counterpart of Marco Polo Vert – and that, to me, is the ultimate green tea for autumn, with its thick fruity ripeness. This has the same boozy character, but it’s a light, floral booziness. A perfect spring tea party tea – when I close my eyes I see tiers and tiers of dainty sandwiches and cakes.
I’m sometimes frustrated by teas that have no discernible, individual flavours, but in this case the multifaceted florality present in each sip is like a lovely, delicate veil of tea. It’s perfectly achieved, and I’m very pleased with this one. Like most Mariage Frères teas in my collection, it has a very clearly defined personality that grows on me with each sip.
Anyway, one of the Symbolic Things I did yesterday was to dye my hair for the first time in… well, forever. I have never altered my hair colour, ever, in any manner whatsoever, during my 34 years. We went with chocolate, tobacco and a dash of gold. In other words, just like my own hair, only without the greys that emerged overnight some time in late November. http://tinyurl.com/qe7jd58
I love my pervy old uncle Rick.
[Purchased at Dagnino in Rome, March 2014.]
Preparation
YAY birthday mugs and teapot!
also..HOLY CRAP your hair is gorgeous…
Happy birthday and I agree with Sil. Your hair looks amazing! Great color, but even greater curl!
(Not but. And. And even greater curl.)
Thanks, guys. <3 I think we went through a whole bottle of wine just doing those curls, haha.
i could stare at that pic alllll day long…
You can touch it if you wanna.
For a second I thought everyone was commenting on your pervy uncle’s picture. I’m sure you look fabulous! and tell me mooore about your birthday mug!
Oh my goodness, your hair is beautiful!! And, happy birthday!
Oh, uncle Rick is way prettier than me, I’m definitely not posting a picture with both of us in it.
I got my birthday mug at a somewhat unexpected place – Benetton! They’re currently doing a line of mugs with graphic prints that I really like.
The shape is simple, straight-up cylindrical with a simple handle. The base/background is white, and the pattern consists of circular shapes in a light turquoise. They resemble stylized daisies, with the white background showing through in the centre, and between the ‘petals’. They’re distributed symmetrically across the mug, and the ‘daisies’ in the vertical rows are kept together by very thin lines. I like how the pattern doesn’t go all the way up/down to the top/bottom of the mug, but that there’s white space along the edges.
…and here’s a picture for the sighted: http://tinyurl.com/mkxfpes
That’s a great description. The mug sounds lovely…and glad there’s a pic for the visually advantaged!
haha i love that keychange… visually advantaged. :)
Happy birthday, liberated Rapunzel! I love your hair way too much than is decent :D
You can also touch it if you wanna.
I’m happy you love Montagne de Jade because it didn’t work at all for me but I recognize it as a very high quality tea.
and of course you look like a princess with such hair !
It can sometimes be particularly frustrating when you find one of those teas you know are really exquisite and of the highest quality, and then you still don’t like them.
And nooo, not a princess – I look like a ninja assassin!
you’re a Ninja Princess ;)
This is gone and sorely missed!
Back to my shopping list for you!
I forgot to add that once it cooled, it really tasted like cinnamon bun.
Yum!
we’ll need to keep an eye out for a sale and just pick up 4-6oz of the stuff lol
How bad is the shipping?
it’ll go through sharon so not terrible but 50$ = free shipping to her
That’s not bad. If we do it directly, it’s $15. And that sucks, but I’ve done that for H&S.
Yeah, I feel like you have to order a lot in order to justify the shipping.
directly. no silly. tea mule.
I ordered 2 oz of this blindly on BF because everyone seems to really enjoy it. I am so excited to try it!!
Haha Sil, I know, I know.
I thought you were losing your mule?
That package re-direct place in the US might be worth looking into though!
VariaTEA – I hope you enjoy it!
cavo – oh did i not update. things did not go according to plan..it is the suck for her, but on the upside, i have a tea mule still! woohoo!
This is such a good tea. We might have to do an order over here for some.
A group order would be awesome! We could split the shipping and just order whatever we want.
Sil – you didn’t! That really sucks for her, but… well we’re set up so that’s a partial win!
We now offer 5.95 flat rate shipping to CANADA!!!!!
I just saw that yesterday and almost died!
OMG. That is dangerous to know.
YAY!
Oh, holy horror.
So my friend K is a sweetheart in every possible way. We were talking about tea at some point in December and she said she had this amazing tea I had to try, which, in fact, was Italian. And I was delighted, because hey – some Italian looseleaf company I had yet to hear of, awesome.
And then she brought me a bag of this.
