Skulleigh

Dangit. I didn’t rinse my work mug enough, and it still had soap on it, so I wasted the last of the sample of this.

Oh well, it’s not a tea that I covet like Gollum.

I got a sample of this with an order, and finally pulled it out for a try. It smells quite lovely, but really doesn’t taste like “tea” to me. I will have to try a longer steep next time.

I’ll admit it. I’m no spring chicken anymore. If I drink anything caffeinated after about 7pm, it will keep me awake. So I am starting to explore some decaffeinated and caffeine-free options.

I decided to give this a try with my dinner tonight, and I quite like it. No odd tastes, it seems like a normal Earl Grey with a tasty shot of citrus.

And I seem to be getting sleepy, so it must a truly decaffeinated!

It’s a misty morning here, and it calls for Chai. Splenda + Mini-moos from the breakroom, and I have a sufficient cuppa.

Wow. Sooo… got busy and didn’t log in for awhile, it seems. Tried last week, and the site seemed to be down. But I’m back, baybeeees!

I ran out of Prince Vladimir last week, and wanted to replace it with a biiiig tin of it. Decided to add a couple other teas to the order to make it worthwhile, and was tempted by the description of this tea. I got my order today, and immediately steeped myself a mug. Unfortunately, it doesn’t live up to its description. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad tea, it just doesn’t taste all Christmasy or even orangey or almond. Maybe a vanilla-y.

So I’ll drink it, but this doesn’t taste like Christmas or Three Magis/Wisemen/Astronomers/DudesWhoWereWAYLateToTheBabyShower.

Happy Holidays!

This tiny tin is getting low. I will most likely order a big tin of this, Anastasia and Prince Wladmir once I have drunk the Russian set and the big tin of Caramel down.

Don’t tell anyone but I’m cheating on my diet this morning. Two shortbread cookies, and it’s not cheat day. I just don’t have any energy! I got maybe 1 hour of sleep last night all told. Ugh. Working from home.

Breakroom tea time again. :)

My work started stocking Mini Moo’s half & half instead of Coffee-Mate. I like that so much better. I think they might have increased the temperature of the hot water dispenser too!

…Sip…

Ahhh! A much better mug of breakroom tea. Hotter water and actual half&half make such a difference!

Now to just get a frother to keep at work, and I’ll be completely happy!

It’s Saturday morning, and I decided to drink a mug of this old standby. Hubs and I were at the Container Store last night, and I picked up two things to organize my tea cabinet – a clear teabag box with 6 compartments, and a nice deepish clear bin to keep zip bags of samples. When we got home, I pulled everything out of that cabinet, sorted and filled and refilled canisters; getting it all in order. I can actually see what I have now! Woo hoo! Now I can get to all of my teas, and see which ones I have been neglecting.

This tea is getting low, and is good, but I don’t think I will reorder it. I enjoy Keemun Concerto more, and Black Dragon Pearls even more.

Feeling better today, though a little more sleep would not be unwelcome. So, feeling lazy, I decided to use one of the bags I have a work.

Not a bad tea, but with this brand, there’s always been this oily taste that I’m not fond of. I’m not sure if it’s the cinnamon or the clove. It’s not there in other chais that I have tasted. So I’m not sure what it is that’s not to my taste. I just know that I’m unlikely to purchase this particular flavor for myself, though I generally do like Stash teas.

I made a cup of black dragon pearls to bring to work with me, and promptly left it on the counter at home. I have no energy this morning – I slept sitting up because of my acid reflux and still feel it lurking. I thought this might be good for how my esophagus is feeling, but I am not sure. I just am not a big fan of the licorice taste.

Grunt. Meh. It’s morning. So, tea.
The usual breakroom tea treatment, which holds up well in this particular tea.

Not much to say, except that I’d like to go back to sleep. But that’s not going to happen, so, tea.

Oh my, this is good. I opened this up this early afternoon and sipped it while watching Felix Baumgartner jump from the stratosphere. That was very cool.

The tea doesn’t have the spicyness I normally associate with chai, but it’s a very good, very enjoyable tea. It’s a very gentle chai I suppose.

Frothed a small amount of stevia and half and half, then added the chai after steeping it in my ingenuiTea.

I am defnitely getting some maltiness – it’s more chocolatey than the chocolate chai as I did it yesterday in the gaiwan.

I purchased two gaiwans very inexpensively recently, because I have been wanting to try brewing that way, and I wanted to try some pu-ers. So I ordered those from one vendor, and some various teas from Verdant. The gaiwans came during the week and I got them washed and ready to use.

