What is in your cup?

[beppe]

Originally Posted by astra

But if you add milk or/and sugar it/they override the tea flavour. Drinking it as a breakfast tea would produce the same effect.
If it is really a good Assam, such as single estates produce, then it has its own flavour. (That is what I love about good Assam )

Cuppa #3
Russian Caravan (F&M)
Put a good heaped tsp and steeped for 4min.
Drinkable Weak Keemun but still a pleasant tea.

With my breakfast I had Assam Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Tea (F&M). It doesn't stand for Assam on its own but a good one for breakfast tea.
There is only one more Assam that I have at home but I have yet to try. It is The First Estate Assam from The East India Company. I suspect I shall open it around the time when I purchased it one year ago by the end of February.

Look Astra, I will give again a try at Assam as such, maybe being more careful in how I brew it. My point is that the tannin overcomes whatever fine flavors it has. There was a time when it was my favorite tea. I spent some time in Scotland ages ago and that what was on the breakfast table, that is what also they gave me at work, with milk. In big cups. I learned that in Scotland you better get what they give you without too many questions. Maybe it is so everywhere.

[VydorScope]

Welp we made it to Nashville... Now sipping some Starbucks Frap in a bottle till enough people wake up so can talk about going to a food store to get some real drinks.

[astra]

Originally Posted by beppe

Look Astra, I will give again a try at Assam as such, maybe being more careful in how I brew it. My point is that the tannin overcomes whatever fine flavors it has.

I think that as we every tea you need to brew it carefully.

I put one slightly heaped tea spoon of Assam per 300ml and brew it for 3min only. I also make tea only in my double walled glass. I found that if I do it in a standard cup it is not the same Maybe the last bit is madness err... I mean a figment of my sick imagination i.e., auto-suggestion.

However, there is Assam and...Assam.
I have noticed a significant difference. Single estate Assam was always better. Regardless where I bought it. Again not every one...

From the infamous NBTea, I liked only Assam Hazelbank FTGFOP1, but rated it 7/10 and I just gooled it

This is better, but it’s still not IT

I like all si...why do I type all of it? I am going to attach a screen shot


Meanwhile a cup of Wu Yi Rock - Shui Xian

[ProfCrash]

OJ and Skim Milk with breakfast. Water since then.

Hubby got me the latest Zelda game for Christmas. It is a great time waster.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by dreams

So glad he is doing so much better with you. It really is too bad the original owners were not able to help him, as it sounds like they tried their best (and I agree about the vet).

Hot chocolate in my cup.

We're just glad to have him, and have him healthy. He'll always have teeth problems, and he'll always need to eat in his Bailey Chair, but mostly he's fine, at least now. He may have neurological problems later (he's about 6 years now.)

Originally Posted by astra

In the days of yore, last February that's, what did I know about teas? We went to London specifically as a tea day trip which included paying a visit to the mightiest of the tea world. Fortnum and Mason, The East India Company and Masterclass tea tasting in Tea Smith.
I bought Russian Caravan because I have heard about it from Stitchawl and Fortnum and Mason is a big name Yes, it was worth a try. I would always wonder what such a reputable brand sells as Russian Caravan.

Everyone has their own take. Just that this one isn't MY take on it. Who am I to question F&M?

Originally Posted by astra

Didn't drink red wine for 4 or 5 years. It is like a soporific for me. It does cause headache to my better 2/3s.

I never had a problem until about 6 years ago. We had a cellar with >700 bottles of wine in it, 90% red, that we moved to Canada when we immigrated. My wife got to drink most of it, since that's about when I started getting red wine headaches. Sigh.

Originally Posted by astra

Fresh blood! What a lovely night!



I mean what a nice day, we have new visitors in the What is in your cup Society pub
Welcome

Welcome!

Originally Posted by beppe

Too bad for the headache. Strange though. Usually people get this from whites that are more poisonous.

With boef bourguignon I usually drink a coarse wine from the region like Pinot Noir so that it contrasts the sweetness of the meat. And washes it away leaving the mouth ready for the next byte. Or, smoother, a Crozes Hermitage, that might be similar to the California wine you had, Shiraz I imagine. Gamay, like in Beaujolais, is too soft and also too low in tannins for the job.

Well, since we used a mostly zin blend for the braising liquid, a big, fruity Zin seemed a good choice. It went very well with the dinner. Just not with my head. By half way through the first glass, I had a splitting headache.

Peet's Major Dickason's.

[pdurrant]

Orangeade with zero added sugar

[astra]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Everyone has their own take. Just that this one isn't MY take on it. Who am I to question F&M?

