Tea Words: Feb. 17 - 23, 2013

Elyse's Blend - Harney & Sons
2/18 @ 8:30am - Light, mellow, meh.

Boulder Breakfast - The TeaSpot
2/18 @ 11:15am - Burnt, over brewed, yuck!

Yunnan Puerh - Adagio

2/19 @ 8:30am - Mild, uneventful

Pink Grapefruit - Teas, Etc.

2/20 @ 8:30am - bright, refreshing

Harvest Spice - The Tea Spot

2/21 @8:30am - sweet, dry

Yunnan Noir - Adagio

2/22 @8:30am - deep, rich, smooth, heavenly

---

I managed to keep track of some cups this week, and as you might have noticed, the week didn't start out very well tea-wise. Weds and Thursday were okay, and then Thursday night I got my two tea orders from Adagio and Tantalizing Teas. Hooray! Good Yunnan tea never tasted so fabulous - it had been too long.  

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this week's sipping...no more back-of-the-cupboard cuppas for a while. What's in your cup this week? 

Tea Words: Jan. 7 - 12, 2013

You'll notice I missed a few tea times - still working on making this a habit. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go read this post...

Harney & Sons - Supreme Breakfast 

1/7 @ 2:00pm - Smooth

1/8 @ 9am - Hot

1/12 @10:30am - Serviceable

Red Hot Chai - The Tea Spot

1/7 @ 11pm - Meh

Harney & Sons - Florence

1/8 @1:30pm - Crisp

1/9 @ 1:30pm - Chocolate-y

Harney & Sons - Chai (w/Milk & sugar)

1/11 @ 1:30pm - Warm spice

---

This is actually kind of depressing, but it does reflect the state of my tea cupboard and mental state for the past week. Lots of stress, lack of variety, I'm out of most of my favorite "mainstay" teas, and my brain is trying to cope with a lot of discord and changes all at once. I wonder how much starting my days with a tea that is just "hot" or "serviceable" affects the rest of my outlook on life? Or is it the other way around? 

I'm really not overly fond of the Supreme Breakfast, though there's nothing really "wrong" with it. It really needs to be steeped for 3 minutes rather than 4 though, and I always forget that and set the timer too long, ending up with a dry, astringent brew rather than the smoother cup you'll notice I got one afternoon (probably remembered to brew it shorter that day). Even steeped properly, it's still got some odd flavors I'm not fond off, reminiscent of Ceylon-type teas. But according to the web site, it's a blend of Assam & Keemun, two of my favorite teas, so I'm confounded as to why I really don't like it. It's frustrating, really. 

As for the Red Hot Chai (which is a rooibos blend) - that was truly disappointing, although it may have been because I diluted it with a pinch of sugar and a splash of milk. Still, anything that claims to be "red hot" and "chai" should be spicy enough to handle the additives...like the Harney & Son's chai I had later in the week as a treat (yes, it still tastes like a cinnamon roll in a cup...made a nice treat for a Friday afternoon after a long week). 

Florence has always been one of my favorite chocolate flavored teas, and still is, though I've been drinking more chocolate flavored puerh lately which makes poor Florence seem a bit thin on the body scale. Still, it's yummy, and I'm not sure why I relegated it to afternoons this week when it could have potentially started my mornings off on a better cuppa...

What does all this mean? Simply put, I need to relax, and I need to order tea. I'm working on both this weekend. We'll see how next week goes...

How did your tea week go? And do you think the tea you start your day with has any affect on your mental outlook for the day?

On Tap Recently

I know - I committed to posting once a week, then walked away for two. Bad blogger. Bad Twitterer. I apologize. I'll do better.

But aside from the fact that this is the busiest season of the year for me (both at work and at home), I've also been in a bit of a tea-drinking rut, having the same cups over and over and over just because it's easy and familiar in a hectic time.

On and off again, I've been drinking:

Keemuns from both Adagio & Teas, Etc. I do so love Keemun.

