Bonnie

Thank you to Geoffrey and Verdant for this new Laoshan White sample!

Most of the time, tea is an experience to share with a friend or a time to reflect on scenes from my life. The places I’ve been and the sweetness of life that I sometimes have forgotten about.
Like a magic key, drinking tea unlocks those special memories in a mystical way that I accept as just being the way things are. I can’t explain it.

When I received this sample, I was so pleased. The packet looked stranger than any White tea I had seen before. Green, green little tightly curled rings of tea that looked like thin noodles. I think I chuckled with delight.

This morning I began with a small glass pot, spring water, 1.5tsp tea. 30-35 sec. steep at 175f 6oz water and will record here 3 steepings. (It could go to 5) The liquor was pale yellow green, then golden and finally pale yellow. (I drink from a small sipping bowl)

My experience with this Laoshan White had a place in mind.
I was immediately taken visually somewhere familiar in my life. I lived in Northern California. My father was from Napa, my mother born in a logging camp. Being close to the Monterey Coast and the bounty of fruits and vegetables…with the fog cooling the fields of lettuce, beans, squash, grapes, artichokes, berries…you feel that life inside you. For some reason, the picture of the fields, and the fog rolling in as it did every afternoon was in my mind as I drank this tea.

My first sip had an immediate startling impact. Wow! Wow! “What is this?”, I spoke aloud.
There was a sizzle, a sparkle and instantly a coolness. I thought about the vegetable flavor that was present and could not figure it out. There were no notes on this tea yet to help me. Thinking of the freshest vegetables on the Coast with a delicate flavor and sweet skin…I thought of yellow summer squash. Sliced at an angle and cooked al dente
in unsalted butter…creamy but the sweet tender flavor intact. Juicy, fresh.

I was left with the feeling that I had finished a good meal. Lingering flavor and rich mouth-feel.

Second steeping.
The smell of the wet leaves were strong! Meaty! I wanted to eat them!
This bowl was sweeter and more floral and like the fog it was a vapor cool in my mouth…drifting by. There was a slight bitterness and less of a vegital taste. I was moving so fast like tea speed dating. I Paused……
When I slowed down, I was able to notice heat on my tongue and an aftertaste that was good…but I couldn’t tell what it was. Somewhere in this second steep I was meandering…wandering and got lost. Maybe the tea was in transition. Maybe I was.

Third steeping.
The wet leaves had fully opened up to a vibrant green. They smelled delicious.
The sip from my bowl was exciting! My mouth lit up, fully awake and tingling. There were wild clover flowers, sweet juice on a carpet of cream. “This was where the tea was taking me…and this is a fine place to be,” I said. The lingering taste of the tea is outstanding. For the longest time you taste the flavor. You want more and more. The tea is addictive.
At that point, I realized I had consumed 18oz. of the finest White Tea in short order and was feeling the effects. What is called a “Centerdness” among other things, a little tea buzz. Really nice!

This is a curious review for me. I have no background in White Tea, no guidelines, no instructors. I know what I like. The experience of where this tea took me…to a place where my children and I picked berries, where I bought artichokes off the farm. Where I worked with migrant children years ago on the farms. This vision with the tea was special.

Thanks Jason for this Chai Sample

All of this morning I’ve been drinking a new White Tea. At 18oz. I had a pretty big tea buzz and had to take a break. And, I was hungry! (I don’t eat anything before drinking a light tea. Whites, Oolongs…need respect!)
I reheated some turkey meatballs from last evening that had curry, fresh mint from my patio garden, cilantro and garlic. Tasty.
I was ready for tea again…I couldn’t drink a light tea because of my meal. A Chai, on the other hand, stands up to almost any food. I picked the sample from Jason out of my stash of “to be reviewed” tea’s and set a pot to brew.

Chai is supposed to grab your attention and sweep you off your feet like a bull fighter.
You don’t have to slurp and walk around a dainty cup or worry about “should I add milk or honey or sugar?”….Chai says “Go ahead…do whatever you want to with me…I can take it…I’m strong!” So, if you’re looking for a muted tea experience, this might disappoint you. Then again, it might excite your senses!

I love bold! Pu-erh, Black Tea, Chai, the biggest flavorful White and Oolong and Green tea’s that I can get my hands on!
This Chai has no cardamon and doesn’t lead with ginger. The first impression I had was heat. Heat from galangal and cinnamon, followed by ginger and fennel. There was a tingling in my mouth from the cinnamon that made me think of melting Red Hot Candies…which I liked so much as a little girl.
I began to notice the Holy Basil. It’s refreshing. Somehow my mind wandered (not a stretch at all) to the flavor of an apple pie turnover…the crust part when the top is hot and has granulated sugar on it and you can crack it…take off a piece and pop it in your mouth. I can taste that in the tea.
I put my nose into my half empty mug and inhaled/exhaled…several times steaming my glasses. The fragrance was like the cedar in a sauna. The mineral scent of wet rocks, the warm sensual smell that comes from the damp wood.

