Terri HarpLady

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Imperial Breakfast Summer Blend from Verdant Tea

Terri HarpLady drank Imperial Breakfast Summer Blend by Verdant Tea

As a prelude to this review, I’d like to say that I’m not rating teas at this time, due to my allergies. However, I’m still enjoying them!

As a further prelude, I’d like to thank Bonnie, who we all love, for sending me my first tea trade!! She was very generous, & this is the 1st tea I’m sampling from her offerings. Thanks Bonnie, you’re awesome!

I poured the sample into a small bowl so that I could look. It’s a beautiful blend of teas, including 2 of my newest favorites (Jin Jun Mei & Laoshan Black). The aroma is of the earth: Minerals & Chocolate.

I brewed all 5 steepings, back to back, western style: 2 t of tea, 1 minute first cup, adding 10 sec to each additional cup. I’m sitting here, comparing sips… My son just walked past, looked at the 5 cups lined up in front of me on the table, rolled his eyes, & walked away shaking his head.

cup #1: sweet, vanilla malt scented, very smooth.
cup #2 is my favorite, exhibiting the best of the chocolaty malty tones
cup #3 creamy, light caramel rising.
cup #4 the flavors are starting to fade, as the astringency rises.
cup #5 more astringent, I didn’t finish this one.

I’m happy to say that I ordered some of this beautifully balanced morning blend the other day, & I’m looking forward to enjoying it again…and again!

2012-09-13 11:37:55 -0400

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Terri HarpLady 2012-09-13 12:39:21 -0400

Yum! It is full, it is rich, it is sweet, it is delicious. Not a hint of bitterness or astringency, such a smooth cup. I added Stevia for the 2nd 1/2 of the cup & now I’m ready to get something done!!

Azzrian 2012-09-13 12:44:29 -0400

Nice review! Verdant has the good stuff!

Bonnie 2012-09-13 13:36:41 -0400

I like to make mugs of this using a finum basket. Easy to do and it’s my morning tea many days. I add milk and sweeten it like my old cuppa joe some days. Love it every way though.

Terri HarpLady 2012-09-13 14:52:23 -0400

oops! My comment above should have started with saying that I’m new to the world of doing multiple short steepings, so I made another cup of this awesome tea with 2 t of fresh leaves in my finum, steeped in my mug for 3 minutes. (Somehow this part of that comment got deleted). It was wonderful!

Angrboda 2012-09-13 15:29:02 -0400

Typically me, I can’t remember what I actually ordered the other day… I hope this one was in it!

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I’m so excited to have found this community! I’m a self-employed Harpist (acoustic & electric – Originals, Classical, Rock, Jazz, etc) & Singer/Songwriter. My days & nights revolve around teaching at home, playing gigs, gardening,& fixing awesome food to eat. My schedule is different everyday, but I just go with the flow, & I sip a lot of tea!

My love of Tea began with Herbals back in the 70’s. One of my favorites was a licorice blend from House of Hezekiah, an old tea shop in Kansas City. There was also a tea with mint, rose petals, chamomile, etc called Nuclear Casual Tea.
In the 80’s I gave up caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, (& a few illicit substances…), and brewed medicinal blends & tinctures to support 4 pregnancies (all children born at home). In the 90’s my love affair with green teas began when I discovered ‘The Republic of Tea’. Their beautiful teas & packaging inspired my original song, “TeaMind”, from my CD “Zen Breakfast”. If you’d like to hear the song for free, drop by my website.

In general, I drink my teas straight, but occasionally I add a pinch of Stevia & maybe some coconut or almond milk (I’m allergic to dairy, gluten, & various other things & avoid most sweets.)

I’ve explored a variety of teas:
Whites tend to be a little bland…sorry
Oolongs are wonderful, especially Orchid & Peach! (I love anything with Peaches)
Roobios – I’m not a fan in general
Puehr – a fairly new direction for me
I’m not a huge fan of flavored teas, unless that flavor is peaches or chocolate, but I do make exceptions, & I’ll try just about anything.

And Black Tea, Oh how I love thee!!
I am on a quest for the most wonderful breakfast cup! I will find you, my Love!