spilling some tea

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 It kind of is right on brand to not have any “hot goss” to spill (as my daughter refers to it) but have actual tea reviews to share, haha! But, two things from this week first to balance off the tea reviews below!

 Lil Momma had December recital #1 of 2 last weekend! Her dance studio walked in a local parade and then she performed with her jazz and hip hop teams. It was pretty epic: for jazz, they did the Heat Miser song from A Year Without a Santa Claus (dressed as the Heat Miser) (they kind of looked like Beaker from The Muppets, which was amazing!) and for hip hop, they did a remix of Ice, Ice Baby, a seminal song from my youth. LM has been walking around randomly saying “to the extreme!” for weeks and it was so great to see her having such a wonderful time dancing on the stage.


I’m back in the office 3 days a week after being in and out of remote work since we lost my mom; I usually go in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so it was a bit weird to come back in after a legit break and remember how to socialize and all that. (I also severely underestimated bringing in snacks – and it’s only been a few weeks!!)… In February, we have to come in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and I will have to come in most Thursdays, as well) and the casual outfits I’ve been depending on are already becoming slightly not what I should be wearing, sigh, and will not be business casual enough in Feb. Added on is the fact that I have 2 options and wear one on Tuesday and one on Thursdays, so adding another day into the mix is really emphasizing that I need more clothes, SIGH. I ordered some pants to try on and have my fingers crossed I can find a “look” to carry me through this transition….

 

Now, on to the tea:

 

If you didn’t see, my family does advent calendars in December and this year I got myself a tea sampler one from the English Tea Shop to try and broaden my flavors. Here is how the first 6 days went!





Day 1 - Chai Charge “organic Roobios Herbal Tea with cinnamon cloves, turmeric, cardamom, garlic, and blue corn flour”


Added: 1/2 cup oat milk 


Thoughts: it smelled so spicy and interesting! I think it had more floral scent than taste - but I don’t know if I added too much milk? (I googled and that’s what it said…)


Would I try this again? Yes!!


Day 2 - Festive Spice “organic black tea with cinnamon, orange, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper”


Added: splash of oat milk 


Thoughts: very nutmeg forward. Maybe I need to add sugar?


Would I try this again? Yes - but not my 1st choice 


Day 3 - It was Super Star Anise. I couldn’t. I don’t Anise. 


Day 4 - Peachy Keen “organic hibiscus herbal tea with rosehip, lemon, lemongrass, cinnamon, and apple”


Added: splash of oat milk 


Thoughts: there’s no peach in it!! But it smell like peach. What is this? It was nice, tho, and Lil Momma loves an herbal tea


Would I try this again? Yes


Day 5  - Tropical Lemongrass “organic lemongrass herbal tea with peppermint, hibiscus, rosehip, chamomile, and apple”


Added: splash of oat milk 


Thoughts: I like lemongrass in food, but im not sure if I want to drink it…


Would I try this again? Possibly


Day 6 - Happy Holiday “organic green tea with cinnamon, pomegranate, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper”


Added: splash of oat milk 


Thoughts: I don’t think I’ve fully decided what “holiday” tea tastes like to me - but,

I really liked this ! It had some lovely spicy notes. 


Would I try this again? Yes!


 

Up tonight is Ghostly Green which is both giving me A Christmas Carol vibes, but also makes me wonder if it is a leftover from October?!?

 

Try anything new lately? Are you a warm drink in the morning, evening, never, or all-day everyday person?

Comments

  1. NicoleDecember 8, 2023 at 5:45 AM

    What a cute Advent calendar! I drink an entire pot of coffee in the morning (it's weak coffee, is my defense!) Occasionally I'll have an herbal tea in the afternoon, but not too often.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42December 8, 2023 at 8:00 AM

      An entire pot sounds delightful! I accidentally bought a much larger coffee cup and have been adjusting to drinking more (strong) coffee in the morning which has been a trip, haha!

      Delete
  2. ElisabethDecember 8, 2023 at 9:13 AM

    I love hot beverages all day long. Mostly decaf coffee these days (average of 2 cups). I stopped drinking tea very often, but just had a mug at a friends home (Yorkshire Gold; she's from the UK) and it was delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42December 11, 2023 at 5:35 AM

      Oh, I love Yorkshire Gold! That is my everyday tea. (I am such a Brit wannabe, haha!)

      Delete
  3. Birchwood PieDecember 8, 2023 at 10:29 AM

    I'm always here for a good tea spilling! My youngest stepson just became a tea drinker, and if he's still into it at this time next year I will totally get him a tea advent calendar. I love a good orange Pekoe tea, but I love coffee more and since I have to watch my caffeine the one cup of coffee that I have each day pretty much hogs my daily caffeine allowance.

    I haven't had to wear business casual since 2015 so I don't even know what I would do if I ever needed professional clothes again...I mean besides buy a lot of clothes. Eek.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42December 11, 2023 at 5:38 AM

      I fear it will end up with me buying a lot of clothes, sigh. My newest idea is to take my measurements, do a bunch of online shopping, find some gumption to try it all on, and then ask my guy to hold me accountable to return what doesn't work (I am so bad about returns) (which is part of why I don't buy clothes)... More likely, it will be desperation and cardigans. (Maybe that should have been the name of my blog?)

      Delete
  4. Life of a Doctor's WifeDecember 8, 2023 at 1:39 PM

    I love your reviews! And I am with you on the no anise. Yuck.

    Having to increase your days in the office from two to three sounds very challenging! My guess is it will get easier with time, but of course there is an adjustment period.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42December 11, 2023 at 5:38 AM

      Of course, the anise has come up 2 more times, oof! My family is finding it hilarious, tho, haha!

      Delete
  5. SanDecember 9, 2023 at 2:00 PM

    Oh boy, transitioning back to more "in-person office" work is indeed hard... it's nice to live in my sweatpants for most of the week (I currently go in only one day and I like it that way).

    I really loved that you're sharing your tea testing adventures and document it. Sounds like you tried a few you like, but none that would make the "must buy a whole box immediately" types, am I right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42December 11, 2023 at 5:39 AM

      You read me right, San! Now that I'm having a different tea every day, part of me just wants to keep buying samplers because nothing has grabbed me enough to make me want a whole box and I like living this wild tea-drinking life, haha!

      Delete
  6. JennyDecember 11, 2023 at 6:14 PM

    You know, I have that problem with every single chai I make at home- it's not strong enough. I'm not sure what the solution is- maybe using two tea bags? I do like chai so I should keep trying to get it right. That green tea sounds really nice! I hope we get an update on more teas soon : )

    ReplyDelete
  7. Tobia | craftaliciousmeDecember 13, 2023 at 12:25 PM

    This calendar sounds so yummy.
    I am not a fun of roibush teas. Also I find it very interesting that you add milk to all of them. I would only do that for black teas and sometimes chai and very rarely green tea. But never fruit or herbal tea.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnneDecember 15, 2023 at 6:35 AM

    Oooh, the last one you tried sounds promising!! Can't wait to read more. (And yes, I forgot about your pending reviews and came here hoping for gossip. ;>)

    ReplyDelete

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