I have the Verdant Chai with cardamon, a strong cinnamon Chai from Butiki and I really like this Yunnan Golden Chai without the cardamon and without the heavy cinnamon and ginger. All 3 supply me with the types of Chai suited for different moods. They stand up to strong foods and remind me of comfort, like a hug or down blanket.

Thank you again Jason!

Thank you FONG MONG TEA for this beautiful tea sample!

The first thing you notice about this tea are the multicolored dry leaves. Rust, grey and various shades of brown with tinges of green. Very pretty.

My porcelain gaiwan is small and just the right size for multiple infusions of this Oolong. Using a scant tsp of leaves, I waited almost a minute before the first pour.

The aroma from the now large brown ochre leaves was unexpectedly malty and vegital. The liquor was light yellow and clear.
I slurped the brew deeply…like a fine wine letting all of the liquid hit every taste bud.
Oh my! For no reason whatever…the first thing I thought of was yellow roses in the garden. Beautiful roses with the blush of soft pink that reminds you of ripe yellow delicious apples. The fragrance and taste of both mingled together but gently…ever so slight in the tea base. The room seemed to be spinning.

The tip of my tongue became hot like a nettle sting but there was no bitter aftertaste or tannin. This tea was juicy.

The second steep.
The leaves looked like rusty parts of filigree floating in the gaiwan. The liquor was golden, leaves smelling like lilac and rock sugar. The broth was much thicker coating my mouth, still juicy and sweet but reminded me of a corn broth. Not a sweet corn but the real corn juice that comes off the cob when you cut the kernels with a knife. Light and fresh.

I decided to increase the steep time a bit. The discription of sweet fruit had not appeared. The flavor was subtle and enjoyable but maybe I was doing something incorrectly.
I steeped 1.5 minutes.The added time produced more color and flavor.
Right away my mouth tingled…the flavor so much sweeter and richer with juicy goodness. The developed flavor was huge and resembled a pineapple mango with acidity and smooth textural creaminess all in one fruit. This is what makes you want to lay down on a beach and take a nap.

One thing that I have to comment on is that of all the Oolongs I’ve had thus far, this one tastes far different than any other. It just does not taste like the Chinese Oolongs. No orchid flowery taste. It is much more delicate and I fear that I am not trained to understand this tea. I am under-educated and too young in the tea life.

I am so appreciative of the opportunity to taste this tea and thank FONG MONG TEA!

Thank you Jason for this unexpected HUGE tea Sample!

The background on this tea is…as I have been told by Jason is that while in Greece, he and his wife discovered this Middle Eastern Black Tea which is served “everywhere” (must be the Nescafe of tea’s) and they loved it. But, you can’t get it in the U.S. However, you can order it by the CASE…(which they did).
Now I have my generous sample! The package has Arabic, Indian, and English lettering… #1 Quality Orange Pekoe Tea from India! (Like a warning…all others keep out!)

I drank so much tea yesterday…arh…that I thought I’d ease into it slowly today! A tea bag instead of a whole pot of tea sounded brilliant! If this was meh…I’d toss the bag!

My translation of the Arabic (not) was to steep 4 minutes.
Oh yes! This was to be my one and only Lipton ephiphany! I was rolling over laughing! It served me right and just goes to show that any tea brand (even Lipton) can be so good when you least expect it.
The flavor was malty and rich…deep, without astringency. I thought it tasted smooth and full bodied so I added some milk and sweetening which made the perfect breakfast cup.

How did I miss this tea when I was in Turkey and Greece?!
(I was too busy drinking Mythos Beer!) OPA!

Thanks Jason! (I have 99 bags to go!)

Thank you again Stacy for this Sample tea

How does Stacy find such unusual tea’s? So far I’ve had coin shaped Pu-erh, hand wrapped little cigars of green tea, tea from small farms in Africa. Now a tea with dancing needles!
The handwritten note on my latest order instructed me to brew this Daba in a clear glass vessel because the needles stand up in the water! Oh really?!

I was having company this afternoon and thought it would be fun to share this special tea. The needles at first went to the top of the glass…then the tails dropped like little sea horses and danced in the pale liquor. Little green legs…dangling down…waiting for a wave or current to carry them further out to sea. How fun to watch!

First sip…the flavor was somewhat bitter. Maybe I had oversteeped in my excitement. The taste is very subtle and not very vegital. There is a bit of hay and tannin. The presentation was keen but the flavor was not that good.

Later in the evening, I thought I would give the tea a second chance. First steepings are often not the best. I should have known better (duh) and immediately steeped again.

I’m so glad I resteeped this tea! There is a sweetness that I did not expect! The tannin is there but gentle, there is juice and a light spinach flavor which is delightful.

