gmathis

Manomanomanoman, oh, man…I wish I had Smell-O-Net so you could get a whiff of this, dry. The smooth, marzipanny almond is so rich it’ll make your eyes roll back in your head. I want a candle that smells like this. I want pillows that smell like this.

The first fresh cup was fabulous—tasted every bit as good at it smelled. Orange and almond predominate, with the rest of the godies serving as backup singers (doo-wop!)

Second steep is still smooth; more almond, less orange, and oh, wow—there’s some pretty decent green tea under there!

Unfortunately, this isn’t on the Savoy website—must have been an in-store holiday-only treat. Locals, grab it while you can ;)

My first dragon pearls! Savoy is fast becoming one of my favorite walk-in-the-door tea sources. For a cheapskate like me, they’re a leetle pricey, but no shipping/handling and no waiting. (That’s the walk-out-the door advantage.)

Dropped two of these little gems, about the size of your pinky finger tip, into a big clear mug, added the recommended 8 oz. water, and … at first, not much. Was a little worried about impending tea fail, even after four minutes, because the water seemed awfully pale for a Yunnan.

Not to worry. I ran it through a little tea strainer into a smaller, opaque cup, which showed a little more color—bronze. Flavor was pleasantly surprising. A little savory and brothy and yep! cocoa as advertised.

Off to try a second steep. (Do dragon balls bounce back? ;)

Contentment. Warm, full, mildly sleepy, schlepping around in sweats in the early afternoon.

This tea is as cozy as your favorite fleece blanket. The earthy pu-erh is a perfect base for the cherry flavor. Gives it a wonderful black cherry personality. Not artificial tasting at all. Another Nature’s Tea Leaf winner!

…and this was what I made to warm up when I happily returned to my hobbit hole. Bilbo says, “I miss my books, and my arm chair, and my garden. See, that’s where I belong; that’s home.” Now I know! I’m a hobbit.

This is a little sweeter and gentler than the Boston Tea dragonwell I had earlier today. Lovely on its own; I may have a second cup with a little sugar.

The movie today reminded me that sometimes we’re called to do things that are much bigger than we are—to be light in a dark place. As I’m rocking and sipping in my favorite spot, my prayer is that God’s love and light surrounds you and gives you peace. Merry Christmas, friends.

…made myself a small pot in preparation to see the Hobbit. Appropriate, don’t you think? I’m thinking this is my favorite unflavored green tea. Gentle, cereally, but strong enough to assure you that you’re drinking something of substance.

Mini-Christmas with sister and elderly folks today, and I served this in tiny little handle-less cups (Mom eats and drinks like a bird). Got a very polite “Well, that’s interesting” from Mom; but my sister loved it. I sent the rest home with her and…well, shoot…I’ll just have to get more.

My current favorite flavored green. A pleasant Christmas-compatible candied fruit sweetness to it. I don’t know that Savoy blends its own tea, but I’m not sure where they get stuff for private labeling. Not a mystery I have to work too hard to unravel now that the shop has its own website (http://www.savoytea.com/) and I’m planning a run in a few days.

Second steep. Beautiful burnished gold color. The Juicy Fruit scent is still strong, but has departed from the flavor. It’s behaving like a more conventional oolong now.

I posted elsewhere that I remember why I am a weekend writer … If I don’t write, I have to spend Saturday cooking and cleaning!

So when I hit a wall full-on this afternoon, I took a little of this (Nature’s Tea Leaf Apple) and a little of that (Adagio Caramel) and tried to find a happy medium steep time … and it wasn’t bad. Leaned to the apple side since the caramel ideally takes a couple minutes more. But a good sippin’ steep while I caught my breath.

Pumpkin pie is pumping, gingerbread breaded, mushroom steak in crock pot, potatoes baking, laundry folded, house passably tidy (which is as good as it ever gets)…top that off with a run to Wally World because we ran out of bread, and there’s just not much left (pant, pant). Just another load for a typical domestic diva, but this is like climbing Everest for me ;)

Revisited; actually watched the timer this time; improved results.

It’s always a pleasure to drink a fruit-flavored tea that accurately replicates its namesake. This does—not Jolly Rancher Green Apple candy, authentic green apple. Mouth tastes and feels like I’ve been crunching on a Granny Smith.

Somewhere in the back recesses of my cupboard I think I’ve got a leeeetle bit of Adagio caramel left. I’m thinking a little mix-and-match magic might be fun later today…

Ahhhh! Freedom! Home! Alarm clock off until January 2! (Unscheduled, un-demanded time is a precious commodity. I have asked for a whole bag of it for Christmas. There are currently no bags under my tree :(

So to celebrate, I made me some contemplatin’ tea. Great big rolled leaf nuggets, dark gold honey-color brew, heavy in the mouth, with a distinct Juicy Fruit taste. Somewhere along the line I made a sensory association with ti kwan yin and JF, and I can’t break it. I’m seeing lots of “nutties” in previous reviews; so far, I don’t get “nuttin’”, but I’m just at Steep #1 of what should be several.

Breathe deep. It’s Christmas. We should rest. (Thanks to K S for these lovely few tea-sponsored moments of just doing nothing.)

Another suprisingly tasty gift-boxed blend. Nice strong vanilla keeps the spice from overpowering. You can taste both the apple and the orange. Not often you get one with this many ingredients that represents them all fairly well.

I oversteeped this, so I’m going to do it right before I make a final conclusion.

This morning at 4-5 minutes instead of 2-3 minutes, it tastes like Granny Smith apple peel, rather than apple itself. (I don’t do peel.) A little bitter. There’s potential here, though. Do-overs needed and pleasantly anticipated.

