You Put The Lime In The Coconut

At least a few of you will remember that old Calypso song.  Many tropical areas mix the two because they go so well together, smooth sweet coconut, offset by the tartness of the lime.  My tea today is a derivative of that old blend  - Key Lime Colada Tea from the Eastern Shore Tea Company, "Teas flavored with imagination."  (Just as a little side bar, coconuts are the largest seeds in the world and take 2 years or more to sprout and begin forming a tree. That's right, the coconut, the whole thing, is the seed.)

This tea comes in individual foil bags, which serves to keep it fresh.  I got mine at Wegman's, but you can also access them on line at www.EasternShoreTea.com where they come bag-free, and either buy directly from them or find a store near you.

The bags are pretty small, tagless and stringless.  They do smell wonderful, of both their fruits.  I used boiling water and a five minute brew, at their suggestion.  They also suggest complimenting the cup with a "large yacht, lime slice"  I can do the latter, the former will have to wait until I marry a millionaire.  The lime slice would be a good idea, as the coconut is very much to the front and almost cloying in its sweetness.  It almost feels oily, although it isn't.  The flavor lingers in your mouth in a way I can't decide is pleasant or not. For me, I felt the balance of flavors was off and I would have preferred more lime.

We are going to an event today, "Sundaes at the Farm".  This is sponsored by the Co-operative Extension of Tioga County. It is a yearly event to showcase local farms to get people more in touch with where their food originates.  There will be coffee, but no tea, ah well.  There will, however, be many local foods and many calves to pet.  Good for this ole farm girl's spirit, and there are free sundaes.

This huge beautiful bowl is carved from one piece of alabaster.  It is nearly 3 feet across and was owned by the royal family of the Austro-Hungary Empire, which ended with WWI.