Other aspects of this tea:
This tea created a nice tea buzz! Really! This was noticed by both me and my guest. You could feel the little electricity that tea can bring to the center of your body…then to the brain and back in such an interesting way. I know we’ve all felt this before…but this tea was a really good conductor! Just say’in….

Thanks Stacy!

Thank you Fong Mong Tea for this Sample

The weather is windy this afternoon, cloudy with a sprinkle of rain now and then. I am always tempted to gather my tea tray and a black tea or pu-erh when the clouds gather. Storms excite me. I huddle on the couch and watch between the pulled patio window curtains…wondering if there will be lightening over the mountain behind my house.

There was a single Black Tea sample packed in the sample box from FONG MONG TEA this week. Lucky me!

The flavor of this tea was very chocolatey with light malt (a bit like the Laoshan Black Tea from Verdant, but milder). This was sweet and wet on the tongue without astringency. An icy coolness was tingling my whole mouth and was perhaps what was refered to as mint in the Steepster notes. However, I didn’t taste mint like mint leaves…but felt the coolness. The flavor is light but has depth. Real character.

So much of the world drinks Black Tea with additions. I try now and then to comment on tea for people who prefer drinking it that way.
With sweetening, this tea was enhanced a great deal (which is not always true). It became a very mellow chocolate dessert tea, with an aftertaste that was like taking a bite of pastry…and the flavor lingered!
With milk, (cream in my case)…Heaven! I could serve this to the Royals! Superb!

Here’s another bit of information I looked up. If you want to make your own “Bubble Tea” this is the tea to use. With sweetener, condensed milk, tapioca pearls, ice in a blender… this Taiwanese Tea is the type that is used. (Don’t put the pearls in until after blending of course and you can add fruit also).

Really tasty tea. The flavor does not end. I mean it! It’s been a while since I finished my cups of tea and I can still taste the flavor clearly! I want more!

Thank you Stacy for this sample

Stacy told me that this has been her favorite morning tea of late so when I had my choice of samples with my last order, I picked this one to enjoy! Her selecton of organic, high quality rare tea’s has me coming back for more.

This is an orthodox tea from a small farm in Kenya and part of the proceeds from sales go the promotion of Tea’s for Trees. Hooray!

The dry leaves look like the tangled main of a lion…all golden shades of various browns and blond hair wrapped and twisted elegantly askew. They smell dry like softest vanilla.

The wet leaves puff up into large brown ochre fellows, sweet smelling and reminiscent of bergamot.

The taste was like a walk through the tea plantation…the scent and flavor of sweet bosc pear then golden walnut and gentle not-too-malty tea underneath which was golden and sunny in character. There was a slight heat on my tongue that lasted long after my cup was empty and which I found to be a lovely lingering reminder of just how good this tea had been.
There was a comment from Stacy about a cocoa note. I had been trying to discover that flavor but found it to be elusive this time around. I tried the tea sweet which was very nice. Without additions the tea was sweet and delicious enough. I would not add milk.

I can see why Stacy loves this tea to begin her day. Not everyone likes the heavy Assams or stronger black tea’s. This is the perfect choice for a more moderate full flavored tea without big malt and smoke but a bit of fruity flavor and nuttiness. Super delicious!

Thank you to FONG MONG TEA for this lovely Sample

Yesterday a box of tea samples arrived from Taiwan! How exciting to recieve tea’s from a company that is new to me and see what the tea is like.

I picked this Oolong at random to begin with. It is fortunate that the instructions for brewing were listed here on Steepster.

My choice of equipment was a small porcelain Gaiwan. I used spring water, the steep time was 6 minutes at 212F. The leaves are hand picked, hand rolled and lovely deep green nuggets.

The liquor ranged from a dark gold on the first steeping to medium yellow then light yellow thereafter.

1. Having little experience with Oolongs, I had no preconcieved rule about what they must taste like. However, this Oolong right out of the gate struck me as an amazing experience! Like a series of bullets from a Gatling Gun I was struck with one flavor after another in rapid succession. A flavor would begin and go away, another begin and leave quickly on and on.

Wild Mint Coolness, Artichoke, Floral Orchid, Juice, Light Sparkling Water,Tingling, Minty Coolness, Smooth, Creamy and Sweet!

What kind of tea was this?

2. With the second steeping the heavy vegital taste and rapid fire flavor bullet experience ended. Now, with my head out of the clouds, I could think clearly. The wild mountain, minty coolness made me think about the creek where I used to sit by a waterfall under the canopy of coast redwood trees. It looked very prehistoric…the riverbank covered with ferns and wild orchids. Sticking my toes in the water as I used to do, and sipping this tea would be the best experience! So refreshing and mystical! Like time standing still. Thinking on this, I could imagine the influence of high mountain mists on these tea leaves. You could taste the mist in the coolness…and it moved me deeply. I noticed a warmth at the back of my throat like a ray of sunshine or the comfort of honey. A small gift from the earth in this fine tea.

