High Garden

so incredible to be a true all natural tea. No flavorings added. Top notch

I s’pose I should’ve logged this weeks ago when we had it outside High Garden on a lovely early spring day (pic here: https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1926706_10101916535704023_380764076_n.jpg like 2 seconds after R knocked the table spilling tea everywhere…oops).

I’ve been on the hunt for a creamiscle tea that really truly tastes like a creamsicle—seems orange is one of those tricky flavors where it’s easy to make it tart/zesty which combines with black tea bases a certain way that, while sometimes good in their own way, bears little resemblance, even when vanilla or cream flavor is added. What drew me to this one is they use one of the milk scented oolongs as a base, which appealed to me for two reasons: I tend to prefer fruity (esp. tart-fruity) flavors with oolong or green bases over black (I think the tannic astringency of black tea too often clashes or blunts the fruitiness or worse still, combined the two amplify each other’s astringent or bitter elements), and I thought it was genius to try to have the cream part of a creamsicle come from the tea base itself.

The verdict: we both thoroughly enjoyed this tea—it’s probably my favorite orange-and-no-other-fruits-or-sweets flavored tea right now—but it doesn’t quite evoke a creamsicle. It’s a little like those cream candies—who was it, Lifesavers?—made in the ‘90s my best friend in high school was addicted too, but less artificial. There is a creamy element, and it’s sweet and tangy. R took a couple sips and then enthused “mm, this is a good tea!” kind of loudly which was adorable. We picked some up. I’ve yet to recreate the experience at home but I hope when I do, outside on the deck some warm day soon, it’s just as enjoyable.

at the “Frothy Monkey” coffeeshop in “Grimey’s Too” books and records, Nashville, TN.