1598 Tasting Notes
Tried some teas today and some were good and some were blah. To make up for the blah ones I made this because it’s SO AWESOME.
Can’t wait for my Della Terra order to arrive so I can compare this to the lemon lime tart. (Also I can’t wait for my Butiki order, and my Bluebird order, and my Amoda tea box. And then… no more orders. But I’ll still be under 100 teas!)
Preparation
Sipdown! (So I guess I’d better review it?)
This is my third cup and I think I finally got it where I want it. The first two attempts were too strong and astringent for me, but this last one was at a lower temperature and for less time. I’m getting a nice floral black with a touch of astringency, and lots of fruity notes – mostly strawberry?
It’s good, but I’m not freaking out about it. I wonder if I should have steeped it differently? :| Or maybe this is just one where I and the Steepster community will go our separate ways? I feel like I’m a disappointment to you all. :P
Thanks CrowKettle for letting me try this!
Preparation
Oh this is a delight! The first few sips threw me off because I didn’t know what to expect, but once I got used to the lemon and ginger, I REALLY got into this tea. It makes me want Thai for dinner. :| I’m currently looking at menus and seeing if this is a thing I should do.
But back to the tea – it’s very soft and creamy, yet zingy too. I can taste the lemon and ginger and it all just melds together into something more than the ingredients alone would suggest. I’m happy I grabbed a little bag of this, even though it’s somewhat pricey.
Update: I DID order thai just because of this tea, and as an excuse to drink an entire pot over dinner. :D I’m a little sick of this now though – that was A LOT for one day. I’ve got enough for one cup for another day – I’m sure I’ll enjoy it then.
(so creamy)
Preparation
And another sipdown! (I brewed these last two timolinos just for the sipdowns. :P Now I’ll have plenty of room for the tea I ordered from Della Terra and Bluebird)
This one is pretty good but as far as Yerbe mate teas go, I think I like Chocolate Rocket better! Maybe I’ll add a dash a milk…
oh, wow! You’re rocking through sipdowns. I need to catch up ;)
I was lucky. Those three were nearly done so I picked them. I ended up trading a bunch I wasn’t keen on too. Now… I can relax until my orders cone in!
never relax! that’s when the tea orders strike from behind!
:P Judging by your tea count, I’d better take your advice!
Cavo… seriously. small amounts of tea are my friend now. it’s like 1 whole ounce!?! but that’s so much!
Haha, I now consider to be anything more than 2 cups’ worth to be “a lot”. Best advice: if a tea you like is easily available, stick to 25g or less amounts (unless you literally drink it all the time). That way when you find something better, you’re not stuck with a ton! And swap! Swap swap swap to try new things! Don’t let your cupboard get like mine… Sil’s is nothing… (and I’ve only been really into tea for about 15 months).
I totally understand that! I went from buying tins full of tea, to 2 oz, and now that’s way too much. I think 30-50g is pretty good, depending on the tea.
I’m beginning to lean to smaller amounts at one time too. I tend to feel bad when I swap away the teas I don’t like but there’s usually someone out there who’ll like it (hopefully).
It’s too late to be up with an angry teething baby. :| Nights like this make me wish I had to get up at 6 for work, instead of being off on maternity leave. /0\ (go to sleep baby, I’m sorry baby, I’m doing everything I can for you, stop being sad…)
Not even tea can fix this. :| Not even apple cinnamon tea.
Maybe I’ll just go to bed and cuddle her and that’ll calm her down. FIrst I need to calm down. Sip that tea down!
(Speaking of sipdowns, I’ve been sipping down like crazy! I think I’m at 85 teas or something? So I might eventually get down to that fabled 50. Just ignore the 9 I’ve got coming from Della Terra, and a few incoming swaps, and I’ll ignore the email from Zen Tea about 20-40% off teas… At least I’m making room? No more going over 100?)
perks up at zen tea sale o__o
50 sounds like a pipe dream, dude.
sorry baby’s having such a rough time of it. :( my child’s ability to completely ignore his body and it’s trivial goings-on was a blessing, i guess – he just seemed to drool buckets. and buckets. and buckets.
Poor little baby, hope everything is better this morning!!
Hang in there cavo! It’s frustrating, but it will pass. Meanwhile, there’s a little homeopathic remedy made by Hyland’s called ‘teething tablets’. It works wonders! I used them with all 4 of my kids, who have also used them with their 3 kids. They are cheap, they are harmless, & babies love them (they dissolve instantly & have a sweet taste). I used to have to buy them at the health food store, but now many drugstores carry them. Many mothers have sworn by Hylands (of course, many moms have also sworn by whiskey, but I don’t recommend that). Here’s a link, if you’re interested: http://www.hylands.com/products/teething.php
Thanks guys! She seems much happier today, and she doesn’t feel so hot either.
Terri- I’ll look into those tablets!
Ozli- I think the coupon code is Spring, but you can’t tell which teas are 20% or 40%. And aren’t you under 50 teas?
Oh, I should have said it sounds like a pipe dream FOR YOU :P :P :P I probably am, yeah, but maybe not if I write up all the samples from you? I only add them as tasting notes, usually. Unless there’s LOTS.
Fair enough! Some people count samples, others don’t. It’s easier if you don’t if people want to use your cupboard for trades, but I like knowing how many I have. Also, it makes me feel like I’m drinking it all because I get MOAR sipdowns. :P
Ehehehehe. It aaaaall boils down to laziness with me. :P
Laziness, or just the fact that you are BUSY with all the other sites you’re on too. :P (I basically dropped fb because of Steepster, but there are other places I am neglecting too.)
Hahahaha GUILTY /o\
This is the last of it! :O
Thanks ozli for keeping me supplied longer than I would have been otherwise. I hope to see this tea again next winter!
Completely off topic but I am teaching myself to knit and I think I just did my first row of purling. It sorta looks like my knit rows, but… I’ll keep going!
I’ve had this a few times, and I keep meaning to review it but don’t because I’m being lazy about tea notes. And that’s allowed right? If I ran to the computer to write a note every time I drank a cup, I wouldn’t leave the computer. (Cuz I’d get distracted too)
Anyways, this is a pretty nice mellow oolong. I enjoy it. It doesn’t ooooh me, but I might get it again someday.
Umm. So I shouldn’t have looked up Amoda.
Hahah. Yeah. I found out about it through Steepster too! I’ve only rec’d one month though. The packs are a little small, but I like it because a) surprises! and b) I might find an awesome new tea from a hard to shop from company.
I can’t even have mint in my house (BFF is severely allergic) so I’ve emailed to ask if they can substitute non-minty things. :) So tempted. I feel like 60g of surprise tea isn’t too bad at $15. It’s like a monthly present!
Oh! I hope they can do that! They sell the teas from the previous months, so maybe they could throw one of those in instead!