Bonnie

Thank you Jason for this Sample Tea

This is the first review on this NEW WHITE TEA from Verdant
(Only saying this because this is not one of the tea’s that is gone!)

It’s Saturday and for most of the day, I’ve been considering this one tea.
First I needed to add it to Steepster, then make sure my palate was clear and my mind still.
The lighter tea’s are more of an effort for me. They are delicate, and for some strange reason, cause me to go places deeper…reaching for elusive flavors that sometimes flutter past me so fast that I can hardly keep up with them.

My preparations were simple. A 5oz. Gaiwan, Spring Water, small sipping bowl and tea. The color of the infusions was not spectacular ranging from pale green to light green. The scent was lovely. Others will follow and discuss this more. I followed the exact steeping instructions on the Verdant website, 20 seconds, 15 seconds, 25 seconds.

The tasting of this tea was a complete experience. An adventure of remembering a time and event without losing touch with the reality of
the tea experience taking place at the same time.

I began with the first sip which sparkled with effervescence, dancing on my tongue like the sun rays on the sea.
There was the softest hint of pine and lilac ending in bread baked in a hot brick outdoor oven.

This is what did it. The flavor and scent that was hardly there and like a small hand reaching out, pulled me into a memory.

Corfu. I began to see that beautiful Greek Island again with the pines and flowers and….

The second steep was stronger than the first. It sparkled then splayed a dryness like linen sheets from a clothesline…slap across my tongue and gone. Here again there was the soft floral flavor spreading like a vine and wrapped around the pine taste trying to come out but still barely there. The taste of semolina was strongest at the finish.

I remembered going to Paleokastritsa Monastery on Corfu perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea. Walls washed with white and tan, abundant bougenvilla flowers and many happy monastery cats laying about. I approached an old Heiromonk and placed my hands palms up in the form of a cross indicating that I was asking for a blessing. He was from the U.S. and had retired to this Greek Monastery(a common practice especially after a Priest is a widower http://flic.kr/p/cfhUGo ). He blessed me, we chatted in the shade under the trees and I went my way. It was such an ancient, beautiful and peaceful place…smelling of flowers, pine and baked bricks and bread. Monasteries always have tea for guests.

My final steepings were very, very tingling on the tip of my tongue and sweeter. A great deal of semolina and creaminess with a hint of salt. I could tell that there was a rose floral flavor in these pourings and a bit of tannin at the finish, although not much.

I had a decision to make. The salt is what prompted me to make this decision. Should I add some sugar? It is vulgar to some people I know…but this is MY cup and I am not a tea snob. I believe that if there is any saltiness in a tea, a little sweet will often enhance the flavor.

So…I…Did…IT….

NECTAR We have a place in Colorado that is beautiful called
Garden of the Gods. This is the tea version of the place!
Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls…whatever your AHHHH! is…this flavor is that AHHHHH!

http://youtu.be/q2pgPkZZZOg Music

This nectar flavor is where I began my journey back to Corfu with the sun shining on the clearest water I’ve ever seen, and pine trees dipping to the Ionian Sea. Flowers, pink, red and purple, white washed houses and Greek Taverna’s all along a narrow road leading up to a beautiful Monastery. Calm and unforgetable.

TEA!

Here are some pictures, Corfu..
http://youtu.be/WuUHIoo7raA

Thank you Teavivre for this lovely tea sample!

It has been quite a day!
Schey (granddaughter) and I went to Algiers Hookah bar (first time for her) and had a good time together. Her mom (my daughter) looked at us as though we were misbehaving teen’s. Harrumph! (She used to shave her hair on the sides so what can she say to me now!) We tried a Melon blend…too harsh. Then a Mint Vanilla blend that was just right. There we were…on our pillows with a pot of sweetened mint tea, lounging with our hookah. So relaxed.

I took Schey home…and Micah (7) ran to the car with a DVD for me to watch tonight. One of his favorites…Puss and Boots. ;)

I had my camera and since my daughter lives 10 miles from me and close to Douglas Lake (great views of the Frontrange Rocky Mountains)I went down the road and took a few pictures just to get an idea of how big the current Hill Park Fire is. (If you look at the picture, I live under the black smoke on the left…up against the mountains).

By the time I got home I was hungry! I made a smoked salmon pizza and waited for the right time to start tea.

I’d been waiting for this Milk Oolong!

The perfect ending to a lovely day would be this tea.

The Pour:
Elegant and light, full of the most beautiful luscious flavor on my first tenuous sip.
(I had no idea what the meaning of the milk part would be. Creaminess? Milk flavor? I still don’t know what that means. I didn’t taste anything like milk.)

If you took the most fragrant flowers (gardenia, vanilla, jasmine, orchid) and made them into a light and creamy dessert without any perfumey harshness, that would be the taste in this tea. There was a flavor surge, right after the first liquor passed my lips… a wave… almost immediately followed by endless creaminess and richness.
As the tea cooled the thickness and creaminess increased making me lick my lips and look to the bottom of my cup anxious for more, needing more like a tea addict.(Oh yes we all know about this!)

No way would I want to share this pot of tea with anyone tonight(but maybe with you). I want it all to myself(really). Every drop was dripping heavily with nectar-like creamy goodness. As smooth as fine silk sheets…a luxury tea to dream with.

