783 Tasting Notes
2014-03-09
Bwahahaha i stole Cavocorax’s pouchhoard!
i feel really touched that she sent this tea to me when she loves it so much!!
it’s true i’ve been wanting to try this tea for a long time.
but … i have a confession, …i’m not even a harry potter person! Eeeeee
pleeeeaze don’t revoke my fangirl membership card!!!!
i mean, the tea just sounds yum!
Butter… Beer… Duh! O_o
and it is! it is totally yum!
and i have cups worth to drink!
giant muggle cups of rootish beer and buttery tones.
sluuuuurp a slurp.
luckiest muggle ever.
2012-12-25
omg i haven’t really drank tea all day! what’s with that!?
i did have a pot of peppermint tea at the museum bar after seeing the Chihuly exhibit with my sister.
but that didn’t really count in my mind.
though it did feel good in my tummy.
well this tea isn’t nearly as weird tasting as i thought it would be!
haha.
bam!
it really is just a hint of coconut. and i love davidstea secret santa so yay mint. a mint black tea is kinda good at any time of the day.
it’s REALLY great that Cavocorax sent me such a hearty bag of this tea!
actually, she sent me a hearty box of ALL THE TEAAAZ!
like seriously. a cray cray amount of tea.
and she can try to say it’s because i’m sharing it with oddree but let’s get real, it was enough for a small family. or an army. a tea army. (make tea, not war!)
It was really fun packing your box. I made a special trip to DAVIDs just because I saw oddree had Chocolate Orange on her wishlist and I threw in a few extras bc I wasn’t sure how often you could hit a DT. I bought a mason jar on that trip so it wasn’t completely selfless. :D
I felt a little bad for sending this bcause I bought myself a sample when I bought yours and my first cup made me think of toothpaste and that was NOT what I was trying to send to you, but it was already packaed when I tried mine. :D
you read it right fanfic thread peeps! my third fic tea and ‘work in progress’.
i’m getting better at predicting blends, because this one is pretty tasty! how it came out isn’t exactly how i envisioned it tasting, but it’s close. close enough to be happy with it.
and seeing how the ratio of teas and additions i chose taste together can still teach me about future blending choices. (the more teas from adagio i get to taste the easier it is, because some teas are DUH just more potent in flavor than others.)
for me, its about figuring out the flavors in the right levels but also then considering how the tea smells dry and how the tea looks.
ikr i don’t think i would have ever considered that i’d care how a blend i make looks. but i do. and now in hindsight it’s no surprise, because i WAS an art major after all.
anyways, i know how i’m gonna try adjusting the next version of this blend. and then it might take 1 more after that before i settle on the recipe. but don’t worry! i’m keeping extensive and awesome notes!
hey hey this is one of those teas that i’d see posted and was continuously curious about.
also the Browncoat Genmaicha was on my curious list too (because of reasons), and they are basically the same tea it seems.
i mean, genmaicha is such a distinct flavor. (once at a local bar that has good tea, the server gal said genmaicha was “really gross” and then i said “i’ll have a cup of that!”. we laughed.)
this tea was really mild though. kinda too mild.
a lumpy pillow. not even the genmaicha part was especially toasty.
BUT yes i have bad sinuses. delicate flavors don’t do great with me.
perhaps my sister will do better. she usually likes genmaicha even more than me.
thanks thank thanks to moraiwe for this sample.
i say thanks all the time in all my notes. to the people who swap with me.
but usually the thanks doesn’t feel like enough.
i’ve been having some really great experiences with tea swaps lately. just, ya know, when the swappers sync up in this great balance and understanding.
and each person gets to feel equal parts enthusiastically generous and deeply grateful. perfect tea living!
Are your sinuses always bad or is it just a cold? I can’t taste anything right now because of a sinus infection and it is making me crazy! I want to taste tea so badly right now!
oh Dustin, don’t get me started! hahaha
i’ll try to be short about it and say that my sinuses are always generally bad. i used to have awful allergies and now my sinuses have scar tissue build up due to repeated infections. (i had a ct scan done once.)
i have methods of keeping them healthy and happy most of the time that work great. i also no longer have allergies.
(but i slept with the space heater on the other night because i was too lazy to turn it off just one time, and then i teetered on the verge of a sinus infection for a whole week. tsk tsk. i knew better.)
