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Needed something to wash out the dust in my gullet after mowing the lawn this afternoon. Having stirred up the Jumble of Neglected and Mismatched teabags in search of some pretty ones to share at an event earlier this week, one lone bag of Turyaga Ginger Lemongrass green tea levitated to the top and looked tasty. In theory.

Some gift grade teas surprise you; some are duds. This fell pretty solidly into the second category, tasting pretty much like a gingery version of what the mower had just spit out. Lemongrass does have a shelf life, and this bag had exceeded it. Eh. I guess it counts as a sipdown, quality or otherwise.

Wasn’t sure how this would ice down because of the chocolate—I hadn’t intended to—but due to a stuffy office, I dumped it over a tumbler full of cubes. Good surprise. Since it’s grapefruit-forward, it was very pleasant—likely even more so if I had steeped it to iced tea strength.

Another bagged party leftover I likely wouldn’t have tried on my own. I made a large mug with the intent of icing it down, but it’s half gone already. It’s as close to a “just tea” that I’ve ever had from H&S, but it’s clearly a step up from grocery store and food service Orange Pekoe—none of that nasty acidity. I’m thinking it would be a good base for milk/sugar and (well, maybe next time) iced.

Although my feet are killing me and my head is pulsating from an overdose of sugary scones and cookies, it was a pleasure to help with a tea celebrating the retirement of a dear work friend this afternoon. I had kettle and (by default) tea sommelier duty, assisting the less familiar with “what should I drink?”

Blueberry Green was the runaway favorite of the infrequent drinkers , and I can’t blame them … I hadn’t tried it before, myself. The cornflowers and vanilla do a bang-up job curtailing any tartness, and it was a perfect steeping buddy since we couldn’t keep the water at full boil the whole time.

In case you’re wondering, Hot Cinnamon Spice beat out Paris by a nose for second place, should you ever need to serve some tea for the un-tea’d masses.

Hallelujah and pass the crumpets! My three-pack finally arrived via Royal Mail. One of them is going straight to a work friend who is retiring. We’re throwing her a tea party. Mismatched cups and saucers, stacked china with pretty teabags, the whole pinky-up routine. (I lament that the beverages will not be fully appreciated, as we are serving them to tea barbarians.)

However, there are two full boxes under my roof and I am rejoicing. Replete with both strength and strawberry goodness, this has turned into my buck-up tea, falling into the same support role as Queen Catherine and Paris for some of you. Perhaps I should have ordered more.

derk, I could just get lost staring at the dry leaves of this one—a petite little mop of curls. They’re a treat for the eyes. Their final product is highly appealing as well—definitely vegetal, but some sweetness at the end for dessert. There was Cloud Mist in the cup and some outside, too. I drank this listening to welcome rain.

These long, luscious leaves steeped up light and sweet. The scent in the cup reminds me of homemade pumpkin bread. A little bread in the flavor as well; a little malt; a little brown sugar. Not a strong Assam, but an extremely pleasant one.

Husband put up the little canopy tent we use in the summer to shelter cats, plants, and glider. I sat underneath it with this cup and watched it rain this morning. Delicious. Thank you, derk.

Routine medical appt allowed me not to have to leave for work quite so early, so I had high hopes of tea on the veranda (ahem, cracked back patio slab) while watching the tomatoes grow. Grandpa used to do that in an old, stinky canvas-backed chair with a metal tumbler of iced sassafras tea and I thought it was weird. Now I get it.

This was in my tumbler, and I was able to enjoy it for three whole minutes before the bugs started using my feet and ankles for their breakfast buffet. However, it’s as tasty indoors as out — not a hint of artifice about it, no tart hibiscus to interfere with the “just plain cranberry.” Recommended for a good, no-frills summer sipper, either hot or cold.

Normally, I don’t care for chocolate-profile teas on ice, but I’ll make an exception here, since the tea itself is deliciously strawberry dominant. The chocolate in the background is still a little artificial tasting, but not obnoxiously so since it’s sitting way in the back of the bus.

This is a great dessert or little-kid tea party tea. Am I sharing it with my Sunday 10-year-olds? Not a chance ;)

It’s a rare and wonderful thing to be truly fond of your workmates, and I am. One of them knows I had an especially challenging workweek last week, and ended it Friday by leaving a bag with two lovely tins of Savoy on my desk. The problem is that the stinker chose to remain anonymous, so I don’t know whom to properly thank!

My sweet whomever made a couple of selections I normally wouldn’t have on my own, and here be one of ‘em. If it’s a dragon, it’s a tame one like Puff. (Or Piff. We love him.) The mallow flowers soften any vegetal sharpness in the green tea and the flavoring—mango, I believe—is juicy, not tangy, not fake. A perfect arrival at the outset of summer—this is going to be delicious on ice.