Nor mine

Spoiler:

Well, the caddy is very useful. I cannot argue with it

3 of the F&M teas I bought last February are nor for my cup of tea
Assam Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Tea (Blend of different Assam?)
Breakfast Blend Tea (unblended Assam, whatever it supposed to mean)
Piccadilly Blend Tea (Ceylon Blend)
The first two are good enough for breakfast but only once. There are better teas.
Blasphemy the next one.
The East India Company.
Boston Tea Party - didn't like it. I am planning on asking them what teas are used for the blend.
UVA Shawlands Estate Orange Pekoe - OKeish to try one time.


I left a couple of interesting blends for later
Royal Blend Tea and Irish Breakfast Tea (F&M)
Royal Breakfast (TEIC)

Royal Blend Tea and Royal Breakfast are all time favourites of Stitchawl

I am not saying that F&M and The East India Company are the only good tea merchants in the world. On the other hand, in my experience, they were better than others I have tried and their prices for black teas are not exceptionally high in the UK.
Many years ago, I started with different tea from NBTea and disliked most of them. I gave up on brewing teas. Maybe if I started with F&M or TEIC in the first place I would be converted much earlier

Taylors of Harrogates is a very famous tea company in the UK. I have yet to drink a tea of their that I like (with one exception of silver needle, white tea)
I tried their Yorkshire, Yorkshire Gold, Tea Room Blend, Pure Ceylon...never again. Well The first two I will finish in the office but that's it. Tea House Emporium's custom made English Breakfast is much better.



Cuppa #....
White Downy Oolong (Tea House Emporium). This time, after 4 dates, it tasted not bad at all

[The Terminator]

Mocha in my cup.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Welp we made it to Nashville... Now sipping some Starbucks Frap in a bottle till enough people wake up so can talk about going to a food store to get some real drinks.

Welcome to Nashville!

In my cup: Coke with ice.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I never had a problem until about 6 years ago. We had a cellar with >700 bottles of wine in it, 90% red, that we moved to Canada when we immigrated. My wife got to drink most of it, since that's about when I started getting red wine . By half way through the first glass, I had a splitting headache.
.

What can be said about that? F..k?
I am sorry for you.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by The Terminator

Mocha in my cup.

Better than Earl Gray.
Look, oh mighty terminator, do move to something more in tune with your powerful personality. Try ... English breakfast? Straight Keemun? Prince Edward?

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

Welcome to Nashville!

In my cup: Coke with ice.

Hey neighbor! We lived here for 7 years (2000-2007) and still our favorite place that we have lived so far. We are staying for Christmas, probably hit Ice like always... but mainly visiting friends and such.

Place looks great... this is the 2nd or 3rd trip down here since the flood. Bounced back well.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Hey neighbor! We lived here for 7 years (2000-2007) and still our favorite place that we have lived so far. We are staying for Christmas, probably hit Ice like always... but mainly visiting friends and such.

Place looks great... this is the 2nd or 3rd trip down here since the flood. Bounced back well.

I've been here since 1998, not counting the year+ I was stuck in Florida (Oct 2008 - Feb 2010). In fact, I'm headed to FL tomorrow, but I'm coming back Christmas day. I want to be in my own home for at least Christmas night. (Plus that's the easiest day to travel on - everyone else is off the roads.)

Yes, we've come back from the flood nicely. Opry Mills is slowly filling back up with open stores.

If you get a chance, some of the older homes in the 37206 (especially Lockland Springs and nearby 'hoods) have some amazing Christmas lights this year. Of course, I may be biased - it's my 'hood. I plan to hit the after Christmas sales for decorations. Next year, I will be a contender!

In my cup - about to be coffee, decaf. As usual, I'm cold.

[VydorScope]

Sounds great, we lived in 37214, and are staying in the Wyhdham time shares out that way (friends own in time share, we get to leech from them... )

We plan to do some Christmas lights tours so might come by your hood. We usually also hit the big one up Galatin pike... what was it called? Some TV station.. grr. You know what I mean. Prbly also tour Orpy's lights again too. This our third Christmas here since moving away. Would love to move back some day... but dunno what the future holds.

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by beppe

Better than Earl Gray.
Look, oh mighty terminator, do move to something more in tune with your powerful personality. Try ... English breakfast? Straight Keemun? Prince Edward?

I think I have some English Breakfast in the cupboard.

I tried the Tim Hortons seasonal special Coffee and it was the worst drink I've ever had, it was some kind of sad excuse for Cappuccino. I checked in the store and the stuff doesn't even have coffee in it . it's like a glorified hot choclolate