I would like to thank Lady Tegan for sharing this splendid tea in a swap (I being a lowly scullery maid and all).
I’ve written before about picking blackberries in the Coast Range Mountains of Northern California in the Summer. Finding just the juiciest ripe ones but usually eating the best because they are too irresistible. Their unique flavor is mixed with sunshine and is truly magical. Have you ever seen anyone sad with a bowl of fresh berries? I’ve never heard of such a thing although I suppose it’s possible. Wondering what this wildly crazy named tea could taste like drew me in. Didn’t you wonder about it too? Mafia and Jane Austin in the name? Oh yeh!
I took the steep to the 4.5 min. Today, I’ve been washing curtains (96in. white, tall window curtains!) and I wanted no whimpy tea for me this afternoon. It’s 76 and warm outside which is lovely. I need tea now! My last blackberry tea was really pretty good from Teavana…the mojito…which my daughter agrees has a good blackberry flavor. By comparison, this blackberry tea is not as light and bright or fruity. There is almost a licorice finish that is NOT, understand me here, unpleasant. This may be due to it being a black tea and the Teavana was herbal which is going to color the flavor. This tea has tannin (a little bit) and a hint of bitterness (again just a bit). The vanilla flavor mixed with the blackberry is nice and restrained adding smoothness. This tea begs for sweetening and milk. Yes both. Miss Jane would serve it to guests with both on her tray wouldn’t she? Of course she would!
As for the Mafia. I guess, some people (maybe me when I’m washing curtains) would KILL for a cup of tea like this one (or hire someone to do it for me…like Tegan or Indigobloom or K S or Emilie or Ian! (oops not Ian he’s the Butler!)