No,no I was not tea drunk…wish I was with this tea though…
It was delightful.

Thank you Teavivre for the perfect tea for completing my day!

Fire Photo from Douglas Lake today…http://flic.kr/p/ceWazy

Thank you Stacy for this sample

It has been several months since I taste tested this tea. I think it’s important to revisit and try tea’s more than once.
Previously, I commented on the preference I have for making mint tea with fresh mint from one growing on my patio with lots of sugar the way it’s done in Lebanon and much of the Middle East. (My friend introduced me to cafe’s in San Francisco that serve tea this way). You are supposed to sit and sip slowly and talk for hours on a hot day.

Putting my prejudices aside, I have learned to appreciate the effort of Stacy to sell only the best organic tea’s with quality flavor that I appreciate. I wanted to give this mint a second taste review.

This morning, I was preparing myself with some Lebanese music and wondering what to wear later to a Hookah Bar? Jeans? Uh, this is close to the University and I’m going with Schey (she’s 18) who’s soooo excited! Every day Schey has been calling “When are we going to the Hookah Bar Grandma?”….gar.! Mint tea was on the list of things to do before going to a Hookah Bar. (I think)

(I’m skipping right to the taste)

The flavor of this tea was surprising. Delicate, smooth, fresh.
The gunpowder tea was so mellow and soft adding a taste almost pastry-like.(I don’t remember any gunpowder tea tasting that way.) There wasn’t any smokiness.
The peppermint was not like a breath mint…nooooo. The peppermint was soft…very, very soft without a bite. I noticed a curious floral fragrance hidden in the mint.
The mouthfeel became creamy. That was unexpected. Creamy peppermint and gunpowder would be insane unless you know how Stacy blends tea. She is a master of creating creamy tea’s.
The ending had a tiny little tannin right at the finish.
This was a delightful tea. I am again Hook-uh-ed (haha dumb pun!)!

Time to put on some more music. Next order Stacy! Moroccan Mint for Me!

http://youtu.be/LUr5uVs73JQ Lebanese Bellydance Music
http://youtu.be/2ScDdxavE4g Moroccan Beautiful Guitar…very nice

Hookah Bar Photo…http://flic.kr/p/ceW845 NOT GOOD!

Thank you Angel and Teavivre for this Sample

I had all three granddaughters helping out on this review and we went through three steepings using a french press (of all things..this was big enough to brew for 4 people).

The first pour was the lightest colored. Light golden brown and toast scented. Schey said the taste was grassy and the other girls thought the flavor was good but tasting like earth and somewhat astringent.

The second pour was medium honey brown and smelled like wheat bread to all of us. We sweetened the tea and enjoyed the sweet bread and honey flavor. Megan noticed that there was a little saltiness.

The third pour was the most interesting. We labored to find the words for what the flavor was.

“Sesame!” I said….“Exactly, yes”, was their reply. But I couldn’t just stop there and leave well enough alone.

“Sesame Street!” I cried! (I meant to say Sesame Tahini!)

We rolled, cracked up…cried…laughed till we hurt…what a goofus!

So, ok ok ok…I thinketh this tea tasteth like Sesame Tahini and Honey!

We all liked it. We had a good laugh!

The next review I PROMISE to be serious Teavivre! Really!

Thank you Jason for this BIG Sample!

My granddaughters (18,17,15) are sitting and watching Gladiator on my big screen TV as I write.

I served them some (Tangerine Creamsicle) tea already and had some myself but now I wanted more. (I’ve also seen Gladiator a zillion times!)

What could be better than blood, swords and tea?!

Jason kindly sent a nice hefty sample of this Darjeeling which I was ready to try.
The scent of the liquor was such a heady floral mix of orange blossom, jasmine and wet bamboo steaming and curling up into my face. I took a cup around for each of the girls to smell. Ummmmm. Smelled good to them. Approval!
I took a sip and noticed how light and brisk the flavor was at first. There was no astringency and the flavor was naturally sweet with a light bergamot taste.
As the cup cooled it became creamy and thickened. I added sweetening and swooned. Oh the exotic Indian winds blew through me…a monsoon of delightful floral tea.

I commented to the girls that this would be a proper tea to take on a Yurt trip (people of all ages go stay in Yurts Colorado. Youth groups, even the Senior Center has Yurt trips!) This and an Assam would do well.

DAVIDsTea has successfully created a blended darjeeling to take the guesswork away for people who just want to drink tea and not study first flush, second flush…and flushes that don’t make sense to many people.

Very enjoyable!

Thanks Stacy for this fantastic Sample!

This is a new tea! Stacy is coming out with a whole slew of tea’s soon and I can’t wait to find out what’s in store for all of us who know just how good her tea’s are!

At first, I was expecting an organic, naturally flavored tea…a nice afternoon pick-ME-up before heading off to pick up the 3 granddaughters who are treking from their ranch into town (about 5 miles). I’ll do a run to get them and we’ll have tea at my place, then I take them home.

To my surprise, this tea wasn’t flavored (the name Spring Twist tricked me).
My steep time was 2 minutes at 175F.
I was greated with the most fragrant salty spinach scented vapor raising from vibrant green leaves in my brew basket. Yum!

I’ve learned that all things spinachy in a basket don’t necessarily taste like spinach when poured… any more than wet Pu-erh leaves smelling like kerosene and leather taste that way as well.