3. This Oolong was not giving up at three steepings. I could tell that there were many, many beautiful steepings to go. The flavor stayed cool, sweet, smooth, buttery, juicy and lush. I let my cup cool down to see what would happen to the taste. Ha! There was no astringency or bitterness. Loved that!

Some tea’s are meant to be special. Company tea. Special occasion tea. I think this tea is one of those special tea’s and more. It is truly elegant and refined.
This Oolong should be enjoyed often!

Thank you Angel and Teavivre for this lovely Pu-erh Sample!

I wrote a complete review and then…Steepster crashed…and it was lost…so here I go again!

Last night I was up until the wee hours..1:45am just not ready to go to bed! Fortunately for me I could sleep in and like a lazy feline take my time in choosing a morning tea from the new box of samples that arrived from Teavivre. Such a delight!

The shipment contained one large sample of Pu-erh my favorite tea! Not wanting to fuss this morning with Gaiwan’s and such, I decided to brew a whole 24oz pot Western Style so that I could lounge back on the couch, down pillows around me, tea tray set in front and gaze out the window at a pending cloudburst. Could a day be more perfect for Pu-erh?!

A quick rinse of the loose leaves and then the 2 minute steeping began.

Don’t you love smelling the leaves? I first noticed how dark the liquor was after such a short steep time all chocolate brown. The leaves small, deep and smelling more than lightly of leather, but intensly sweet! There was something else.I could hardly believe it! I smelled mint! No way, I told myself, there could not be mint in these wet leaves. I got up and walked away, smelled around the room, smelled my hands, and no mint! When I went back to the leaves. Leathery, sweet mint again. Curious!

My first big sip was fresh with a good amount of earthy Pu-erh flavor and juice. There was no astringency, no malt or yam or pepper or cinnamon or any or the other adjectives used so frequently by me in discribing Pu-erhs. I had to think awhile about this one. I added milk and didn’t like it. I added sweetening which was ok but didn’t have any affect. It was pleasing sweet.

By the third mug of tea, I began to settle on the flavors that came closest to what I could describe for this tea.
The Pu-erh was refreshing and elegant, smooth with the flavor of rye bread when you can taste the seeds in the bite. The feeling was full enough in the mouth but deceptively simple at the same time in an almost palate cleansing way.

Evening Note
Dinner…
I had used more of the morning tea leaves for making iced Pu-erh in the afternoon but the clock had been creeping up on me and now it was time to cook dinner!
Tonight I made a stir fry of Organic Chicken, Vietnamese Sweet Lemon Curry, Shallots, Garlic, Tamari Soy Sauce and Meyer Lemon Vinegar (on high heat in grape seed oil) Then I turned the heat down lower and at the end I added some (1/4 cup) of the Pu-erh which I had steeped for 4 minutes. The Pu-erh magically thickened the broth. I took the pan off the heat, tossed in a few handfuls of organic spinach and…it was soooo delicious! The Pu-erh added a richness that was like adding Shiitake Mushrooms! Life is grand!

This is the only tea that I’ve reviewed 3 times! I love this tea so much!
I’ve been gathering tea (hot pot, tea pot with stainless basket, tray, timer and a bunch of kinds of tea) items as a gift for Fr. Evan’s office at St. Spyridon and today was delivery day. Fr. Evan and I get together every 6 weeks or so to chat (the does this with the whole parish) and I know his wife and 3 little girls like the tea I sent before. This time, there would be a way to share tea with others who come for a meeting and any of the Deacons.
We chatted about tea and Steepster and life before I gave him the gift…and right away…with such a grin…he chose this Laoshan Black as the first tea to brew.
Quote: “Smells good!” Dry….
“This really doesn’t taste anything at all like bagged tea!” “Wow! This is really good and smooth!”
We talked about the flavor…the chocolate and yam like quality. He drank his straight and I sweetened mine. I had written on the Verdant bag that there could be 4 steepings…amazing information to a bagged tea drinker. It turned out that Fr. can’t drink coffee because it bothers his stomach. Tea was becoming a better choice. Aha! A victim…I now have another person to give tea to increasing my own tea community!

Megan (granddaughter almost 17) and I have been watching Tom and Jerry cartoons this morning on my Big Screen TV. Don’t-cha just love Big Mice in the morning?!
Her tea of choice was…ta da…Black Chocolate! (I like it too!) My son Aaron brought it to me from San Francisco last month as a gift.

Megan’s comments about the tea? Straight up the tea is suprisingly sweet, and with milk alone…creamy. By adding sweetening delicious with an almost marshmallow chocolate flavor.

