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I’m enjoying sipping a cup of this while munching on some of the Holiday bread that Tre made at his Siast course (they’re doing a baking unit right now, which is awesome for me!). Though, I am picking out all the raisins.I absolutely can’t stand raisins and I usually go out of my way to avoid having to eat them. Actually, that was a great point of confliction on Friday when I was placing my Butiki order – I REALLY wanted to try Caramel Vanilla assam because I just adore caramel blends, but supposedly it has somewhat strong raison notes, and that’s a big “nope” to me. I caved on bought it anyway – I’m hoping the raisin notes aren’t too prominent.

Anyway, this was one of my first DAVIDsTEA purchases and I still keep some around for when I want something sour citrus and hibiscus. I don’t really dislike hibiscus but it does frustrate me how many blends it’s in because you don’t always want tart fruity tea. This one works really well for me though, because I feel the eucalyptus really helps this from getting too tart. It’s sour grapefruit without being tart grapefruit. Does that make sense? There is a difference to me…

The carrot in the blend adds some interesting notes too, but they’re subtle and sometimes drowned out by the orange and grapefruit notes if you let this steep too long.

I’m enjoying it right now, though :)

Aaaaannnd, time to watch more Supernatural!

Poured the rest of what was cold brewed into my water bottle this morning and took it with me to work. It was just over a cups worth. Definitely couldn’t let Tre get the rest of this delicious tea while I was out at work.

It’s not as cold as it was last night, likely because it’s been sitting next to my till all day – so as I’m drinking it right now it’s more room temperature. This afternoon, I’m picking up more of the rose in the blend – and the watermelon is coming off like those sweet five cent watermelon candies. Yummy!

Also, I’m starting to do my prep. for closing tonight and part of that is updating the daily promo shelf. Each day there’s a “theme” and things featured on that shelf relating to the theme are slightly discounted. Well, tomorrow’s theme is “Wine Calendars”. What the hell do I do for wine calendars!? We don’t even sell any wine calenders… The closest would be Pepsi or Coke calendars – and that’s just because they’re beverages.

Seriously, who comes up with these promo ideas!?

In a moment of weakness I nearly purchased a deep fried Mars bar today to have as dessert for my at work lunch (mmm, yummy Subway sandwich). I was all ready to pay and everything, and then the cashier told me they were all out and, while I feigned disappointment, I think I was secretly relieved.

Anyway, I’ve been pretty crazy busy with trying out new teas – so I thought that today I’d stick with some of my older teas that I have in larger quantity and try and drink some of those down a bit. This is one, and I should really drink it more for breakfast and in the morning because it’s just perfect at those times of day.

I brewed this perfect today! It’s just an amazing timolino full of delicious creamy earl grey goodness. I used 2 tsp. of leaf in my timolino (12 oz. with boiling water) steeped for four minutes. Just, yum!

Problem is, it’s so tasty and comforting that I’m actually finding myself getting too relaxed drinking it, and now I feel sleepier – and that’s not what I was going for at all…

I still have five hours left in my shift and instead I just want to cocoon myself in mounds of blankets and sleep.

It’s interesting how several people can have the exact same tea and find it so different. I’m just looking at the ratings on this one, and it’s really interesting how you have one that’s practically zero, one in the middle, and mine which is super high.

Anyway, I think I’ve officially had this one as a “to go” tea more times than I’ve actually made it for myself. It’s an expensive blend to keep stocked since it’s so freaking heavy, so I often have a difficult time justifying drinking it at home. It’s easier on my mind to pay for a to go cup.

I had this as a latte though, because it’s always easier for me to buy lattes than to make them. I lack the proper equipment, and whenever I try heating the milk on the stove or using the microwave I often scald it.

Super yummy and creamy banana: like sweet yummy banana medicine (I always wanted to get sick when I was little so I could have the banana medicine, and I teased my brother because he couldn’t have it since he’s severely allergic to penicillin). The chocolate is light and milky, and it’s sorta sitting in the back letting the banana do its thing.

