gmathis

Bought cheaply and unromantically for the sole purpose of dissolving throat gunk after a weekend of flaming tonsils. Brews up a darker brown than other peppermint herbals, but nothing to complain about. It’s mint and taste will probably improve when I don’t have to use break room tap water.

Brewed strong on purpose; drinking medicinally to chase off a bad case of cruds. Like drinking a healthy serving of vegetables.

This like the song “The Cat Came Back” … “the tea just wouldn’t go away…” I’m bound and determined to finish the canister, and every time I think I’m on the last spoonful, there’s more. I doubled up on quantity and got the water to turn a rather designer-beige color; maybe a little almond scent to it, but taste? Nope! I think I may see if co-worker wants to fertilize her African violet with the rest.

Has been my ace-in-the-hole office tea this month. Retains a little muscle with additional steepings.

Last of the packet. Sigh. Goodbye, friend—-I will miss your grapeyness.

Has a very obvious Colgate smell to it, but tastes a lot less toothpastey going down. Heavy on the spearmint and wintergreen side, and if you do swish it around like mouthwash, you can catch the lemongrass flavor. So-so.

Sample provided by a co-worker. Tastes like somebody just indiscriminately dumped in the contents of a spice cabinet with a heavy licorice sticky-tongue feeling that overrides all of it. Will sip dutifully (for the health benefit) but rather reluctantly.

Another plus for this one … you can let the cup go cold, reheat in the skanky work microwave, and it’s still good … doesn’t get stale or sharp or bitter.

We buy this in bulk…about 31 cents an ounce…at local health food store. Can’t beat it for the price! I’ll have to see if I can associate it with a brand. The leaves are big and loose and … well, leafy instead of tea-ey. It has a nice wet-earth sort of aroma and a hearty brown (as opposed to golden or black or chartreuse) flavor. Ices pretty well in the summer too.

Got sidetracked and let this go too long … I saw the word “rusty” used to describe this one, which I think is the perfect term for the sharp little undertaste I get because I oversteeped. Still, it’s warm and I’m not. May break from my usual practice and add a little sweetener to the second cup to see if it un-bitters it.

Grabbed a bag out of our break room bin in desperation; needed a hand warmer more than something sophisticated to drink; doesn’t make a bad hot tea, though it has a little bit of a papery aftertaste.

Needed something with a little meat on its bones this morning (0 degrees on the thermometer, -16 wind chill). This doesn’t seem strong or stout to me, but it is thick and rich, especially with a little condensed milk.

Still a little left in the tin … out of 1/2 and 1/2, so I experimented with a little condensed milk … mighty nice!

I think this is going to be one of those that is going to be kind and forgiving regardless of steeping mistakes … I got impatient and dragged the bag out a little too quickly and it’s still sharp and stout in a nice mild sort of way. I need tea that forgives me.

Found part of a tin I forgot I had … since it was a little aged, I let it steep a little longer, and it was OK. Plenty sweet without adding milk or sugar.

Some mornings you don’t need an excellent tea as much as you need a warm mug to toast your frosty fingers. This worked.

I am now the proud recipient of my own whole canister. Had a cup this afternoon to soothe frazzzzzzzzled nerves…I’m maybe one “z” less frazzed now. Left it about 4 minutes; thinking it could stand even just a bit longer.

Builders’ strength this morning, straight up, no additives. Lousy night’s sleep and need to fortify myself for my pack of fifth grade church kids. (Love ‘em, but they don’t ease into the room gently!)

It has been a long time since I had a cuppa good enough to dedicate more than a sentence to. This one deserves a novelette, but I’ll try to keep it to Reader’s Digest length:

When I first opened the pouch, the smell reminded me of my grandma’s cattle feed barn—a good thing; I’m a farm kid at heart. Fresh sweet clover hay, burlap, and sileage. The grassy smell goes away after you steep it, and instead, you just get the sweet, grainy, clovery taste that lingers a bit after you swallow. Ahhhh! I suddenly have a desire to drive a tractor….

Brought it to work where I often get stuck using tap water, but I believe this is too good to waste. It’s going back home with me.

Just drinking up the dregs and dreaming of a hefty visit from San-TEA Claus in a week or so…

I don’t like fruit teas that are tart. This one isn’t, so props for that particular aspect. I do like teas that live up to their aroma. This one doesn’t, so phooey for that particular aspect. It’s warm and I’m cold, so it’ll do.

I think this is a private label variety from another producer. Imagine liquid cinnamon red hots with a little orange zest thrown in, maybe a little clove. (Remember sticking cloves in oranges to make Christmastime room smell-goodies?) Between this and my Cinnabon scented candle, the house smells like I can actually cook!

Nice and sweet, brews up dark, but not sure I got “toffee” out of it…might have had I added a little 1/2 and 1/2. Smelled good, though.

Addendum: even after a much longer (lost track of time) steep, I’m still tasting tap water. Oh, well…I’m down to the dregs and that’ll be that.