I got the package of teas right before my guests arrived for a party I hosted yesterday for my doll club, so I could not dive right in. I put the package on the counter in the kitchen to open later. For some reason, my husband decided to open it while the party was going, and I got to giggle at him pulling out bags and trying to pronounce things like “Mi Lan Xiang” and “Shui Xian Wuyi.”

After the guests left, I broke out the Chocolate Phoenix Chai and gave it a try in my 4 oz gaiwan. It’s the perfect size for my tiny hands. Since the directions on the package are for a gaiwan type brewing, I gave it a try. It was all right, but that method just did not brew up as something I would describe as either “chocolate” or “chai.” Good but different. The steeping times were really short when done as per the package.

There are big green pieces in there that I think are the cacao nibs, and lots of other various bits and pieces. It’s a really interesting looking tea. It doesn’t smell chocolaty to me, or malty. It does smell good, but just not like chocolate to me.

I will try a “regular” steeping on my next cup of this, and see if the chocolate comes out for me.

I had this in my drawer at work, so I pulled it out to accompany the scrambled eggs and sausage that I brought from home. Brewed the first cup for only 2 minutes or so, rather than the 3-5 listed on the tin. Added splenda and a creamer tub, and it was quite good. Next cup (same leaves) I steeped for 3 minutes or so, and it came out pretty much the same.

Good morning wake up tea for a day when I wanted a more “plain” black tea – as in not a blend or Earl Grey type.

Semi-backlogging
Brewed some of this up twice yesterday, drinking something like 5 cups in all, and then refridgerating the last cup, which I brought to work with me this morning.

I just love this tea, it’s malty and awesome. So good frothed up. Used stevia and half&half.

This morning I was drinking it straight, no sweetener and no creamer, but the cup was a bit strong. It had steeped for awhile. I’ve been using that Mio stuff to add to water lately, and added a shot of the Strawberry Watermelon flavor to my cup – oh man, it’s really good! Suprisingly good, I figured I was going to ruin it, but no! It’s very tasty. Makes me want to try blending other things with it… oooooo – maybe peppermint! It would be like peppermint cocoa! Definitely going to try that some chilly weekend.

I took a sick day today, there’s a tickle in my lungs and I was up half the night coughing. Masala chai to soothe the cough.

I’m getting low on this, I think I will try another brand of chai for my next batch – I want to be able to compare and contrast. Any suggestions?

Tried a second steeping of the leaves – it’s quite weak.

Drinking another cup this morning. I’m not getting the maltyness from it this morning – it’s more grassy. Brewed at a lower temp this time though. No astringency, no aftertaste. Nice and clean.

Hopefully this cup of tea will not keep me up tonight, I may have brewed it up a little late in the evening. But it was quite good!

The dry leaves actually smelled a little malty/cocoa-y. I didn’t expect that in a white tea. It tastes slightly of malt as well. I really liked it, and look forward to brewing more.

I’ve got a bit of a tickle in the lungs this morning, so tea is in order (when is it not, though?). I received a single teabag of this in a card from a Ravelry aquaintence, and I don’t have many other black teas here at work this morning.

Not much of a scent to it when I opened the teabag. It wasn’t sealed very well, so I supposed the aroma may have dissapated. Once brewed, it does have a nice scent to it – the label says it’s “Oranje Pecco” which I assume is orange pekoe. Besides the words “Dutch tea blend” the rest of the wrapper is in Dutch.

I took a sip of the straight tea before adding anything, and it’s fairly pleasant. I wouldn’t fuss about drinking it with no sugar or cream. But, it’s a workaday morning, so sweetening is a must. A single packet of Splenda is enough to really bring out the taste. I know the “orange” in the name doesn’t mean it’s been flavored with orange, but this does have a slight citrus taste to it. Added the creamer tub. Hmm… a little bit of creamsicle now.

Not bad for a teabag that looked like it was pretty much dust.

I wouldn’t go hunt this down to buy a box for myself, but if it was one of a limited selection at a restaurant, I’d order it.

I don’t get “peppery” from this. Maybe sweet potato.
Seems all right, but not anything to get worked up about or rebuy.

Oh look. Jasmine again.

I find myself wondering what I could mix with it to change it up a little. I have some peppermint…

Last of this sample. It’s all right, but not something I’ll order again.

It’s after 8:30 on a Sunday night, so if I want to actually sleep before working tomorrow, then caffeine is a no-go. Recently, I ordered a sampler of Adagio green decaf teas. I decided this one sounded like a good choice for tonight. It’s a green tea, but it has chai spices and citrus in it.

I really like this. I am drinking it with sugar in my big Scarborough Faire mug. The spice is a better match to green tea than I thought it would be. And it’s light on the palette, now heavy like black chai can be. I’ll try the sampler a few more times, but I think I might end up ordering 4 oz or so.