drank Focus by Tazo
3234 tasting notes

There was a great temptation to crawl back into bed this morning, but I had bought some lamb and needed to get Shepherd’s Pie made. Once the puppies had finished ravaging my kitchen, I decided to get it going before I could change my mind. I thought this tea from GMATHIS might help me stay on track and not slip away to the soft, soft down comforter and all those pillows…oh, wait, this is called Focus, right?

So I took a sip. Nice! I taste the tea, and there is the chocolate-y orange-y flavor nicely present but not masking the base. I don’t know if I have ever had chicory, so I am not sure if I am picking it up, but I do taste a touch of the mate. I would swear I taste a hint of something Ike cardamom. Is that the chicory?

Thank you, GMathis, for a lovely new tea to start my day with today!

Angrboda

Om nom nom shepherd’s pie! When do we eat?

ashmanra

Wish you could join us! We would finish the pie and have tea and cookies! :)

gmathis

Is mashed potatoes an essential ingredient in shepherd’s pie? This is weird, I know, but I will eat potatoes any way except mashed (I always use “it’s a texture thing” excuse).

ashmanra

Hmmm, I have never heard of shepherd’s pie without mashed potatoes, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do a variation. Why ot top it with the hash brown sort? Or even very thin rounds of potato like in Potatoes Anna?

Angrboda

Yes, shepherd’s pie is layered. You’ve got your meaty saucy bit at the bottom and then mashed potatoes as a pie ‘lid’ with some shredded cheese on and then bake the lot. If you left the mashed potatoes out, you’d only have half the dish. You could make the bottom layer and use it as a meat sauce on regular potatoes instead I suppose. Or better yet, bake it into a real pie shell. :) It just wouldn’t be shepherd’s pie anymore.

gmathis

I vaguely remember my mom doing something similar with canned biscuits on top. (Off to research recipes. My starting-all-over recipe notebook has exactly three in it.)

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Angrboda

Om nom nom shepherd’s pie! When do we eat?

ashmanra

Wish you could join us! We would finish the pie and have tea and cookies! :)

gmathis

Is mashed potatoes an essential ingredient in shepherd’s pie? This is weird, I know, but I will eat potatoes any way except mashed (I always use “it’s a texture thing” excuse).

ashmanra

Hmmm, I have never heard of shepherd’s pie without mashed potatoes, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do a variation. Why ot top it with the hash brown sort? Or even very thin rounds of potato like in Potatoes Anna?

Angrboda

Yes, shepherd’s pie is layered. You’ve got your meaty saucy bit at the bottom and then mashed potatoes as a pie ‘lid’ with some shredded cheese on and then bake the lot. If you left the mashed potatoes out, you’d only have half the dish. You could make the bottom layer and use it as a meat sauce on regular potatoes instead I suppose. Or better yet, bake it into a real pie shell. :) It just wouldn’t be shepherd’s pie anymore.

gmathis

I vaguely remember my mom doing something similar with canned biscuits on top. (Off to research recipes. My starting-all-over recipe notebook has exactly three in it.)

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I am a music teacher, tutor, and former homeschool mom (25 years!) who started drinking loose leaf tea about fourteen years ago! My daughters and I have tea every day, and we are frequently joined by my students or friends for “tea time.” Now my hubby joins us, too. His tastes have evolved from Tetley with milk and sugar to mostly unadorned greens and oolongs.

We have learned so much history, geography, and culture in this journey.

My avatar is a mole in a teacup! Long story…

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North Carolina

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