Bitter brew may suit me…yesterday was one of those days when everything that came out of my mouth was gall and wormwood. Just a taste of my own medicine :)

I am in deep danger of turning into Elliott Loudermilk (Scrooged. Bobcat Goldthwait.)Therefore, I am turning to comfort teas; gentle, reliable, sweet, no-stress prep. A little respite from the blizzardy, horizontal wind outside and from the blizzard of paper dumped on my desk by those who don’t have to do a thing with it but dump. Shovel, shovel, shovel.

This is highly recommended. It takes sloppy steeping without complaining and yields soft, sweet candied fruit flavor along with the good black tea.

A nice little gift-box quality (bagged) amalgamation of ingredients. Mostly getting mint, muted a little by the rose petals. Cinnamon/ginger…not so much. Some of that can probably be attributed to sloppy and unattended microwaved water.

But a nice little sippin’ steep to perk you up a bit.

Consistent. Reliable. Sweet. Things I love about my spouse and this tea.

(This is a great cheapie decaf dessert goodie if you haven’t tried it.)

This is interesting stuff! Good interesting, not the “interesting” you use as a polite adjective you use to avoid hurting somebody’s feelings. The dry leaves smell pleasantly of Carnation Evaporated Milk.

And that’s the flavor that comes through pretty strongly—more milk/sugar with a little tea in it instead of tea with a little milk/sugar in it. And enough caffeine to get you out the door to do what has to be done. (It’s looking like a has-to-be-done day.)

Denise from Nature’s Tea Leaf mentioned that this one is a good blender-inner. Looking forward to trying that soon.

OK, who am I kidding? Nothing new or notable to say about the tea; just need an avenue to vent :) It’s good chamomile. The apple is a nice touch. That’s really the only part of this you need to read.

A day of multiple small frustrations—supposed to profile two people for a magazine, both of whom are late getting information to me. Trying to balance grace and patience with Don’t you KNOW I am writing this piece for a new editor and I’m already four days overdue???

Had a lovely chat with the mom-in-law and grandma-in-law, who cheerfully provided the details on their new dietary restrictions, and of whom neither can have green tea. And…guess what we got them both for Christmas; package already mailed and under their apartment mini-tree!

That’s just #1 and #2 of a dozen or so…you’ve had days like that too, yes?

Understanding my need for something gentle and soothing now? ;)

When I pulled this up to read the description, I saw Darjeeling in big letters and missed the white tea in little letters. So my first sips surprised me some…typical Darjeeling this isn’t.

Of course it isn’t, silly … it’s a white tea, and a fine one at that. Held up well to nearly-boiling water and a 3:30 steep time. Nice satiny feel on the tongue. Light on the flavor, but then again, I was light on the leaf, not realizing what variety I was making.

My thanks to Azzrian for the sample. Enough in the packet to add a little leaf and give this a more informed tasting.

(We’re 2 for 2 on Tea Smith varieties. Further investigation pending.)

OK, it was dark and my retinas were scorched by looking at (literally) four million Christmas lights—we had our traditional family day at Silver Dollar City yesterday—but I could have sworn the bag said “English Afternoon.” One of the freebies I got from the Bigelow promotion. But I can’t find an “afternoon” anything on the Bigelow website.

Long day, bone weary, but it was a good tired; pit-stopped at a McDonalds and ordered hot water to pop the bag in. (Always carry your own :). I may still have had a nose and mouth full of leather flavor from the leather shop we visited at the park, but in in the dark car on a a drizzy drive home, it tasted lovely and leathery like a darjeeling.

It can be Christmas now. We’ve seen the lights, ridden the train, listened to Grandpa tell the Christmas story to the accompaniment of Mannheim Steamroller’s Silent Night, and sat shoulder-to-shoulder with my child giggling and grinning together all through the Christmas Carol stage show. I cry every year. And it’s not because of the musical :)

No notes yet.

I’m way too chintzy with my leaves and never willingly put enough in the cup when I’m steeping a white tea. (Then pule and whinge about how weak it tastes.) Full moon? Christmas liberality? Whatever it was, I actually spooned in a full two teaspoonsful as recommended…

…and it tastes the way it’s supposed to taste! This is a sweet, smooth, honey-colored white tea that takes heat and a long steep quite well. First taste sensation that registered was the yummy unsweet burnt-toasted-marshmallow-crust you get over a campfire. As it cools, there’s more of a honey-caramel vibe. Handmade caramels.

And, so the label tells me, there are several good steeps ahead.

Lesson learned. If they say two, they mean two.

Steeping partner in crime at work brought me this in a hand-labeled baggie. Blended it herself; she was so proud! As she should be—-good, stout black tea base and raspberry that’s really berry, not chemically or unpleasantly tart.

Since I was playing with a homebrew with no recommended time/temp, I think I may have overdone just a touch. Believe I may ask for The Recipe.

Good black tea with a ton of vanilla-mint flavoring. Reminds me more of wedding butter mints than it does candy canes, but a very pleasant and sweet tea. (It was my out-the-door steep this morning, but I think it’d be better for an afternooner.) Looking forward to trying it with milk to bring out the creaminess.

Incidentally, Savoy Tea has a nice little website up and running now: http://www.savoytea.com/default.asp Looking forward to a trek down there sometime during Christmas break!

I am fascinated by the texture of really good oolongs—so heavy and silky that you feel like you’ve used lip balm after a few good sips.

This is one of those. The flavor reminds me of butterscotch when I roll it around in my mouth.

Perfect light supper substitute…we ate from the Hobbit menu at Denny’s for lunch and OD’d on pumpkin pancakes, Shire sausage, and seedcake french toast. It’s a wonder Hobbits could even waddle, with seven meals like that a day :)

P.S. Thanks to K S for the sample!