The first sip… oh my, was like baby white corn on the cob. Sweet, young corn as juicy as if you had just picked it off the stalk. The kind of kernals that ‘pop’ with juice when you bite into them…and buttery.
This tea was thick with creaminess. There was no astringency or hint of tannin…no daggers of bitterness. Just a little salt, some fresh butter sweet cream.

I thought a bit before pouring another cup.

What if the corn was even a little sweeter? Not really sweet, but like the best of the Summer sweet white corn?
So I did it!
I added about a half teaspoon sweetening to just see if I could replicate that much loved flavor…and it was perfect.
(The saltiness of the tea is usually how I judge if sweetening will enhance a tea or not.)
I couldn’t taste any sugary addition but I could taste more sweet corn.

Since this tea has not been listed on the Butiki Website as yet, I’ll transfer my review or update the information when it becomes available… but I couldn’t wait.
I wanted to let Stacy know how much I enjoyed this tea. It is really good!

Thanks Stacy! Looking forward to all the new tea’s!!!

CRAZY ME! http://youtu.be/i66vQ2EM9Z0 Monsoon Wedding Rain Song

When I review an elegant tea it takes a lot of effort. I have a disability. If you were around me you would notice that I can’t multitask and that I get ramped up or hyper until I know you well and can relax. It takes time to write and find the words to express what I want to say and feel. Then I’m drained.
So every day, I mix a hard tea to review with an easier one.

This tea is an easy review. A fun review.

Boulder Colorado is a tea lovers Paradise. There are multiple tea houses and a Tea Festival (next month). I love to go from place to place walking through the outdoor Pearl Street Mall full of flowers and fountains looking so beautiful, stopping at one tea house after another.
I found this locally bottled Iced Chai that comes in various forms. Concentrate, sweetened and unsweetened and all vegan, organic and packaged responsibly. Worth a taste, I thought, since it’s a local product.

Yowzah! One sip and Yowzah! This is some potent Chai!
There’s a volcano in the bottle! Fresh grated ginger (not powdered) and cardamom, organic fair trade black tea, cane juice, ginger juice, organic soy milk and other spices…you betcha!

If you have any trouble with your sinus’s or waking up in the morning…I have the cure!

Shhhhh….
(the truth is… this is good tasting tea.)

Really, out loud… THIS TASTES GOOD! The heat kickin, and spices
cooled just enough by the soy milk that there is mellowing at the end as though the Black Tea arrived with a caramel flourish.

I would buy this again. Actually, the concentrate where you may add your own milk of choice would be better. You could make the Chai just the strength want it to be.

Nice job for a Brewed in Boulder, CO Fresh Chai!

Now let’s Dance! http://youtu.be/sp1UFAopkHc Come on!

Thank you so much Jason for sending me a sample of this special tea!

Finally, my spirit was calm enough to drink this tea and appreciate it fully. The time had to be right. So much chaos lately, with little rest.

I didn’t want to rush a rare tea that I couldn’t gather up for myself again. This Yabao is gone. No longer available. ( Psych Joke is on me! I thought this tea was gone,but it’s NOT! So I’m dancing in place (tap, tap, tap! Love happy endings!)

The dry leaves looked like large daggers of wheat and when wet turned bright green, cream and toast.
Smelling like newly sheared grass on a warm Spring evening. Sweet floating scent carried easily on the wind.
The liquor through these 15 second steepings in my Gaiwan, were very clear. Pristine.

1. My first taste was a gentle mist of honeydew melon, light and airy. The juice sparkled then thickened at the very back of the throat. This startled me. How could this be a Pu’er? My mind was stunned not knowing how to process what I was tasting.

2. This cup became a vision of pine trees around a pool of water with light reflecting off the surface. Glistening, sugary bursts heady and intoxicating. Looking down from a point above the pines, gliding on silk…the taste so smooth, fluid and lasting.

3. I didn’t want to admit to it. No! But, I did smell snickerdoodle in the leaves. Ah, yes. Spice and rock sugar, sweet and juicy with some of the pine trees hiding in the background like a trip to a fabled Fairytale House filled with much craved treats.
The best was indeed yet to come.

4. There was an odd smell in the leaves that made me crazy! I wanted to know what it was?! I loved the smell!
This steeping took me on a journey back to the Sierra foothill town of Paradise. One way I heated my home was by woodstove. Being a woman alone with 5 teenaged girls (only 1 was mine…the rest were “throw away kids” that nobody wanted) we had to cut wood and stoke the stove to keep warm in Winter. I remembered the smell of cutting down trees…the smell of the center of the wood and fresh sap. Even though we used cedar and oak, Christmas meant Pine tree cutting.
This Silver Bud Yabao on infusion #4 was smelling like fresh cut pine wood, and sweet like rock sugar, juicy and silky at the finish.

Magnificient! Stunning!

Thank you Jason!

Thank you Stacy for this Sample!

I was soooo tired last night that I woke up on the couch about midnight having snoozed…zzzzz sitting up chin cupped in my hand (not a pretty picture). This is not how I sleep ever! Taking my zombie self off to my fluffy bed, I finally had the first full night’s rest since the High Hill Fire began on Saturday.

