JacquelineM

Today we went on a nature walk and picnic, and for days now I planned to cold brew this for the picnic drink. Well, I woke up today smacking my head – I FORGOT TO COLD BREW THE ICED TEA!!!! Siiiiiggggggghhhhhh!

I quickly made a double strength hot brew of it, cooled it down over ice, and took it on our adventure. It was really good, and very refreshing with our spicy peanut noodle picnic, but I definitely prefer the cold brew method. This was a little harsh and strong, where the cold brewed one is delicate and so much more fruity. I didn’t get any of the grapefruit/St. Germain notes today.

Moral of the story: Don’t forget to put your iced tea to cold brew before going to sleep the night before a picnic or you will be sad!!!

This one courtesy of Doulton!

Again, I was so looking forward to trying this one!

My first impression was that it tasted like flavored coffee. The caramel was pronounced for me, and very toffee coffee. Dark. I didn’t pick up on vanilla or spice. It was a very enjoyable after dinner cuppa, but it was almost like an after dinner cup of coffee! Because of that, and the high cost of this tea, it is probably something I wouldn’t go ahead and order. To totally misconstrue James Joyce for my own purposes:

When I takes tea I takes tea, And when I takes coffee I takes coffee …

I needed something to pick me up after clearing the raised beds in the garden and planting onions and peas, and before tackling the dreaded shirt ironing. This seemed like a great candidate! Definitely strong, but so honeyed and delicious. Utterly classic. I love it for the afternoon when you have a ton to do and don’t want to get all sugary and dreamy with a flavored afternoon tea, and you don’t have time for a multiple steep tea.

Drank a big mug of this late last night. Mmmmmmm. The flavors of mint, chocolate and rooibos combine for a very satisfying cup. They were blended nicely and not a single one screamed out or stole the show. Vanilla is listed as one of the ingredients, but I didn’t identify it as a taste. I imagine it contributed to the overall richness. There were also bits of what looked like dried fruit, but I don’t know what kind. They were not a prominent part of the flavor but again, I think they added a certain something to the tisane because it was very rich and satisfying.

This is a great tea to have when you are in the mood for a dessert tea, but don’t want caffeine. Even though it seems like it is Fellini’s Folly with chocolate added, it really isn’t. The proportions of mint are totally different and the extra additions change that invigorating and digestive tisane into a lovely treat.

Every time I see the tin for this tea, it makes me want to sing Lady Marmalade (original Labelle one, s’il vous plaît!)

http://videosift.com/video/LaBelle-Lady-Marmalade-original

Mmmmmm these tea leaves smell good!!!!

1st steep: Hellooooooo Gorgeous! Floral, fruity and sweet. Maybe I’m crazy but I taste something like banana or some other sweet tropical fruit!!! It’s different from any of the green jasmines I’ve so far tasted, and I really like it. I lowered the temp and steeping time slightly based on what others have said and I think it was a good way to go.

2nd steep: (3min) A lighter sweet and floral cup. I really can’t get over the natural sweetness!

Also – magical mood lifting properties in full effect!

Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Da Da!!!!

I just made a mug of this (stovetop, simmered in milk then a dollop of honey) and sat on my deck barefoot in the beautiful cool spring sunset time. What a perfect way to enjoy this tea. This is my third spring since moving here amongst the grass and space in this little town, and I can’t believe that it has never occurred to me to do that! That’s what happens when you live in the city too long – your instincts go! It has taken all this time for our city raised dog to own the outdoors too. I hope the summer is slow to come, and I get more spring nights to enjoy gently spiced warm heaven outside.

I had to get some coffee beans today, and I went through the usual rigmarole where the person offers me a free coffee and I ask if I could have a free tea instead then they look at me funny, go in the back to ask the manager, then come out to say I can have a free tea :)

Today I chose the Earl Grey because I was curious about how the full leaf would taste, plus I was less than happy with the Awake I had last time. I also have fond memories of getting a ritual cup of Tazo Earl Grey twice weekly before my Most Favorite Ever Class Ever Taken Ever :)

Well, I like it much better than the Awake for sure. I think part of it for me is the nostalgia factor. It has that special Europe from World War II to the Present flavor for me. Also, the bergamot livens up the bland black tea and hides some of that tastelessness yet bitterness that I found in the Awake. I think this will be my go-to cup for free-with-coffee-beans or stranded-on-campus-in-need-of-tea type situations.

