Valentines

My students are celebrating Valentines Day today and the craziness is rampant. I figured I would drink the last of my sample today in hopes that I might get in the spirit. Is it working? No. I hated this day while I was in school and I still hate it. They are all getting stuff and comparing with other students who is most liked/loved. Even the teachers secretly compare who gets the most stuff. And it bugs me. At least I have a pile of candy on my desk to get me through the day even though I already feel sick from junk food…

Strawberries + chocolate + tea = yes please.

I definitely like this better iced, left this for nearly a day (cold brewed). A lot deeper flavor than the last time I cold brewed for about 8 hours. Mmm dessert.

Tea: 2 and a bit tsp
Water: 16 oz
Additives: 1/2 tsp stevia/sugar blend

I tried this tea at 3 minute steep with boiling water and a splash of cream. It didn’t work for me. Got a dark orangish brown cuppa creamy looking tea, but the flavor just wasn’t speaking strawberries and chocolate to me. I think adagio’s ceylon base is alright, but I prefer other strawberry flavored blends to this one. Thanks Doulton for letting me sample this. I know it’s been quite some time since I reviewed a tea from the wonderful samples you sent my way. I may try this with a longer steep to see if more flavor comes out. I just get afraid of bringing out the bitter ceylon taste.

Whoa! Okay Steepsterites, explain this one to me: I made an 18oz pot of this, steeped for 5 minutes, then promptly poured into 2 separate mugs – one big pour for each mug, then a little bit here and there to top off each evenly. One mug (mine, lucky me!) tasted as I think it should – the other (my unfortunate bf’s) is waaaay too bitter to choke down. …What happened??!? As a side note, the roads in MN are so bad today, my boss called me this AM and told me to stay off the roads and “work from home”. I can’t believe I’m out of school and still getting snow days!!! :D

I’ve had this one sitting in my cupboard for a some time now. I decided I’d finally drink the rest of it and just let it go for good. The last time I drank this I thought “ew, this isn’t very good”. But now I’m thinking “woah! Why haven’t I drank this?” It’s actually pretty good now. Black tea with subtle tastes of chocolate and strawberry. It made a nice pot while cleaning.

I am still kind of torn on this one. I like it, but there are so many teas in my cabinet that I love. It definitely has a chocolate and light strawberry flavors and the black tea base works well enough with the flavors going on. Any hint of bitterness blends pretty well with the chocolate in the blend. I have an unopened 3 oz. bag that I am sure would not mind being relocated to a new home. If anyone is interested, let me know. Otherwise, I may just drink it!

I wouldn’t say this one is my favorite from Adagio, but it’s not my least favorite either. I enjoy the playful chocolate-covered strawberries taste, but agree that there is a bitterness to it. I can’t figure out if it’s bitter because of the rose petals or because of the ceylon base, although I didn’t steep any longer than 3 mins. For me this is a fun tea to enjoy in February to get in the V-day spirit. (My wedding anniversary is Feb. 13; I didn’t get to pick the date, I won a wedding in Vegas, but that’s a story for another time.) I recommend as a fun tea, but don’t take it too seriously, or think it represents chocolate tea everywhere.

I’ve been avoiding this one. Definitely not because I won’t enjoy it, but because it reminds me of my ex fiance. So I figure just dive in, finish it up, and order some when I’m in a better place emotionally. I have enough for 2 cups! Yay!

2.25g/6oz water. I was completely dead set against rose teas when I started my relationship w/ teas, but even then thought raw tea w/ rose mixed in was very pretty. The dark ceylon is a good contrast. I just wish there were more.

Wow this steeps up dark! Just like coffee. The aroma is definitely sweet due to the chocolate/strawberry combo. The flavors hit my tongue in the order I like- black tea, chocolate, strawberry… but… no rose! I’m gonna cry:,(. I love the idea of this so I think I’m going to do my own experimentation. 1.12g strawberry, 1.12g chocolate and .56-1.12g dried rose petals. This would have gotten a higher rating from me if they just would have eliminated them because I wouldn’t have been anticipating them. Serving suggestion: 1tsp-1TB white chocolate creamer.

This has some rose in it so I thought it would be appropriate for Mother’s Day as well as Valentine’s Day. Called my mother up, I’m the only one this year that doesn’t get to see her today, both of my siblings managed to be in the same location as her this year. Oh well.

This tea is…okay. It’s a little sweet and a little bitter and an okay taste, but nothing to write home about. I like the strawberries, and the chocolate doesn’t come through very well, and I’m pretty sure it’s the rose that’s making it bitter, but I can’t be completely sure.