What is in your cup?

[astra]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The conference I am attending is serving this brand and I have not been impressed.

I think it is official, I am a snob.

I would not trust them to brew my tea properly

With splitting headache and pain in the back, I went to another TK Maxx (hoping they didn't sell it) to buy a few more Ceylon tins. It took me 45 minutes to shuffle there in the darkness after work. I was not disappointed
They still had 3 tins of Pure Ceylon Leaf Tea and 1 tin of Tea Room Blend Leaf Tea. I bought all Ceylon tins Tea Room blend is only OK/good 6-7/10, so I decided to leave some space for other blends that I might buy later.



I finish Lapacho and turn off the light.

[astra]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

3rd pot of lychee blossom tea. we are not amused ;o(

Prolly looks beautiful

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I don't see why it wouldn't, but finding the flavorings here will be the hard part.

The True Blueberry CS is really good, according to the friend of mine that drank it all, LOL. I bought a box of Blackberry flavored black tea this weekend and it's quickly become a favorite.

I'll be glad when you're back to what passes for normal too, I've missed you . I'm home sick today myself so am probably going to make a cream cheese bagel and a cup of tea and head for the couch shortly.

I think I'll make a cup of tea shortly myself -- I've missed my tea and conversation lately! I hope you feel better, but enjoy lounging on the couch while you can.

Originally Posted by astra

I would not trust them to brew my tea properly

With splitting headache and pain in the back, I went to another TK Maxx (hoping they didn't sell it) to buy a few more Ceylon tins. It took me 45 minutes to shuffle there in the darkness after work. I was not disappointed
They still had 3 tins of Pure Ceylon Leaf Tea and 1 tin of Tea Room Blend Leaf Tea. I bought all Ceylon tins Tea Room blend is only OK/good 6-7/10, so I decided to leave some space for other blends that I might buy later.


I finish Lapacho and turn off the light.

And I hope you feel better too! I've had a couple of friends who had a headache after a spinal tap or similar procedure, apparently because there is sometimes a little spinal fluid leak afterward. There actually is a way to treat the leak if it doesn't resolve itself, called a "blood patch," but I think normally you should feel better soon. Good thoughts your way!

[Stitchawl]

When I was seventeen
It was a very good year
It was a very good year for small town girls
And soft summer nights
We'd hide from the lights
On the village green
When I was seventeen

That was at least a couple of years ago. I've learned a lot since then, and one of the things I learned was to start the day with a good tasting tea! So this morning it will be Taylors of Harrogate's 'English Breakfast Tea!' I was having trouble deciding between it and their 'Yorkshire' tea...

It's funny how one company can make such different tasting teas. I really like 'Yorkshire' tea and can't stand 'Yorkshire Gold.' I mean REALLY can't stand it! .But Astra loves 'Yorkshire Gold!' That's 'supposed to be' better tasting than the plain Jane Yorkshire, but to my taste, isn't even close. Yet both are blended by Taylors of Harrogate, one of the UK's oldest tea companies. Probably just a very slight difference in the blends, but it's enough to change the way I react to it. I guess this is why people bet on so many different horses in one race.

Along with the tea this morning... some Norwegian 'crisp bread' loaded with freshly made humus! Now THAT will wake me up!

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I don't see why it wouldn't, but finding the flavorings here will be the hard part.

Shel, you can find all the flavorings you would ever imagine in your local liquor store. Non-alchoholic, but usually sweetened, made for mixing into various cocktails.

I'm home sick today myself so am probably going to make a cream cheese bagel and a cup of tea and head for the couch shortly.

Perhaps you should fill your cup with chicken soup instead!

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

Peppermint tea.

Will you keep a peppermint plant in your garden this Spring? I keep one growing as a cooking herb, but never make teas from it.

Time to make a second cup. No more re-steeping experiments for me. I'll use a fresh load of leaves from the same tin!

Stitchawl

[bjones6416]

Earl Grey in my cup. Except it's empty now, so time to refill...

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

I would not trust them to brew my tea properly

When I first came to Japan, I tried to order a cup of black tea in a tea shop. They put three large spoonfuls of leaves into about two cups of water, and brought it to a boil. They boiled it for three minutes, (using a timer!) strained it into a small cup and served it to me... Fortunately, it was a 'small' cup.

With splitting headache and pain in the back,

That should stop soon. Probably not soon enough for you, but soon.

I went to another TK Maxx (hoping they didn't sell it) to buy a few more Ceylon tins. It took me 45 minutes to shuffle there in the darkness after work. I was not disappointed
They still had 3 tins of Pure Ceylon Leaf Tea and 1 tin of Tea Room Blend Leaf Tea. I bought all Ceylon tins

Is it as expensive there as here? I've decided to travel back into Kyoto today and purchase that tin of Ceylon that I saw yesterday. I mean, it really is ridiculously expensive (roughly $40 USD for 125gm) compared to the rest of the Taylors line, but I guess it's worth it. I do like it better than the Fortnum & Mason Ceylon. I'll put an O2 absorber packet into the F&M tin so that tea will stay fresh for years. Then when I run out of the Taylors I'll have that to fall back on.


