gmathis

Ever have one of those weeks where you feel like you’ve been tied with a bungee to the back of an emotional roller coaster car and drug up and down the tracks?

Yeah.

Then you know what a blessing a full, deep night’s sleep can be. So for a change, a full-strength, industrial grade morning cuppa wasn’t necessary. Instead, opted for something with a little “refresh” in its personality. This is; a little astringent (makes me keep licking my lips) and the apple-peel bitterness that makes this tea distinct.

Anybody try this sweetened? I keep forgetting.

This was a thoughtful and welcome treat from a friend. I am neither a huge fan nor a not-a-fan of red velvet; but this didn’t seem to have quite the chocolatey richness of red velvet cake I expected. Maybe next time a double bag and a little sweetening.

(But on the plus side, caffeine free and surely the beets have to be good for something that ails me!)

Faugh.

I’ve had two bags of this now and I’m not impressed. Bitter. Granted, Bag #2 didn’t get a very fair shake. We’re still on hospital water and a dirty travel mug.

This was tucked into an adorable little envelope courtesy of Claire.

Looks like popcorn, smells like sesame, leads with a roasty-toasty flavor, even when I didn’t research proper steep time and let this go well past 2 minutes. (The recommended sweet spot, per Den’s, is 30 seconds.) Eagerly anticipating doing it properly next time!

Woke up with a crazy craving for this…it had bubbled up to the top of my half-drunk-up basket when I was rummaging yesterday. Vanilla mint. It still doesn’t make me think of candy canes, but it’s sweet and perky. (This morning I am neither of those…must do it artificially!)

Combine hospital water, a weird cafeteria microwave with controls I didn’t understand, a poorly rinsed-out Tervis Tumbler, and you get … a cup of warm something that tastes mildly of chocolate, maybe. But is warm and comforting in unfamiliar surroundings.

Always, always, always keep emergency teabags in your purse!

About halfway through an Upton sample size of this one, and I’m really liking it. The only Kenyan tea I’ve tried in the past was very dark; very earthy. This Tinderet is none of that. An easy steeper that reminds me of melba toast and fruit. Really nice!

Life has done a number on our family this week—sick mama, medical trauma, severe storm drama, (I’ll throw in commas and llamas and pajamas, too, just because they rhyme).

Thus and therefore, I am in dire need of a full night’s sleep to have the energy to face more of the same. Tulsi to relax + chickweed to replenish whatever nourishment I’ve neglected to intake this week. About 1/3 of the chickweed to 2/3 tulsi. The spiciness of the tulsi keeps the chickweed from tasting too weedy and barky.

Coworker’s hubby returned with tea from a trip to China and she shared. Big, curly green leaves—trying to place the smell, my husband said he was whiffing “peppery” and “nutmeggy.” Steeped up into a gently spicy green broth. When I get the chance, I’ll try to pinpoint city an region, but what a nice treat at the end of a long day!

After a sleep-deprived day and a half nursing shift at my parents’ farm (and lemme tell ya, when you get me as your nurse you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel!) I probably couldn’t have told you whether I was drinking coffee grounds or sawdust.

Bless either Dad or my sister, one of them thought to stick a fresh box of Twinings on top of the microwave. Bucked me up, settled my stomach, and kept me upright most of the day today.

Sometimes the tea you need the most isn’t the fanciest.

Last of my packet. Sad to see it go. For Steepies who need a boot-in-the-backside morning tea, this one should go in your permanent library. Cocoa-y, stout, can’t ruin it, even when you’re down to the last of the sample and don’t have quite a whole teaspoon to make a full cup and you close your eyes and grab the first unflavored black tea you can find to round it out (Ahmad Hampton Breakfast) and it’s still wonderful…yeah, I’m awake. Maybe.

Early birthday from a friend—looks like flavors “may vary,” so I just added this as a set for easy posting, should anybody else care to. My bundle has mango, raspberry, lemon, orange and peach. The tins are adorable and just scream “kitchen deco.”