Yunnan Noir & Black Pearls from Adagio (strong, wake-me-up tea)

Assam Melody from Adagion - because sometimes, you just want that malty raisin flavor.

Lapsang Souchong from Adagio - the last dregs of my big canister, sadly. I must order more soon...'tis the season for smoky tea!

Fall Decadence from The NecessiTeas - I just can't get over the caramel/orange/cranberry blend. It's odd, and oddly inviting...as well as very warming in the snowy cold weather we've been having.

Tropical Green, also from The NecessiTeas - smells like Juicy Fruit, and we drank it over ice for dinner one night. Very yummy stuff, that.

Raspberry Tart from Teas, Etc. - in my cup today.

I've been thinking about my puerh cabinet lately. I haven't done a puerh tasting in quite awhile, and every time I open the cabinet to get a teapot out or put one back, the most wonderful earthy scent comes wafting out into the room. I'm well aware that my environment here in arid Montana isn't optimal (or even good) for aging puerh, but even if it's just sitting there, that lovely aroma calls to me every time I open the door.

I'm certainly no gongfu brewing expert, but when I do get out the yixing ware and brew up several cups of puerh, it's a very centering experience. Perhaps I'll make some time next week for a session in the midst of the last minute Halloween party prep chaos.

Back to the Journal

I know - switching format again isn't cool, or kosher, or a good way to run a blog. But frankly, I can't keep up with this monster I've created. Yes, I know it's my own fault, I started it (all of them - I have 4 blogs, for anyone who's wondering *why* I can't keep up). Now I have to figure out how to deal with it. I can't even begin to say how much I enjoy blogging, but when it becomes stressful, I have to step back and reevaluate. There's no point if it's just adding pressure to my life.

This blog started as my own personal "journal" of tea drinking, steeped in the guise of reviews. I was both flattered and astounded that so many people would want to read my little notes on tea (this blog was pretty popular once upon a time, not to brag - it was just shocking). I think I let it go to my head, and then when I couldn't keep up, I bailed. Then I revamped, trying to turn it into something that would "give back". A noble idea, but just too much with all the other things I have going on.

So I'm reverting this blog back to what it started as. Just a personal tea-drinker's journal. I may post formal reviews, I may just post my thoughts about what I'm drinking on any given day. I may wax painfully poetic about tea and life at times (those times are bound to be boring, I'll warn you now). I'll probably post about teaware and tea parties and tea at parties occasionally, but it will all be random, as any journal is. The only thing I'll commit to is posting at least once per week, to maintain a record of my tea drinking for myself and anyone else who might be interested. I may post more sometimes, it just depends on the day and whether I feel compelled to make note of what I'm drinking. No pressure.

I've also removed all advertising from the blog - I wasn't making any money from it anyway. All links you might find here from now on are commission free, and to companies I personally buy from and highly recommend to anyone looking for a good cuppa tea.

If you're interested in what I'm drinking on any given day and maybe a quick note about them, follow me on Twitter @TeaOnTap. I post there most weekdays, unless I get super-busy at work.

I'm drinking the new Adagio Chai's this week, as well as some fall teas from The NecessiTeas. Notes on those coming up...

Tea & Life: Weight Management via the Leaf

No, this isn’t another post about how some substance in tea works to raise metabolism and helps you lose weight. It’s also not a post about how healthy tea is, or how drinking a certain number of cups will arrest cancer cells, slow the aging process, and detox the liver. I’m not a scientist, and while tea may or may not do all those things (depending on which reports you read), the manner in which it helps me manage my weight is much, much simpler than any of that.

The fact is, I like tea. I like the taste. I like the variety of flavors available. I like it straight – it’s very rare that I’ll put sweetener or milk in my tea. I find it far more palatable than a glass of plain water. Even flavored tea is very low-cal when compared to soda or juice.

