Terri HarpLady

I spent the evening sorting through my tea stash, & reorganizing the whole mess. I have a ridiculous amount of tea!

I also boxed up most of my cookbooks. I’m thinking I might sell them on Ebay. My cookbook collections is like the “who’s who”, of vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, & raw cuisine. I spent the majority of my adult life practicing one form of vegetarianism or another, & I adore cookbooks, but I’m not using them anymore. Might as well sell ’em.

Also, the shelves the books were on are now officially covered with my teapots, gaiwans, cups, etc. One more step towards being able to see the diningroom table!

This tea is not spectacular, but it doesn’t have caffeine in it. Unlike many of the people here, I like roasted chicory, & I really like ginger!
It’s my last cup of the day, & it’s the last teabag I had from the TTB “A”. I don’t plan to buy it, so this will probably be the last time I drink it!

This smells pretty nice, but the flavor is a little watery.
I added stevia, which helped.
As it cooled it got a little better, there’s a nice lemon cake with creamy frosting kind of thing, but not real inspiring.
Still, it didn’t taste bad.

I drank this in the morning, but forgot to log it.
It didn’t really seem like an Irish Breakfast, to me.
I mean, when I think of Irish Breakfast, I think bold, deep, “Wake up”.
I want to take a sip, & open my eyes to find Colin Farrell sitting across the table from me, saying, “pass me a sip, lass”.
This tea didn’t do that for me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t Colin Farrell Fantasy worthy either.

This is another tea sample from Ysaurella! Thank you!

I initially thought I would add some stevia to this cup, but when I smelled the tea, which smells rich & sweet, I decided to leave off with adding anything & enjoy it plain. It is very tasty! I like chestnuts, but have never had them candied, & that sounds interesting!
I love vanilla as well. There is also a hint of spice. Maybe I’ll sweeten the next cup, & see if it enhances the flavors. Then again, maybe I won’t! :)

I drank this during the afternoon, & it’s a real treat.
A very gentle cup of pureness. Lightly sweet & clean, slightly fruity.
The aroma of Jasmine is always heavenly, of course!

This was in the Tea of the Month box for February, & I’m really glad it was. It’s delicious!

The flavor is sweetly subtle. It tastes kind of like banana peel a little at first, with some light florals. After awhile a really nice herbal undertone that reminds me of oatstraw came through, with a creamy texture.

(Part 2 of my Ritz-Carlton Story. For Part 1, see English Breakfast by Taylors of Harrogate)

I had a lot of time to kill, so I really took my time to savor that breakfast, dipping my asparagus in the hollandaise. The food was quite tasty, although the steak could have been a little more rare, but it was tender, none the less.

For dessert, I had a pot of this Earl Grey with stevia added. It is nothing remarkable, but at the moment it felt like a sweet after breakfast treat, and satisfied the desire for something sweet to contrast with the savory meal I had eaten.

(Back tracking a little)

On Sunday I had breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton.
It’s not a place I would normally eat, but I had to set up early for a Bridal Show there, & was going to have plenty to kill between setup & the actual start of the show, so I figured, why not treat myself, LOL.

They have a breakfast bar, but the majority of the offerings are loaded with gluten, sugar, & dairy products, so I went with the steak & eggs with a side of Hollandaise (yeah, I know it was loaded with butter, & I have suffered for it, but it was SO worth it!). It came with potatoes, which were cooked with onions & bell peppers. It also came with asparagus, but it only turned out to be 2 spears, so I ordered a side of those too. I like a lot of veggies with my protein! So the breakfast was yummy!

I had this english breakfast as well. I went through 2 pots of it. I like my EB plain. And it is. It’s a very basic tea blend, no bright notes, no real depth. Just black tea. It is a little malty. I was a little disappointed to be quite honest, I mean, I was at the Ritz!

