I hope everyone had a nice Easter yesterday, or if Easter is not your thing, I hope you had a nice Sunday. I miss the Easter of my youth, it was never a religious holiday for me, more of a celebration of spring and family, a time of crafts and bunnies. Yesterday Ben’s family had a nice get together with food and familial love, the food was good but I was exceptionally homesick and missing my family. I look forward to this late fall and winter when I get to spend time with my peeps.
Today’s tea is a lovely blend straight from London, Upton Tea Import’s Baker Street Afternoon Blend, a blend of Lapsang Souching, Keemun, and Darjeeling. A perfect afternoon tea for sipping it one’s study, at least in my humble (mostly) English opinion. Sniffing the dry leaves transport me to a Victorian gentleman’s library, blending pipe smoke, polished wood, and a comfy leather chair. It is super evocative! There are also faint flora and muscatel notes, the aroma of the blend is quite delicious.
After giving the tea a good steeping and the wet leaves a good nose examination, I notice the aroma of the wet leaves are sweeter and more fruity, a blend of muscatel and dried cherries with smoky notes. It is rich and a bit brisk. The liquid has the aroma of smoke and fruit, it reminds me of the way fruit that has been cooked on a grill, so now instead of reminding me of a Victorian study, the aroma reminds me of a summer cookout.
Ok, time to get my British out, oh who am I kidding, it is always out! The taste is rich, smoky and muscatel with a tiny hint of cherry with an oak wood aftertaste. The mouthfeel is bright and smooth, a very nice afternoon tea. I wish it was a bit smokier, but I am a sucker for smoky teas, the smoke taste is very mild, so if you want a tea that only has a touch of smoke then this is your brew. I decided to add some cream and sugar, it is not bad, certainly more English tasting, but it takes away the some of the more subtle notes of fruit.
For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/04/upton-tea-imports-baker-street.html
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Spend time with your peeps? Or with your Peeps (since it was Easter, after all…) :)
Hehe, the secret is out, my family is made entirely of marshmallows :P
…“a time of crafts and bunnies.” That’s the best description of Easter EVER. Also hilarious.
Thank you! I think if I ever send Easter cards I will have to use that phrase some how :P
Spend time with your peeps? Or with your Peeps (since it was Easter, after all…) :)
Hehe, the secret is out, my family is made entirely of marshmallows :P
…“a time of crafts and bunnies.” That’s the best description of Easter EVER. Also hilarious.
Thank you! I think if I ever send Easter cards I will have to use that phrase some how :P