Marshmallow?
I think what she was tasting was a bit of malt that I missed in my first go around review. This time I could taste it clearly. There was a bit of what I love in malt ball candy. ( I like that candy at the movies but they taste more waxy than I remember as a child). This is a great Black (the color is very, very dark) Chocolate flavored tea, very rich and creamy without bitterness or acidity.

Big, dense chocolate flavor like a Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Bar is what I love about this tea!

Hodie Hum…a little of this Teavana left to finish up and then it will be gone. Bah Humbug! Drats! Buggers (who says that? one of you says that?) I dunna like this tea!

Schey fixed my haircolor this afternoon, then Megan came over to spend the night (for newbee’s these are my teenaged granddaughters who think I might grow up some day…fat chance!). Schey and I are planning an afternoon outing to a local Hookah Lounge. Megan and I want to go to Rome. Ah, Rome…good looking men….ah hum….

This Kona Pop has to go…and I’m not sad about it. If you read the reviews…I’m not alone in my view that this is a poorly created tea. Few enjoy it.
It happened that I had some whole dried pineapple rings from the organic market in my cupboard so I chopped up half a ring and added it to my steeping basket. No way was I going to have a lack luster, blechy pineapple tisane. Mine was going to POP!
The results worked pretty well. (A true organic flavoring would have been better)
Compared to the shriveled up bits of tasteless fruit from Teavana my addition greatly improved the flavor.

Adios Pineapple Kona Pop! Don’t Come Back!

Thank you Stacy for this Sample with my order!

I’m cracking up! I drank coffee this morning when I got up with some LS in the brew basket…yes, yes, yes…even there folks…I put Lapsang Souchong in my coffee! Har Har!

Soooo, here I go thinking later that a sunshine cuppa would be the best beginning to my tea day…forgetting that it is a Guayusa…uh…more than your average kick of caffeine!
My house is going to be super clean today, I’m going to be especially well groomed, my shopping will be done in a snap efficiently…before the CRASH! (which will come…we know the feeling). When the crash comes later what will I do? More tea of course!

With the joke on me, I have to give it to Butiki again…this tea is fragrant, not bitter with improperly processed lemon peel and very creamy. All the best flavor of Lemoncello without acidity. Smooth and lingering softness, sparkling and a tea that I want to have on hand. A very beautiful dark golden tea.

I sweetened mine a bit…but what can I say beyond delicious? It is like sunshine!
(Oh….hyper thought! I have fresh mint growing outdoors…a bit added to the second cup…just a tiny bit would be good with this….or iced… I like lemon and basil when It’s a hot day also!)

http://youtu.be/mabAgtA38rg Lazybones Harry Connick Jr.

I feel for those of you sweltering in the heat! Must be awful!
Up here in the clouds all is calm, all is bright…(wrong time of year..oops). The weather is nice and cool. Gentle rain expected tomorrow maybe. All weather in Northern Colorado is MAYBE. The Rocky Mountains can change the weather and like a Giant Magician laying down on his back…they wave a Magic Wand and Prest-o Chang-o the rain is gone.

Therefore, I can drink Chai! It’s not too hot!

My evening brew created by Stacy at Butiki is straightforward. I wanted a Chai that was upfront, bold but uncomplicated, without a twist of some exotic addition. Just a good quality, spicy Chai. I saw a special deal on this Chai when I was ordering the Blue Nettle Green Tea and Puerh…(love good deals) and added it to my order. Glad I did!

This Chai has cinnamon and clove…cardamon…pepper and a nice black tea base. The spices are just right and not overdone. I hate a spice level that becomes bitter when heated…so blechy! This is good! This is a strong brew though…made for sweetening and milk, soy, coconut, moon juice or whatever you put in to make it good…RUM!

I like this…Chai…um…good!

It’s no secret that I’m a Puerh loving woman!
There is something about Puerh that takes me to a place so far beyond myself and expands my vision. Yes it’s tea, but there is a bond with the earth that is mystical.
Ever changing and without end.

This tea was interesting to look at. Pressed into quarter sized coins and simply beautiful. It smelled promising making me remember being a child playing in the mud and making canals for small handmade wooden boats in my backyard. I chewed on sour grass.

After 1 quick wash I did a 1 minute steep in my clay gaiwan. The Puerh Coin had remained pretty solid and the liquor brownish and mild tasting. Not bad tasting, spicy like cinnamon bark and sweet. I was not overly impressed.

The second steep on would be…10 seconds!

What a color change! The liquor would never be brown again! Such a beautiful auburn color that little more red tone and it could be mistaken for a Sangiovese!
The flavor was richer and had more pepper than at first. My lips tingled…my mouth tingled with the spice and then it drifted away before hitting the back of my palate.
Later the flavor changed to a sour, french roast coffee bean taste. The tannin increased. This was not something I cared for.

