CHAroma select Send Message

I’m going to have a dinner of tea, popcorn, and maybe some Cheetos Puffs.

Do I need to even say it? I’ve had one Hell of a day. Rather than go into the sordid details, I’ll just try to move on with a hot cup of tea in hand and maybe a sappy romance movie to go with the popcorn. I’ll save the Cheetos for dessert.

I’ve had these Adagio teas sitting in my cupboard for what seems like forever. Adagio was one of the first (maybe the first) online tea vendor that I tried when my obsession with tea began two years ago. No, Lupicia was the first. Oh well, then maybe Adagio was the second. Needless to say, I really need to finish up these teas.

First up is Cream! It’s nearly eight o’clock, so I really shouldn’t be drinking caffeinated black tea. But that’s always my excuse for not drinking my black teas when I get home after work. And I never make them during the day because I don’t have my ideal tea making apparatuses at work. Plus, then I’d have to bring milk. I can hardly ever drink black tea without milk. But I digress.

Tonight feels like a cream night. If I wasn’t so lazy, I might go out and buy some whole milk to make a chai latte. Or maybe I’d buy some fresh strawberries and whipping cream and make myself a treat. But alas, I am lazy and don’t plan on leaving the comforts of home even for a minute. The tea kettle is whistling and now it’s finally, months later, time to try this tea that claims to taste like cream.

First whiff of the dry leaves is cream. Second whiff is chocolate. Third whiff is…Robitussin? Yep, smells like cherry cough syrup. How weird. Adagio suggests 1 tsp per cup at boiling water for 3 minutes. I didn’t think 1 tsp of leaves sounded like very much (or looked like very much), so I made it more like 2 tsp minus a little bit because I didn’t want it to be too strong.

The aroma of the brewed tea is now just black tea. I’m expecting to have to add milk and sugar like I always do. But it’s called Cream, so I’m hoping I’ll like it straight, or at the very least without adding milk. It’s still a little too hot to try. I don’t want to burn my tongue and ruin the rest of what could be a fun tea consuming marathon night.

Contemplating the warm aroma while I wait, I think this will be a good one. It has a nice, solid, “I am black tea!” aroma. Hopefully, it will be a good morning tea. I’ve been making coffee lattes to go with my English Muffins for breakfast lately. I know, I know. How can I cheat on tea? Well, sometimes tea just doesn’t cut it. Or more accurately, my tea strainer is almost always still dirty from the night before, and I never want to clean it when I wake up. Coffee seems the only choice.

Okay, at the risk of burning my taste buds off, I’m going to try some now. Wow, it’s still pretty hot. I blew on it and the steam fogged up my glasses. I’m probably going to regret this, so I’ll wait a few more minutes. I should just stop writing and come back in a few when I can actually blog about the tea itself. But as I said, it’s been one Hell of a day. I need to keep myself occupied so I don’t dwell on the negative. I have a habit of downward spiraling into oblivion. I do have to say, something smells excellent in my apartment! I wish I could say it’s this tea (not that the tea doesn’t smell good), but this is something else. Bread? Honey? Butter? I can’t figure it out. Maybe I should eat a more substantial dinner than I have planned. My nose could be trying to tell me something. Nah, where’s the fun in that? ;)

Okay, enough’s enough. (Man, I hate it when my fiancé says that, and now here I am saying it). Enough waiting. First sip…wow! I’m pleasantly surprised! This actually does taste like cream! Sweet cream ice cream to be exact with a light background of black tea. This is insane!!! I can’t believe it! I really wasn’t expecting this. Maybe it’s my dark mood or my empty stomach, but this is just fantabulous! I’m even drinking it straight and enjoying it! I wouldn’t have bet on this, but clearly my instincts were on target the day I bought it. Oh, and that aroma I was smelling earlier? Pie crust. It’s definitely pie crust. Like from a chicken pot pie. Man, I’m hungry.

Anyway, the more I sip on this, the more the black tea begins to take center stage. There’s a slight hint towards bitterness at the end of the sip, but nothing I can’t handle. At the risk of turning this into a normal blah cup of tea, I’m going to add milk and sugar. Nope. I just can’t do it. Walked all the way to the kitchen, opened the fridge, pulled out the milk, took the cap off, and held it over the cup..but no. Maybe on the second steep. I hardly ever re-steep black teas. Don’t ask me why. Okay, now I feel like I have to give an explanation. I’m not really sure why. I guess I find black tea too strong on the first steep (thus my solution is to add milk and sugar) and too weak on the second steep (thus my solution is to not brew it).

Man oh man, this is going to make a great base for something! Maybe I’ll try my hand at creating my very own Adagio custom blend. I also still have some pure peppermint leaves left over. I bet just a touch of those would be great with this! Pretty much anything would be great with this. I’m really impressed, Adagio. I didn’t think you could do it. But this truly does taste like cream! Well done!! :)

And I’m buying a chicken pot pie for dinner tomorrow. :)