Bio
My cupboard has grown exponentially since joining this site and I have a lot to share. Feel free to snoop through my cupboard and message me if anything interests you – I am always happy to swap!
For me, flavored teas are definitely my sweet spot. I will most often reach for black teas and rooibos or honeybush blends but I do keep some flavored whites and greens around for when the mood strikes. I have a few herbals/tisanes but most of the time I find myself disappointed by them as they often smell deliciously sweet and then end up tasting tart/sour. I have a little bit of an aversion to pu’erh and oolong teas. I am also wary of florals, earl greys, and chai teas. I do not like overpowering citrus flavors nor do I usually like hibiscus, licorice or chamomile. I love dessert teas – caramel, vanilla, toffee, cookie, cream, and other sweet flavors make me smile. Fruits like strawberry, peach, mango, and pineapples will often catch my attention as well.
I have also realized that although I really enjoy adding frothed milk to some of my teas, if I do not like the tea with zero additives (just in plain water without milk or sugar), I probably won’t drink it. The one exception is flavored matchas which I will happily drink in cold milk if I do not like it mixed with hot water. My theory is if the tea can’t stand on its own then it is not for me and I will more than likely try to swap it out for something else.
Tea Ratings Guide (as of December 10, 2017)
90-100 Teas I NEED on hand at all times
80-89 Teas I want to keep around for a cup every now and then
70-79 Teas I am glad I have around and can experiment with but probably don’t need more than what’s in my cupboard
60-69 Teas I would not turn down a cup of from a friend but that would probably be enough
50-59 Teas I can see why someone would enjoy but are not for me
Under 50 Teas I really did not like and most likely got dumped
Location
Waterdown, Ontario
Hahahahahaha. I am afraid to steep Adagio blacks longer than 2 minutes.
I was just following their steeping parameters. I won’t be doing that again.
I don’t think I’ve ever ordered from Adagio, so probably have never actually bothered to look at their parameters (and I typically brew all blacks the first time at 2 minutes, since it seems to be the minimum time at which everything is still ok). Hopefully you can make it work with a shorter infusion! I wonder if they actually brew their teas the way they say… (or maybe, they intend for everyone to add copious amounts of milk and sugar).
Usually I keep blacks to 2.5-3 min steeps but I do try to follow the suggested parameters at least once
Ha ha ha! I love your honesty here. I’m not a fan of their bases either.
I used to be super obsessive about using the given parameters… until I ruined a few teas. I then decided, screw it. Haha.
Kittenna, I thought that was how tea was supposed to taste, so I always added milk and sugar. Now I can actually drink teas plain, as long as I watch the time and temperature. :)
That’s also why I thought I hated all black teas, haha, because anything I’d ever had was way overbrewed (and well, coffee is pretty nasty plain, too!)