That’s the secret. It’s just that simple. Because I enjoy tea so much, it’s easier for me to choose it as a beverage over soda (which is my second choice) or any other calorie-laden beverages. I do choose tea over water much of the time, but it’s okay, since it’s a healthy choice. A fresh pitcher of iced tea with dinner makes it easy to say no to anything else. It’s refreshing and hydrating after working in the yard or exercising.

Not only am I able to avoid sugary drinks, but I also drink more fluid overall. When I drink water, I drink less (and more slowly). I’ll drink more tea just for the flavor, and more quickly, keeping my body better hydrated.

Do you reach for tea rather than other beverages? Why or why not?

Tea & Life: The Gift of Tea

I like to give tea as gifts. Every Christmas, Mother’s Day and some birthdays I pick out tea or tea-related items to give to the people in my life. It can’t be just any tea, of course – it has to be one that the person is likely to enjoy, and as with all teas, it has to convey a certain sentiment in the drinking, at least to my mind.

At Christmas I’ll often give two teas together, a black spicy tea for energy and enthusiasm, and a green or white tea for calm reflection after the celebration is over. I try to pay attention to the recipient’s needs – if they are normally a person who wouldn’t take the time for loose tea, I’ll find a high-quality teabag to give. If I suspect they may be ready to take the leap, I’ll give loose tea, along with a steeping basket or teapot. I’ll often give a little snack to have with the tea as well…cookies, cookie sticks, scone mix, etc. I’ve found that if you’re careful in the choosing, you really can’t go wrong with a gift of tea.

This year, I’ve been thinking about Christmas gifts (yes, already – don’t laugh too hard), and have decided to make at least one personalized calendar, more if the one comes out well. And I’ve decided that two of my calendar pages will feature tea – one in the winter for hot tea, and one in the summer for iced tea. This wouldn’t work for a tea purist who insists that tea be as fresh as possible for consumption, but I’ve never been one of those people (year-old tea in my cupboard will still get brewed and enjoyed eventually, even if the container’s not airtight), and neither is anyone in my family, so we’re all good there.

The idea is to attach a small tin to each page with enough tea for a pot, with the instructions on the calendar page itself. I’m thinking a chai blend for winter, and a white or green flavored tea for summer. I think the recipients will really enjoy getting a little “gift” of tea from me twice in the coming year.

Another idea I had for a gift (birthday or Christmas) is a personalized “Tea-of-the-Month” club. The idea is to gift a tea on the holiday, and then send/take the person a different tea every month of the year. To take it one step further, it could be a monthly invitation to “take tea” together once monthly, though logistically it would be more difficult, schedules being what they are. I have someone in mind who would probably really like this type of gift, and may use it next year for her birthday.

When was the last time you gave someone the gift of tea?

Tea Life: Tea with Food

An interesting thing has come to light during these first interviews I’ve gotten back. It seems that among my admittedly small sampling (4 so far), tea drinkers either don’t drink tea with their meals, or think very little about it. It’s interesting to me because I’m one of those who doesn’t normally drink tea with my meals, but when I do, I give much thought to what tea to serve with different types of food.

I tend to drink black tea throughout the day at work, for the caffeine & flavor. I always have a banana and a granola bar for breakfast (at my desk), so in the morning I tend to drink either flavored blacks that won’t “clash” with the banana, or malty blacks like Yunnan or Assam teas to pair with my granola bar. In the afternoon is when I indulge in more exotic flavored blacks or the occasional dark oolong. I tend not to drink anything with lunch, as I’m a “sipper”, and there’s just no time to “sip” when I need to eat and get back to work, but occasionally I’ll whip up a bowl of Matcha, especially in the winter. But it depends on what I’m eating, since the flavor of Matcha is so distinct.

I tend to drink water with dinner, though I’m sure my husband would appreciate iced tea more often. I only think about iced tea with certain foods though – hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks…otherwise I tend to forget it’s even an option. Normally it’s black iced tea as well, since that’s what hubby prefers, though I have several Japanese green teas I’d like to try iced, if I can remember to do it! I’m going to try an experiment this week, making tea (iced or hot, weather dependent) for dinner every night to pair with what we’re eating.