I now have an overwhelming need to curl up in a chair and read Simone de Beauvoir, Camus, and George Orwell!!

It was sooooo hot in my office today that I couldn’t make any tea! It was so bad that I even gave up eating half way into my breakfast, and only took a few half hearted bites of my lunch. Even the quiet people that I work with who never complain were complaining!!

After I went to class (where there is air conditioning!!) I started to perk up, and by the time I was walking home I was staggering like a zombie looking for brains and yelling “Thooooooooooooomas!!! Thoooooooooooooomas!!” (in my head ;) I fixed the quickest dinner possible so that I could plop on the sofa and have a big mug of my main man.

He is so delicious. Strong and sweet. Tonight the liquid almost feels thicker than tea – it’s so full bodied and the maltiness is very pronounced.

Ahhhh, I am human again!

I quite simply needed my fix! :)

I’ve lightened up my tea drawer at work for the Spring and Summer! All of the heavy black teas have gone home, and I have a bunch of oolongs, greens, and whites for the warm months. I thought this one – organic jasmine, organic orange peel, and organic Pouchong – sounded like the embodiment of the warmer weather!

First a sniff – heaven!!! The three ingredients combine for a slightly sweet and flowery aroma. Now a taste – mmmmmm! The smell pretty much describes the taste. I am surprised what a subtle, delightful detail the orange peel is. It gives a touch of sweetness and flavoring that I am loving.

Second infusion: (4 min) Light. Still jasminey and a little orange peel on the end of the sip. A bit disappointed that it was so light.

Third infusion: (5 min, and I upped the water temp to 195 since the second infusion was light) Sigh. Hot water with a jasmine taste. Drinkable but..

A question! It was a delicious first infusion at 185 but when I looked up Pouchongs, some people used 195, some 205 – does anyone have any temperature opinions about this type of tea? Maybe 185 for the first infusion then 195 for the subsequent infusion? I don’t think this one can do three. Do people change temps from infusion to infusion? Halp! Tea may get a bump if I can figure out how to make it more multiple steep friendly.

I also have to say that I was very happy with my serendipiTea ordering experience. My order arrived quickly and well packed in tons of colorful shredded magazine pages! I’m thrilled with their packaging. The teas come in a recyclable box and then a “plastic” bag which is actually a vegetable material and fully able to compost. The artwork is beautiful, and the tea names are whimsical and thoughtful. They use many organic ingredients. A real pleasure to order from them :)

I made brownies yesterday to contribute to yesterday’s dinner – tried a new recipe because I was out of baking chocolate (!!!):

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Best-Cocoa-Brownies-108346

changes: used 1 stick butter instead of 1& 1/4, 1 cup sugar instead of 1& 1/4, and sprinkled coconut and mini chocolate chips on top to make “chocolate coconut easter egg brownies” They were rich and very chocolate coconut easter egg!

Anyway! I set two aside for tonight’s dessert. That hint of good vanilla flavor with the full bodied Assam complimented the dense chocolate brownie so well. This vanilla tea went particularly well because it’s not the creamy kind which would compete with the dessert.

I had one of these brownies with coffee last night and it was just not the same. The coffee stomps on the dessert, but the tea dances with the dessert!

My stomach was not quite ready for the holiday food that I had yesterday. I feel awful today. Today’s tea is all about recovering a sense of balance. Golden Moon calls this the most gentle of green teas, and gentle sounds reeeeeealy nice.

Maybe two minutes was too short of a steep, because I am getting barely anything – hot water with the faintest…I don’t even know how to describe it. Hay? Not really grass, definitely not floral… Even though it’s not firecrackers or revelations, it’s very nice for a queasy tum.

Steep 2, 3 minutes: string beans!!! Again, very light. Strangely enjoyable in a “tonic” sort of way.

Steep 3: lighter string beans. Still comforting, but I think this is it for these leaves.

I enjoyed the second steep the most. It really did help settle my stomach and I liked drinking string beans a lot more than I liked drinking asparagus :) I won’t be buying a tin of this, but I’d be into trying snow sprout from some other tea companies. It’s a really nice tea for when you need to tilt the scale a little more to the wholesome side of things.

