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WOOT!!! Guess who just got hired by Tea Desire! That’s right, me! I’m absolutely freaking out from the excitement! And of course, what was my first (ok, maybe not my first – but top five for sure) thought? How is this going to affect my Steepster reviews? Because, well, I drink Tea Desire’s blends quite often and I already have a ton of reviews up for their blends.

So – what is the most fair/reasonable thing to do? I want to be absolutely transparent in that I have no intention of high scoring anything just to raise the ratings of the blends and if that means not actually giving a rating to the teas I try, then I’m ok with that. However, I would like to keep reviewing and logging the teas – so is that ok if I’m not actually scoring them?

And then – what about the blends I’ve already tried and scored? Would it be better if I removed the ratings on them or is it ok to leave them up since I reviewed/rated them prior to being hired by Tea Desire?

Thoughts and Opinions of others very much welcomed.

I made a Tea Desire blend in “celebration”, and also because I needed the little extra energy. The taste of the cup is no different than what I’ve stated in previous reviews.

Anyway, I start on Thursday the day after I get back from my vacation…

Excited and nervous sigh/squeal combo??

Made a timolino full of this! I’ve been dying to try it since buying it earlier in the week; dry it smells like sweet, flaky glazed pastry and fresh, juicy apples with the sweet nuttiness of pistachio and a heavily present creaminess as well.

My steeping parameters were 2 tsp. of leaf in my 12 oz. timolino steeped for about five minutes, possibly a little less than that. Steeped the smell was very rich, buttery apple pastry; tons of creaminess in the smell. A little nutty pistachio.

Taste wise and hot, there was a light metallic “tang” and a slightly woody rooibos taste present completely throughout the sip. The apple is lighter than you would expect, and just a little bit taste. It reminds me of green apples. There’s a subtle creaminess present throughout the sip, and a buttery semi-pastry like taste. Just a little pistachio taste – though it is a distinct pistachio taste, and not just a generic nuttiness. I was expecting this to be a little more flavourful; despite what I’ve described this does feel a little muted, like it’s not living up the the full flavour potential it could have.

I also left a cup to sit for a while, which is now stone cold. This way, there’s a much more intense pistachio and cream flavour, with the same light, buttery pastry/apple taste. Medium rooibos flavour with a little bit less of that metallic tang.

So overall, pretty good but I feel like maybe I could have got more out of this taste wise. Next cup I may increased the leaf and see if that brings more flavour out.

Made as per package directions, except 6 oz. teacup instead of 8 oz. mug. This time, I actually was able to taste most of the elements that I feel like I’m supposed to be tasting. I got notes of rum soaked bread(y)ness, plum, orange, and some heavier spice notes.

Ultimately, best cup I’m been able to make of this yet. Maybe it just has to be overleafed for me to really enjoy it?

Stressful afternoon. At least I finished tidying up all the junk in my old bedroom. It’s so dusty and gross in there; cobwebs everywhere. Honestly, I don’t think it’s been properly cleaned in years! Definitely long before I moved out: I can’t believe I used to sleep there. I just feel all gross and itchy and just bleck from cleaning it…

So, some tea to calm my head after an awful afternoon, and then a nice hot shower to wash all the dirt off.

Parameter for the cup: 6 oz. of boiling water, 1 1/2 tsp. of leaf steeped for three(ish) minutes. Despite being overleafed, I didn’t taste a whole lot of the normal rich, caramel flavour. Mostly, I got a semi generic sweetness, strong mint taste, and slightly woody rooibos base. It was still pretty good overall.

We cold brewed this basically not even an hour after I arrived at my Mom’s – as per my brother’s request to try something else cold brewed – and it was ready to be strained out this morning.

So far the ones I’ve got my brother to drink and enjoy are:

- White Chocolate Frost
- Mother’s Little Helper
- Baboozled (Cold Brewed)

His verdict was that this one was just “ok”. Personally, I found it to have a strong Guava/Mango flavour and slight perfumey taste that I don’t remember being present hot. I guess I too would call it “ok”.

My rat Eloise has made a home in the hood of my sweatshirt and she hasn’t really moved from it in a few hours. It’s cute but kind of preventing me from being mobile at all. My brother says she hasn’t slept so soundly in months (since getting sick), though. Not sure if this is a good or a bad sign.