By the 4th infusion a mellow comforting sensibility began still with sweet flavor and juice but astringent. There was a little earth, a little pepper.

I thought about how Puerh makes me think about the earth in so many ways. By earth I mean the ground itself! How the dirt or mud smells. Shivering on a riverbank wrapped in a towel. The taste of dirt and melting M&M’s in my hands as a kid. Boots and puddles.
The scene in A River Runs Through It…and expansive beauty!

By infusion 5…the Puerh had become really delicious. A fine creation somewhat like building a thatched home and moving in. All is right and comfortable. The flavor was smooth and sweet. The pepper and spice and juice and earth had harmoniously blended into a oneness. It was worth it to come to this place and I can’t imagine stopping short of this part of the journey.

I am sure that I have more steepings to go. The liquor has not weakened.

Thank you IndigoBloom for this Sample!

I got to sleep rather late last night. Could not settle down! This morning I was up early as usual and turned on Puccini Arias (picked from my granddaughters playlist I might add!). Opera and Oolong. Why not!
This sample comes in little pillow teabags…but I decided to snip one open and pour the contents into a fine mesh steeper and brew in that manner for maximum flavor.
The oolong is bold and assertive, barely astringent and pretty evenly balanced between vegital and floral lilac scent and taste. The vegital flavor is welcome. Usually it is so far in the background with a delicate oolong that you never pay much attention to what part it can play in the enjoyment of the tea. (Still, no pomegranate flavor for me)
The creamy effect begins to increase as soon as the tea cools. I looked forward to the silkiness that I knew would come. My lips and whole mouth tingled with small sparks of peppery heat. Where the heat came from I do not know but I liked the feeling. It had begun earlier…I pushed the thought aside…but it kept coming back to me.
This is not the richest, most exotic or elegant oolong for sure. But, I am now wanting a full bodied oolong with a kick (like this one) in my cupboard. It pairs precious well with Puccini Aria’s…with love songs for breakfast.

http://youtu.be/iW1w1ryYQDw Pavarotti

My time for tea! The grandsons came for a swim and had iced watermelon tea, some strawberries and went home. Time for moi!

Edith Piaf is playing on my Spotify…and my favorite Chai has finished steeping…so fragrant…the scent of cardamon and fennel…like vaporous fingers dancing around the room.
Do you love the early evening? The light seems to sparkle. Everyone looks more beautiful in morning or evening light. I do, and you do too. (Uh Huh)
This alchemy Chai base is the chocolatey Laoshan Black that I love so much. To blend such a special tea with anything whatever is brave. You would never casually cover up such a special base tea. Verdant really knows how to create layers of flavor in the alchemy blends without compromising the base. You have the chocolate black tea base layered with hot pepper and fennel (brilliant!) and saffron…oh yes…that is a treat! Who is willing to put saffron in tea? The clove may add bite but I could not taste it as a stand-alone spice. Of course the graham cracker taste (or gingerbread I think) is there. If I could be so bold though, do please add sweetening to the Chai and some milk of choice. It’s Chai for goodness sakes!

I wanted a big bold cup tonight! A tea that is like a hug! This is it! My favorite Chai!
http://youtu.be/kFzViYkZAz4 Edith Piaf

Everyone is making iced tea!
Why not make some too today?! My grandkids are coming over to swim in my pool (I planned my purchase of this condo so that we could have a good time!).

What better than some sweetened Iced Watermelon Tea with a twist.
A let the tea brew quite strong, chilled it awhile then poured half in a tall glass and added a few ice cubes and sparkling water to fill the glass completely! (It gets better) There is an option to add sliced strawberries for those who want it. Um yum!
Don’t you love being a big kid and drinking a chilled fruit drink and a glob of real fruit splashes into your mouth! I DO!
(I must admit that the sweetening is not sugar little Micah turns into an ugly creature with sugar and we can’t have that)
It is a beautiful, sunny high altitude day here in the Frontrange. I’m listening to my Spotify… to Pink Martini http://youtu.be/satMi-rws1A
…ah yes….and drinking the cool watermelon tea…so refreshing and light! Not artificial tasting…and no caffeine either! Cool….so…cool…

Later when I need it (and I will need it later) I’m going to listen to the best Tango music ever that a fellow Steepster shared with me THANK YOU! and drink a stronger tea with some brawn…and caffeine!

Tea and a Movie
The downtime with Steepster today drove me to my Netflix and a Romance movie. A Foreign Romance movie with “Subtitles”. Ah…you do have to pay attention and read!
I’ve been reviewing such bold tea lately (Pu-erh’s especially) and wanted to turn a corner abruptly and review a tea to match my movie mood. I decided on a tea that I will discribe as romantic and sensual (Stacy at Butiki should like that discription Ha!).