Another sample courtesy of Doulton!!

I thought this tea tasted like french toast with cinnamon, maple syrup and a pat of butter! I brewed it for one minute longer than recommended so I could put in a little sugar and half and half for a dessert tea, and there was no bitterness or astringency. I also liked that the flavorings tasted very natural and were not cloying or heavy handed. Very comforting and indulgent. What a treat!

Made some iced tea with this! 4 tablespoons of Earl Grey tea, 4 cups of water in big pitcher for 8 hours in refrigerator. When ready strain into another pitcher with 4 tablespoons simple syrup. I also juiced a lemon and added it. I found it a nice touch but too lemony. I will use a half lemon next time. I can’t wait to make it again because it was so refreshing! Earl Grey makes a fantastic iced tea! We drank all four cups with our dinner!!!

It paired so nicely with the Alsatian Onion Tart/Pizza hybrid I made for our meal!

(basically this dough:
http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2009/05/wednesday-baking-thin-crust-pizza/

combined with this topping from the Baking with Julia cookbook:
http://mollysmadeleine.blogspot.com/2008/11/tart.html

with a little bit of grated cheese sprinkled on the dough before adding the toppings and baking. I used a cheddar but next time, definitely smoked gouda!)

(I highly recommend making your own pizza. It’s so much cheaper (even a super gourmet one is literally like 3-4 dollars vs the 10-15 you can spend ordering one) and this overnight dough method makes it so easy and ultimately quicker than waiting on a pizza delivery. Think of all the time you can then spend on Steepster, and $$ you can then spend on tea! Not to mention – the iced tea costs pennies vs. the expensive, horrible for you soda most people get with pizza delivery. OK. Off my soapbox ;)

I was really excited to make this today at home so I could have a cup with my husband. I knew he would love this one. I wish you could have seen his face when he tasted it! He thought it was a revelation. I showed him the story of the way the tea was produced on thesimpleleaf.com and we marveled over this natural wonder!!!!

So good. So unique. He compared it to a chai/not chai. I explained my coffee/chicory/chocolate/caramel/ not coffee/chicory/chocolate/caramel theory and he thought I nailed it :) He just yelled from the other room “I think this is my favorite tea!!!”

I’m telling you – a revelation! <3

Ohhhhhh my day only got worse! Work was insane, my lady time arrived, and in the afternoon my mother called me hysterical – they were rushing her to the hospital because she was passing kidney stones. I knew I needed a cup of tea as soon as I could sit at home, but in my sick state nothing seemed appealing…until I came upon Thomas!!

I brewed up a big mug and if this is not the most delicious, hearty, robust cup of tea I don’t know what is. It is a meal in a cup, not only because of the malty bready goodness, but because I can’t bear to eat food yet. I never really saw Thomas as a nurturer until tonight! I like this side of him :) Thank you Thomas for helping me keep calm and carry on!

Finishing up my sample today :( My poor husband is home with some kind of virus (at least I think it’s a virus because he feels so feverish and is queasy and his head is killing him) and I am feeling like I am not too far behind in the queasy department. My new friend mint to the rescue! (the running joke in my house is that next I’m going to start liking sushi! The three things I hated were coconut, mint and sushi, and here I am CRAZY about coconut and now mint!!!). ANYWAY!

This tea is really hitting the spot today. I can’t even think about the idea of milk without my stomach churning, and this combination of green and black teas with a touch of comforting vanilla and tum soothing mint? Absolutely ideal and very, very delicious. I am so sad that I don’t have any more leaves left, but will definitely be making another steep for medicinal purposes. whimper!!

Back late from a photography lecture and to see work at a gallery – not work that I found interesting. Ugh. I had just enough energy left to pop teabags in mugs with some honey before bed. This is the one I chose because I am hoping that the chamomile will knock me out! It’s not super flavorful, but you can leave the bag in your cup with no fear of bitterness. I mainly taste mint and the honey I put in. But the main attraction to this tea is not flavor but warmth and ease. I’m glad I have it and some other bagged herbals around for lazy late nights when I don’t want to measure, fuss, wait, or clean a teapot!