Here is another tea from the book club tea trade, this one coming from Three Whales. Thanks!
It’s snowing in St. Louis, but it’s not cold enough to stick. I love watching the snow fall, & I don’t mind that it’s not sticking, not one bit! That makes it easier for me to move my Harp, although I actually don’t have another gig until Saturday night. So I’m sipping tea & alternating between students, desk work, & a few other things.

I suddenly have several earl greys to sample, & this is one of them. I’m not really all that good at comparing the flavors & nuances of teas. I’ve tried, & although I can taste differences, I can’t always find the words to describe those differences. So for the most part, I’d rather just enjoy each cup as it stands alone, & not try to decide which one I like more.

Having said that, this is a nice Earl Grey too!
This one also doesn’t have a strong bergamot presence. It is there, but not in your face.
The black tea base is very smooth, & there is a very buttery quality to the cup, & an almost caramel like flavor. Perfect for sipping while I watch the snow fall.

This is a sample sent to me from Lariel, as part of our book club tea trade. Thanks Lariel!

Years ago The Republic of Tea was one of the only tea companies I knew about. I used to drink this plain over ice all summer, along with their Ginger Peach (which still makes my head wiggle with delight as an iced tea).

Then for awhile I didn’t really care much for the Earl of Grey. For some reason bergamot just didn’t appeal to me. Lately I’ve been sampling a lot of earl grey. I started enjoying them again when I tried the one from the Tea Spot. It tastes like a lemon bar.

So, this one is nice too! The Black base is substantial enough, & there’s enough bergamot that you know it’s there, but not so much as to be over powering. I like mine with stevia.

This is a real contrast to the Yu lu I was just drinking.
It is earthy & rich, with a bright blackberry like flavor. It’s also very bold, & packs a jolt of caffeine! This is tea that would appeal especially to lovers of Irish Breakfast, of which I am one!

I drank this yesterday in the early evening, & it wasn’t totally steeped out, so I started sipping it again this morning, 30 second steeps.
It does still have quite a bit of flavor, & I am tasting the chocolatey & honey essence, along with a buttery texture. There is also a rockiness to the taste. There are other flavors there that I really identify, even though some of them are familiar, & there is still a flavor in there that I don’t really care for much, but have sort of gotten used to. As Sil would say, “heh”. ;)

This tea & I have had a difficult relationship. It definitely is only a tea for short steepings, very short steepings. I’ll probably drink a few more, & then move on.

Still not my favorite, but definitely is better brewed Gongfu style, at very short steepings.

It’s been awhile since I drank this tea. I had forgotten just how wonderful it is, how unique the flavor is. It is the taste of honey, a beautiful honey gold liquor, with a nice warming sensation to it. There is an underlying roasted chestnut flavor, & a hint of cinnamon as well.

I went with 5G in my 4oz Gaiwan, a 10 sec rinse & 15 second steepings for the first 4 rounds, all combined in a little glass pitcher, so that I could sip at my desk for awhile. The next 4 rounds were for 30 seconds each, & they are still tasty, although in all honestly, the 1st pitcher was the best!

Another tea from Ysaurella, thank you!

THIS is an almond sugar cookie! It is honey coated almonds with a thin dusting of cinnamon. This is SO delicious! I’m loving it!
The almond flavor is just right, & it’s nicely sweet!
Yum!

I’ve been rummaging through my samples, & realized I still had this one from TeaVivre that I hadn’t tried! Thank you Angel!

I’ve been working at my desk, I’m really trying to get caught up on so many things: phone calls, bill payments, organizing crap, etc blah blah. I booked a gig while I was sitting here, I also booked a gig for one of my advanced students. I’m looking for a cellist & flute player to do a wedding with me, etc.

Throughout all this, I’ve been sipping this delightful tea. It’s delicate, but not flavorless. The heady aroma of Jasmine, the sweetness of silver needle white, and a certain buttery quality. A very soothing & gentle tea to help me relax while I play the entrepreneur/office manager.