Oh no! I think the heater going on and not having started up the humidifier did me in a week or so ago. Lame that something so minor as that can have such lasting consequences. What are your methods for keeping your sinuses happy?
okaaaay get ready.!!! brace yourself :) cuz i can easily go on a big ranty rant about this slightly gross topic anytime it’s mentioned haha…
i REALLY apologize in advance if i come off as weirdly bossy. i just can’t help myself from being passionate about breathing!!
don’t hate me!
also i bet a lot of other people have tons of helpful advice, even better advice, that’s worked for them too. everyone is different. and there are so many variables!
1. NASAL IRRIGATION
i use an Ayr bottle but all my housemates use netti pots. they are the same thing. don’t get the gels or the sprays or anything like that. it’s all bunk. and unnecessary. and might dry you out or mess things up more. all you need is hot-ish water and a little salt.
just do it. at least once a day. twice if you can. no excuses.
the benefits way outweigh the annoyance.
do it. you’ll be bad at it at first. it’ll feel weird. or like it’s not helpful. or just really uncomfortable. but keep doing it anyways. okay? okay.
2. probiotics
and i don’t mean eat lots of yogurt. i use a protein powder that has great live probiotics. but you can get pills too. there are options. but get a good one. you get what you pay for. probiotics will improve your digestion and make it so you get all the nutrients from all the food you eat. the more nutrients you get the stronger your immune system. the stronger your immune system the less leaky your nose will want to be!!
but…. i do use a goat’s milk based protein powder, which goes against my next recommendation…
3. quit dairy
i know no one wants to hear this one. eyeroll/close tab/say you can’t live without cheese. i know i know i get it. cheese is freakin delicious!! we all know it! look, it’s not forever. and milk proteins cause a mucus response in some people. but hey, there have also been studies showing “no statistically significant [difference] between milk and dairy product intake and symptoms of mucus production in healthy adults with rhinovirus infection.” so it’s your call.
but it seems to really make a difference for me. it’s how i got rid of my allergies in the first place. i quit dairy and my allergies went entirely away, and once i started eating dairy again they never came back. (i can’t even IMAGINE what my sinuses would be like now if i hadn’t healed my allergies ugh)
was it a detox? a re-calibration of sorts? who knows but it entirely worked.
i figure for most people quitting dairy kinda depends on how desperate and in pain you are.
i do eat dairy these days, but i’m pretty sure i eat way less than the average person, and when i’m feeling extra sinus sensitive cutting dairy out for a little while really helps.
OTHER OPTIONS!
- mucus thinner & drinking LOTS of water
this is at the bottom of the list. cuz i don’t do this currently. but if you are in one of those really bad spots you can always buy something like Musinex and take it daily. even when you think you don’t need it. i prefer to avoid continuous pills if i can, but there have been times when i just really needed the help. and i think if you do take mucus thinner in conjunction with nasal irrigation, it can make a big difference in kind of ‘training’ your head to breathe better?
like teaching your body a new pattern?
- those ‘breathe right’ strips
i have only tried them once, but i have a friend who swears by them. gotta figure at very least being able to breathe better at night will get you better sleep. which is gonna make you less exhausted during the day and just generally healthier. plus it’s medicine and chemical free :) … maybe it helps keep things movin cuz more air can get in? idk. but if this sounds like a good idea for your type of sinus problems then go for it! can’t hurt.
i just mention it cuz it’s one of those options that i always forget about but is really really simple.
believe it or not i just bought a humidifier! it arrives in the mail today haha! it’s gonna be great. i haven’t had one for a long time (though i used to be obsessed when i lived more north).
i wanna spell check this really bad, but i’m using a pomodoro timer browser extension that is going to block this website in 2 min, so….
<<<<<< OMG DORK!
that is SO LONG. i’m totally embarrassed hahahahahah
I am not grossed out easily and have been living in sinus hell for a while so bring it! I do the saline irrigation daily, so I’m on the same page there. I hadn’t thought to try probiotics regularly. I’ll have to give that a go. I have never heard of them in a protien powder before, nor have I run across goat based protien powder! I only ever see soy or whey based. Where do you find it? Goat dairy is a lot easier on people than cow, so it makes sense that it would be an exception to #3. I think it has to do with the protiens being smaller and easier to digest. My vegan friends keep posting articles on Facebok of the horrible things that are done to cows on farms and it’s kinda turning me off dairy a bit, but i haven’t made that final jump on giving up chese. I am sticking my toes in that water tho.