This morning I had this nice little paper wrapped mini Tuo Cha from Butiki to look forward to. Ahhhh. Puerh!

Steeping 7 minutes (after a 20 second rinse) 18 oz would be perfect for beginning my day.

While waiting, watching the fire news, I was stunned to find out that I am only 2.5 miles from the fire.

I really am mentally anxious for tea!

I expect a nice little Tuo Cha to produce an earthy flavor…mild and comforting but a bit predictable.
I should have known better than to assume that Stacy would be predictable in her choice of a Butiki Puerh Tuo Cha!

The flavor was mild and not earthy at all. Fresh then cooling in a way that reminded me of a forest. There was plenty of juice and a heat across my tongue lighting the way for more discovery. Something elusive…a flavor that was an herb in the background. This prompted me to go onto my patio and pick some Rosemary, Sage and Greek Oregano. Rubbing a little Sage between my fingers and smelling the scent? Maybe? Rosemary? No! Greek Oregano…? Um hum…Yes!
Greek Oregano is light, sunny reminds me of playing on a hillside in the Summer smelling the light, natural wild growing herbs.

I added some sweetening…which in this case increased the herbaceous quality which I found to be so desireable and unique in this Puerh.

What a surprise and treat this Puerh was for me. So different than I assumed or expected. So worth having again and again.

I drink tea, I buy tea, I drink tea, I buy tea!

My previous review found me sitting at the tea bar at Happy Lucky’s Tea House having a pot of Taiwanese Ruby 18 and chatting away with Sam about a particular Assam/Oolong blend that I was drinking.
How we began talking about Green Tea (which I rarely drink) I DO NOT KNOW! But, somehow or another I left the shop with an ounce of Green Tea! All I had to do is smell it once and I was hooked. (The look in Sam’s eye was a knowing look… as though he knew this would be irresistable). (I think I was mesmerized by Sam’s purple Cambodian shirt!)

I left the house in the first place to mail tea samples to a couple people (hey!) and get some groceries. By the time I came home through the fire produced fog, I was wanting more tea. (the smoke makes me really thirsty!) This was my tea choice.

Sam said this was a toasted but sweet Green Tea from Japan.
The dry leaf smelled like Sesame Oil. It smelled just like that and like dry seaweed.
I steeped the leaves 3 minutes…the wet brew smelling very salty like a salted fish but not fishy. (that makes no sense except that fresh fish never smells fishy!)

The pale amber liquor was sweet and light with a toasted flavor on the sesame seed side with a fuzzy mouthfeel. No astringency or bitterness. Very light. This tea is a bit salty. I added some sweetening to heighten the contrast between the sweet and salty and loved that the best. There is juice and enough body to enjoy along with edamame, light Asian salad, stir fry veggies or rice dishes. (I’ve got an idea to steam some vegetables with this!)

This tea is a nice change from my usual Black Tea’s, Pu-erhs and Oolongs!
Very good and tasty!

I stopped at Happy Lucky’s for tea today looking for a headache cure for the smoke I’ve inhaled from the big fires here.
I asked if there were any new tea’s to try and this Ruby 18 was suggested. When I asked my expert server Sam more about it, he said it was an Assam Oolong blend, a toasted old leaf Oolong cooked and left with the leaves whole and straight like black tea. We discussed this category of darker Taiwanese Oolongs that would possibly place this Oolong with Black Tea’s in China. It is dark, has long leaves and isn’t green. Not sure.
Just learned the Assam is a hybrid with Chin Shin grown in Taiwan and introduced to the U.S. in 2011.

After my pot of tea steeped. I smelled the dark ruby red-brown colored leaves which smelled slightly of cinnamon and flowers.
The flavor was lighter than an Assam, not malty or smoky but mild with a little Oolong personality and no astringency.
The pairing was more successful than I would have imagined. I thought about how this would make a very fine cold brewed tea. Just the right balance of fruit and body.

I can’t stress enough how much it means to have a tea shop where you know the staff and where they and the owner are knowledgable about tea. If you can find a place…a tea pub…for yourself…do it! Search for such a special place.

Happy Lucky’s is the Best!

5 AM I awoke too early with a splitting headache from a cloud of smoke that desended to ground level from the High Park Fires. Uh!
I put on some clothes and walked a down the street towards the hills but stopped part way realizing that there were no hills to be seen. The smoke was too thick and the end of the block was invisable.

Again, my head throbbed…I wanted tea!
I had some new tea from Butiki that I had never sampled. The reviews were too good to resist. Raspberry Truffle certainly sounded more cheerful than the dirty smoke-fog.

Butiki Tea’s ingredients are first class. Organic, Vegan. This has chocolate, dry raspberries, and Kundalay tea. Notes of cinnamon and just sweet enough not to need sugar.
There is a creaminess that reminds you that this tea doesn’t taste like cake or pastry but a real chocolate coated, raspberry filled truffle. You know, the kind of candy that you sneak and eat by yourself savouring each little bite with delight. “Oh thiF is soooo gooB,” you say, with a muffled mouthful of gooey truffle dripping from the corners of your mouth and sticking to your fingers!
You understand why this tea is popular. Imagine drinking that truffle experience without the guilt of overindulgence (or the calories!). Yes!

I feel better, but…it would be good if you would send prayers for the firefighters and the displaced people here! Thanks!

