75
drank 1777 Tea Party by Wedgwood
2170 tasting notes

Mastress Alita’s Monthly Sipdown Challenge
April 2022 → A tea paired to a book

I’m pairing today’s tea with An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, part of her Outlander series.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6104759-an-echo-in-the-bone

It’s the seventh book, so I won’t say much for those who might want to read the series at some point. I’ll only say that the chapter I’m currently reading takes place in September 1777 in Sarasota, New York. I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw this prompt and realized I had a tea that fit perfectly with my current read.

This tea is neither great nor awful. It just is. Nothing special about it. It’s not memorable but it’s drinkable. I used two teaspoons today since past notes mention it being too light. It did come out a bit bitter, but I’m sure it’s because I overleafed or oversteeped. I’m not even sure this tea is still available for purchase. I found it at a TJ Maxx, I believe, several years back. It’s not something I’d purchase again, either way.

Flavors: Drying, Malt

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
gmathis

Nice literary match!

Martin Bednář

Nice match and tea seems pretty basic, but it is probably what they were drinking in 1777. Apparently, we have this series in libraly, so I may borrow it one day (probably at first after finishing The Saxon Stories).

Shae

Yes, this turned out to be quite the coincidence! I saw the prompt and knew I was in the late 1770s in my book but I couldn’t remember the exact year because it jumps around a bit. It was a nice surprise!

Martin, it’s a great series! I think it’s marketed as a romance, but to me it feels more like a good historical fiction. I mean, it’s both but I like the history aspect of it most. And yes, this tea was quite basic. How interesting it would be to get a taste of what they were drinking back then! Doesn’t Oliver Pluff & Co. market their teas as reminiscent of early American blends? I haven’t tried them but I’ve always wanted to.

https://oliverpluff.com/

gmathis

Yes on the Oliver Pluff historical angle. I can vouch for the quality of their Congou black and Singlo green teas.

Shae

Oh that’s good to know, thank you!

Michelle

Upton makes a Griffin’s Wharf blend with congou and lapsang. I recommend it more than the old south meeting house blend which is a bit harsh.

Shae

I put that one on my list to try – thanks, Michelle!

ashmanra

I agree on Oliver Pluff. A local eclectic shop sells lots of their blends, and Colonial Williamsburg may still carry them. That is where Superanna bought mine.

Shae

Do you have a favorite, ashmanra? It looks like they have a lot of different options!

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Comments

gmathis

Nice literary match!

Martin Bednář

Nice match and tea seems pretty basic, but it is probably what they were drinking in 1777. Apparently, we have this series in libraly, so I may borrow it one day (probably at first after finishing The Saxon Stories).

Shae

Yes, this turned out to be quite the coincidence! I saw the prompt and knew I was in the late 1770s in my book but I couldn’t remember the exact year because it jumps around a bit. It was a nice surprise!

Martin, it’s a great series! I think it’s marketed as a romance, but to me it feels more like a good historical fiction. I mean, it’s both but I like the history aspect of it most. And yes, this tea was quite basic. How interesting it would be to get a taste of what they were drinking back then! Doesn’t Oliver Pluff & Co. market their teas as reminiscent of early American blends? I haven’t tried them but I’ve always wanted to.

https://oliverpluff.com/

gmathis

Yes on the Oliver Pluff historical angle. I can vouch for the quality of their Congou black and Singlo green teas.

Shae

Oh that’s good to know, thank you!

Michelle

Upton makes a Griffin’s Wharf blend with congou and lapsang. I recommend it more than the old south meeting house blend which is a bit harsh.

Shae

I put that one on my list to try – thanks, Michelle!

ashmanra

I agree on Oliver Pluff. A local eclectic shop sells lots of their blends, and Colonial Williamsburg may still carry them. That is where Superanna bought mine.

Shae

Do you have a favorite, ashmanra? It looks like they have a lot of different options!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Lifetime student. Lover of books and paper and ink. Kitchen dweller. Aspiring herbalist, excessively proud cat lady, and tea fanatic. Thirty-something elder millennial. She/her.

I love flavored black teas most of all, always with cream and honey. I enjoy floral and fruity teas, as well as flavored or scented ones. I’m not overly fond of green or white teas, but I’ve found a few that I enjoy.

I’m open to tea swaps and/or just sharing what’s in my tea cabinet! Please reach out if you see something I have that you’d like to try. I do my best to update my cupboard regularly.

Favorites
Any and all black teas, smoky teas, raspberry, strawberry, red fruits, bergamot, chai spices, floral teas, caramel/toffee, jasmine, rose, vanilla, peaches, plums, valerian root, cinnamon, cardamom

Not a huge fan
White teas, green teas, artificial sweeteners, sarsaparilla, licorice, lemongrass, lavender, hot hibiscus, hibiscus in black tea blends

Rating Scale

1-20: By far, one of the worst teas I’ve tasted. I most certainly will not finish my cup and will likely “gift” the rest to my sweet husband, James, who almost always enjoys the teas I dislike (and vice versa).

21-49: This tea is not good, but if I mix it with another tea or find another steeping method I might be able to finish it.

50-69: This one is just okay. I might drink it again if someone were to give it to me, but I probably won’t be buying more for myself.

70-79: This is a consistently good tea. It’s reliable but not necessarily special.

80-90: This one is a notch above the rest and I would gladly enjoy a cup of it any day of the week. I’ll likely be keeping this in my cupboard, but it isn’t one of my all-time favorites.

91-95: One small change and this tea would be perfect. I’ll definitely have a stash of this in my kitchen if you come over for tea.

96-100: No words can describe this tea. It’s an experience, an aha moment. Closed eyes, wide smile, encompassing warmth. Absolutely incredible. Perfect.

Updated May 2022.

Location

Alabaster, Alabama

Website

https://www.goodreads.com/sha...

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