I’m going to see a new ENT next month and hopefully he will be able to help me manage my sinuses better than my current doc, but in the mean time I’m going to be seeing my primary doc for antibiotics to try to get this under better control now.
Thanks for all the tips! I’m going to try some for sure!
wow Dustin! you have no idea how glad i am that you completely know what i’m talking about! and that i wasn’t just blabbing some nerdy language at you. haha
but it is a bummer to hear that your sinuses sound as bad, or even worse than mine.
you know all the cool facts about goat milk protein too! i was vegan for years and now i just consider myself picky :) i still prefer almond and soy milk. and i buy ‘Better Than Cream Cheese’ and all the fake meats on a regular basis. etc i do enjoy cheese and ice cream and sour cream, but only on occasion ya know.
i buy my protein powder online from Mt Capra. the powder is called Deep 30 and it’s not cheap, but i like it so much that i cut corners in other areas so i can keep it stocked in my cupboard. they have other pro-biotic options too. there are probably other good companies too, this just happens to be the one i found and love.
let me tell you this, i irrigated 3 times this morning within a 1 hr period and my sinuses are still in swollen pain!! arg not a good day. the weather here is really not good right now. in fact, my sinuses haven’t been as bad as they are today in over a year or more! that’s weird.
BUT on days like this i just take ibuprofen to keep the swelling down. and again drink lots of water and tea duh!! hah. it definitely helps me. simple works best for me sometimes. (i’d probably normally take a decongestant but i also take adhd meds and don’t need anything else messing with my heart rate blerg)
good luck with the antibiotics and your new doctor! i really really hope it turns out well and that you can find some relief.
… and if you ever find the answer to the unanswerable question of how to end sinus problems please let me know! :) (a girl can dream)
I had sinus surgery last year to remove polyps, straighten my septum and scrape out my totally clogged sinuses and am now doing allergy therapy to try to reverse the allergic reactions that started it all. So yeah, I’m neck deep in nerdy sinus language!
I prefer soy milk to cow, so it is really just cheese, yogurt and on occasion ice cream that are left. I have also been really into the Pacific brand of chocolate hazelnut milk. It tastes like you are drinking Nutella!
It looks like that Deep 30 is cheaper on Amazon and has free shipping! http://www.amazon.com/Mt-Capra-Deep2-Coconut-Dream/dp/B0057AMGZK Have you noticed a health difference when taking it consistently? Is one flavor better than others?
Sinus rinsing doesn’t make a notable difference for me especially when they are already ticked off. Have you tried any decongestant sprays? I bought one when I was in Ireland that works really well for me in immediate reduction of swelling and pressure on bad days. I have been depending on it a bit lately and just ordered more from the UK. I tried some of the options we have over the counter in the states and they make me more stuffed up. It is this stuff… http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RDYI04/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I am running low so I tried to substitute Allegra D yesterday and was up all night feeling speedy. I’m hoping I can get a nap in.
If there is a cure other than sinus transplant surgery or moving to Alaska where there are less allergens, I’ll be sure to spread the word!
hey whoa i have so many teas to post notes for!
i do grants management at a university and have been working on 2 multi million dollar grant proposals at the same time. it’s kinda like working on 16 smaller proposals at once.
and basically i’m swapped.
so not a lot of time for tea reviews.
but i’m having a great time! i love the challenge, the puzzle solving, the small friendly conversations with other admins located clear across the country, and the type type typing of little numbers into cumbersome 12 tab spreadsheets.
i’m probably speaking a foreign language to some of you.
and i’ll probably feel like this is too much of a real life vs internet life blend to keep it posted but i felt like talking about it so eh.
i arrive at work early. i stay late. i listen to music and listen to podcasts and drink tea the whole time i’m there. and lately i leave every day feeling accomplished and like i wish i could have a few more hours.
sometimes my job is a layered puzzle and sometimes it’s just a big sexy spreadsheet of data.
and it’s totally weird for a ‘creative type’ with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to enjoy it as much as i do.
i am grateful everyday.
i am THRILLED that ashleyelizabeth could send me such a large quantity of this tea! it’s very generous of her and i wasn’t expecting it. makes it a great tea for brewing giant 24oz cups of it at my desk! (“greetings! this hiv research paperwork has been fueled by coconuts!”)
