2462 Tasting Notes
I was making soup when the doorbell rang. I was surprised because I wasn’t expecting a package and no one else ever rings the doorbell. I set down my spoon and hurried to the door where the dogs (I am keeping my grandpup for two weeks) were enthusiastically announcing the presence of the postal carrier and there was indeed a box by the door! A surprise box from White Antlers!
I read the nicest letter and then dug into the box of goodies. Everything looks so good! I picked this to be the first I try.
About the soup – I was inundated with cucumbers from the garden. I have given away cucumbers. Made cucumber sandwiches and cucumber salad. Some cucumbers were about to get away from me, looking a little sad in the fridge but still edible. They are not a sort suitable for pickles.
So I cooked some onion, added broth, tossed in chopped cucumber, lots of dill, garlic, evap milk because I don’t usually keep cream on hand, blended it….and it was really delicious. But I really didn’t taste cucumber. It could easily have been cream of zucchini. I decided to make it go a little further and added finely diced carrot and potato. Topped it with mozzarella. Yes! We will have this for a couple of days for supper.
All that added to say that when I saw the instructions for this tea, I was a little leery of sencha with boiling water. I looked at other reviews and decided to go with a lower temp and short time. And when the water hit the leaves…it smelled a lot like the soup on the stove!
A short steep of two minutes and…This tea is THICK. Or as the young whippersnappers like to say THICC.
The name would imply the taste of cherries, but it is not cherry. It is salted cherry leaves, such as the brined leaves wrapped around mochi. There is nothing fruity about this tea. It is savory through and through!
This is like drinking a broth, nice and salty, something that would take the edge off your hunger when you are sick and can’t really eat anything but you are hungry nevertheless.
And what was really cool was that it smelled so similar to my soup that was still simmering on the stove. This would be an excellent addition to the base for a fresh vegetable soup, especially a cucumber, zucchini, or turnip soup. YUM.
Thank you, White Antlers! There are so many teas in the box that I can not wait to try!
You are most welcome. Thank YOU for all your lovely reviews over the years. I don’t really have family so it’s been nice to get Steepster window peeps at yours. : ) And that soup sounds fantastic! YUM!
Well… nice idea for that soup :D And enjoy the teas!
Your soup sounds good. Glad to hear you’re having success with cucumbers. Ours are slow-growing this year.
Derk: We grew burpless this year and they are so big! Not good for pickles so using them up in recipes. For tomorrow, “Youngest” has convinced me to make shakshouka!
I almost didn’t add this because it is no longer listed on their website. In case it is a seasonal tea that will come back this fall, I am adding it.
I reviewed this for Sororitea Sisters and will just link to that review.
Meanwhile, stay cool and stay hydrated, everyone! It is brutal out there!
http://www.sororiteasisters.com/2020/07/20/naughty-or-anise-tiesta-tea/
My friend dropped off three Piper and Leaf samples this morning. I steeped a sample, resteeped, added sugar, and put it in the fridge to chill. I waited a few hours to try it, but honestly all sweet tea tastes best after it has chilled for a whole day to me, minimum is probably eight hours.
Though it is called Front Porch, I am actually drinking this on the back carport which never has cars in it, just rockers. A huge fan is blowing on me because it is 94F with a heat index of 103F.
I will see how this tastes tomorrow, but my assessment now is that it needs more flavor, so I probably should not have combined two steeps. My husband said he tastes the mint mostly, but I barely noticed it. I got more bergamot, but it wasn’t a lot of bergamot. Mostly high notes without a lot of middle and base.
I try not to add much sugar but I think this could have used more just to up the flavor. It isn’t bad, but at the prices they charge I expect it to be absolutely stellar.
Tried it again tonight now that it has had more time to “meld” as my Mother always said. It is better. I think the problem is I don’t like bergamot on Ceylon, and the Earl I enjoy much is with a Keemun base. I think most people would enjoy this and it isn’t bad, just not quite living up to my high hopes in this sticky summer weather.
It is ridiculously hot and humid, though I confess this is one of the coolest summers I can remember so far. I think this week is our first where the highs are in the 90’s every day. For breakfast, I have opted to drink this peach tea so I can tell myself the peaches mean summertime even though my tea is hot. I am making a full pot and icing half with a bit of sugar to serve as my lunchtime tea. Morning tea is taken plain.
