2891 Tasting Notes

Some days you’re the buffalo; some days, you’re what it stomps on. Woke up feeling a little like the latter and since the box was in my way anyhow, I tossed a bag in my drive time tumbler. The black tea base is nondescript but acceptable. I have an on-again, off-again thing with mate’ and its peat-moss tang, but it’s one of the few tea additives that actually perform as advertised for me. A little milk helps the flavor; and my eyes are three-quarters open now. Progress.

ashmanra

Monday morning blues?

gmathis

Blahs more than blues—it’s peak desire-to-hibernate vs. no-time-to-hibernate season. Hoping for some extra snooze time next week. (She says as she counts the days until the next curriculum project deadline…)

Michelle

Hopefully you are feeling more like a fluffy cow today :)

gmathis

The homemade fudge and toffee has arrived at work. More like a pudgy Guernsey with a sugar buzz ;)

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drank Frosty Afternoon by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

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drank Frosty Afternoon by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

Martin, I had one bag left and it hit the spot this afternoon—enough caffeine to perk me back up after a hard-work afternoon, enough citrus to make it cheerful, but not so strong that it’ll keep me awake too late. Can’t quite tell where the orange stops and the passionfruit starts, but it’s a really nice blend.

Hard work: supervised my crew of volunteer kids as they filled a roll-off dumpster with paper goods to be recycled by a local ministry that serves prisons and military bases. Love watching them work.

Martin Bednář

I am so happy you liked it & helped you with caffeine-boost. I agree, it’s really nice blend!

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drank Salted Caramel by Harney & Sons
2891 tasting notes

Enjoying a taste courtesy of ashmanra! Reviews on this one are so-so so far, but it’s got a decently caramelly base, and it isn’t overly salty, which is a plus for me. Not especially strong, but pleasant on a rainy afternoon.

ashmanra

I wasn’t wow’ed by this one, but it was pretty nice once I added a bit of another tea that had some heft to beef up the base!

gmathis

I’ve got enough left for one more small cup; with some hefty tea, I’ll have enough for one decent-sized mug!

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Had not quite enough for two cups, but more than one cup’s worth this morning, so I went big, strong, and in an XL mug—that was enough overleafing to actually give it a little bite, but a squunch of honey tamed it nicely.

Unless you steep it purposely beastly like I did, this is a very nice breakfast tea for those of you who prefer your breakfast tea on the lighter side.

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drank Juniper Mint Honey by Tazo
2891 tasting notes

Normally, this time of year at work, if your hold out your hand, a truffle or cookie falls into it. It’s not been quite so snacky this year, but it was Christmas lunch day, so a little mint is needed to lighten the digestive load.

This isn’t exactly an evening go-to for me, but it could be. Mint aplenty. Honey flavor is present, but restrained. It’s a little light on the tree sap, but has enough essence of evergreen to feel a teeny bit Christmasy while I watch Minnie bat her shiny catnip-stuffed Christmas ornament around the kitchen. (Somebody at my house may or may not have purchased a cat toy Advent calendar…)

ashmanra

Aw, Minnie must be a very happy kitty!

gmathis

Minnie needs the exercise, so it may have been a good investment. Tazo waits until everybody else is out of the room before he plays with his tiny Christmas tree. Can’t be caught acting like a doofy kitten.

Tiffany :)

Ooh, a cat toy advent calendar? Would you recommend? Tell me more! (I have 7 cats, but fairly new at this, would only been a cat momma since fall 2022)

gmathis

It was whatever Petsmart was pitching for the season. With a crew that large, there’s probably something for everybody. Our spoiled brats have been kind of selective. The soft toys and the foil ball (because it crackles) have been batted from here to kingdom come. The three jingle bell balls have remained untouched. (Because I am thrifty and hate to waste funds, I am now trying to come up with a game for fifth and sixth graders that uses them.) All that said, the most-used toy in the house is two skanky old shoestrings tied together. We drag, they chase.

