85

I started with green tea today (not this one) because I have lots of butterflies in my stomach. Today is certificate of merit testing day for no. 1—we went early for the theory test because his piano performance exam is at 1:20 followed by a baseball game and we weren’t sure he’d be able to get back in time for theory.

I’m more nervous than he is, of course. We’re about twenty minutes away from leaving for the performance part so I’m having something I hope will be both invigorating and calming.

I love the whole idea of pearl teas and while I’m more familiar with them in the oolong world, I’m just as happy to have them elsewhere. In the tin, these are pretty dark green with silver streaks in them. They have a light jasmine fragrance.

They steep to a clear pale yellow that leans more toward the golden side than the lemon yellow side but with a hint of green. The aroma of the tea is a delicate jasmine that smells like my backyard on a summer evening (we have a lot of jasmine bushes lining our deck).

The flavor is delicate as well. Some jasmine greens have a much stronger jasmine scent and flavor. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes it isn’t.

What I like about this one is that even though the flavor is delicate, it’s a very natural flowery scent and flavor. It doesn’t smell or taste sprayed on like jasmine sometimes does.

While I think in ordinary circumstances I’d want a bit stronger flavor on both the tea and the jasmine side, this is really nice in terms of flavor and balance. I will enjoy sipping it down.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML
Fjellrev

I hope it’ll all work out today! I’m sure it will. :)

MzPriss

good luck to No. 1!

__Morgana__

He got through it just fine. Thanks! I am so relieved.

Terri HarpLady

I bet he did great! :)

__Morgana__

We’ll find out Monday but unless something went really wrong on the theory part I feel sure he will pass.

TheTeaFairy

Aww, happy everything went well :-)

__Morgana__

Thanks, TF! I wish there was a magic formula to get kids to practice. I was always motivated by wanting to get to the next harder level, but my kids aren’t like that. They like playing, but they don’t make the connection between practice and playing well. It seems like there’s been a cultural shift of some sort so that kids are only motivated by extrinsic rewards. My entire being recoils at the idea, but I admit I’ve resorted to it because I want the kids to be successful at whatever they undertake.

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Comments

Fjellrev

I hope it’ll all work out today! I’m sure it will. :)

MzPriss

good luck to No. 1!

__Morgana__

He got through it just fine. Thanks! I am so relieved.

Terri HarpLady

I bet he did great! :)

__Morgana__

We’ll find out Monday but unless something went really wrong on the theory part I feel sure he will pass.

TheTeaFairy

Aww, happy everything went well :-)

__Morgana__

Thanks, TF! I wish there was a magic formula to get kids to practice. I was always motivated by wanting to get to the next harder level, but my kids aren’t like that. They like playing, but they don’t make the connection between practice and playing well. It seems like there’s been a cultural shift of some sort so that kids are only motivated by extrinsic rewards. My entire being recoils at the idea, but I admit I’ve resorted to it because I want the kids to be successful at whatever they undertake.

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Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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