Damn fine tea with roses and lavender.

Now this is a sidewalk! Still in Ischia. No wonder all those old ladies are so sprightly.

I am so surpised, speaking of Italy - there is actually an "Italian Association for Tea Appreciation" I didn't know they drank anything but coffee! The English section of their website is not really up and running and I can only manage a bit of Italian, but it covers some tea educational projects and what looks like public tea tastings. Wow, this is exciting news! If they do as well with tea as they do with espresso, it'll be great. It is a real hoot to order coffee to go at an Italian rail station and be given the tiniest little paper cup with a shot of espresso. I wish I had kept it - one of those "can you believe this?" souvenirs.

A while ago I purchased the first set of the "Damnably Awesome Teas" from Andrews and Dunham' Damn Fine Teas. I keep going back to the Ceylon offering as several tea reviewers are quite taken with it. I wasn't at first, but I think I am more so now. In the can it has a lovely deep winey, almost tobacco smell. It smells lovely brewing, too. For me, it is a light Ceylon without the usual heavy maltiness. The taste is very good, winey, with that tobacco hint and maybe some berry in it. A good tea, but not superb, and really not very good cold. Nice packaging though.

I am also trying The Tea Table's "Earl Grey Rose and Lavender". In the container it has that wonderful very fresh lavender smell they do so well, with a good bit of sharp bergamot. There are some rose petals scattered throughout, so it is a pretty tea. Once wet, the petals are just kinda brown, as is the tea. The brewing aroma is definately lavender with a lemony understory. The tea itself somehow doesn't work. The lavender is there, the Earl is there, the lemon and rose are there but they are all very muddled. As it cools the flavors seem to blend better. I'll try it iced and let you know. Drat, I was really hoping this would be wonderful - my new go to special Earl Grey.