Cuppa Geek

A little history:

Nearly twenty years ago I was a cake decorator. I also worked a seasonal job in a bakery during one fall semester of university. I hate baking. I love when other people bake for me. Not tonight.

Something stirred within me and I’m baking a damned lemon poundcake. It’s maybe 5 minutes from being transferred to a cooling rack. I got a little wild and made a lavender-lemon-Parker’s Evening Blend glaze. I really wanted to utilize the blue dyeing property of the butterfly pea flower and then remembered reading that lemon juice changes the blue to some other color. So my glaze is a light pink. Which probably won’t show up against the golden brown of the poundcake but daaaamn is that glaze delicious.

I can’t wait. It’s like 930 pm and I’m so stoked for this.

Tonight’s wind-down cup is Parker’s Evening blend, a pretty simple blend of chamomile, peppermint, butterfly pea flower, lemongrass and honey granules. CuppaGeek uses whole chamomile flowers in her blends and the difference in quality between this and most chamomile teabags is obvious! The chamomile is sweet, fresh and very appley. The peppermint I can’t taste but I do notice a slight opening of my chest and sinuses. This was my first blend with butterfly pea flowers and they really do turn the tea a brilliant purplish blue. I think they contribute just a hint of musty flavor. Light lemongrass taste. Not sure if it’s the chamomile and/or honey granules (which I can’t see in the dry mix) contributing to the honeyed body and flavor, but the sweetness is mild and pleasant. I do notice a lingering sweetness in my throat. The addition of butterfly pea flowers makes this a caffeine-free blend that I think would attract young sippers… so I ordered a pouch of this for my niece. Overall — smooth, sweet and simple.

Advent Day 15, From the Depths of the Grab Bag.

sniffs packet “Mmm, citrusy.”

<me, curious> Yeah?

“Yeah? Citrus?”

<me, poking> I dunno. What do you think?

lotta sips "Hm. Maybe some lemongrass? chokes It’s pleasant. Even though I just choked. Maybe a little vanilla? Maybe it’s got a little hibiscus? Maybe it’s raspberries.

<me, knowingly> Raspberries?

“Raspberries, strawberries? Some kind of berry flavor. It’s good, it’s light, buRRRrrps it’s refreshing. It’s very pleasant – I like it – I’d give it a 7.5 because I would drink it again. It’s a good blend, a go-to. So what kind is it?”

The aroma tickled my housemate as I poured her a cup from the pot. She’s definitely into it. The lemongrass reigns in this caffeine-free blend. I often find lemongrass sharp on my palate. Here it’s well tempered by jammy-sweet blueberry. I lean toward tart blueberry flavor versus jammy but I found this to be a totally pleasant profile.

The last sentence in Cuppa Geek’s pitch for this one is: "Customers have commented that this tea reminds them of lemonade! " Clearly, those customers have never scarfed half a package of Archway soft lemon sugar cookies in a sugar fit (the good Archway kind from when I was a kid, not the skimpy cut-production-corners version you get now).

…because this is the lovely liquid replica of that lemony cookie goodness. Superb.

Milk alchemy! I misjudged leaf-to-mug ratio and steeped this stronger than desired this morning; however, milk and a magic sprinkle of sugar not only toned down the nippiness, it pumped up the peppermint, which I knew was in the blend, but hadn’t really noticed before. It’s like getting a whole new tea!

Hope you have a minute as the year ends to stop and count some blessings that came your way in 2020. There were some. This year, you just have to look.

This is my third attempt to post a note today…you can tell I really want to brag on this one! Just want to underscore everything I said about it in a previous review. Fruit without tartness, without artificial candy flavor, just fruit. And cream…well, that’s just the whipped cream and cherry on top.

Simply because I am craving autumn, the tea name had me envisioning something a little tart and sharp, like scones with unsweetened cranberries. This went another direction, but I’m glad it took me along for the ride. Think berries and cream instead, smooth and sweet.

Now, because I forgot whether my Saturday mug (surely you have a mug for each day of the week, too) was 12 or 16 ounces, I think I overleafed somewhat, because the bottom third of the cup was a little bitter. I’m calling that “leaf fail” on my part, rather than on the tea’s. Can’t wait to try this with a little dairy.