I think I prefer my peach tea without ginger. That leaves this and Charleston Tea Plantation (owned by Bigelow) in competition as the two I have tried, but this one just seems more accessible somehow. My middle daughter bought this for my birthday and I am really enjoying it.
The peach flavor tastes fresh and natural instead of artificial and cloying. (Peach yogurt utterly gags me.) It even resteeps well, which means I can make it by the pitcher without it costing a fortune. The black tea is plenty strong without being harsh or bitter. Even though I sweeten MOST of my ice tea including this one, it would be really enjoyable without sugar cold, too.
I am having trouble with my messages on here, so White Antlers – I did reply to your message which blessed me so much, but I don’t know if you can retrieve it! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Ashmanra, I got your reply. Thanks for being so dear and gracious. : )
Oh, and I get the 503 error when I try to send a message, too.
It’s OK, your heat wave is in Missouri this week and next.
White Antlers: I am glad the message sent! For days now I have had a notification that I have another message, but when the mail page will open, there is nothing new there.
Gmathis: No relief for the heat in sight here. I would be happy to see highs in the 80’s!
ashmanara-I think that is because when I send a message via Steepster, for some reason the system sends it TWICE. Oy!
I wish both of you ladies some cooler temperatures. Philadelphia is a humid jungle from May through October and temps rarely dip below the high 80s and are usually in the 90s and upwards-plus very high HUMIDITY.
I guess everyone has seen the post, either here or on Facebook, that Adagio is going to be running Steepster henceforth. I hope it doesn’t change too much! This is my 90% of my social life! Ha ha!
I can’t believe this was not already in my cupboard, as Superanna gave it to me a while back and I have drunk it many times.
This is a Keemun tea with rose flavor, slightly less rose-y than Rose Scented by Harney and Sons, and with deeper, darker tea notes due to the base being Keemun instead of Ceylon. Both are great, and this one is better for my husband who doesn’t like his tea too terribly floral.
It does not need milk and sugar to smooth or sweeten, but it is strong enough that I feel it would be really great that way if that is how you prefer your tea.
Any idea why they call it pouchong? Pouchong is Bao Zhong. This is Keemun and to all taste and appearance is black tea. I hope someone knows and will enlighten me!
It was a great pot of tea to start my day!
Seriously? No, I had not seen anything about management change. (I am not completely weaned, but trying to spend progressively less time on FB—tends to drag my attitude in directions it doesn’t belong!)
There is an announcement here on the discussion page, too. and I agree. Spending less time on Facebook and feel like I have to look at it with one eye closed and the other peeping.
I saw it a little while ago and honestly I’m scared they are going to change everything to the point that it’s unrecognizable. I’m waiting until my emotions about the whole thing subside and I can comment with a level head. All of the other Adagio sites that Jason mentioned look exactly the same and I don’t want that to happen to Steepster. I love the community here (my social life is mostly here too!) and I don’t want to see everything replaced by something more aligned with Adagio’s corporate brand. I do appreciate Jason and Mike keeping up the costs of the site, but I also wish they would have considered asking us our thoughts as we are the ones using the site daily. That’s probably just me being selfish, but maybe someone here would have been interested in taking over. I know I would have been glad to help with cost and admin duties, personally. Anyway, I’ll leave some suggestions in the discussion post later, but this is me venting a bit. So sorry to take over your comments with my mood, lol.
I hadn’t heard the news either… I don’t use social media, and given all the spam/bugs, I haven’t even been on Steepster’s discussion boards in ages, as well. I hated that the site had been left to rot with bugs/no improvement, but I do not like a tea company being in charge, which feels fueled with bias and creates an environment that just feels… not as welcoming to other companies/etc. Too many moods right now…
hadn’t heard. I don’t bother with the boards here most days and adagio isn’t really a company i follow for the limited time i’m on FB.
I saw the post by Steepster on Facebook first and then came here and saw it on the discussion board. I almost never look at the discussion boards, but I was specifically checking for it. It is the same as the FB announcement, no difference. Here’s hoping we see improvements and not destruction of the community we have here.
Shae: I think a lot of us would have been willing to contribute to keeping Steepster up and running. I hope it all turns out okay. I hope adagio is paying attention to what the Steepsterites want.
