Big thanks to VariaTea for passing more of this along my way, I really enjoyed it the first time I had it so it’s nice having it back around again! I think it may have even been my favourite of all the NecissiTeas blends that VariaTea sent my way?
I actually ended up sharing most of the sample that she sent though. I mean, I BIG part of me was just like “hoard it all; it’s for you and only you”, but it’s also one of those ones that’s so enjoyable that you just want others to experience it too.
I went over to my Dad’s for supper last week; my mom and siblings all went on vacation without me, and he thought it’d be nice for us to do something together even if it wasn’t as large scale. I don’t disagree – it was a really nice evening. Honestly, the best part was spending the afternoon hanging out in his massive garden. I know that I’d never have the patience personally speaking to maintain a garden but I feel so happy and at peace in them: they’ve got a huge vegetable garden where they grow their own tomatoes, green onion, beans, and cucumber, a MASSIVE raspberry bush, and a giant flower garden – all of which is on top of a fire pit and gazebo. It reminds me of my childhood growing up in Eyebrow, and many MANY summers spent in my Grandma’s garden.
And man, I picked so many raspberries. Both as a kid – but also last week. Enough for me to eat, to bring to the not-boyfriend, and give to some coworkers as well. Raspberries for days. After time in the garden, we had nachos with some of the veggies we’d just picked from the garden which was really awesome too. I just… The amount of time both my Dad and Step Mom put into that garden is insane, but the fruits (and veggies) of their labour? Well worth it.
Finally, it was time for tea! We had a really good Tuxedo cake, and I knew the cake was coming which is why this is the tea I picked for us to drink: I thought it would compliment the vanilla, chocolate (white and milk) and cream cheese in the cake super splendidly, and the whole thing would feel very decadent and well tied together. Which it did.
This tea is very rich and sweet; there’s just think really decadent and almost in your face vanilla and creamy white chocolate taste to it that reminds me of a mix of white chocolate bark from Christmas and also white hot chocolate – two things I kind of associate with the winter, but are just very good in general. I think though that despite being very sweet and full bodied/rich it doesn’t cross to a point where it’s cloying/too much: the whole thing is just really well balanced. The peppermint is of course a large part of that though; it’s really crisp/cooling in the finish and that cooling element of it cuts off a lot of the potential for it to be a little too sweet. Vanilla and mint is such a nice pairing in general too; so creamy, silky and smooth.
All of that stays true when you combine it with the cake: the chocolate of the cake meshes with the chocolate in the tea and they kind of become one big, synonymous flavour. The peppermint continues to be a cooling element/refreshing finish halting would could be interpreted as too much sweetness, and the cream cheese filling is just this nice little touch of flavour that differentiates the tea and the cake, and off sets the sweetness a bit in a different way.
Everyone loved it. It was a really great day, and great experience. Sharing tea with others is almost always just really pleasant…
awesome day!