You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. C.S Lewis
Every year I set out to learn something new. I’ll be damned if I don’t have some personal growth every year of some sort. Besides, life is short or long depending on how you look at it; I am going to try to eeek out every experience I can before I die.
This process is really a hit or miss process.
One year I set out to learn everything I could about whiskey. I still don’t know my ass from my elbow when it comes to most whiskeys. However, I did learn quite a bit and sampled 27 different varieties till my impending motherhood put the kibosh on drinking. I would consider the whiskey drinking a bit of a miss only because of the kid but I did discover that I am indeed a 76-year-old British man deep down inside complete with tweed hat. You may call me Edmund Nigel Rickwillow III.
This is all a roundabout way to talk about my Tea challenge of 2013. Fifty teas in 365 days. No duplicates. Holy shit! How am I going to do that? With great joy and furious vigor that’s how. Annoying amounts of vigor
Typical household conversation while on the quest:
“Hey, honey I heard there is a tea shop that mixes their own teas a short fifty-mile drive from here.”
“It will be fun!”
“Yes, it will. Don’t
make that face.”
“Sweetie, please don’t hide in the bathroom. C’mon we are going on an adventure!”
Annoying amounts of vim and vigor! Hell, even I annoyed myself. But, I love to talk exhaustively about my current mission/goal that totally isn’t obsessive. Yes, it is still cool. Please be my friend. ahem.
Here is what I discovered. I think in the same way wine is very much up to the user’s palette so too is tea. Yes, there are flavors out there; blends, mixes, regional variations that impart greater richness to the flavor profile. Again much like wine. However, if you are someone who can not tell whether the tea was picked in rainy season or sunny, that the person who picked it wore gloves and there was dew present on the tea. Who gives a shit! The most wonderful part of tea I think, I only speak for me, is that it is a hug from the inside out. It feels good in your hands, it feels good in your mouth, it relaxes the soul and gives you a hug. That is what it is all about and frankly, I think we all need more hugs. Internal and externally. I’ve attached my exhaustive list of tea I tried below. Some were very good, some tasted like satan’s asshole.
| Teavana English Breakfast served cold. Only had it hot. Yummmy |
| Peach Tea by Stash. Serious yum. Mixed it with regular |
I had a delicious English b reakfast at cafe brief across from the library. Researching the brand |
| sweetheart valentines day tea by Bigelow. Bleh. Cannot stand red-hot candies and this is reminiscent of them complete with red food coloring… |
| Teavana Lime tea |
| white chocolate tea from Bigelow. Kills my sweet tooth craving for chocolate. But it is not really sweet. |
| St. Dafour organic black cherry tea |
| adagio peach oolong |
| bengal spice celestial seasons tea is delicious. I adore cinnamon tea and this is perfect non-bitter tea |
| Teavana – Kona Pineapple pop. YUMMY! |
| Teavana – wild orange blossom. Way to bitter for my tastes |
| Teavana – Blueberry bliss |
| Teavana – Citrus Lavender sage |
| Teavana – Opus rouge |
| Teavana – Strawberry rose champagne |
| Teavana – Maharaja Chai Oolong |
| stash – decaf chocolate hazelnut |
| Red Leaf Tea Company – Maple matcha |
| Peach Apricot – The Tao of Tea at the Portland Chinese Garden |
| Mint lime Mojito – Zhena’s Gypsy Teas. I own this tea but never had it hot. Total meh |
| Lemon Zinger by celestial seasons. Yummy lemon. Going to try iced. |
| Teavana Wonderberry chocolate truffle. This I liked a lot. But mark deemed it from Satan’s Asshole. |
| Tao of Tea Vanilla almond |
| Teavana – salt caramel tea |
| Teavana – Banana foster |
| Teavana – Peach tea |
| Strawberry Cream Tea Teavana – Too much hibiscus |
| Spiced vanilla chai blend – teachaiate |
| Vanilla tea from Camilla tea |
| Cinnamon tea from Camilla tea |
| lychee tea from Camilla tea |
| berry tea from Camilla tea |
| berry almond amaretto from Teavana |
| pineapple tea from Teavana |
| lime cola tea from Zoomdweebies.com |
| samurai chai mate from Teavana |
| maharaja chai mate from Teavana |
| dragonfruit devotion from Teavana- Yum from April |
| berry kiwi colada from Teavana |
| Peach Tea from Teavana |
| constant comment |
| house tea from Dragon tree |
| apricot creme from Thea. |
| Scottish breakfast tea |
| Twinnings Irish Breakfast |
| Tazo cinnamon spice tea |
| Tazo Organic Iced Green Tea |
| Teavana – Strawberry Sangria |
| Teavana – Fruit Bomba |
Been drinking Strawberry Sangria iced lately, even Lee likes it.
I do not even drink coffee or tea, but I want all of those cups.
My drink of choice is cold cinnamon tea with milk and sugar. Poor man’s horchata.
I know! They are awesome. I wish I had them myself.
Is that teavana?
Being a Brit, I love my tea. There are a lot of fruity teas on that list!
I’m very fond of a nice tippy Assam. Good and chewy in flavour. But my personal favourite is Fortnum and Mason’s Breakfast. It’s just gorgeous, but expensive and a real treat.
I don’t think I have had Fortnum and Mason’s Breakfast. Although you have got me very curious. I am going hunting now. English breakfast is hands down my favorite tea. I am going to see if I can track it down in the states. I have never even seen that brand.