2170 Tasting Notes
Once again, I’m late to the party. This time for National Junk Food Day, which was nearly a full week ago! Took some time off work, didn’t look at my calendar, and missed it entirely. But here I am, squeezing it in before the end of the month with a cookie tea. I’ll admit that my favorite junk food would be something salty. I love Cheez-Its or some Lays Classic chips. Didn’t really want to go looking for a salty tea (though I probably have something that would have worked in there), so I decided to go the sweet route with some molasses cookies. Now, this is an old tea, one of the older ones in my cupboard, and I don’t remember at all what it tasted like fresh. Now, it’s simply a nice honeybush. That’s my own fault. I’m sure at one point it tasted like molasses, spices, or cookies (maybe, hopefully, all three), but I left a single serving in the pouch and now it’s just honeybush. I’m guessing I must have liked it, because I saved that single serving. Why do I do that to myself?
Preparation
This one has a couple extra ingredients thrown in – blackberry leaf and stevia leaf. Not sure what benefit or flavor the blackberry leaf offers, and I’m not really tasting any sweetness from the stevia. Of course, that means no weird aftertaste either. Maybe because it’s stevia leaf and not the processed powder. Hibiscus isn’t my favorite, but I wanted something without caffeine this afternoon and I hadn’t tried this one yet. It’s cooled off now, so I’m enjoying it.
I signed up for a free virtual assistant training (?) this afternoon. It’s just a little five-day video series, though I’m sure they’ll be asking me for money at the end. Maybe if I like it, I’ll sign up. We’ll see. I’m hoping to narrow down my focus with some of the provided worksheets as the week goes on. I’m working as an administrative assistant now in a semi-large department, but I’d love to break into the world of virtual assistant work. September is approaching quickly and with it our official return to work. Being an assistant was never the plan (I wanted to be an Anthropologist…), but it pays the bills and I’m good at it so here we are. Working from home these last 18 months has really put things into perspective for me though, especially thinking about all that time wasted on long commutes. That, plus some somewhat recent health issues, has me reconsidering if the corporate world is really worth it. Some people live to climb that corporate ladder, but I’ve never been one of them. It’s just so hard for me to step away from my comfort zone. I guess it’s probably like that for most people. Anyway, if you’ve read this far, thanks for letting me ramble on. It’s been heavy on my mind lately. How’s everyone else adjusting to this “new normal” we’re moving into? I’m still nervous about leaving my house, to be honest. I’ve been lucky to be able to stay home through all of this, that’s for sure. I wonder sometimes how this will affect all of us long-term. It’s been quite a year+ and it’s still not even over.
Flavors: Astringent, Hibiscus
Preparation
I’ll be back in the office 2-3 days a week starting next week, and I’m dreading it! So much wasted time each day. I hope you’re able to transition into something you love!
Oh goodness, I feel your pain. I’ve been dreading it too. We’ll be doing 3 days in the office (Tuesdays – Thursdays) at least through December. I feel so stuck. I really hope next week goes well for you. Maybe they’ll ease into things as everyone adjusts. Do you generally like what you do?
Yeah, they’re staggering days so I’ll be the only one in on the days I’m there, which I guess will be pretty low pressure. I’m an event planner for a university, and I really love it. The only problem is there’s a lot of down time, and I’ll miss being able to get things done around the house throughout the day!
The return back was hard for me as I had to give up my side job where I made more for myself than I could at my regular employer. Still not giving up on working for myself one day.
Gettíng “back to normal” is hard for me. First of all, I am vaccinated and everyone in my family is, but still I am trying to behave carefully and avoiding the crowds. I used to do it before, but still it feels a bit different.
As a job, I am just searching now, as I need something after the University and companies behave back in normal as I have been to the interviews. I feel way more stressed about the situations though.
Commuting never was a trouble for me, especially when travelling by train, but I feel like the Czechs think it is over again and yet we will be surprised. Many people think that Delta variant is “a little bit worse”, but “what’s a big deal, hospitals are empty and why I should care”.
Honestly, so many things are changing now (even in my life, and it’s not only job related) and well, today night I had a kind of depression about “free will and free thoughts” of my fellow citizens. I don’t want to read about full hospitals again in the autumn. I do my best I could, but well… “the others”
Okay, I don’t know if my ramble is understandable :/
Martin: I understood! We are also all vaccinated, but so many people are not getting the vaccine and now there is a surge herem especially I have heard of it at the military base. We hardly go anywhere and mask when we do go off, but it is sad how few people are being careful now.
