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I’m in the mood for some iced tea, and it’s getting late in the day, so I’m going with this herbal blend (which admittedly has been in my cupboard for awhile…not years, mind you, but maybe since spring, or maybe longer…). I’m not a huge fan of citrus or rooibos, but I need to use this up, so I will. I do sometimes like fruity teas over ice.
Dry, the tea smells of dusty fruit loops, and cardamon, & it burns my nose a bit.

My brewing method: 4T in a 1 QT Mason jar. Add about 1/3 jar hot water, let it sit a bit, then fill with ice cubes. (I know this isn’t the classy way to do things, but it works well for a quick cup of iced tea). Strain into my ice cube filled starbucks insulated iced bev cup. Refill the jar with more ice & water & put it in the frig for later. Unsweetened its ok, but in my opinion most fruity teas need some sweetening to bring out the flavors, so I add a little stevia, & the flavors pop! Very Fruit loopey (admittedly, it’s been decades since I had fruit loops, so I really don’t know what they taste like). It’s sweet & fruity, very bright, very ‘juicy’ & lively, with citrus, cardamon, apple, & the rooibus is not too obvious. It’s ok, & it will help to brighten up my afternoon (without adding more caffeine).

Imagine a Chocolate Malt…that’s what this tea brings to mind when I open the tin & breath in…“ahhh, my love, I missed you over the weekend,” I whisper as I pour hot water into my cup. This is currently one of my favorite teas in the cupboard. It is a dark, dark brown brew, with a chocolate & clay-like aroma, a very slight bitterness to the back of my tongue, so earthy, so good. It isn’t sweet, & there are times when I add a pinch of stevia & some coconut or almond milk, but I haven’t been doing that much lately. On the 2nd brewing, the color mellows to a reddish brown & the flavor becomes more mineral & a little more tannic, but still acceptable & bold enough for my tastes.
This is the kind of tea I especially like when the weather gets cool. Of course, it’s 84 degrees right now, & I was suppose to garden this morning, & I have other things to do as well. “Gratefully, this tea packs a punch & I will probably become mobile in a few minutes”, she said.

I just finished my first cup of the day, the wonderfully deep & mellow Kenyan from The London Tea Room (oh how lucky I am to live in St. Louis!). It’s beautiful reddish brown color & aroma speak of unsweetened dark chocolate & hints of a coffee-like, but not coffee-like earthiness. This is a tea that I enjoy often, usually with breakfast. It doesn’t have the malty character of my beloved Assam, but it still gives a great caffeine jolt & is not for the faint hearted!
Although I’m not always a fan of re-steeping, what the heck! While it’s brewing, I’ll mention that I love the Teavana app on my iPhone, specifically because it has a really fun tea timer!
So, cup #2: Still mellow, more of an amber color now, more of a mineral taste, slightly bitter, more like a basic cup of tea. I suppose if I were scrimping pennies here (& I probably should, being a musician), I’d re-steep more often, but I don’t drink, smoke, binge on sweets, or do anything else, so I’m allowed to indulge in teas, good foods, & musical instruments!

It’s Labor day, which for me is Pajama Day, & next on my agenda (of basically doing nothing) is a hot bubble bath, which must be accompanied by a hot cup of tea. I would rather my first post here be about something loose leafed, but I’m at my weekend home (that’s my boyfriend of 12 years house), & my selections here aren’t as varied. I want something bold & rich for my bath, & this one was in my wallet. (I carry a selection of bagged teas in my wallet for when I want a cup & none is available). So Emperor’s Puerh it is.

Let me mention that although I love tea in all it’s varieties & drink it often, I’m not in the habit of putting words to the flavors, images, & emotions I get while drinking it, so please be patient with me, as I’m new to writing these things down. Even more difficult is the idea of rating a tea…that will take some thought!

Of course, I’ve drank this tea before. While I was heating the water, I raised the bag to my nose & breathed in: the smell of salt & clay. Adding the water, I smell kelp as well, with an undertone of mushroom.

The taste is earthy & very smooth, the color dark & rich. I want a more malty, chocolate flavor, but it isn’t there. What is there is a mellow mineral tinged cup with an aftertaste of newly mown hay. I like it. As with other Numi teas, I feel that they tend to skimp on the amount of tea they put in the bag, but that’s the opinion of someone who likes her tea kind of strong.

Just for fun, I’m adding a little stevia to the 2nd half of the cup, and… I like it better plain. Oh darn, I’ve drank the whole cup of tea & haven’t even drawn my bathwater! I guess I’d better brew another cup!