I obviously felt like the biggest tea snob, but it was like someone telling you you had to taste the most delicious meat dish on earth, and then they drop an unskinned, smelly polecat in your lap.
So.
Hibiscus tea.
Bagged hibiscus tea.
All accompanied by this ‘Oh, this is the best thing ever!’ bounciness. It was hilarious.
But of course I decided to try it! K is awesome, if she loved it, it couldn’t be all that bad, I figured.
First of all, this is the most potent tea dye I have ever seen. I don’t know if I’ll dare look in the mirror after my first sip, for I fear my teeth will turn a deep crimson. This tea bag bleeds in the most unsavoury way possible. I swear I could paint a wall with it.
Steeped, it smells of… absolutely nothing. But it’s very, very red.
Oh man.
This is the worst tea I have had in my life. It tastes like sour blood. There’s this vile, metallic tone to it, which is disturbingly meaty, and the sourness is completely out of hand.
I am laughing so hard right now, but I have to take one more sip for science.
Okay.
Yes, still equally bad, if not worse – it tastes like sour, juiceleaky meat wrapped in paper.
What have I learned from this?
a) Tea snobbery can save lives.
b) I love my friends, maybe especially when they’re trying to kill me.
[Assassination attempt by K, Rome 2013.]
Preparation
lmao awesome
FOR SCIENCE.
this is called taking one for the team. tea team. =0)
lol!!!
The very first legitimate argument I have ever read in defense of tea snobbery and so very funny.
Thank you for the laugh. I needed that this evening!
LMAO!!
LOL
Poor you. Oh Poor you. The bad taste in tea good people can have is truly astounding.
There is some italian tea (italian blend, not italian grown, though should let you know there is for example portuguese grown tea which is quite good). I never bought it, but some metal, grey containers, cylindrical? There was a chai mix with star anise I wondered about. I have seen those for sale around, always wondered if they were any good.
nevermind, google is our friend, found the tea brand name – Blend teas
http://www.blendweb.it/IT/default.aspx
are they any good?
Oh, cteresa, I missed your comment completely last time around, but we already exchanged messages about Blend – they’re not responding to e-mails about retail locations, but I’ll keep my eyes open.
LOL, funny that I can find it more easily in Lisbon than you in Rome!
It’s SO Italian.
I couldn’t do any diet that kept me from tea. twitch
You can’t have tea if you’re eating raw?!?! Oh, the humanity!
Also, I want to try this tea :-)
Marzipan-I could use it though. I was drinking way too much tea. This is a nice break.
mj-Well, I could have a white tea that was sundried and steeped cold. I could drink that all day without cheating. This tea is really delicious!
Is this the “new Taiwanese” tea sample I got but haven’t tried yet? Woo! Hope the rest of your Raw Time goes well :)
Stephanie-Indeed it is! Thanks, I’m adjusting quite nicely now and I just got some raw nut cheeze in the mail (that must sound gross but it is amazing) and some raw chocolate torte (pretty awesome since it uses the only kind of sugar that I can have without getting sick.
That sounds pretty tasty to me! Can you make smoothies? I’ve put raw rolled oats in mine for texture/whole grains before and it was pretty good!
Hmmm, I will have to see if raw rolled oats are truly raw because that sounds awesome. I do make almond mylk by letting raw almonds soak in water for 8 hours. If I’m feeling frisky, I add some vanilla bean and blend the almonds in after they have soaked. I could do some ice, almond mylk, and fruit. That would be good. One thing I’ve done is cardamom, papaya, and almond mylk. That is awesome.
If anyone wonders what I eat, here is a link to my instagram: http://instagram.com/butikiteas. There are only 4 raw foods on there but I will be adding more throughout the raw adventure.
Hope that raw energy kicks in really soon ;-)
Last month, I did 30 days of “semi raw” if you will, mostly in the form of green smoothies, vegetal proteins, seeds and nuts…after a few days, I was so energized. I also do that every year!
But I do have my tea, can’t give that up even for just a month! You’ve got a lot of will power my dear!
And the tea just sounds great!
TheTeaFairy-I can tell, it will kick in soon. That’s pretty awesome that you do mostly raw for a month every year! Well, I feel like I can live with just one tea a day. It’s my special reward. No way would I be able to completely give up tea for a month. Not a chance. The tea is wonderful!
Those food pics are gorgeous and all look so tasty! I see shredded green papaya? One of my faves!
Hey BTW canvas get there ok?
No green papaya. There was mango though. Mmmm! Thanks!
The canvas has not arrived. I was starting to think about checking the tracking number.