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So this one little unloved and unwanted tuocha was sitting on the shelves at Fox Farm this week … locally, you can probably count the people who know what to do with it on one hand. So at a whopping $2.39 clearance price, what was I to do but adopt it?

I’m making jokes about people who don’t know what to do with tuocha, but in truth, I am one. I’ve just graduated from total ignorance to knowing what it is. And I still grin at the prospect of chipping petrified leaves off something that looks unfortunately like an elephant dropping. (Sorry! I’ll try to be classier from here on.)

So, I very gingerly whacked off about a teaspoonful of leaf this morning, did a quickie rinse once the water had boiled, and did my first steep at 30 seconds. Too weak for me.

At a minute, it was a nice caramel color, a little minerally and a a little sweet. A really different personality for somebody who is dependent on stout Irish Breakfast to wake up in the morning, but still pretty nice.

I’m on the second steep, this time 1:30 and it’s darkened in color. Mineral taste has largely washed out and I’m getting a good, rye-bready vibe. The rest of the pot is going into the fridge for an afternoon treat.

Bumbling preparation aside, this has been an interesting and inexpensive little educational junket!