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Green and Lemon Tea (San Francisco Herb Co.) + juice from one can of sliced pineapples = nah.

In theory, it sounded great, especially since I love this particular green/lemon blend. Flavors just didn’t meld well. Eh. Live and learn.

Still haven’t officially sourced this one since it came out of a bin, but sure was enjoyable this evening. Nice, clean vegetal smell dry; smooth and pleasant steeped. Just tastes like “ordinary” green tea should taste.

It’s so wicked hot I think my taste buds have withered. Thus, the stronger the better, at least for the now. I used (accidentally) two bags in a Tervis tumbler this morning, then when I realized my oops, I cut the steep time down to about a minute and a half, and was still able to throw both bags in a Mason jar to leave all day for iced tea tonight. And it was still viable.

Nothing particularly subtle about the blend, just dark, strong, and handsome. (Did I just say that? Ay-yi-yi.)

So this one little unloved and unwanted tuocha was sitting on the shelves at Fox Farm this week … locally, you can probably count the people who know what to do with it on one hand. So at a whopping $2.39 clearance price, what was I to do but adopt it?

I’m making jokes about people who don’t know what to do with tuocha, but in truth, I am one. I’ve just graduated from total ignorance to knowing what it is. And I still grin at the prospect of chipping petrified leaves off something that looks unfortunately like an elephant dropping. (Sorry! I’ll try to be classier from here on.)

So, I very gingerly whacked off about a teaspoonful of leaf this morning, did a quickie rinse once the water had boiled, and did my first steep at 30 seconds. Too weak for me.

At a minute, it was a nice caramel color, a little minerally and a a little sweet. A really different personality for somebody who is dependent on stout Irish Breakfast to wake up in the morning, but still pretty nice.

I’m on the second steep, this time 1:30 and it’s darkened in color. Mineral taste has largely washed out and I’m getting a good, rye-bready vibe. The rest of the pot is going into the fridge for an afternoon treat.

Bumbling preparation aside, this has been an interesting and inexpensive little educational junket!

Good Young Tea Co./Traditions Strawberry Black Tea + home grown spearmint = ahhhhhh!

Anybody besides me missing hot tea, and the weather-related need for it? I’m not counting my solitary morning cuppa, which during this hot spell, is just a scrap of something I don’t mind going cold after the first half cup.

However, like many of you, this weather is providing opportunities to discover umpty-six different fridge-brewed combos that are balm to my chicken-fried soul.

This is one of them. A good friend set me up with a Disney Cars zip-lock bag of crumbled spearmint from her backyard. Did an experimental pint jar with a teaspoon of mint to a single bag of my current favorite Asian-grocery brand strawberry tea. Never had a mint julep, but that’s what comes to mind as I imbibe. The pint may turn into a gallon jug this afternoon :)

Haven’t had this for a while. Still, I believe, the mildest Keemun I’ve ever sampled. A little sweetness at the forefront, but less of the grainy taste I associate with Keemuns. Still pleasant, and next time I’ll see if it can hold up to a little milk.

This is a really, really pleasant icebox tea. Had a quart ready for chugging after this morning’s kid duty, and after loading and unloading our Shabby House futons at the church mission house—our turn to bless somebody else.

I’m still thinking this is is more like uncarbonated Dr. Pepper than Coke. As to brand, not sure, but since it’s from my fave health food place, either Frontier Natural Products or San Francisco Herb Co. Also well in the Cheapster Steepster range—less than a buck an ounce.

The only flavor descriptor you need for this one is STRONG. No chestnuts, berries, hibiscus, or scented blossoms wafting on a gentle breeze. Uh-uh.

Stealing a quote note from my friend ashmanra: “If you want a tea to kick your fanny out the door and remind you to eat your veggies OR ELSE, you can stop looking.” Oh, yeah, how I needed it this morning. Eyes won’t open and I list to one side after zoot-suit swing dancing with my kids in music class yesterday. Strained thigh muscles from doing that goofy thing where you wiggle your knees back and forth and cross/uncross your hands at the same time (and, might I add, loving every minute of it).

Hit my favorite Cheapster Steepster tea place this afternoon and they had a new bin of unlabeled green tea at a whopping 62 cents an ounce. Couldn’t resist.

Leaves are flat and short, but not tiny and shredded. At a moderate temp and time, 3 minutes, give or take, this steeped up pleasantly smooth, velvety, and fruity green instead of vegetal green. Essence of lime rind, maybe.

Thinking it’ll be a great, inexpensive blending medium for other stuff.

(My little pod of kiddos bumped from 5 to 8 today, including one sweet and prickly stray kitten of a little girl who needs a lot of extra love and affirmation. I taught her mama a—(ahem!)—few years ago. I’m now a Vacation Bible School grandma.)

I just flew several thousand imaginary miles with a pack of 7-year-olds, and boy, are my arms tired. (Sorry, couldn’t resist. We went everywhere with our wings up and that’s not as easy as it sounds ;)

Fortunately, I have the afternoon off, have my feet up in the back yard—it’s a chilly 89 today—and have this good fruity herbal to chill out with. Did an overnight steep in the fridge, and it came out tangy rather than painfully tart. Maybe a little more cranberry than orange, but it’s a pretty even contest. I may sleep on it and decide later…