This is/was/will be one of my favorites from Cuppa Geek; it filled the void left when Celestial Seasons pulled my favorite Sweet Apple Chamomile out of rotation. It was just a little sharper in flavor thanks to a reasonable shot of hibiscus. My packet is almost out of apple bits, so this cup was mostly chamomile and hibi. Then (light bulb! duh! I have a cupboard full of additive possibilities, but never think to use them) I added a big beautiful glob of honey from the Bee Trace Apiary in Macon, MO (isn’t that a delightful name?) and now we’re back to a sweet slice of pie.

We’ve had a blissful, rainy break from the heat, so unwinding this evening with a warm cuppa is a treat. Strenuous day ahead tomorrow (day two of summer VBS with 10-year-olds: think “Marine boot camp”) so I am in need of a good night’s sleep, and a little chamomile certainly can’t hurt. Chamomile and apple nestle together well, especially in NIchole’s recipe, which adds a little twinkle of cinnamon to the mix. I’ve never quite picked up the (just a hint of rum) that’s the subtitle of this CuppaGeek herbal blend, but it’s still a lovely stand-in for the Sweet Apple Chamomile that Celestial Seasonings pulled from their line-up.

How are you all doing? Is July treating you kindly?

Thanks to the lovely and talented ashmanra, I have been introduced to CuppaGeek. I am a sucker for wordplay and creative titles, so Double Golden Bonus Points were awarded right away after browsing selections on the website.

My first pick was Baked Apple Pie (with a hint of rum). It’s one of those herbal blends that also needs to be a potpourri—CuppaGeek nailed the pie scent. You might need to buy one packet to drink and one to sniff.

With really “chunky” herbal blends (lots of apple hunks and chamomile heads), the flavor differs a little with each cup, depending on the mix that comes up in your spoon. Last night’s nightcap was light on the rum and cinnamon and the apple-chamomile came through nicely and well balanced in the foreground. Tonight’s may be slightly different.

I have been whining for months about the demise of Celestial Seasonings’ Sweet Apple Chamomile. I’ll hush now—I’ve met its much more luxurious stepchild.

May Sipdown Prompt – an Earl Grey plus tea

This is an actual sipdown! Because this tea triple steeps, my remaining two teaspoons gave me enough tea to have it hot for breakfast and set aside a large jar to chill for lunch.

This is light on the bergamot rather than being a powerful in-your-face Earl Grey, and this final bit was especially blessed with lavender flowers. Think Earl Grey Cream with lavender. I consider this to be in the same flavor group as Paris, which I have sipped down, and Perseus, also gone now. They also all start with P! Very similar teas and all very special.

February Sipdown Challenge – self care – do something that feeds your soul

My soul has been enjoying this day since early this morning. I got up early, after Ashman left for work (he leaves quite early) and before daughter got up to go to her job.

And I puttered around quietly! I dearly love doing that! It really feeds my soul, and having a bit of alone time is precious to me. I have nothing on my schedule today, so I watered some plants, filled the bird baths, took out the spent paperwhites and planted them in the garden for a hopeful return next year, and just enjoyed the quiet. I made breakfast, lit a candle, and drank some tea, then carried it to my craft room and made a card for an upcoming anniversary. More bliss! I sat outside on the patio and watched Sam roam and dig in his two diggy spots, while drinking a glass of iced Vanilla Rose Cake from Cuppageek. Lovely!

And then I got a surprise package from derk! Derk, you are one of the awesomest people on the planet, did you know that?

Wow. My heart is overwhelmed by what a lovely day this has been.

As for the tea – this is all about the tea, right? – this blend was one of my favorite Cuppageek blends ever. I bought a lot of it and put it in a tin so it would stay extra fresh. It reminds me a bit of Paris by Harney and Sons, and even more of Perseus by The ODor. The black tea base is just right, and the flavors here are smooth and creamy. More bergamot than lavender, lots of vanilla and thick cream – I think even a bergamot hater would like this. And I feel like even if you don’t like lavender, this blend could probably win you over. It is a delight.

I have not been enjoying my tea as much as I could have because I was staying so focused on finishing all the Fortnum Advent tea. (Two to go, if you are wondering. One of them is close to finished.)

With relief and defiance I decided to take up Mastress Alita’s Scavenger Hunt and drink what I wanted. This was my first, and it was really hard to decide whether to use it as my black tea or tea that I would drink every day. But I don’t really drink flavored tea every day so black tea prompt it is.