I’m sorta disappointed that my foam just tastes like milk foam today – normally it tastes like banana milk foam which is just awesome. I feel like one of the whiny children who drive me crazy at work, “Momnmmmyyyy, my foam isn’t tasty enoughhhh”. Maybe I’m getting a little tea entitled…

(Also, writing in a note for myself that when my 52Teas order gets in I need to bring a cup or two worth of the Mountain Dew knock off to Shelby at the Tea Desire store, since she seemed really interested in the concept)

So this is a backlog from last night, when I was madly sampling things to get a feel for what I wanted to add to my order. I thought I had posted the note I wrote, but I suppose not. It was stupidly late (well, early in the morning really) after all. Anyway, I thankfully saved it in word because I’d been losing my internet connection again and didn’t want Steepster to eat my notes. So, this is what I wrote on this one (after heavy editing moments ago because I realized I wrote this with “stupid brain”):

I really liked Lemon Chiffon, but I was more interested in trying this one! I don’t have a single lime tea in my permanent collection and I’d really like to. For a while, I really wanted to get my hands on Lime Gelato but that’s been on the back of the “to do list” because it’s a green tea base and that partially discourages me from wanting to try it. This however is rooibos, so my interest is peaked!

Dry, there’s some gentle creaminess, the signature sorta woody smell of rooibos and some citrus that could be lime (but not sure if I’d call it that without knowing better). I’m thinking that the Read My Lips in my stash drawer must be “blanketing” the smells of my smaller sample teas because it’s been hard to smell anything on them when I open the little resealable plastic pouches, but when I open the drawer Read My Lips fills the whole kitchen. I should really finish that…

Anyway, at least it’s not affecting the taste of any of these new teas (to the best of my knowledge anyway).

I steeped 1 tsp. (level) in boiling water for five minutes. The smell is sweet lime and it’s really rich and creamy. This smells better, to me, than Lemon Chiffon does. Very mouthwateringly sweet and yummy.

Taking sips, initially I wasn’t really what the difference in taste was between this and Lemon Chiffon. Momentarily they tasted quite similar – but the key word there is momentarily. I realized I’d been trying to drink it too quickly and it was too hot for me to really get a good idea of the taste since I was a little preoccupied with not burning my tongue with each sip. Damn my impatience.

After letting it cool a while, I went back to it and this time I could taste the difference. Yes, this is definitely lime which is so neat! This is my first lime tea and I’m really impressed that it does truly taste like limes. Also, I think this blend is definitely creamier than Lemon Chiffon and the rooibos base is just a touch less noticeable to me (although neither feature a base that is especially noticeable).

Part of me feels like a splash of milk would make this super extra deliciously creamy and just push this over the top. But I don’t have milk right now to try that out.

Anyway – I’m definitely adding this to my order! I think both Lemon Chiffon and Lime Chiffon will be good rooibos blends for me to keep stocked and will help round out the rooibos blends I currently have. Right now, though, I’m liking this a little better than the lemon one though.

This is a resteep, and it’s just as lovely as the first cup was. I think I could spend a whole week just drinking just this yummy lychee tea, but then it’d be all gone and I’d be sad. So, I’m gonna continue sipping at this while I watch season nine of Supernatural and then I’m gonna pace myself with this one and instead of making another cup maybe I’ll try something new. I’m so close to being caught up, though!

Just got home from work – and everything is shaping up to be a really good evening! First thing I did was check the mail, and my latest swap with VariaTea arrived today (have you gotten mine yet?)! I just finished adding everything to my cupboard (98 – a personal high, yet again – which is scary considering how much more is on the way still), and like last time she was too kind and through in some extra stuff.

It was incredibly thoughtful of her to give me a few more Stash bagged teas to try out (my favourite bagged tea brand) after noticing how much I like them!