Steeped up a timolino full of this, which leaves about a cup worth of the leaf I brought on vacation with me.

Parameters were 3 tsp. of leaf in boiling water (12 oz.) for somewhere over six minutes and under ten. I lost track a little bit. Well, maybe a lot bit.

It’s maybe a little weak, but pretty good overall. A good night time/sweet relaxation tea. Delicious! I can really taste the nuttiness tonight.

Parameters: 1 1/2 tsp. of leaf in 6 oz. teacup of 80(ish) degree celsius water for about two minutes. Liquor is a pale yellow color. Smells like caramel and fresh, sweet flowers.

This tastes to me like the Pokemon move Sweet Scent would taste/smell like. Super fresh, kind of apple-y with hints of papaya and maybe jasmine (definitely a fresh, floral quality) and lots of sweet caramel-y mulberries. Yummy!

It feels like lots of my white teas are caramel kind of sweet. I don’t know; Big Apple, Gold Rush…

Maybe it’s not as much as it seems. Either way, it’s not a bad thing in my mind.

Made my brother and myself each a cup of this, which was a sample provided by VariaTEA. My Mom has 8 oz. mugs and 6 oz. teacups, so he got an 8 oz. mug and I made myself a teacup worth (so I could get in several teas in a shorter period). 1 tsp. for my mug, boiling water steeped for four(ish) minutes. Liquor is a pale pink colour.

Even between my cup and my brother’s mug, I still have enough leaf left for another teacup size.

Taste wise; this is mostly like a watery hibiscus with peppermint in the background. Not getting much else out of it; something sort of grassy, maybe. Anyway – it’s not for me. If my brother likes it he can have the other teacup worth.

Watching a Bronie (My Little Pony) documentary which was prompted by my brother. I’ve just been counting fedoras…

Met up with Lala today for tea The Vintage Tea Room! It’s super cool meeting people from Steepster in person; I’ve met Kittenna and Janelle for swaps, but this was the first time I really got to sit down and have an extended conversation, and it was just a really fun, good time.

Of course, Lala brought samples – some from 52Teas which I was expecting, and then lots of neat extras including what will be my first Pu-Erh, and what will be my first teas from Nina’s Paris and Fauchon. So much kindness! My mom keeps snooping through the tin she brought them in smelling things; right now she really likes the smell of the Dreamsicle Pu-Erh and to be honest so do I.

I wasn’t super adventurous in what I got to drink and eat, and I stuck to the same flowering tea and sandwich as I had earlier this week; but that’s because it was delicious! This time around, the tea tasted a little bit greener and more vegetal, and I did pick up some lavender which I struggled to pick up earlier in the week. It was nice getting a whole pot to myself, and the blossom was just beautiful like usual.

I should really get a clear teapot…

Watched Wolf of Wall Street last night, and it was definitely an interesting movie. It definitely had really good moments, and was pretty funny but there a fair amount of sketchy scenes too…

Anyway, I’m at my Mom’s now. I kind of had forgotten how messy it is here. My Mom is sort of a borderline hoarder, which is something I grew up with but now living on my own I’d sort of forgotten just how bad it is? Right now my “room” is completely trashed, so I’m probably going to try and tidy that up while I’m here so I don’t have to sleep on living room couch.

I’m a little sad too – my rat Eloise, who has been under the care of my brother since I couldn’t bring her to Saskatoon with me, is very sick and visually malnourished, underweight, and weak. I’m basically carried her everywhere with me since I’ve arrived; she just curls up and nestles next to me, making really horrible noises. I don’t blame my brother at all; she was already getting sick when I was leaving, but now she’s just so much worse.

Anyway, my brother asked to try this – so I made us each a mug, and my mother a mug of Prince of Wales. She hasn’t voiced her opinion about Prince of Wales, but he says he really likes this one, so I might leave the packet with him to enjoy since I have 40g(ish) more at home.

Parameters for our cups were 1 1/2 tsp. of leaf, 8 oz. mugs boiling water for four minutes. Oddly enough, while our cups had the typical oil spots associated with this tea, we didn’t have the gross green goop from the melted white chocolate swirls.

Taste wise, this is a lot creamier and more white chocolate heavy then a lot of cups of this I’ve enjoyed, with a nice peppercorn tickle in the back. Normally the peppercorn bothers me, but not so much today. Anyway, it’s a nice comforting mug.