I tried the peach green tea with lunch. It is not stellar; but it is not terrible. If you concentrate and set your lips just so, you can get a little peachiness. Plenty of bags to play with—I think this may be a better iced tea IF the weather ever warms up.

But did I mention how cute the tins are?

Anybody besides me wondering if we’ll still be in long johns come July? Blustery and chill this morning, giving way to some scraps of cold sun later on—-grabbed this at work because it was handy, and I was freezing. It’s a good steeper when all you have is sloppily microwaved work water. More fruit-vanilla than spice, which is OK by me. I’m going to have to count remaining bags and use them parsimoniously.

Ever have one of those days when the whole world seemed about six degrees off plumb? Yeah.

This was a mild antidote for the day that didn’t require thought or coddling. Two bags to the cup if you want to pick up the apple flavor.

No notes yet.

I’m still unable to get my favorite Lemon and Green Tea (San Francisco Herb & Natural Food) that I normally picked up in bulk local indie grocery. Boo.

So as I was rummaging this afternoon, I wondered if this might be a plausible substitute. It isn’t; not straight up, anyway. If you like serious, tart, citrusy lemon, this is exactly what you need. I reached for sweetener almost immediately. One turbinado sugar packet wasn’t quite enough; two was a bit much. But now it more closely resembles the lemon pastry vibe I’m going for.

Second steep edit: Was good. TeaFrog’s flavored green teas hold their flavor the second time around better than any others I’ve tried.

Found myself in that situation where there’s a little more than needed for one cup, not enough for two, so I dragged out a big mug and made with lots of leaf and a shorter steep (3 1/2 min). Lots of malt and cocoa, less of the raisin-esque character I noted the first time around. I’m thinking this is one of those rare and wonderful breakfast teas you just can’t ruin.

This isn’t currently on the Savoy Tea website; it can’t have been that long since we were there…picked this up…uh, in September-ish?

It’s a nice blend of chocolate-orange; more orange than chocolate after a (recommended) monster steep time of 9 minutes. Rich and thick.

First iced tea of the season necessitated by the first push mow of the season. Got half our big backyard done and I’m limp—vegetation so thick the blade felt like it was caught in wet spaghetti. Welcome to Missouri. There was still snow on the ground last week.

At any rate, this is quick-no steep time whatsoever; in with the cold water and boom! there you go. Root beery goodness. We can find this in local grocery stores; I wonder if it gets scarcer the farther east and west you go.

What I woke up craving for breakfast was a week on a beach—pick a beach, any beach—with a stack of good books, sunshine guaranteed, and no work, family, or other obligations whatever.

What I settled for was a cup of this lovely tropical tea. Heavy on the coconut, mild on the pineapple, dessert-sweet. This one is well done.

Courtesy of ashmanra, something to smile about this morning. Love the way the golden monkey makes the Assam a little sweeter and juicier. I can see how it would be milk and sugar friendly, but you know me—prefer it straight up, no additives.

Well, girls…after watching the calendar and drinking this for several consecutive evenings, I believe I can give it a thumbs up for doing what it’s purported to do! Symptoms reduced pretty significantly. Still looks like dryer lint.

Dry, this smells like fresh strawberry candy, or maybe the sugary strawberry beginnings of my mom’s homemade strawberry jam. The sugary-strawberry doesn’t come through as strongly once it’s steeped; just a pleasant light green tea base with a fruity aftertaste that stays on your tongue.

Perfect for a genuinely gentle, warm spring afternoon in my patio glider. I may never go inside.

This little sample from ashmanra arrived providentially. Someone must have told her last week that I would have insomnia last night and need something substantial to prop me up this morning before heading to church and facing a roomful of fifth graders hopped up (pun intended) on Easter candy.

This is a wonderful breakfast tea. I’ve been smiling at the descriptors in other reviews: Fruity. Apple. Malty. (Oh yeah.) Rich. Smooth. All true. “George Clooney in a tux…” not sure about that one :)

I think this will get me out the door.

Happy Easter, tea friends. May it be a day that brings lasting joy.