SimplyJenW

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Victorian Afternoon Tea from Mark T. Wendell

SimplyJenW drank Victorian Afternoon Tea by Mark T. Wendell

Tea of the afternoon…….

And my first tea out of my Foodzie Box from LiberTEAS. OMG! What a wonderful box of samples! Really, this is a fabulous deal if you are new to tea, or have been around the tea table a few times. I received well over 20 samples, and only one out of the bunch is one I have tried (and I have tried a bunch of teas, and that particular one is an absolute favorite!) I highly recommend this for a fun tea adventure. I cannot wait to try them all.

This is the first tea I have selected. I purchased a gift for a friend from Mark T. Wendell last year. The service was great, and the friend loved the tea. I have not gotten around to ordering there myself, so I requested that LiberTEAs add some Mark T. Wendell if she had some. Here it is.

This is really good. It is a lightly smokey tea. Very well blended and rich. It kind of reminds me of Upton’s Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon. Both are perfect for beginning smokey teas. If I ever do order from Mark T. Wendell, I will probably get this one. TeaEqualsBliss called this Hu Kwa’s pretty little sister and suggested that it was lighter than Hu Kwa. I will probably have to check that out for myself at some point! Very good! Thank you for including it in my LiberTEAs Foodzie Box!

Usual mug method for 3 minutes.

2012-02-27 17:31:28 -0500

Boiling

3 min 0 sec

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Comments

Amy oh 2012-02-27 18:20:50 -0500

ahhhh, I’ve been wanting to try the Hu Kwa also but am afraid I’d end up hating it after buying a tin…

SimplyJenW 2012-02-27 18:25:54 -0500

Well, I know who to share it with if/when I order. Oh, who am I kidding? It is “when”…..

Amy oh 2012-02-27 18:32:30 -0500

lol – I would be glad to share an order with you if/when you place one. :)

narwhalclub 2012-02-27 21:31:57 -0500

If you order enough other tea from MTW you get a free sampler of a tea of your choosing. That’s how I first tried (and fell in love with) Hu Kwa. Now I need to try some of this Victorian Afternoon shiz. It sounds delicious.

LiberTEAS 2012-02-28 00:45:00 -0500

I am so glad you’re happy with your box! :)

narwhalclub 2012-03-02 01:12:21 -0500

Amy oh/SimplyJen – If either of you want to try the Hu Kwa, I could send you some, though I need to find someplace to get something to seal it in. I have a half pound or so of loose-leaf and 50 teabags of it, so I have more than plenty to spare.

Amy oh 2012-03-02 10:13:45 -0500

@narwhalclub – that would be awesome! maybe we can swap for something. Follow me so I can send you a P.M.!

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Bio

Tea enthusiast, trying to keep up my cardio for the zombie apocalypse. I have come to accept that I am a western brewing black tea drinker as that is where my ‘tea heart’ lies. I started on loose leaf as a way to have my dessert and not suffer the caloric issues. Once I tried it, I was hooked.

I drink what I like, which is mostly China blacks, traditionally scented blacks and Earl Greys, plus a few other flavored teas. I don’t mind spending a bit on premium varieties on occasion, but an expensive tea has to deliver. My favorite places to order are Harney & Sons and Upton Tea Imports. TeaVivre is great for Chinese tea.

My ratings are pretty subjective. If it falls under 70, I may not take the time to post about it unless I had something specific to say. If it is 70-80 I like it, but I will probably not rebuy. Favorites are over 80 and up, but sometimes the less expensive or more easily obtainable version of a similar taste will win out for my cupboard space.

Usual teapot steeping method: 24 oz teapot, 3 perfect scoops of tea (4 1/2 actual tsp), freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Usual mug steeping method: 15 oz mug, 1.5 perfect scoops of tea (just over 2 actual tsp), freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Usual pan method: 1 1/2 cups water, 2 perfect tsp chai (3 actual tsp). Simmer for 3 minutes. Add 2/3 cup skim milk. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Strain and sweeten.

Usual pitcher method:
5 or 6 Perfect Spoons of tea (this means about 7-9 actual tsp), freshly boiled water, brewed essentially double-strong in my 24 oz teapot for 4 minutes. Fill my Fiestaware Disc pitcher (about 60 oz.) halfway with ice. Add brewed double-strong tea to the pitcher. Stir it a little and enjoy. No additions.

(*SRP is my Sample/Stash Reduction Plan starting on April 12, 2012. I got so far, but just decided it was too fussy to keep track.)