The beauty of the green Oolong nuggets and the scent of the leaves when wet is so lovely. It is the flavor however, that is the crowne jewel. The Strawberry flavor does not hide the character of pure Organic Oolong tea. It enhances the natural flavor if anything, and layers naturally with it. The taste is soft and creamy, coating your tongue and when it cools a bit there is no horrid bitterness. I sweetened my tea, I like it that way. When you grow older and watch old romance movies (or the newer ones) your own memories of life and love are refreshed and come alive again. In your own mind you are young forever like the old woman in Titanic.
It’s fun to pick tea for an occasion. Pu-erh is for a mystery movie. Assam is nice for an old English Drama. You can find so many tea’s to match movies…so what are your favorites? The Pu-erh I had the other day…hum…something a little wild…or trippy…

What do you suggest as a tea movie pairing?

I had just enough left of this Pu-erh to review again. It has been awhile!

After my experience with the mind altering Pu’er from Verdant yesterday, I wanted an experience where I could look down at my feet and see that …yes…there were my toes and the nails were painted purple just like I remembered! Those of you who have tasted the Xingyang 1998 from Verdant will understand what I’m talking about. I’m a bit hungover!

So, I had a hankering this morning for chocolate and Happy Lucky’s uses cocoa nibs instead of flavoring mixed with their Pu-erh in this blend. What a good idea. I am moving further and further away from the desire for artificial flavors. Don’t get me wrong…I like flavored tea! My preference now is for Organic and Natural flavors since there are so many available and they taste better.

My steep time was about 4 minutes and this brewed up very dark! The chocolate was closer to a bittersweet chocolate than a milk chocolate. There is no way I would drink this tea without milk and sweetening. It screams for it to be added! The flavor was rich and creamy like a hot chocolate, but not. There was a chocolate shot (liquor) flavor that was not like cocoa. I think the only down side for me was the lack of Pu-erh flavor. I missed the earthiness that Pu-erh has. Ah well.
For those that dislike Pu-erh’s but want the health benefits this would be the perfect choice.

Thank you David Duckler for this great Sample!

Attempting to review this Pu’er is like me auditioning for “So You Think You Can Dance”!

All the equipment I used was glass…pot, cup etc. I used spring water, made sure not to eat first, no perfumes or lipstick, just everything clean! Steeping time 2-3 minutes.
I recorded 3 infusions but this 1 tsp to 4oz water method can go 12 infusions (gulp)!

The Pu’er is so intense that I felt like I was in an old movie and this is how I am going to discribe the experience, in scenes.
The color of the Pu’er liquor remained a beautiful shimmering light gold.

Scene (steep) 1. If you picture an old movie set…a cloak and dagger type by Agatha Christy then I’m the old lady in the library and a gentleman (David Duckler) has handed me a glass with a golden liquid. He disappears.
Unaffraid (or stupid) I take a sip of the liquid…it reminds me of linen…and my grandmama’s attic long ago…when I would sneak vanilla wafers. I can smell the vanilla far off down in the kitchen. My tongue tingles. My tongue feels quite furry and I taste earthiness with the sensation that I’m about to be buried in a cave. I feel different. Is the golden statue in the corner of the room watching me?

Scene 2. The earthy flavor makes me feel like a Greek goddess…yes…like I have taken a big bite out of Corfu! Corfu tastes really good, not muddy whatever and salty! Wait now, put your nose in the cup and there’s coffee toffee latte! BREATHE DEEPLY! INHALE!
I need my fan! I need my lounge chair and a nap! My mouth is tingling and juicy and where is everyone? This is not natural! The room is askew!

Scene 3. Must have dozed off. My cup refilled itself…peculiar. A hand, leather gloved and looking like Geoffrey’s hand, has slipped some more golden liquor into my glass. It smells faintly like a fruit…pineapple? A flower perhaps? My tongue tingles like fire and then turns into a silky creaminess. NO! It almost tastes like coconut water and earth.
My desire to be or do anything else has disappeared like a vapor.
Have I been drugged? The elixer is too enjoyable to resist.
Where is David Duckler and Geoffrey to tell me what to do next. I must have more!

This was all in fun…I loved this Pu’er! I hope you don’t mind my playful attitude!

To Sum it up:
Sweet, Tingles, Salt, Linen, Earthy, Pineapple, Creamy/Silky, Vanilla Cookie, Coffee Toffee Latte, Coconut Water, Some Flower, Furry, Cave, Higher than a Kite!

I give this Pu’er…a standing ovation. It is fantastic and mystical. Thank you to David for the opportunity to drink this Pu’er!
http://youtu.be/21NCH2sPlhc You’ll never guess!

Second Review Teavivre Sample…thankyou!

I made it to the Post Office in my local health food market just before closing at 6pm last evening…to send off samples of tea to Stoo (Steepster) and my sister-in-law Kathy (Special Ed. teacher). Some evil old desire came over me and I found myself next door at Starbucks, sitting in a big leather chair with a skinny vanilla latte (coffee) with Kindle in hand jotting comments on Steepster. How evil is that?! How could I? I repent!