(I’m sorry if my reviews are bad, right now I’m having a hard time with them…please understand it’s hard. Thanks! Doing my best.)

Thank you Stacy for this Sample Tea!

Ah this tea came on a good day! I have a smoke from forest fire headache. The best cure is TEA! My latest order from Butiki arrived which makes me very happy! This sample was inside and I LOVE IT! TEA ADDICT! ;)

I talk outloud to myself sometimes when I’m happy. (I say bad things when I’m upset outloud too…but that’s another story) Anyway….I bet some of you talk to yourselves too.
When I took my first sip of this tea I said, “Oh Stacy, you did it again you little stinker!” (Well, she is!) She made another naturally flavored tea that tastes so good I have to have more. It tastes just like an almond breakfast pastry. Creamy like frosting and buttery, the almond flavor from real almonds that you can see mixed with the tea. There is just enough spice that the cup is warmed but not screaming SPICE. So delicious that I can’t believe I drank a tea with this flavor instead of saying I just ate a pastry.
The tea is sweet enough to drink without sugar, but if you sweeten this as an indulgent desert …wow!
I say…Grrrrreat!
…great flavor!

My little grandkids would LOVE this! A great breakfast tea with sausage and pancakes or eggs…or at lunch with a chicken sandwich.

Stacy dear…you’ll be hearing from me again real soon! ;)

Thank you Angel and Teavivre for this delicious Sample!

This morning I was relieved to find that the wind had scooped out the low fog-like smoke from the ground and I could breathe easier. I really wanted some tea in a big way! I felt so sick last night, nauseated from inhaling the dense soupy smoke out by my daughters house that ended up dropping down on my place 10 miles from her less than a half hour later.

I steeped these gorgeous Bronze Onyx Tea Pearls Western Style in a glass pot so that I could watch them unfurl. I wanted several cups of tea to cleanse my body from the soot I had inhaled last night from the Larimer County Fire.

This was THE perfect tea choice for this morning!

I had no idea that these little pearls would produce the most delightfully cocoa nib flavored tea of any tea I’ve ever had.
Other tea’s I’ve enjoyed had cocoa or chocolate flavor coupled with malt, yam, cinnamon. But this, was pure cocoa. Try as I would, I didn’t find malt, yam, potato or any distractor lurking in the shadows waiting to sneak out of hiding with an “aha, gotcha”.

I have a treasured little French Bakery as big as a shoebox in Oldtown Fort Collins. The sign outside the shop says ‘Only One Person at a Time Enter Please’ posted there because the shop is so small. Inside there is a glass case lined with pastries that are works of art. Buttery beauties and sugered sweeties. Best of all are the Macarons. Ohhhh the Chocolate Macarons (French spelling)…so light they would float on air. My Black Dragon Pearl Tea was like the Chocolate Macarons. So very Parisian. Smooth, light and cocoalicious.

I’ll buy some of this tea…it is really the best black cocoa tasting tea I’ve had. Now I have 2 Verdant favorite Black Tea’s and 2 Teavivre’s.

The Today Show was on while I was enjoying my cup and was showing the Larimer County Fire…right here. I saw a helicopter picking up some water. Hum, it looked like the little lake about 3 miles from my house.
I picked up my camera and walked to the end of the complex and was shocked to see the fire was right up my hill from me behind Horsetooth Reservoir. Yikes! My daughter called me and we set up a plan in case I have to get out of here. I walked to the end of the complex and took a picture.

http://flic.kr/p/cdCuDm

Strange day in Fort Collins, Tea and a Fire! http://flic.kr/p/cdpRMU

The day began well enough with all 8 of my daughter and son-in-law’s children arriving at my Church in Loveland a tiny bit late and all smiles to see me (with mom and dad). I rubbed little Micahs neck for a moment and he fell asleep, the 18 month old ate cherrios out of my hand. All was warm and happy.
After the service old Peter from Brooklyn, gave me a 1950’s chrome, mint condition GE electric teapot. It’s Gorgeous! (I’ll post a photo tomorrow). Next, some of the College age adults (guys mostly) from Church made plans to come to my house for tea along with my granddaughter. Lastly, Schey and I went to ‘A Taste Of Fort Collins’. Food, beer, bands…all that is good about Summer in old downtown.

After about an hour or so walking around and sampling food…an AWFUL cloud appeared. Half of the sky was dark. We knew there was a fire not far away, but this was becoming alarming.
I suggested that we go for tea at Happy Lucky’s before heading out to my daughters home. Schey ordered her favorite tea, Lavender Chamomile. The fragrance was surprising. It smelled like blackberries instead of an annoying perfume, which was a relief to me. The flavor was smoothe and soothing. After walking miles at an event with food vendors and craft booths, bands blaring music and the railroad train (which runs right through town) stopping for 20 minutes blocking the venue access, this tea hit the spot. I’m not kidding. It was like a tea massage!
We chatted with tea server Sam (always knowledgable)at length before leaving. Such a restful time.

