Autumn Hearth

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Autumn Hearth drank Caramel by Adagio Teas

So of course I get a sore throat when I have a swap box full of new samples to try ::rolls eyes:: I have been drinking throat coat today and yesterday, however I had this with pancakes on Sunday. I could not convince the husband to make the pancakes with the tea however he was willing to have a cuppa. “Easily bitter” he read from the packet. I used half the leaf, intent to have my caramel pancakes another day and steeped it for a min. I sipped my cup before eating and continued during. Quite nice, balance of sweet and salty and wee bit malty. Husband pronounce after his first sip “wow they weren’t kidding when they said easily bitter” says the man who let it sit in his cup for at least 15 mins. Sigh, I used to be like that, except I did it with herbals. Now I have a much higher tolerance for heat, or use a tiny sipping cup. I did not get around to resteeping that day as I found out my dad had taken my mom to the hospital with chest pains, she’s perfectly fine, excellent heart health, probably either heart burn or anxiety. Throat is starting to feel better this afternoon, though now I am sneezey, perhaps I shall get to try a new tea today after all! Thanks to Michelle for this!

2012-09-11 13:54:41 -0400

195 °F / 90 °C

1 min 0 sec

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Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.