Tiffany :)

Haha I asked for cat toys from my family but yes old shoelaces , toilet paper tubes, mesh produce bags , cardboard boxes etc they are easy to amus my boyfriend sometimes has to bring them inside at night with a laser pointer when they won’t come in from playing outside.

How many cats do you have?

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drank Chocolate by Harney & Sons
2891 tasting notes

My review may not be a good representation, as this tin is now in my “get it gone” basket at work. That’s the last bus stop on the route, so you can only guess how long this has been sitting around. Cocoa it isn’t. Chocolate scented, maybe, with a little alcohol, quite possibly due to its age. That said, it’s drinkable, and a fresh cuppa is likely more so.

Dustin

I haven’t been impressed with Harney’s chocolate flavoring. Your description fits their fresh chocolate teas that I’ve tried.

gmathis

A really good chocolate tea is a rare and precious thing.

ashmanra

Ashman says their chocolate teas all smell like mildew to him.

Dustin

LOL@ Ashman! I can’t argue that!

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drank Maple Walnut by TeaMaze
2891 tasting notes

This is getting pretty old and really needs to be sent on its way (boy, I hope nobody says that about me in a few years). But it still has a little life left: mild sencha with sugar sweetening that isn’t obnoxiously cloying. Not sure I’m getting maple—the walnut takes the lead, for sure.

derk

haha – if anybody ever says that to you, let me know immediately. I’m known to travel across country at the drop of a hat to stand up for loved ones.

Tiffany :)

Thanks for the reminder! Hmm, I think I have a few teas along this same flavor profile, David’s Tea Toasted Walnut and Churchill Teas (Cincy Ohio company) forget the name but probably like a 8 or 16 oz bag, something huge come to mind that I should dig out and get sipping :)

tea-sipper

oh, nobody couldshouldwould say that about you, gmathis! :D

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The most noticeable flavors in this blend—very efficacious on a frosty morning—are orange peel and star anise, rather than the ginger. I’m not an anise fan, but a little milk beats it into submission.

Any authentic German food fans out there? This cuppa made me remember how Mom and Grandma would make pfefferneusse right after Thanksgiving. Hard little cookies, also with an unusual spice profile, including black pepper (anise shows up in a lot of recipe searches as well). The little “pepper nuts” come out of the oven hard as rocks, then get tucked into a stoneware crock with an apple to soften until just before Christmas. I was never a huge fan of the flavors, but the process fascinated me.

Martin Bednář

Pfefferneusse needs to include Pfeffer as it is black pepper in German. I searched them out and it seems I had them before. Store bought though.

gmathis

The ones I’m seeing online are all coated in powdered sugar—Mom’s were just dark, little crescent-shaped things.

Martin Bednář

She made them healthier, without the added sugar. Afterall, powdered sugar coating I just, dislike. It gets sticky in the mouth.

Dustin

I’ve never gotten the hang of the pronunciation of that cookie, but I do enjoy them this time of year. I hate the powdered sugar coating on them. It makes them unnecessarily messy, so I like the idea of a healthier version without the mess and extra sugar!

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drank Pecan Praline Black Tea by Maya Tea
2891 tasting notes

This treat from Michelle makes a nice little lunch dessert on a back-to-work Monday. It’s spot on with pecan scent, but maybe a little more bourbon than burnt sugar on the praline part. (I’ve never had pralines with bourbon, but the recipe-verse says its possible.) At any rate, it’s tasty and I’m thankful!

Michelle

Glad you enjoyed it! I have more in my cupboard due to Mayas Black Friday sale!

gmathis

Drinking boozy tea at work makes me feel kinda illicit ;)

ashmanra

You are SO WILD, gmathis!

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Bio

Steepster “geezer;” tea barbarian who has no systematic method for storage, preparation, classification, or rating; lover of strong unleaded builders’ tea. Never quite grew up—I cut and glue, play with Legos, design kids’ curriculum, and play with fifth graders every Sunday.

Location

Southwest Missouri

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