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Good Young Tea Co./Traditions Strawberry Black Tea + home grown spearmint = ahhhhhh!

Anybody besides me missing hot tea, and the weather-related need for it? I’m not counting my solitary morning cuppa, which during this hot spell, is just a scrap of something I don’t mind going cold after the first half cup.

However, like many of you, this weather is providing opportunities to discover umpty-six different fridge-brewed combos that are balm to my chicken-fried soul.

This is one of them. A good friend set me up with a Disney Cars zip-lock bag of crumbled spearmint from her backyard. Did an experimental pint jar with a teaspoon of mint to a single bag of my current favorite Asian-grocery brand strawberry tea. Never had a mint julep, but that’s what comes to mind as I imbibe. The pint may turn into a gallon jug this afternoon :)

Haven’t had this for a while. Still, I believe, the mildest Keemun I’ve ever sampled. A little sweetness at the forefront, but less of the grainy taste I associate with Keemuns. Still pleasant, and next time I’ll see if it can hold up to a little milk.

This is a really, really pleasant icebox tea. Had a quart ready for chugging after this morning’s kid duty, and after loading and unloading our Shabby House futons at the church mission house—our turn to bless somebody else.

I’m still thinking this is is more like uncarbonated Dr. Pepper than Coke. As to brand, not sure, but since it’s from my fave health food place, either Frontier Natural Products or San Francisco Herb Co. Also well in the Cheapster Steepster range—less than a buck an ounce.

The only flavor descriptor you need for this one is STRONG. No chestnuts, berries, hibiscus, or scented blossoms wafting on a gentle breeze. Uh-uh.

Stealing a quote note from my friend ashmanra: “If you want a tea to kick your fanny out the door and remind you to eat your veggies OR ELSE, you can stop looking.” Oh, yeah, how I needed it this morning. Eyes won’t open and I list to one side after zoot-suit swing dancing with my kids in music class yesterday. Strained thigh muscles from doing that goofy thing where you wiggle your knees back and forth and cross/uncross your hands at the same time (and, might I add, loving every minute of it).

Hit my favorite Cheapster Steepster tea place this afternoon and they had a new bin of unlabeled green tea at a whopping 62 cents an ounce. Couldn’t resist.

Leaves are flat and short, but not tiny and shredded. At a moderate temp and time, 3 minutes, give or take, this steeped up pleasantly smooth, velvety, and fruity green instead of vegetal green. Essence of lime rind, maybe.

Thinking it’ll be a great, inexpensive blending medium for other stuff.

(My little pod of kiddos bumped from 5 to 8 today, including one sweet and prickly stray kitten of a little girl who needs a lot of extra love and affirmation. I taught her mama a—(ahem!)—few years ago. I’m now a Vacation Bible School grandma.)

I just flew several thousand imaginary miles with a pack of 7-year-olds, and boy, are my arms tired. (Sorry, couldn’t resist. We went everywhere with our wings up and that’s not as easy as it sounds ;)

Fortunately, I have the afternoon off, have my feet up in the back yard—it’s a chilly 89 today—and have this good fruity herbal to chill out with. Did an overnight steep in the fridge, and it came out tangy rather than painfully tart. Maybe a little more cranberry than orange, but it’s a pretty even contest. I may sleep on it and decide later…

Veni, vidi, ornati. I came, I saw, I decorated … I think. With the help of two of the most willing and cheerful teenage helpers on the planet, we have a mini Victoria Falls set for our first grade “aviators” to land at tomorrow. VBS week at church—Amazing Wonders Aviation—-and I’m pooped already.

Knowing I would be, I had a quart of my Most Best Beloved Summer Fruit Tea ever cold and waiting for me when I puddled home (it’s down to 95, but after a rain last night, the humidity is now a zillion and three percent). With a small handful of Birthday Cake Oreos, I am in sweet treat nirvana.
Nothing new to say about it other than I only saw a couple of boxes left on the shelf at Fox Farm Whole Foods and that’s making me nervous…

I’m glad this double-steeps well because my supply is running low. Caramel, in my opinion, needs to be its own food group and this blend shows it off beautifully. Like a Brach’s Milk Maid caramel from the candy bin that’s still soft. The black tea base is dark and smooth, and the bergamot is barely there—just enough to complement the other flavors.

As I was savoring it this morning, I was also savoring the thought of some people who bless me regularly. You need to meet Miss Kathy. A frumpy, somewhat lumpy, gray-haired pillar of our church in sensible taupe Velcro shoes. She is generosity and humility personified, working with and loving the special needs adults Sunday after Sunday. Her other ministry is sending cards to homebound elders, and she has adopted my mom as one of her pen pals. When the tornado trashed my writing room and reference library, she brought me a box with a full set of J. Vernon McGee commentaries and said, “With your writing, you’ll need these more than I do.” I treasure them.

This cup’s for Kathy. May you cross paths today with someone who makes you feel treasured, too.

Left this in the fridge overnight instead of just a few hours and it went a little bit bitter. As always, though, with iced tea, a little bite is no big deal as long as it’s COLD. (Oh, for one stray chilly foggy day to wander through and remind us what the weather is like somewhere other than Hades :)

Margaret’s Hope. Isn’t that a nice name? Shades of a young wife standing on her widow’s walk with sea spray blowing in her face waiting for her true love to sail back home…

…which has little do to with this really fine, fruity and grapey Darjeeling. I have maybe just enough (courtesy of the lovely jacquelinem) to try a small pot’s worth chilled, which I’m thinking would be elegantly refreshing.