This tea courtesy of Doulton!

I am very excited because I’ve been wanting to try this tea ever since I read about it. The leaves are absolutely GORGEOUS! Long, dark and handsome! It’s so hard to believe they are not blended with chocolate!!

This tea is ridiculous, and I mean that in the most highly complimentary way possible! It’s deliciously tea-ish and a chocolatey roasty flavor. Not hot chocolate, not coffee, not chicory although all these things come to mind. It’s something all it’s own and simply sublime!!! I want to wander the streets and go up to random strangers and say “Taste this tea! It is simply pure camellia sinensis, but have you EVER tasted anything like it!?!?!?!?”

!!!!

Now that it is cooling a bit I am tasting a caramel note joining in with the tea/chocolate/coffee/chicory. Wow. This is one of the highlights of my tea tasting experiences thus far!!!! THANK YOU DOULTON!!!!!

EDIT: Great resteep! 6 minutes, more roasty chicory chocolate. Lighter but so delicious. Better than many teas first steep! but steep #1 is the best one.

I think I can now add mint to the list of things that I thought I didn’t like, but actually really quite like!! I thoroughly enjoyed this tea! It’s so simple, but so good. It’s an ideal after dinner tea taken with some honey – sweet and refreshing.

My husband was REALLY crazy for this tea and begged me to order some!

Thank you so much Doulton for this sample! You’ve created quite a hit in our household!

And honestly – a tea company that names one of their teas after one of my favorite directors?! :) :) :)

This is my last teaspoon of leaves from the Tiger. It’s very bittersweet, literally and figuratively! That chewy smoky sweet flavor is so delicious, and I am going to miss it. I feel like I’m chewing on a caramel candy. Harney & Sons, in their tea book, says Yunnan teas are (and I paraphrase) the happy but poor cousin tea (to the Keemun aristocrat tea) so I imagine it as a caramel that you could have found in the neighborhood corner store in the 1940s (with all the high fructose corn syrup you just don’t get good common candy anymore. I probably am one of the few people here who was old enough to still have the corner candy store where you could bring pennies and nickels and get little brown paper bags of sweets – this was in the 70s – I’m not sure if they were filled with HFCS but I do know from my grandparents that they did not taste the same as in the 40s and 50s (you see, not only candy but the whole world went to hell in the 60s as far as they were concerned, but I digress!)

I’m lightening up my choices for the spring and summer, but once Fall rolls around, I’m going to be experimenting with some other Yunnan teas to see if I can find one I like as much as this guy!!!! Suggestions appreciated!

Second infusion: Even sweeter and lighter caramel tea goodness. Just a hint of smoky chewy. Very enjoyable, but it’s the first infusion that knocks my socks off!

Farewell Tiger!!! Ricky – I will love you forever for sending this to me!!!!!

Mmmmm! Tonight’s tea tasted of Amaretto with apple and ginger. A teaspoon of honey sweetened it. Perfect on this chilly rainy night – especially the ginger was welcome! I am sad that the sample the quiet life sent is now all gone! I plan to pick some of this up in the Fall for future chilly rainy nights where a caffeine free tea is welcome.

We are having another dreary, rainy day, so I had to pull out something jasmine from my stash; it has a magical property which puts me in a good mood!

Beautiful rolled leaves striped with jasmine flowers. A real treat to look at.

First infusion: Sweet, light, and delightful! I had it in my mind that I preferred jasmine oolongs, but I see that I once again put myself into an incorrect box! I love this tea!

Second infusion (4 min): Slightly darker in color. A slightly more green taste and slightly less jasmine taste make it a very harmonious, delicious cup. Totally in a better mood!

Third infusion (5 min): This tea has had it – I am sipping slightly jasmine tasting warm water. I will finish it because I’m freezing!!! but if I had more of this tea I would only make two infusions.

To me, the second infusion is the better of the two, but both are very enjoyable.

I would call “TIN!” but I have a tin of A+D Jasmine Green in my stash, plus I really, really want to try Samovar’s Jasmine Pearl Green Tea first. It looks exquisite!

Jasmine tea is my happy tea!!!

Made this for a second night in a row. Yup, must mean I really, really like it! I love how it still has the same sort of Florence like flavor, only intensified.