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.
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.
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.
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.
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…)
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.
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)
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.
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.
I haven’t been impressed with Harney’s chocolate flavoring. Your description fits their fresh chocolate teas that I’ve tried.
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.
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.
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 :)
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.
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.
The ones I’m seeing online are all coated in powdered sugar—Mom’s were just dark, little crescent-shaped things.
She made them healthier, without the added sugar. Afterall, powdered sugar coating I just, dislike. It gets sticky in the mouth.
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!
Monday morning blues?
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…)
Hopefully you are feeling more like a fluffy cow today :)
The homemade fudge and toffee has arrived at work. More like a pudgy Guernsey with a sugar buzz ;)