To make up for last night, I need to blot out the memory of that coffee with a really great tasting PU-ERH! Yes!

Teavivre has one of my favorite loose Pu-erhs for every day drinking. It has big bold flavor. You do a quick rinse, steep 3 minutes and Wow! The darkest liquor!

The Pu-erh is super rich, deep, with an earthy broth and mushroom taste that is also a little salty. As a latte you could not ask for more. There is smooth creamy caramel without sacrificing a barrel aged, cave cured taste that I crave in Pu-erh’s.

I will buy this tea. It is not enough to have a large sample. I want to have this often. It has the most mushroom flavor of any Pu-erh I’ve tasted thus far. I should begin to catagorize my Pu-erh’s with flavor profile tags now. Seems like a better system than my memory.

Hope I am forgiven for backsliding. Why would I go back when there is so much more in tea (especially Pu-erh) than I ever imagined as a coffee drinker.

This morning I’ve been scurrying about like some sort of ground squirrel gathering nuts and seeds…only my stash has been tea. A packet here and a sprinkle there into a packet for a friend in a distant place who has yet to try one of my favorite tea’s. I especially love sending out loose tea to a Steepster newbee who has mostly teabag’s. (I have a few and I enjoy my Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice on occasion). It’s going to rain.

My treat for myself in all this tea hustle and bustle is Chocolate Chamomile Curiosity Brew! I did a wahoo review the first time I tasted it. Really, I was not able to control my enthusiasm. Now that I’ve had this tea 4 or 5 times…I can lean back like a fat cat because I’ve ordered more of the fine blend you know. Ta Ta!

You have to be prepared for the experience. There is the warm side…chocolate Laoshan Black with luxurious Wuyi Big Red Robe (I never think of tea…I think of a mink coat) and then…cool Mint. It reminds me of a scene in Dr. Zhivago…and I’m riding in a Troika racing through the snowy night wrapped in fur with the wind in my face and a pot of tea at my feet and chocolates…just that whole warm cool world . Wow am I a romantic!
This is a brilliant cup! Watch Dr. Zhivago again or for the first time with this blend sometime.
http://youtu.be/nynMR6AZ8Rc Original Score Dr. Zhivago
Back to packing tea with me!

My first tasting

Everyone is getting their Golden Fleece in the mail and reviewing it! What a treat!

I watched David’s video on the Verdant website and chose the method of steeping with a basket in a mug…just to be different than what I’ve done before. All the timing was the same as the video and I’m recording 6 steepings. After that I was full and happy!

I. The scent struck me first. It was like one of my sweet potato pies…full of the best cinnamon and butter, steaming hot right out of the oven. There was a scent like pineapple far off. Taking a careful sip was like plunging into a pool of water and gasping for air. The flavor was clean but humid like the tropics after a rain and you take a breath which is juicy and spice filled from exotic plants. I could taste the spotted verdura plantains ripe but barely sweet. The tea became creamier as it cooled.

2. My tongue lit up. Fire! There is no tannin but heat on my tongue with butter lettuce and juice. I put my nose into the glass mug and breathed in and out…slowly inhaling steam. Sugared creamy pudding. I have no idea how to say what the flavor was! Tapioca? Something had happened physically to me! The tea was in my pores like I’d had a tea transfusion! It was all over me! Whoa…what an awesome feeling!

3. Cake. Juicy cake.

4. The insides of my lips were tingling and my mouth and cheeks felt like they were vibrating. This was too strange (but not bad)! I know that I have a brain dysfunction, but I’d like to know if anyone else has a tea high like this!

5. Very spicy and juicy.

6. Here’s where it also got interesting. I’ve had all these steepings to think about the flavor. Pie, yam, cinnamon, juicy, lettuce…all good. Then, a memory came in to ruin everything and I had to put it here.
My old Aunt had a cabin in the Coast Range Mt’s. of California, where my daughter also lived before moving to Colorado. The place is Mount Hermon, close to Santa Cruz and is in the Redwoods. The smell of the Redwood forest floor, the California Scrub Oak, Bay, Myrtle, Laurel, Arbutus, and….Wild Blackberry bushes not far from the ocean! That smell and this tea. The forest floor and the berries in the sun is what I thought of on the last sip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/disabilitea/7265662702/

I want to recommend using a Gaiwan for this tea. My infusions were very successful but I know that a Gaiwan would allow these tea leaves to have contact with the water better. I am still tasting the tea long after finishing the actual drinking of it. Like liquor I am tea drunk. I expect my rating will increase as I have more experience with this tea.

I want everyone to know that I did NOT read the review notes of anyone besides Jim Marks prior to my tasting today. So whatever I wrote is my opinion and you can form your own!