The latest statement on the board from Michael at Adagio:
My Adagio Teas colleagues and I are honored by the opportunity to restore Steepster as the preeminent destination for tea discussion and knowledge, especially at a time when online communities are so important to our social wellbeing. In days to come, we will listen and note your ideas for the improvements that you’d like us to prioritize as we work to make Steepster a welcome place for all.
Color me cynical :/
Haven’t heard; but noticed (and read) it after reading few tasting notes.
I am cynical as derk and many others. I don’t like the idea it is going to be owned by some tea company. It won’t be really independent. I don’t like the ownership of tea comapny, but on the other hand, I am happy to see that something will happen! That it won’t shut down just one day and nobody will know what have happened! What about collecting e-mail adresses of our group here (are we only one active, or there are more groups like us?); and if something goes “wrong”, we can be in contact somehow and for example start some new discussion board or something we can work out (for example Discord).
I know, it won’t have this nice feeling of Steepster, but I would love to stay in touch with all you!
By the way, as I can’t write to discussion board by myself, consider me, I want to save “as is” as long as possible and fix all the mishaps and after that just start adding new features, new design etc.
I like the connectivity as well. This site is a big part of my social media and the friends from here are priceless.
I like you people. Don’t go anywhere.
Hopefully adagio keeps it mostly the same Steepster, just taking care of the bugs, but I’m not sure how that might benefit adagio?
Maybe Adagio can just advertise here and keep it the same. I know money drives things, but surely supporting a site that encourages the love of and exploration of tea would be beneficial. Please be good to us, Adagio! This is our happy place!
Just sad as it seems that there wasn’t any thought given to asking the community first to see if someone here would like to take it over
I’m cynical too but something traumatic would have to happen to this site for me to permanently abandon it. You all mean too much!
I see that Adiago asked for suggestions on the forums and I back everyone else who says the bugs need to be fixed first and foremost. Countless users, including myself, can’t even make posts on the forums!
I hadn’t heard this news either! Maybe that explains why I had such a hard time logging in today (admittedly, after two years of being away, but still).
Ashmanra, to answer the question in your review of this tea, the word ‘pouchong’ is a romanization of Bao Zhong.
@White Antlers, but what does Maofeng Keemun have to do with Bao Zhong? This tea tin labels itself as both in different places.
@CrowKettle I just saw your query. Frankly I have no clue. I am not familiar with the tea tin and I am more of a wordsmith than a teasmith.
White Antlers – I had somehow missed your comment from ten days ago! Yes, that was what was perplexing to me. I love my Wenshan Baozhong and have had a jasmine pouchong that was just okay, but they call this Rose Pouchong and the ingredient list says it is keemun. If I remember correctly, pouchong means “the wrapped kind”, so I am wondering if this wrapping treatment can be performed,on Keemun tea also, and that is what this refers to? It is definitely black tea, definitely Keemun taste and that is how they say to prepare it, and the tin doesn’t elaborate on why the name is pouchong. I should contact the company and see if they can answer our query! There is always something new and exciting to learn.
@White Antlers, That’s ok! Like ashmanra, I’m also perplexed about this tea label and wondered if there was a simple explanation rooted in etymology of tea names and labels, which is something I’m not super knowledgeable about.
@ashmanra, let me know if you do contact the company about this. Every now and then I fixate on this “mystery” and that probably won’t stop until my tin is gone. haha
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am drinking dumpster tea. Youngest found this dumpster diving at college as people moved out. Mind you, this wasn’t in a pile of banana peels and old rice, but piled with furniture and rugs and such. She found three teas, all sealed and unused. One was a yingde black – not very good but great for making gallons of sweet tea and nearly all gone now. One was a Long Jing that I haven’t tried yet.
This one was completely unlabeled, just in a sealed foil pouch. The leaves were medium length, thin, slightly twisted and very dark. I thought it might be black tea but it smelled like Chun Mee, which is not a favorite green for me.
I made it by black tea parameters, saw the wet leaves turn bright green, tasted the nasty astringency, and started over.
Made as a green tea, I think this probably IS Chun Mee. I might try to find a way to use it – sweet and flavored maybe? But since it was free tea and I know nothing of its origins, I might just toss it. It is not terrible, but I will definitely reach around this for the greens I love and then it will just be taking up space.
Thanks for the adventure, ”Youngest”!