At Terry Lake, on the edge of town, the view of the hills, sky blackened and a vivid blood red sun was so stunning (a better word would be shocking) that cars were stopped at the side of the road, people standing still to watch. It looked like a volcano had erupted. Soot and ash, plumes of smoke billowed so high touching the red sun and swurling into rust colored whirlpools. My throat was getting irritated and continuing to drive I had to turn on my headlights.
Later when I arrived home, the plume of smoke was behind my house in the hills. This was a huge fire. The winds were strong and things were not looking good. Later the smoke came down like ground fog. It smells thick

I took some pictures which I’ll attach later.
I know this isn’t a blog, but….I hope you all don’t mind. I’ve never been this close to a fire. This isn’t a good or proper review, I feel like I’ve been in a cement mixer…and need some good tea to rinse the ash out of my body!

Thank you Teavivre for this generous sample!

Glorious Jasmine Silver Needle White Tea. There is nothing else like it!

I have been waiting for this sample…anxious to taste what I was imagining would be fine, high quality flavor as all my Teavivre samples have been.

I set aside a time before dinner to enjoy my tasting. Chose Alex Bugnon and Peter White for some Smooth Jazz, and was ready to go.

The fragrance drew me hard into the cup. How could I have resisted.
I was stepping into a Harem, a forbidden place…all incense and silk scarves. A gentle spray of Jasmine flowers was flowing from a crystal pitcher. The taste was heady and luminous. Rivers of flavor so wet with juiciness rolling on and on.
There was something of the forest at the end of that initial taste. It reminded me of pine needles that are blue-green and icy. My cup was never bitter but I felt as though I had gone down deep into a dark blue pool of glacial water. It was the juice that took me to that new place and the flavor I found was in the tea trees. Dark green pine needles, tea needles somewhere high in the clefted hills.

Some tea’s are different by nature. The dance of preparation for this type of tea…spreading of flowers on the tea leaves…taking the flowers off…laying on fresh flowers. It has to be done just right. Everything must be perfect to become this cup. My cup was just so. Just the way I want it to be.

This is the way I love my Silver Needle. The Jasmine so light and fragrant…and the Forest..the tea needles…wild and dark, clothed in mystery.

I drank this straight. Later I tried it sweet and it is delightful for those who like sweet tea.

http://youtu.be/UdRc1bgqKqw Peter White…. Glow

Thank you Jason for this tea sample!

Yesterday I Oolanged about. That languid frame of mind I have about Oolongs. There has to be some peace and quiet when I sip them.

Black tea on the other hand is best in the morning when I have things to accomplish! No need to settle my spirit first. A good black tea is like my favorite jeans.(Ok, some are truly elegent. And Exeptional!)

Jason has read enough of my reviews that we connected on the mutual enjoyment of Black Tea. When we did a recent sample swap (easier to do when you live in the same State) I was delighted that he remembered to include some favorites including this tea.

Bonnie likes her Black Tea Strong! I doubled the recommended steep time of 2 minutes to 4 minutes (hee hee) which was PERFECT for my taste!
No astringency whatever. The beautiful dark golden brown liquor was
like velvet in my mouth, smooth but rich. The taste bright and young with an orange pekoe flavor and soft malt. There was no smoky flavor.

I drank one cup and refilled my mug again…now I was discovering a honey, warm homemade bread taste with a vanilla cream finish. Sigh.

I sat still when my 3 mugs of tea were gone. I was satisfied and full. The flavor was not only lingering but tingling on my tongue…prickly little nettles…reminding me like a tiny tempting voice that I could resteep and drink again.

I could do that. I want to drink more of this tea to begin my day but… I have to set up a Hooka Bar date with my 18 year old granddaughter Schey ( she wants to go with me…) and tomorrow the 16 year old Megan wants to go to A Taste of Fort Collins downtown, and my Rav4 is up for sale, and I have to learn how to ride the bus (ugh), and review more tea!

But, I think I have some time for another cup of THIS tea! Thanks Jason!

Second review.

I noticed a few people revisiting this remarkable Oolong again and realized that today was an Oolong day for me. Beginning with Butiki then Teavivre and in the wee hours…a last nightcap with Verdant. A tender cup to send me sweetly to sleep. I have plans for my supply to go to a new home…because someone loves this too much for me to hold onto it. I suppose this is a farewell.

I wrote much about this Oolong the first time. As I learn more about tea, I am learning more than a set of rules on preparation or flavor profiles. When I look into the cup there is a world of memories and sensory wonders…magical associations that are sometimes inexplicable. I try and more often than not, fail to express what happens with something so simple as a single sip of tea.

One sip…

Wearing a green floral robe…a liquid golden Dervish is revealed turning around and around to a rhythmic beat… teasing the tongue with spice and saffron.

The mouth fills with the taste of melted butter swirling like a whirlpool and overflowing with small sweet orchids in rippling pools.

In the waning heat of early evening…when the breeze begins to cool the earth, to sit by the fountain on an ottoman…inhaling the fragrance of grass and herbs, flowers and spice…the waning of what has been warmed by the air.

This is the one sip…which is this tea… for me.

(I hope noone finds this/me too strange, it is very late)

Thank you Teavivre for this large and beautiful sample!

I began my day with my grandson Ian (11) wandering out from MY bedroom…to see if I was awake yet on the couch. You see, whenever one of the “8” comes to spend the night…they are the king or queen of the house. They get my big comfy bed. We had a strawberry oolong from Butiki with breakfast and then went SWIMMING!
Later, Ian told me that the Puerh I was sending home for him well, he was going to save a piece to celebrate his adoption anniversary. I almost broke down and cried. What a sweet young man.

