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My husband and I have both had an anxiety-filled day today, for different reasons. Many of his days lately have been filled with the stresses of a demanding, but fulfilling, job. Today was much the same, only perhaps more trying than usual for him. Mine has had more to do with an upcoming visit with my doctor and the uncertainty that inevitably comes with it.

There’s something scary about knowing, something that restricts you in a way, even as it sets you where you need to be. Once the path is certain, there can be no straying anymore, no exploration or deviation. Just a straight and direct line to the right thing, the end goal, the journey’s purpose. It’s so much easier to be unaware. It’s like a great void that swallows you up in its vagueness. It’s comfortable, but also dangerous.

I’m sure this will be nothing. I’ve likely upset myself for no reason. I’ve always been one to worry, so of course I would jump to the worst of conclusions. But perhaps this is good, in a way. Perhaps this prepares me, should the knowing become too much. It feels good to speak freely here, whether I should or not. To let it all out into this space, to free my thoughts of it. Thank you for allowing me that relief.

I’ve had my fair share of herbals over the past few weeks, so I’ve been drinking my favorite black teas like they are the last on earth. It’s all I want, all I’ve been craving, and I’m giving in. This one in particular has become a fast favorite. The vanilla with the dark, black tea is just such a good combination for me. I added my usual honey and cream and it’s the perfect, decadent cup. I couldn’t ask for better right now.

Second Steep
8 ounces water + 200 degrees + 10 minutes

I had to try a second cup of this. The first was just too good and I know this makes a satisfying second cup. And it did.

I love this tea. The fragrance is so comforting. It will always be in my cupboard.

Second Steep
6 ounces water + 200 degrees + 16 minutes

I almost lost this one to my keyboard. I don’t know which would have bummed me out more, spilling tea in my keyboard or not having tea. :(

This tea smells just like Christmas! The cinnamon really stands out. It’s a little bitter, but it has good flavor. This is just so delicious. And to think I tried talking my husband into getting something else instead.

I must be in the mood for spicy black teas because my next one will be this pu-erh. The cardamom is a light aroma in the steeped liquid compared to the punch of it in the dry tea. The liquid is very dark which I’m glad of. It’s a littler bitter which is surprising to me since I steeped at a lower temperature. Cream and honey make everything right again, as usual.

I enjoyed this one so much yesterday that I had to go for another cup. I wanted to steep this longer since I knew I wouldn’t get a good second cup out of it. Try to pull all of the flavor into this first cup. I used less water at a lower temperature for the same effect and to keep it from going bitter. It tastes nutty, like almonds maybe. There is also some spice there that’s more warming.

I’m not sure how, but I accidentally removed this one from my Steepster cupboard so I couldn’t find it earlier. Never fear, it’s still here and I still really love it. The aroma is cookies and nutty coconut. It steeped up a little bitter today but some honey and cream evened it out. I’m not really tasting any chai spices so maybe I’ll need to shake it up next time. The flavor is still good though, thick and creamy. Much butter than this morning’s Tulsi Detox. But now I have officially logged each cup in my cupboard. Goal complete! This is my celebratory cup. :)

Second Steep
8 ounces water + 200 degrees + 15 minutes

I wish I had read my notes on this one before re-steeping. Apparently, I wasn’t too happy with the second steep last time around. The liquid is very light in color. There is still some flavor, more spice, but not enough for me.

I am dreading this cup of tea. The detox teas are not a favorite anyway, but I’ve actually had a taste of this one before. My husband had a cup of this the day we bought it so I tried it then. I’m not trying to be crude here, but I feel I should be honest.

Forgive me, but this tea tastes like hot vomit. It is the most bitter substance I have ever put in my mouth. Now, in its defense, the packaging does say that it will be bitter. Something about the kidneys liking bitter things. But I didn’t expect this.

The smell isn’t so bad. There is some mint in the aroma as well as something like echinacea maybe. I tried adding honey and it might have helped a little, but the taste is still awful. This is just going to have to go down in chugs. It reminds me of a really overwhelming grapefruit, maybe grapefruit peel. If I pretend it’s a grapefruit tea, I can almost bear it.

Almost.

I don’t like these detox and “health” teas so much for the taste. Whether they work or not, I’m not sure, but on taste alone they fall short in my book. The Yogi teas especially have too much licorice and sarsaparilla for my taste, which is the case here. The licorice flavor, that cloying sweetness, lingers after each sip. There is a spiciness as well that is like black pepper. It’s not so bad as others I’ve tried. The flavors are much milder. It’s probably one of the more tolerable of the Yogi blends that we have.

Now that it’s cooled, I can taste some of the cinnamon and the cardamom alongside the other flavors. It’s much better after it has cooled some.

This tea smells incredible! There is actually a fruitiness here that is so strong and mouthwatering. It smells like strawberries to me. Is that right? It’s at least like other berry black teas I’ve had.

The liquid was dark almost immediately after I poured the water over. The color is red, a deep mahogany. The tea is brisk and just has so much flavor. It’s exceptionally rich and layered.

Second Steep
8 ounces water + 200 degrees + 6 minutes

This cup is lighter and not as flavorful as the first. It’s not bad, but I’m not sure it’s worth the second steep.

Thank you so much to Plunkybug for sending me some of this to try! I hope there is a way to get this from Canada to the U.S. because I need more!

It’s been a lazy Sunday after what was a fun and family-filled Saturday afternoon. I love having my family close, all of us coming together to meet in the center and be whole again. We sat around the table with big steaming bowls of spaghetti and meatballs in front of us, slurping noodles and telling stories we’ve each heard a thousand times but that never get old. My family brings me back to myself and I always feel a little homesick when they leave. It takes some time for me to adjust to the quiet again. That being said, I’m also a pretty classic introvert so I relish the quiet after such a full day.

My husband made several types of tea for everyone yesterday, but every time I went to pour myself a cup I became distracted by something and never quite made it to the tea pot. Today I meant to be deliberate and pour a cup of tea for myself to enjoy in leisure. I’m very close to finishing my task of tasting each of the teas in my cabinet and one sip of this puts me just a little closer to the finish line.

The aroma of the dry tea is mostly pineapple, but I also smell the creamy coconut. My husband said right away that it smells like the beach so I knew I would love it. This tea is lighter in color than I expected but it’s definitely not lacking in flavor. It isn’t bold, but the tea is the prominent flavor with the fruit acting as more of an accent.

This tea was a very generous gift from Amoda with my first monthly box. Thank you, Tegan, for sharing!