I thought perhaps that this high mountain red & whispering pines ailaoshan red were the same tea, so yesterday I made a cup of each (thanks to a sample from our dear TeaFairy) & attempted to drink them side by side. But I was also trying to fix breakfast in between painting sessions, operating on very little sleep, & honestly, l didn’t do a very good job of comparing the 2, although I know I enjoyed both cups. They do look very similar, both dry & steeped, although I think the whispering pine version might be a little thicker & sweeter, & I have enough of both to try again when things slow down a bit.

So for this tea: I’m still working out the steeping parameters I prefer. I tried it using 1 tsp + 8oz X 3min, & it was nice, but a little thin. So I tried the same parameters, using 1 Tb of tea, & that was much more satisfying. I’ve been outside a lot painting, & so allergies are muting my tastes a bit, but it’s a very pleasant cup with a sweet fruity taste. More of an afternoon tea, not particularly bold, or thick, & it has a kind of crystal clear quality to it .
What does that mean?
Heck, I don’t know…kind of like the water from a sweet spring, I guess.
little terri told me to say it.
Now her & Ms Theresa are laughing, like it’s some kind of private joke.

TheTeaFairy

Oh, oh, may I join Terri Harplady and Ms Theresa in the private joke giggle party? I use “crystal clear quality” in my reviews as well, I totally get it!!

Terri HarpLady

You are invited! :)

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TheTeaFairy

Oh, oh, may I join Terri Harplady and Ms Theresa in the private joke giggle party? I use “crystal clear quality” in my reviews as well, I totally get it!!

Terri HarpLady

You are invited! :)

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Bio

I’m so excited to have found this community! I’m a self-employed Harpist (acoustic & electric – Originals, Classical, Rock, Jazz, etc) & Singer/Songwriter. My days & nights revolve around teaching at home, playing gigs, gardening,& fixing awesome food to eat. My schedule is different everyday, but I just go with the flow, & I sip a lot of tea!

My love of Tea began with Herbals back in the 70’s. One of my favorites was a licorice blend from House of Hezekiah, an old tea shop in Kansas City. There was also a tea with mint, rose petals, chamomile, etc called Nuclear Casual Tea.
In the 80’s I gave up caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, (& a few illicit substances…), and brewed medicinal blends & tinctures to support 4 pregnancies (all children born at home). In the 90’s my love affair with green teas began when I discovered ‘The Republic of Tea’. Their beautiful teas & packaging inspired my original song, “TeaMind”, from my CD “Zen Breakfast”. If you’d like to hear the song for free, drop by my website.

In general, I drink my teas straight, but occasionally I add a pinch of Stevia & maybe some coconut or almond milk (I’m allergic to dairy, gluten, & various other things & avoid most sweets.)

I’ve explored a variety of teas:
Whites tend to be a little bland…sorry
Oolongs – wonderfully sensual
Roobios – I’m not a fan in general
Puehr – a fairly new direction for me
I’m not a huge fan of flavored teas, but I do make exceptions, & I’ll try just about anything once.

And Black Tea, Oh how I love thee!!
I am on a quest for the most wonderful breakfast cup! I will find you, my Love!

Location

St. Louis, MO

Website

http://www.harpsinger.net

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