Then, I got into the appartment and, in an optimistic mood, started trying to work out what to make for supper because, despite only getting 4 hours of sleep and working a shift twice the length I expected to, I’m really energetic and feel like cooking! Much to my surprise, I opened up the fridge to see MILK! I haven’t had milk in well over two weeks! Tre went and picked some up today while I was out (and it’s about time – it was his turn). So, I’m cooking up some creamy garlic/dill scalloped potatoes while I munch on the home baked bread he brought home yesterday (he made it in his Siast course, and there’s a third loaf in our kitchen now that wasn’t there yesterday!). Yum!

I also decided that it was time I try out the cold brewed tea in the fridge that I made up a few days (two?) ago. I set this up to cold brew as per Tre’s request for iced tea. I used 5 tsp. of the blend and let it cold steep for 18 hours, after that I strained it and it’s been sitting in the fridge since. I’ve noticed the jug gradually become more empty, so Tre must be drinking it while I’m not home (I find that he wont drink tea, without my asking if he wants any, while I’m home).

Dry – this smell heavenly. There’s an overwhelming smell of tangy kiwi, sweet pear, and mellow melon which creates this overall very fresh and spring/summer like smell which is accented by incredibly subtle notes of rose. It’s also a really pretty blend to look at. Once again, Tea Desire has really opted to use large chunks of things (which makes this a bit expensive because it’s quite heavy), such as big pieces of kiwi and whole rose buds.

As for the taste? I’m just blown away. The pear, melon, and kiwi are very sweet and juicy while still tasting realistic. There’s a freshness to this that I have yet to get from another cold brewed tea. Yes, I’ve gotten similar – but in those blends the freshness was achieved by there being mint in the mix. Honestly, this is the first kiwi tea I’ve that I’d buy again – and the yummy melon notes, while certainly being different, are pretty close to on pare with the tasty melon notes in Butiki’s Watermelon Xylophone. If I didn’t know better, I might guess at there being a small amount of strawberry in the blend too, but I know there isn’t. The presence of rose in the tea adds depth and, as a cold brew at least, does not come off as perfumey (I would hope so though, since this utilizes TONS of actual rose).

I’m interested to eventually getting around to trying this hot to see how everything would differ – but as a cold tea this is probably the best cold brewed tea I’ve ever had. Yes, better as a cold brew than my beloved Tropicalia. I’m happy I have at least another cup worth of this in the fridge. I’ll have to make sure I drink it before Tre gets to.

Anyway – HIGHLY recommending this to anyone who likes pear, kiwi or melon (and especially if you like two or more of those).

This one is a resteep.

I’m finding the resteep to be really good (and I’m so happy I can get a second cup out of the leaf). There are some different flavour notes at play, though. With the second steep I’m getting much more pronounced creamy notes and a mellower (less zest/lemon rind) lemon taste, which is actually kinda strengthening the creamy lemon pie filling flavour.

A downside, the tea liquor seems to feel thinner and less creamy (even though the taste is creamier). However, I still think I MIGHT prefer the second steep more.

Urggg. I’m having a seriously hard time fighting the urge to place another Butiki order (that’d be the second today, and third within the last seven days). I’d also love to place orders with TeaCupany, Harney & Sons, and a few more places. Problem is that I had a $150 tea budget from last paycheck and have now spent just about $300 on tea over the last few weeks. I’m crying inside. At least it IS money that I have – I’m not yet spending outside of my means.

It’s easing my pain a little knowing I have a $100 grocery card on the way from my parents as an early Christmas gift – and that I get paid again on Dec. 3rd (right after Cyber Monday sales, though!). But in order to compensate for the over spending, I think all my paycheck will likely be going straight into savings for rent.

With the exception of swaps, and tea tins for my new teas, I think I’m probably on tea buying hiatus until after Christmas when I go back to Regina to visit family (and you know I’m gonna have to shop at the local places I missed out on when I was living there).