it’s a mellow tea and lately, perhaps because the quantity of tea i drink keeps increasing, i’ve really been enjoying and drawn to white teas even more than before. (psst i like this better than the coconut oolongs yes)
thanks again to ashleyelizabeth for sending me such a nice swap xo
LOL. You’re the type of person I’m in contact with ALL THE TIME, as I do all the budgeting and admin for a lab. “When did we get payment? Our letter says our payments should be this, did that happen? Where is our money? Do you want us to follow up on it or can you?”
hahah!! ya know, i’ve seen you talk about lab stuff before! is it like an industry lab you work for? one of the proposals i’m working on has two FFRDCs included. (um wait maybe i’m speaking a foreign language again. idk.)
i work in engineering so it’s labs like microelectronics and pharmaceutical and mini nuclear reactors and biomaterials and my boyfriend is constantly disappointed to learn that i don’t ACTUALLY walk the halls alongside humanoid robots and holograms.
oh duh you’re in CANADIA! you don’t have US Federally Funded Research and Development Centers. i’m a dork.
LOL! Yeah, that IS disappointing to learn you don’t actually walk the halls alongside humanoid robots and holograms. I mean, come ON science! Get it together! :D :D
It’s an academic research lab. And yes, in Canadia! The science is really interesting, but organizing and following up on all the paperwork can be terrible. Bureaucracy. Gah!
Key Lime Pie!
P M S!
too much work!
my standing desk!
http://instagram.com/p/kscgTaoc5N/
SO. MUCH. TEA!
Super Swap City!
http://instagram.com/p/lFu9_4oc7i/
Sorry I’ve been
M I A.
did i mention
too much work!
thanks to moraiwe!
for the teeeeeaa!
LOVE IT.
i’m packing yours up this weekend! :)
Superb, all of it.
Love the poem, and the standing desk :)
I hear that standing desks are all the rage right now. As a person who stands for the entire workday I am baffled by the desire to have a standing desk.
I am so jealous of the standing desk!
You are so organized. You’re a swap pro :P
I read that as too much work due to moraiwe! /shakes fist at moraiwe/
LOLOLOL.
You’re desk is pretty awesome.
oh Nextdoor i know i know! i’ve had stand-all-day jobs before, for year sand years, and when i got my first office job i was like ‘wow i love having energy during not-work time!" what a difference, but eventually, sitting on your butt in the same place for hours can wear on you too. i guess ultimately it’s about balance right?
i don’t actually stand all day. i sit at meetings and sit during conversations and sit during lunch (if i take it), and i also just sometimes put the desk back to sitting cuz it’s adjustable.
so ya know. options. balance and options.
but yes, a stand-all-day job where there isn’t the option to sit can be very draining and stressful and i completely sympathize with your sore feet!
(and also tbh i’m diagnosed hyperactive and standing helps me focus and stay engaged. it’s a secret coping mechanism of sorts. shhh)
(it also helps me exponentially increase my reputation as the department weirdo while i continue to add other quirky habits! like say, standing on a foam roller? and also being the “tea gal”.)
oh yes, I love the weirdo reputation. you get props from me for that one. You’re right, it’s about balance. My partner sits all day at her desk job and complains about her back. so at the end of the day I ask for her to squeeze my heels (not a kicky code word, but exactly what it sounds like) and she asks for me to walk on her back. which i never do cause i’m not 4 y/o and weigh significantly more than 30 lbs
*kinky
GASP! Not a Harry Potter person!?
LOL
:O Not… into Harry Potter???? Whaaaa?
Hahah, but it’s cool. I’m happy you are enjoying it!
How are you not a Harry Potter person? I wasn’t aware this was possible.
ummmm idk idk idk!! i mean, it might be my age? but that doesn’t seem right to say. just,… maybe it was a timing thing via age?
i didn’t used to be a very big reader. and i was smack dab in the middle of college when the first books came out.
but i have a pretty clear memory of the scene in the last movies where they are drinking it. (the scenes felt a bit like fanfic hah)
and i’ve seen all the movies cuz my roommate has read all the books multiple times. but i tried reading them and never got very far.
:(
hey, i’ll ask my sister!! she always has the best emotional and intellectual insight into these kind of things.
To Be Continued….!