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This makes a good, perky, strong morning cuppa; so in a fit of frugality, I attempted to use the remaining leaves to make a pint jar of sun tea. Kinda lost it in translation; even after a good long “set,” the leaves had lost their oomphiness.

The upside is that I’m not nearly as discriminating in my cold tea preferences. Chill whatever and I’m good.

Still impressed. Passed the second steep test with flying colors. Was even strong enough to take a little milk. The milk overpowerered what was left of the citrus flavor, but still enough caramel to make you smack your lips.

I think this gives me a good excuse to go back to Arkansas; a one-ounce sample is not going to be nearly enough. This is a really nice black tea with lemon, caramel, and a hint of bergamot. Really, just a hint; it doesn’t assault you. The caramel is first and foremost; nice and thick on the tongue.

It’s been a long time since I had (and liked) Harney & Sons Indian Nimbu, but I’m pretty sure this is its twin sister.

Did the first test cup straight up, but I’m thinking this would be lovely with milk, too.

Our run-away-from-hype day yesterday was in the direction of Northwest Arkansas (Wal-Mart headquarters territory; lots of new shopping venues springing up). And in Rogers, to be exact, we discovered a nice tea shop with prepackaged sample sizes as well as tea by the ounce. With great difficulty, I limited myself to just two take-home treats.

…but I’m glad this one made it into my bag. I’ve often mentioned the desire for an unflavored decaf black tea that actually had some personality. This one’s decent. Steeps reddish amber and has some red-fruit undertones to it, even a hint of cola.

It even kicked out a fair second steep with the (fill-it-yourself) filter bag left in the cup.

After that, we hit the backroads. Two-lane Highway 12 snakes miles to the east of Rogers and leads to War Eagle Mill, a working grist mill in the gorgeous middle of nowhere with a gift shop that smells like fresh bread and a lovely view of War Eagle Creek from the top floor of the mill when sharing a serving of pecan cobbler with somebody you’re fond of. I didn’t want to leave.

Air Force One just flew over my house. Seriously. Prez in town for high school graduation.

This is a quintessential, solid, inexpensive oolong with a nice little fermented whang to it. Wonderful hot. Not so much cold-brewed. Tried it this afternoon, took a nice big swig after a brisk walk, and the tastebuds said, “oolong…oolong…oolong…OOH.” Went bitter at the end.

So I served it to my spouse, the household over-brewed-meister . He liked it. Hey, Mikey…

I don’t avail myself of second steeps like I should in the mornings; usually, I’m off to work minus the leaves or so absentminded I just don’t think about it.

Taking advantage of a lovely morning off work (“officially” to write and sorta observe son’s high school graduation; truthfully to stay away from the local media hype—town is crawling with press and publicity events to observe 1-year anniversary). So I could enjoy a second cup of Yorkshire on the same bag. Same strong buck-you-up kick, but the tangier, more astringent teas in the blend take the lead. Would’ve been a little better with milk.

I’m such an in-yer-face strong black tea fan, I never know how to classify the subtlety of good greens. This one I’m supposed to review for www.itsallabouttheleaf.com, and it will take some additional contemplation. First impression was good—gently woodsy-nutty, not green-beany.

It’s a good evening to contemplate, though. On this Sunday a year ago, I was gulping tepid food-service grade tea in a hotel with no power, accepting dry clothing from strangers, and watching rescue vehicles begin to pour into my flattened neighborhood to begin pulling bodies out from piles of wet splinters. (A friend asked me to publish a little of our story; it’s here: http://lifewayvbs.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/meet-the-vbs-writers-gg-mathis/)

I just want to say for the record, I am profoundly grateful to the God who protected us and to the friends and total strangers who generously and kindly helped us piece our lives back together. Because of Him and them (and some of you wonderful Steepster friends, too), this evening I am calmly and quietly rocking in a secondhand patio glider, analyzing this lovely cup of tea, and enjoying the peace of a neighborhood where the trees and ground are unbroken.

May Joy be where you are, too.

I’m thinking the store may have switched up—or mixed—the leaves in my favorite cheapie bulk bin oolong. This batch wasn’t as large and stemmy as I usually expect, but still a nice green-and-brown blend. Yard mulch. Steeped up light and nutty for a morning-long writing session yesterday; the rest wasn’t bad chilled. And still 31 cents an ounce, bless the store. Can’t beat that.

So I bumble into the kitchen, press the button on the Hot Shot and instantly fog out on what I really want to drink..“what’m I gonna have..what’m I gonna have..what’m I gonna have..what’m I gonna have..the water’s starting to cool…what’m I gonna have..” (Surely this has not happened to you.) First thing I laid sleepy eyes on was this happy little red-and-white striped box.

Straight up in my Tervis tumbler (12 oz I think), one bag still steeps to a nice morning-kicky strength with no milk added. The strawberry flavoring is wonderful. Really glad I stumbled onto this one—at the store and in my kitchen.

Cold steeped a quart of this in the fridge. It’s tasty chilled. The fruit flavors aren’t tart at all—more what you get in a cranberry-lemon muffin or bread. My husband, a cranberry lover, on the other hand, didn’t care for it. He wants tea that is tartly or strongly oversteeped to the point that makes my eyebrows sweat. (I heard or read the phrase “beloved incompatible” once. Guess it fits with tea preferences, too.)