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

I was just thinking about the money I have tied up in teas on my shelf. At first I thought it was quite a lot. Then I realized how much I'd have tied up if my food hobby was caviar or wine. Now I'm happy.


Stitchawl

[phenomshel]

Shel, you can find all the flavorings you would ever imagine in your local liquor store. Non-alchoholic, but usually sweetened, made for mixing into various cocktails

Ummm. I wish. I work in my local liquor store! Not really, but we have the largest, best stocked liquor department in town. I end up restocking it on an average of twice a week (meaning I know the contents fairly well), and no such luck here. The only flavorings we have are grenadine and sweetened lime juice, plus some mixers, but those are all for daiquiris and such. Not what I'd want to add to tea.

I have no idea where to find vanilla syrup or any essential oils/flavorings nearby, the closest place I'd know to look would be Chicago and that won't happen til it thaws here.

EDIT: Google is my friend. I went looking and found several lines of flavored syrups. Problem is they all come in no smaller than 750ml bottles, and are expensive. Although I'm guessing they'd last me til like the 12th of never, so maybe it'd be worth it, after all.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by astra

Prolly looks beautiful

if only it tasted like it looked

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Ummm. I wish. I work in my local liquor store! Not really, but we have the largest, best stocked liquor department in town. I end up restocking it on an average of twice a week (meaning I know the contents fairly well), and no such luck here. The only flavorings we have are grenadine and sweetened lime juice, plus some mixers, but those are all for daiquiris and such. Not what I'd want to add to tea.

I have no idea where to find vanilla syrup or any essential oils/flavorings nearby, the closest place I'd know to look would be Chicago and that won't happen til it thaws here.

EDIT: Google is my friend. I went looking and found several lines of flavored syrups. Problem is they all come in no smaller than 750ml bottles, and are expensive. Although I'm guessing they'd last me til like the 12th of never, so maybe it'd be worth it, after all.

try the baking aisle. there are a lot of different flavorings there.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Ummm. I wish. I work in my local liquor store! Not really, but we have the largest, best stocked liquor department in town. I end up restocking it on an average of twice a week (meaning I know the contents fairly well), and no such luck here. The only flavorings we have are grenadine and sweetened lime juice, plus some mixers, but those are all for daiquiris and such. Not what I'd want to add to tea.

Wow! Sorry about that! I see shelves full of Vanilla, peach, apple, lemon, lime, strawberry, apricot, chocolate, etc., etc.

EDIT: Google is my friend. I went looking and found several lines of flavored syrups. Problem is they all come in no smaller than 750ml bottles, and are expensive.

Yeah... That's the size that they are here too. I was gonna buys some just to smell. I love the smells of all these things, but usually only like the flavors in their original forms.

Although I'm guessing they'd last me til like the 12th of never, so maybe it'd be worth it, after all.

Especially if Johnny Mathis was singing it to ya!


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

try the baking aisle. there are a lot of different flavorings there.

Oddly enough, the baking aisle here only has vanilla, chocolate, and almond flavorings. Nothing else. But baking isn't a big deal here while drinking is a national sport.


Stitchawl

[phenomshel]

Our baking aisle has a few more flavors than Stitchawl's, but those are alcohol based extracts, and I think what I want are the syrups. The only place in town that has those is the local gourmet coffeeshop - I might go in and see if they'll sell me a few ounces as a sample so I can see if it's what I'm looking for before I go ordering the big bottles.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Our baking aisle has a few more flavors than Stitchawl's, but those are alcohol based extracts, and I think what I want are the syrups. The only place in town that has those is the local gourmet coffeeshop - I might go in and see if they'll sell me a few ounces as a sample so I can see if it's what I'm looking for before I go ordering the big bottles.

I use almond essence every day that I have coffee, I'm pretty sure it doesn't have alcohol in it (I hope it doesn't!). be careful with the coffee syrups! they are sweeter than pancake syrup!

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I use almond essence every day that I have coffee, I'm pretty sure it doesn't have alcohol in it (I hope it doesn't!). be careful with the coffee syrups! they are sweeter than pancake syrup!

Since I invariably have to have sugar in my tea (both hot and iced) before I can drink it, I think that might actually be an advantage for me...

Almond essence isn't the same as almond extract so you're good there. Extract has alcohol, essence, apparently doesn't. But we don't have any sort of essences at all here, only extracts.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I use almond essence every day that I have coffee,

Are you sure it's almond and not arsenic? We don't want to loose you!

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Since I invariably have to have sugar in my tea (both hot and iced) before I can drink it, I think that might actually be an advantage for me...

That's what got me thinking about the flavored syrups. As KK said, they are really REALLY sweet! It got me thinking about the corner soda fountain in the neighborhood where I grew up. They had a row of about 8 different syrups to be added to carbonated water. I used to help out there when I was a younger teen, and can vividly remember some of the awful mixtures I made for myself...

Stitchawl