I took Ian home and arrived back at about 4pm…needing TEA!
Another Oolong? Sure! This was such a sunny day…and I was feeling tired but pretty good.

I used a glass pot with large strainer and steeped 24oz (yep a lot) 4 minutes.

Looking down into my cup…the liquor was golden

My initial impression was sweet honey water. Then my mind wandered.

I remembered a natural spring in Puerto Rico where I went long ago to fill water bottles. The water was sparkling and so sweet but mostly, cool. This spring was in the middle of the rain forest which was humid and filled with wild orchids and ferns, the tree frogs chirping and lizards scattering about. The mist and rain was always dripping down my face, my legs, arms… then circling around me steaming hot. (Not a place to wear makeup!)
I thought of the little hillside house in San German on the Southwest side of the Island where my children and I lived for awhile. It overlooked coffee trees, mango, banana and breadfruit trees. Many trips down the winding road to Boca Raton beach and the salty waves. Sweet smelling sugar cane lining the road and trucks piled so high with it they should have toppled over.
This Oolong had the floral, sweet honey water flavor but also an aftertaste of one of my favorite Island foods, plantain. Not green plantain, but Verdura..sweet plantain. When plantains ripen and become yellow. They are so delicious cooked in a little butter or fried.
Something about this Oolong makes me remember Puerto Rico. The beach at Isla Verde and Boca Raton. Salt Spray and the smell of orchids on a hot day followed by a sweet cool drink. Rock Sugar. Sweet buttery plantain or even yukon potato.

http://youtu.be/C24IOVRYC08 Coqui…the frog is making the chirp…

I got scared once in shower when one jumped on me! Pretty sound though!

What a great day! http://flic.kr/p/ccwmdJ (Ian with his Gaiwan)
Ian (my 11 year old grandson) and I went to tea at Happy Lucky’s Tea house. We had tea, and when we finished he had the WHOLE TEA WALL to choose a tea from as my gift. What does he pick? A PU-ERH! MY BOY! All on his own while I was sitting at the tea bar, he brought me the sample and asked if he could have THAT tea. I was dancing with joy, so thrilled!
We stopped at the Cheese Shop, the French Pastry Shop, then home. After setting chops to oven cook…we sat for a Pu-erh tasting before dinner.

The following is Ian’s review from my notes. My 11 year old buddy wanted to share his first ever Pu-erh experience!

I used a Gaiwan and there were 3 infusions at 1.5 minutes each.
The color of the liquor was light maple syrup, cocoa, light cocoa brown.

Ian’s Comment’s:
1. The first thing I tasted was water. Then, there was another taste like wet bark and a dry feeling. Something was like heat or fire.

2. I could tell right away the flavor popped. It reminded me of a smoky campfire in the woods and the leaves smelled like smoky leather.
(I added a little sugar to his tea) “WOW!” (He grinned from ear to ear) “That was good!It tastes like vanilla! I want some more!" He noted that the Pu-erh was making him “feel good”. (hee hee)

3. The last pour was a little lighter but Ian was anxious to have more tea. If it wasn’t dinner time I think he would have insisted on more steepings. The delight in this discovery was so much fun! I took a picture of him with his empty Gaiwan, leaves all wet at the bottom.

His last comment and the heart of the experience was…

“This is the best tea I have ever had!”

After my dark and stormy night experience (and another to come), I chose a favorite Puerh from Butiki to enjoy and review a second time.
The morning was cool and I remembered the flavors well enough as comforting and smooth.

I did a quick wash of the small pressed puerh coin and steeped the tea 1.5 minutes in a gaiwan. I learned from my first experience that this little jewel takes a bit of waiting for the first liquor to release.

Oh this was good. So sweet and smooth. This was a puerh that enveloped me in everything I love about puerh’s. A bit of desired, craved earthiness, the comfort, richness and a mouthfeel that is like you’ve just eaten a flaky buttered pastry. (like baked filo dough?)

I made a second and third steeping…all at longer than the suggested
steep time. I do like my puerh’s bold. At 1 minute to 1.5 the time was just right for me. Not bitter or too over the top. PERFECT!
So, So, So, yummy! (I do not use that word very often!)

Hope all those facing storms today are well! ;)

It was a dark and stormy night….

We’ve all heard stories that began like that one. Well last night, I had a scary long and stormy night and Steepster was not available to comfort me! Being alone in a storm…eeks!

This is a backlog review!

I was watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and over and over the storm warnings kept streaming by…more and more frequently…tornado warning…tornado warning. Then the warning ticker turned red…TORNADO WARNING…STRONG STORM…FLASH FLOODS…Yikes! Then the warnings listed the area where my friends live and a Steepster person I know about 2 hours South of me. Then…then warnings began in MY area. The sky was filled with Lightning! TO THE GROUND!
I’m from California…we don’t have WEATHER in California. (the ground moves now and then…no biggie)

What to do, what to do?

I made tea!

