Florence

Last week the tin of Florence suffered a tragedy. Cat Merle, who has a very muscular and somewhat unruly tail, knocked it and a few of its mates off the shelf onto the floor and of COURSE the Florence had the only tin that came open and spilled on the floor. Fully 1/3 of its volume lost.

So tonight we are holding a memorial service for the cups that shall never be consumed. I am adding half and half and a touch of amber agave and…

Getting the hazelnut very assertively at the beginning, the chocolate at the back of my mouth. I like the agave – it’s not leaving the kind of sour aftertaste that sugar, even raw sugar, can do.

I read some of the older reviews and next time I’m going to try it iced, unsweetened. Maybe plain, then with half and half.

Yeah, this stuff doesn’t need another “OMG I LUV THIS!” tasting note. But OMG I LUV THIS! Yesterday I bought a fine-gauge metal infuser so I feel like I finally had a cup of this brewed the way it deserves to be brewed. My aging tea ball was sprung enough to let debris into the cup. But this morning’s cup was clean and smooth and literally tasted like hot chocolate. I’m going to try a second steeping.

[Later} 2nd steeping could have gone on a bit longer, but it’s still smooth and mellow, even if not as chocolatey. So glad I bought the new infuser. I also bought a Curve mug for work — so more loose tea is in my future.