I hope your course works out and you can find something that works virtually Shae!
Both Lex and I have been lucky to be able to work from home, but are expected back in mid-August fully — five days a week at the university. We are both dreading it. There are no restrictions here now and everyone is living like it’s pre-pandemic. The numbers are on the rise again and the government is not being transparent about them (the other day they reported about half the number of what was true…). We’ve both been double vaccinated and will be masking (we have been the whole time), but we’d rather be safe! I also agree about the commute and cleaning — so much wasted time in the day just by being in an office…and I’m not looking forward to the ‘office culture’ as most (all) of my coworkers are excited, not just to be back in person, but for everyone to be together. Sigh. I’m trying to focus on my school and know that soon enough I can hopefully work in my field, at least!
Wishing everyone the best with this transition we’re all working through and grateful for this wee community of like-minded individuals!
Martin – I understood your comments! It’s good to hear your entire family was able to get the vaccine. I don’t want to see hospitals filling up again either.
Sadly, I think it will be left up to the vaccinated to be the ones to still be careful. Even with a vaccine, I’m still worried about being out and will be wearing a mask indoors of public spaces.
oh and needless to say avoiding crowds. How is a state fair even happening this year!?!
tea-sipper I agree about it being up to the vaccinated people and avoiding crowds. They had the Stampede like lunatics (in my mind) here, with over half a million people attending. Ugh.
This one is a forever favorite. I bought a fairly large bag of this blend several years back and still have plenty left. It’s the mix with the sunflower seeds, but I don’t notice anything stale about it even though my batch is an older one. This was a delicious cup today, mostly nutty but the raspberry is definitely there.
Flavors: Nutty, Raspberry
Preparation
This one is smokier in the bag than in the cup, but I do taste a hint of peach underneath the astringent taste. That is likely my fault, as I had just over one serving of leaves left and decided to dump them all in the basket and add a little extra water to make up for it.
Flavors: Astringent, Peach, Smoke
Preparation
It’s later in the afternoon now, I guess it’s evening really, but I feel like I’ve been moving at a slow pace all day and really wanted something that would help me focus without the added caffeine. Even if all I get from this is the comfort of a warm mug on my hands, I’ll be glad for it.
Herbals aren’t always for me, especially ones without fruit, so I wasn’t sure if I’d end up liking the taste of this blend. Lucky me, I do! Without looking at the ingredients, I can taste licorice root and I can feel (more than taste) the cooling effect of some type of mint. Mountain mint, according to the package.
Whether this helps with brain fog, I don’t know. I wasn’t experiencing any brain fog before I started drinking it. I may try it one day when I am, to see if it helps. At least I’ll know then that the flavor is a pleasant one.
Flavors: Licorice, Mint
Preparation
I live in perpetual brain fog ;) May have to research this blend!
Mine isn’t perpetual, thank goodness, but I do have my good and bad days. CHH is doing their next release sometime this month, I think, if you decide to order some of this blend. I’m pretty sure there is a tincture option as well, if you enjoy tinctures.
Maybe I’m having brain fog today because I also should have said that I can send you some if you want to try it first. :)
I’d take you up on it if it weren’t for the licorice, but thank you for the kind offer!
Licorice isn’t my favorite either, so I completely understand!
For National Lottery Day.
I’m in the minority here, I think. I’ve had this tea a few times now, and I never really enjoy it. Not sure if I’m doing something wrong or if it’s just a preference. I like all the individual flavors, but I don’t taste any of them specifically. I’ll keep trying. I bought a tin of this since they never seemed to have the sample size in stock around the time I placed my order, so hopefully one day I’ll come to enjoy it. :o
Preparation
Looking back at my notes, I marked this tea as fruity, so I’m having it today as one of my fruity July teas. This one seems to be more flavorful with a shorter steep at a higher temperature, so I went back to my original steeping parameters. I was interested to see in the description that this tea also has other ingredients aside from the jasmine and black tea – vanilla, saffron, and blue lotus. What does blue lotus taste like? Or even saffron? I can’t say I’ve ever had either, or at least not the real thing (saffron).
Flavors: Chocolate, Floral
Preparation
A tasty cup, maybe a little astringent. This might be representative of the cranberries, though I don’t specifically taste cranberry. It’s a general fruitiness. James hates cranberries, but I made him a cup of this tea and he enjoyed it.
Don’t worry, I wouldn’t have given it to him if it tasted like liquid cranberry. :D
Flavors: Astringent, Fruity