Late at night is when I tend to break out the green and white teas, along with herbal rooibos. Most of the time I sip them on their own, but occasionally I want a cookie or something alongside.

When I’m entertaining, since neither hubby or I drink coffee, we offer our guests tea instead. For a party I always have three options – a black or oolong, a green or white, and an herbal (rooibos, usually). I spend a lot of time deciding which teas to pair with the menu, so that the flavors will all compliment each other. Even when it’s just a dinner for family I still make sure the tea offerings pair with whatever I’m serving.

So what about you? Do you drink tea with your meals? Why or why not?

Tea & Life: Tea at Work

I spend my weekdays in an office, behind a desk. Some days are stressful, others blissfully quiet, but all have the potential to become busy and/or stressful without notice.

As in most offices, the majority of my co-workers drink coffee. When I come in, the coffee pot is already working hard to provide them with liquid energy to get them through the day. While I’m just as addicted to caffeine as anyone else, I can’t stand the smell or taste of coffee, so I merely attempt to keep from wrinkling my nose as I walk past, travel cup of tea in my hand.

I don’t know if it’s the same for coffee drinkers, but for me, my cup of tea is my respite from the “busy-ness” of work. I drink mainly black tea, so the kick of caffeine is still there, but taking a sip isn’t so much energizing as quietly calming, centering, if you will. The flavors roll over my tongue calling attention to the moment, and no matter what is going on around me, I’m relaxed in that particular instant.

I’m a sipper – a 12 to 16oz. cup of tea will last me most of the morning, unless it’s a particularly stressful day. Another cup lasts most of the afternoon. On stressful days, I sip more – taking more “mini-breaks”, perhaps? On those rare occasions that I forget to make tea (or worse, left the prepared cup sitting on the counter), the work is harder, more forced, and less pleasant all around. Tea makes work so much more palatable.

Without tea, I suspect the entirety of my career would be fraught with drama, and far more stress than I experience now. I’ll not be testing the theory anytime soon – I’ll keep my tea, thank you.

My question to ponder for today is, does tea affect your work life? How?

Tea & Life: Tea On Tap - Revised

Greetings, and welcome to the revised version of Tea On Tap. My own experience with tea and tea culture has "evolved" into something much larger than simply reviewing teas, and it's my hope that the new format here will be informative, interesting, and entertaining. Naturally I also hope that it will encourage people to steep themselves in tea culture, if you'll excuse the pun.

To me, the culture surrounding tea is something special. It's not just the community, though that's a big part of it. It's not just the beverage either. It's everything together - leaves, water, teaware, preparation, history, mindfulness and people, all coming together in a symbiotic relationship that promotes peace, health, and thoughtful living, even in the midst of chaos.

Sometimes it's difficult though to see how all of those things can fit into a normal, everyday life. Stress, deadlines, family drama and even housework can take over, leaving little time to enjoy the slower, more contemplative state that a cup of tea can foster. Learning how to find tea culture in small moments throughout the day is what I strive for, and what I hope to share on Mondays with the new "Tea & Life" Topic.

On Wednesdays, "Tea People" will be featured in a weekly interview of tea companies, bloggers, and anyone else I happen to come across with an affinity for tea. And Friday's "Tea On Tap" posts will feature a roundup of interesting blog posts and articles for the week, as well as a log of my tea drinking for the week. If I should come across a tea that stirs me to a review, I'll post those occasionally on an unscheduled day.

On Sundays, "Tea Tales" will feature a new piece of tea-themed writing to enjoy with a cuppa, either short fiction or poetry. If you would like to submit work for possible inclusion, send me an email with the piece included in the body and I'll get back to you within a couple of days. I'll post a link to your web site or blog, and you'll retain all rights, of course.

I'm excited about this new format - please feel free to comment or drop me a line at any time, and thank you for sharing this journey with me.