Couldn’t be any worse than my Junkyard Tea Jar :)
Gmathis: I am guessing that is bits of leftover tea that didn’t have enough for a mug all mixed together?
Heh, my first Wuyi rock oolong was dumpstered. It led to a long and still ongoing affair with rock oolong. Way to be a resourceful one, “Youngest” and you adventurous, ashmanra :)
Derk: they have made some impressive furniture and houseware finds. I told her they should get lots of pieces and store them and sell them cheaply when students move in again in the fall! Cheap, good furniture for the newcomers, small income for the oldtimers!
I never stayed in the dorms at university. It wasn’t until the end of my senior year driving through that part of campus did I see all the dumpsters overflowing with everything. I thought about the same thing, storing all the worthy finds and staging a beginning-of-the-school-year thrift shop on campus. “Youngest”: go forth and make that money!
Yeah, it’s nice to see dumped things that are actually good and saved!
I hate the idea that food or something goes bad one day after best before date! It won’t, but they have to throw that away. I always check those “almost best before” aisles and I found wonderful stuff there.
And as I remember from Finland, there was a shop which belonged to charity and you can bring there anything and they sell it for cheap to everyone; no batter if student, someone in need or normal people. And there were wonderful things too (though I won’t enjoy the books in Finnish) :)
Treasures can be found just by the persons perspective. I always look around too..
Anybody can go buy something new. It takes someone with gumption and creativity to search out and repurpose! Ashmanra, yes—the Junkyard Tea Jar is the little bits and nubbins of unflavored black that I used to make iced tea when it’s just too doggone hot to care about anything except that it’s cold. It’s sort of like the Everlasting Gobstopper of Leaf; flavor profile changes daily.
Derk: she is off campus but most of the apartments are rented by students. They have some really good furniture and even a foosball table now!
Gmathis: that’s sounds like a great use of bits of tea to me!
Martin: Ask my family – I frequently tell them “if I fall ill or die, throw out the…(whatever expired or aged food I just ate).” Ha ha! They did rescue some naan bread as well!
Enjoy your dumpster tea! I’ve sometimes been tempted to put tea I don’t particularly like in the garbage, but worry no one will pick it up. Perhaps I should list it on Steepster so that avid tea drinkers can get the benefit of my four-year-old Darjeeling and six-year-old Yunnan green tea!
This is another tea from derk!
I wanted something to go with a blueberry croissant from a local bakery. It was almost more like a Krispy Kreme doughnut with blueberry filling. They are delicious but almost too sweet for me. I thought a nice roasted tea would offset the sweetness perfectly.
This is one of the darkest, most heavily roasted oolongs I have ever had – and I loved it. I do not like coffee, and I have tried to wrap my head around what it is that people like about coffee. When I have tried it, it is so bitter and strong that I just don’t get it.
Tonight, this tea made me almost get it. There was something about it that made me think of coffee, but I loved every sip. It has light body but such richness, like nearly burnt toast and roasted nuts – maybe toasted pecan? – and smoke. The flavor of the tea more than made up for the overly sweet dessert.
Thank you, derk, for a lovely tea experience!
Oh dang, that sounds like a great pairing.
Taking note. This is the type of oolong my hubby likes best.
derk – it was delicious! My husband had picked up the croissants for the virtual baby shower for our soon to arrive grandsons!
Gmathis – I highly recommend it! I think he would love it!
Will your grandsons be near ashmanra?
gmathis, I’d be happy to send you a sample to see if it’s something your husband would enjoy.
You aren’t old enough to have grandsons!! Twins, more similarities among us. Must be something in the family tree cousin, I have twin grandkids too.
Derk, we’ve never turned down a sample of anything, but absolutely no hurry. You enjoy it first.
Congrats, ashmanra!
I said I would try a third western steep, and I did! This time I invited my husband to drink it with me. He was more a white/green/oolong/puerh fan but is coming around on black tea fast – as long as it is not astringent. This one isn’t astringent at all.
Yes, it is weaker. Of course it is. But it was well worth steeping again and my husband really liked it even though he had not tried the first two steeps. I thought he would like it since the Fujian component is a tea he has tried before and liked a lot.
It seemed perhaps a little creamier or thicker in mouthfeel and I think that is because the cocoa note was slightly lighter and the dian hong was coming out a little more.
Great tea. Thanks, derk!
