Paris Morning

This was specifically the reason for my return visit to Savoy Tea Company. (Oh, who am I kidding? It’s a decent tea shop less than two hours from my front door. Of course I’m going to stop there every time it’s possible.)

Must be one of their more popular blends, because when I placed my bulk order, the lady asked if I’d read on Facebook that it had just come back in.

What grabbed me on the first sample pack was the luscious creamy caramel texture and flavor with a little bergamot thrown in. First cup out of this batch, I noticed more bergamot and it was a little pushy. (Stand back, you, and let the caramel through!)

I’ll check time and temp more closely next time around and see if I can whip it back into submission. Otherwise, I may just have to go to the Ozarks again. Darn.

Almost like candy for breakfast. Nothing new to say about it after half a dozen tasting notes; caramelly, lemony. Only for mornings when there’s time to enjoy it. Because of where I buy it, when I drink it, I have strong sensory connections of leisurely days in the days of the Ozarks. I am in deep need of a strong dose of “somewhere else.”

I’m glad this double-steeps well because my supply is running low. Caramel, in my opinion, needs to be its own food group and this blend shows it off beautifully. Like a Brach’s Milk Maid caramel from the candy bin that’s still soft. The black tea base is dark and smooth, and the bergamot is barely there—just enough to complement the other flavors.

As I was savoring it this morning, I was also savoring the thought of some people who bless me regularly. You need to meet Miss Kathy. A frumpy, somewhat lumpy, gray-haired pillar of our church in sensible taupe Velcro shoes. She is generosity and humility personified, working with and loving the special needs adults Sunday after Sunday. Her other ministry is sending cards to homebound elders, and she has adopted my mom as one of her pen pals. When the tornado trashed my writing room and reference library, she brought me a box with a full set of J. Vernon McGee commentaries and said, “With your writing, you’ll need these more than I do.” I treasure them.

This cup’s for Kathy. May you cross paths today with someone who makes you feel treasured, too.

This lemony caramel tea makes me smile. So does a morning spent with my nose in a commentary discovering the deeper meanings of the Israelite tabernacle furnishings so I can write about it for grade schoolers. Geekness at its finest :)

Still haven’t tried this with milk, but I need to. That would turn it in to a caramel-cream Earl Grey.

This will be my last cup till we get back to Arkansas. Sweet caramel, little bergamot…light and lovely.

(Unless I figure out whose teas Savoy Tea Co. is private labeling …)

Still impressed. Passed the second steep test with flying colors. Was even strong enough to take a little milk. The milk overpowerered what was left of the citrus flavor, but still enough caramel to make you smack your lips.

Slow Saturday morning start. Yum. The caramel stays on your tongue long after you’ve swallowed. Definitely not a tea to hurry through.

I need to go back to Arkansas and get more. This lemon/bergamot/caramel twist has got me by the taste buds. A perfect balance of all three, which for me, is “just barely bergamot.”

Since we’re in for a spell of “one really good morning cup before it’s just too hot to care,” I chose this one. A generous teaspoon provided two nice strong Sunday morning steeps.

It’s my Birthday and, as promised, I had Paris Morning dessert style (with sweetener and coconut milk) for the first time. It was as awesome as I imagined it would be and a great tea to have on my birthday.

Since I was in doing so depleting my tea supply a little, I just had to stop by Savoy Tea Company to replenish my supply and see what was new. While there, I couldn’t resist having one of their bacon cupcakes. OMG Om nom nom…