I was undecided at first what to drink but one sniff was all it took to settle me on this one. The aroma is pure, rich caramel that is so heady, so thick, so strong that I had to have it. I know it is cream and vanilla but it smells like caramel to me.

Then the fruitiness kicks in and makes another layer of bergamot and orange goodness singing soprano over the top of that rich bass line. The lavender is a sweet, soft harmony. The bergamot here doesn’t turn off the Earl Grey haters who have tried this at my house.

I really like this one. Thank goodness this is not yet close to a sipdown. I stocked up on it because it is so good. It is similar to Paris by Harney, but honestly I like this one more.

Three steeps, all combined up front.

I am excited to announce that I have a new padawan! That is what my family calls it when I meet someone who wants to get into tea so I shower them with tea and info. My padawan is a co-worker of my daughter’s and I think he is about to start college. I haven’t met him in person but we have texted and I have sent tea via my daughter.

He went to a local tea shop and bought orange spice, lapsang, and forest berry teas. I sent an assortment from my stash and he liked them all, even Bai Mu Dan which I thought might be too subtle after the flavored teas he started with, and he really enjoyed Premium Jasmine Dragon Pearls from Teavivre. I also sent Paris and unsmoked lapsang.

Last night I ordered the sampler from Cuppageek for him. You get six teas for $5 and I chose my six favorites in hopes they would appeal to him, too. I can’t wait for them to get here!

With that on my mind, I chose Parker’s Blend for breakfast today. I had transferred it to a tin since I have purchased rather a bit of it, and it smelled sooo good today when I popped that double lid open. I know the description says there is a touch of cream flavor, but really it was SUCH a creamy and fruity aroma that hit me that I just had to go “mmmmmmmm” right then and there. I still don’t understand how Nichole makes tea that steeps three times but she does. I steeped one teaspoon thrice and put it all together for a good sized eighteen ounce pot.

Check out the May ParTea on Cuppageek! I ordered the first two fruity blends and am super excited for the caffeine free version of Pina Colada. I have never had a Pina Colada but it sounds delicious!

Rain, rain…all day long. I had this one for breakfast. I lit some candles to make it cozy in the house, made waffles and bacon, and settled in for a cup of Parker’s.

I used my Kamjove this time and I think I overleafed just a tad. It was a teaspoon – I did measure – but it was a slightly heaping one. I steeped, pushed the button, steeped again and blended the two.

I am not sad I overleafed a tad because it really made it great as a breakfast tea. If I make this for afternoon I think I will use a scant teaspoon. As it turned out today, it was super fruity and a little brisk, just what you want in the morning, especially with maple syrup on the plate!

Parker’s is more complex than a plain Earl Grey, and is more akin to a good Lady Grey with the fruit flavors in play.

Meanwhile, I am trying to learn qi gong. Anyone else have experience with it here?

I can’t write a really proper review for this yet, as I reviewed it for Sororitea Sisters and I have to wait until that one publishes. What I CAN do is tell you just a little about this tea.

This special blend, along with Parker’s Evening Blend, benefits St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, where Cuppageek’s son is being treated. These are some of his favorite tea blends!
And it is easy to see why.

Look at the ingredients. Think extra nice Lady Grey. For now I will say no more!

But nip on over to Cuppageek Teas if you can and treat yourself and some friends to some delicious tea, and help support a great hospital at the same time!

Perfectly fine, but not extraordinary. Has a mild butterscotch flavor that is pretty one-note. The apple pieces give it a tanginess that I don’t entirely care for with the butterscotch. The mini marshmallows are super cute!

Sipdown! Not sure if it’s because I didn’t use any sweetener this time around, or it’s just a bit older, but it doesn’t taste like an Eggo any longer. It has a tiny bit of a cinnamon/maple flavor, but it’s pretty bland.

This really does taste like an Eggo waffle! It’s a nice balance of maple syrup, cinnamon, and waffley goodness. I added a bit of brown sugar, and it was quite a treat this morning.

Sipdown 64-2021
So, this doesn’t taste like pineapple any longer. Can’t fault the tea, though. The ‘best steeped’ date is 8/2020. Mostly getting a bit of vanilla with the green tea.

Wow, this tea is pretty incredible. It really tastes like a pineapple cupcake. Very delicate pineapple, combine with the cake batter notes and make such a delightful cup.