Holy Basil Spa Blend and a prayer for all the people in harms way to be safe! Yep!
I rushed in case the power went out. Brought down a nectar-like Colorado Raw Honey (the brand is Ambrosia)from the cupboard and my big 16oz mug.
The combination of mint, basil, burdock, fennel, ginger and honey was warm and cooling in the mouth…like jumping from a rope swing into the water on a hot Summer day. Totally refreshing and as warm as a towel when you get too cold. The honey is perfect with this tea.
I looked at the weather report for this morning…more storms later today. Eeks! I have to get used to the Rocky Mountain Weather.
I’m glad I live 1 block from the base of a mountain so that no tornado will come my way. But the lightening to the ground part…that is so freeky!

Holy Basil Spa Blend is my new “I’m scared to death” comfort tea of choice!

Glad to “see” OO all of you again! http://youtu.be/Q7RPCFfudmU
(You’ve got a friend…James Taylor…)

Thank you Stacy for this Sample

Woo Hoo Steepster is back up (and we all hope the improvements will be well worth the wait!).

Stacy got me again! The last few samples of tea with my order were so fantastic….I can’t live without them! I ordered more tea including this one while Steepster was down! I need to go to tea AA!

I was just finishing the most refreshing cup of Tangerine Creamsicle Guayusa and ready to review it on Steepster when…dah dah…:( the black screen told me to make another pot of tea!

Now I get to use the word…Backlogging! :)

I used a mesh brew basket in a mug for this sample and let it brew 6 minutes.
The steam was edible! It was like a double decker sandwich of flavors entering through the scent and liquor all at once…creamy, citrus, sweet flaky pastry, silky smooth…with such a light finish. Every, every,every (3 every’s) time I taste one of these Butiki luscious favored tea’s I’am blown away.

They’re never sour, overdone, gaudy or cheap tasting.
Butiki tea’s are refined yet simple. By simple, I mean…not fussy.
The natural flavor is beautiful because someone has the good sense to know that real organic flavor can’t be improved on.
The guayusa is supposed to give you a caffeine type of lift but without the gittery effects of caffeine. I don’t know why, but…I drank the tea then went and took a nap. For some reason, I don’t get a jolt from guayusa.

I’ll be watching for my Tangerine Creamsicle Guayusa and my Good Morning Sunshine Guayusa and my Raspberry Truffle and my Rose Violet Calendula Oolong to arrive. All wonderful! (there’s news in the wind of many, many new Butiki tea’s coming our way)shhhh!

Thank you Teavivre for this tea sample!

Ya’ll know I love me some Lapsang Souchong…Amen! (left over accent from living in Texas years ago!…long story…)
When I saw everyone receiving the new samples from Teavivre and chattering about this LS I was so excited! I knew this was going to be quality tea!

Sunday, I was in Happy Lucky’s Tea House chatting with Sam (one of the tea Sommeliers) about Lapsangs. I had him smell the Teavivre dry leaf. He could tell this was good quality. We discussed something that many people (including myself) often forget when considering Lapsang Souchongs. We concentrate so much on the smoke that we forget about the tea leaves. Tea changes from year to year (we know that) and LS is no exception. Smoke should not obliterate the flavor of the tea . That being said, strong smoke can be done by a master with the correct tea. This gave me more to consider.

Last night was one of my pain nights. My bones hurt and my dreams were wierd because of it. I woke up with a migraine and nausea. I had to get up. This happens too often to stop me.
Caffeine helps stop a migraine and my anti-seizure meds help block some of the triggers in my brain like light or weather change that set migraines off.
Strong tea was what I needed and fast! I wanted a great tasting tea too, tea that would brighten my morning and make me smile! I just knew this Lapsang could do that for me!

I brewed a whole 24oz pot Western Style…2 minutes! Ummmm!
The liquor was a rich honey color with a medium mellow, smoky scent.
The flavor of this Lapsang is smooth but not too strong. A medium smoky brew that surprised me right away by reveiling a coolness probably derived from gentle contact with pine smoke. I had not experienced that in a Lapsang Souchong before. There was also a dry mouth-feel and burn on the tip of my tongue. I added some sugar after sipping several small cups straight. The sweetened version was the best.

Then, I remembered some Natural Maple Syrup. I couldn’t help myself…no self control whatever! I poured a small cup and put a teaspoon of syrup in the tea. It was good! (I am imagining several people at Teavivre freaking out at the crazy lady in Colorado who has ruined the LS by putting Maple syrup in it!.. I hope they’re laughing and having a good time with it!…Love you Teavivre!). The maple dripping off my finger…lick, and the smoke of the tea, slurp…I AM CURED!

My own favorite LS from my local tea shop is smokier than this one and has more pine and burn. It is better for cooking because of the extra smoky strength. I made a batch to test side by side at the end of my Teavivre cups and discovered that my local was more layered.
The difference: Teavivre is a refined, lighter and approachable Lapsang Souchong.
My Happy Lucky’s China Lapsang Souchong is stronger with a burnt, smoky sweet pine taste.

You never want to lose the tea in the smoke and Teavivre has achieved that sweet delicious point that you want to come back to.

I continued to drink this tea and nibbled on Whiskey Cheese! I got it at Whole Foods but my local cheese store carries a Whiskey Cheese and you may find others also. IT IS AWESOME with Lapsang Souchong! Sweet and tangy…perfect to pair with the smoke! Any other sweet cheese would go well with a Lapsang too!

Now I want to go camping. Anyone have a tent?

http://youtu.be/57tK6aQS_H0 The Platters, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes ; ) I Feel Better!