So, in my rush to try as many of my new teas as possible last night (needed to decide what I needed larger quantities of, for Black Friday orders) I ended up having several oolongs but didn’t try resteeping any of them. I did, however, hold on to the leaves so I could do that today, though!

So, this was the best tea from last night. I was really excited to try resteeping it (first cup alone makes it worth being a regular in my cupboard, but if subsequent steeps are good too than that’s so much better). I made a cup worth with last night’s leaves steeping for the same time in same amount of water at the same temperature. Drinking it now, since this was in my water bottle, it’s gone cold.

This is still absolutely delicious with strong pineapple notes – but in this steep the flowery aspects (I’m getting notes of orchid, lilac, and others) are easily double, if not more, of the strength they were the first time. Not sure if that’s because this is cold or because it’s a resteep – maybe it’s both. Anyway, it’s still very delicious and quite thirst quenching.

(PS. I think Stacy should branch out into perfume scented like her teas. I’d for sure buy up a whole bunch of the lychee oolong, flowery pineapple oolong, and watermelon xylophone perfumes)

Anyway, I’m glad I did bring tea to work – I almost didn’t because I was so tired I didn’t want to make any (I know, what was I thinking) because it looks like my three hour shift has now turned to an eight hour one (without a break, sadly). The employee I had scheduled to take over for me is really sick so I told her not to worry about coming in today. I mean, it’s not REALLY like I had plans anyway – just gonna be a longer day than anticipated.

When I first started getting into loose leaf I was really excited by the prospect of DAVIDsTEA’s pineapple oolong. However, when I first smelled it I got nothing from it. I LOVE pineapple – in almost anything. Just hearing the word pineapple alone makes me want to try whatever it’s combined with out. Whether that’s pineapple pizza, candy, soap or cosmetics, or tea.

Everytime I go in to DAVIDsTEA I ask them to pull down the pineapple oolong so I can smell it – each time hoping that there’ll be some new aspect to it that pulls me in and makes me want to try it. And, each time I get nothing. Zip. So, the idea of a Butiki pineapple oolong tea had me really interested – of course when I put in my first Butiki order I got some.

Dry, this smells like everything I want DAVIDsTEA’s Pineapple oolong to me. Overwhelming natural, SWEET (and not too tangy) pineapple. Like the pineapple juice not from canned pineapple bits but straight from pineapple rings cut off a juicy pineapple. The kind that, when you eat too much of it, your tongue gets that sore “acidic pineapple” feel – but you just can’t stop eating it because it’s that fucking good.

For steeping, I’m sticking with the package instructions yet again: I’ve had pretty good results thus far doing things that way.

I’ve heard some people express some concern over the “flowery” part of the title of this tea – and if I wasn’t such a pineapple freak I think I MIGHT be one of them. Pineapple and floral notes aren’t something I’d think would go together – but I’m willing to try anything pineapple at least once. Even something weird like “Pineapple and pickles” (there’s an idea for you, Frank). Anyway, steeping the scent is much more mild and subdued. There’s a gentleness to it that isn’t so present in the dry leaf. The dry leafs practically SCREAMS sweet pineapple juice. This kind of whispers it.

Taking baby sips now, but I’d really like to be taking gulps. The taste is EXACTLY like it smells – but with a touch more floral aspects (and it really does work) and a bit more present oolong. I’m in love. This is probably the best Butiki tea I’ve yet to try – and I’ve really enjoyed most of the ones I’ve had (and the ones I didn’t love certainly weren’t bad, either). Of course more of this shall be added into my Butiki order!

I think I’m getting really near to putting it in now… So many choices, though. Finding a balance of getting more of the ones I’ve tried now and loved and ordering ones I’ve yet to try but am curious about.

EDIT: I’m really glad I put in an order for more of this, because I just spilled half the delicious mug across my lap. It wasn’t exactly piping hot – but it was pretty hot. Ow :(