Sunday, July 25, 2010

Mock Orange Never Had It So Good


1,000 year old mosaic floor. I wish my floors would look this good for so long.


Oh my, I am drinking the nicest ice tea. It is Simpson & Vail's Rose Kissed Jasmine. It is one of my favorite hot teas and now it will be one of the all time favorite ice teas. I cold-brewed it overnight in the fridge. Before I even got it in there the water was turning a pretty green, with lots of pink rosebuds floating in it. It tastes exactly like what it says it is, jasmine green tea, with an overlay of rose. However, altogether, to me, it takes like the old-fashioned shrub, Philadelpheus, smells. A perfect summer drink. Since we are all sweltering from the extended heat, we need lots of really good ice teas. Next time I do this, I think I will cut down on the brew time - this went for about 12 hours and is a tiny bit tannic. I think doing it in the morning for the afternoon or evening would be better


One of the things I often mention is what a particular tea smells like, both dry leaves and as it is brewing. I find this adds more dimension to the tea, as a stand alone scent and as part of the taste. It's not enough to just pass the container under my nose, I really stick it in as far as I can can without inhaling the leaves. For one thing, it keeps out other scents and for another, my warm breath releases more of the tea scent. Try it the next time you have tea.
You lucky folks in the Chicago area will soon be able to buy Adagio Teas from an actual store. it is to be located at 27 West Jefferson Ave. in Napierville, IL One of their aims is to be able to interact more with customers and encourage experimentation, such as customers blending their own tea. That is something I would like to do. I tend to be too heavy-handed, so my home blends haven't been great successes. There is a book I have had my eye on however -Tea For You : Blending Custom Teas to Savor and Share by Tracy Sloan. I probably will get it and see what I come up with.








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