Yay! My trade from Ysaurella arrived yesterday evening! Before I even opened the package, the aroma of so many wonderful teas was floating to me, & opening the package I was inhaling these wonderful smells!! I quickly took all the bags of teas out, spreading them on the table so they could air out a bit & not effect one another’s flavors too much.

This is the first one I knew I would sample. It is the reason Ysaurella & I swapped to begin with, because I love peaches & she offered to share some with me. So many times peach teas are a disappointment, as the flavor can seem artificial or overdone. That is NOT the case with this one. It is a delightful peach flavor, with just the right amount of vanilla, along with some floral embellishments. Ysaurella’s sample was generous, so I’ll get to enjoy this cup of dessert a few more times.
Thank you, so much, Ysaurella!!

Tasty, satisfying, this is a really nice dian hong, with the linen feel, a nice honey malt taste, & a really good grounding sensation. Just what I needed!

Headed out the door for a massage, which I desperately need. Playing the harp & moving all that equipment is rough on the body, & I have to treat my body like a professional athlete: yoga, weights, massage, tai chi, chiro…whatever it takes to keep things from freezing up. Right now I have a kink in my left shoulder. Years ago I had a bursitis attack in that shoulder, so I don’t mess around. It it’s got a kink, I’m getting a massage!!

This is nice bold breakfast tea! I got it from the TTB A, & its a sip down now.

Again, thanks to three whales for this GENEROUS sample!
It’s 9:30pm, I shouldn’t be drinking anything at this point, but at least I’m drinking something that won’t keep me up.

I’m not sure how I feel about this tea. What’s interesting about it is as it sits & cools slightly, it takes on the flavor of the banana pudding my mom used to make…you know…I’m sure everyone has eaten it before: vanilla pudding, banana slices, vanilla wafers. I haven’t had that in years, but I still remember it oh so well. The texture the cookies took on, the creaminess of the pudding, the taste…ohhh, the taste!

So this tea does remind me of that. There were 5 kids in my family, & no matter how much of this dessert (or any dessert for that matter) that mom made, it was never enough. We fought over every last bite!! Luckily, I don’t have to compete to enjoy this dessert cup.

Theresa is a mean boss, but I know she is only doing her job.
We’ve been sitting in my office for hours, working on the membership roster & google group list for the Gateway St. Louis chapter of the America Harp Society. I’m chapter president (sounds important, but it’s not. Nobody else wants the job). I’ve been working on this since last Thursday, went I sent emails to every single person on either list, requesting a response to verify their contact info, confirm that they are still interested in being members, etc. I also attached dues forms, reminded them we have a tea party & adult recital this sunday, etc.
The old roster is OLD, & includes people who have passed away, moved away, & students who no longer play the harp. It’s a job I started on a year ago, got sidetracked, & never finished.

So far about 30% of the people have responded!

Meanwhile, I’ve been sipping this tea. It was sent to me some time ago as a sample in one of my Verdant Orders. It’s a nice treat, and a pleasant contrast to the Black Pearl I was drinking early. It’s creamy almond milk & tender spring greens. Lightly sweet & fresh, an invitation to Spring in a Cup!

Part II
I say part II because I drank the first half of this sample from Alpha kitty on saturday. It was ok, but a little bitter, & after comparing notes with Alpha, I decided to steep the 2nd half of the sample in a Gaiwan. It is MUCH better!! I did the 1st 4 rounds at 10 seconds each, combining them in a little glass pitcher & sipping them out of a 4 oz cup while I’m doing desk work. It is sweet, a little oatmeal-like taste, fruity, & there is a little salinity, & even a little bit of a rocky taste. Very different from the 3 minute steep of 2 days go. Much better! It is not bitter at all, & I made another pitcher full, this time at 20 seconds each. I’ll keep enjoying it until it’s steeped out.
Thanks Alpha! For the sample, & also the suggestions :)

Third cup of the day, another Assam.

Second cup of the day, and a sip down. This is nicely robust & I will miss it.