SimplyJenW

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No. 55 Lord Bergamot from Steven Smith Teamaker

SimplyJenW drank No. 55 Lord Bergamot by Steven Smith Teamaker

Tea of the afternoon…..

I have been checking out all of the produce markets in my area, and to my surprise, one of them stocks a few Steven Smith teas. Score! I was so hoping this was among their offerings, because I am a sucker for a good Earl. Or, I guess it is a Lord for this blend! It has been on my list because my picks for Earl Grey seem to line up pretty well with what LiberTEAs likes in an Earl, and this was one of her favorites. This is the first I have had with an Assam in the base. I quite like this. I can tell a good amount of effort was put into this blend so that the bergamot does not overpower the base, nor the bergamot get lost in the heartiness of the tea base. Could it be in my favorites? Quite possibly. And I have 14 more sachets to figure it out! I will have to check out the other Steven Smith teas I can get locally. (Mustard Seed Market for those in the area…)

Travel mug method…..boiling water, about 14 oz, one individually wrapped sachet (unwrapped, of course!), 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened. YUM!

2012-04-11 13:36:41 -0400

4 min 0 sec

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Autumn Hearth 2012-04-11 16:11:32 -0400

Oh, nice! Will have to make a trip to the Mustard Seed next time I visit my sister.

Dylan Oxford 2012-04-11 21:52:21 -0400

I just went and looked up this guys website. I like the boxes his tea comes in, how sad is that? I guess sometimes it’s all about presentation…

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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.)