My Cup Runneth Over (All Over The Place)

As I was pouring water in my tea pot today, I managed to pour it all over the counter, as well, due entirely to inattention.  It got me thinking about what we tea people have done that at least in retrospect, was accidental  or silly and has now become funny.

I am sometimes given to trying to look more knowledgeable than I really am and it almost always backfires and I am shown up as a right twit.  One such occasion, thankfully, long ago, I very smartly ordered both milk and lemon with my tea - two is better than one and ever so much smarter, right?  Umm humm and we all know what happened - the milk curdled and looked disgusting, but I drank it anyway, in a fit of payment rendered for the sin of pride, or something like that.   I think I am still embarrassed.

How about you?  Have you done anything tea related that backfired?  When I was a kid I made blue ice cubes, to make our drinks more colorful.  Oh, they did alright, they looked like something diseased in the ice tea and it was really difficult for our guests to be polite and drink at least some of it.  Object lesson on "We eat (and drink) with our eyes first"  Since then I am a little more careful in how I make things colorful.

I am not drinking a new tea today, but I am trying a new tea candy from Tea Forte' - minteas Results - tea mints for fitness, matcha chai flavor.  They allege that the matcha, which makes them green, is slimming and the cinnamon aids in keeping you fit.  Gosh, I don't know, that seems a  lot for one 1/4 inch mint to do.  I have my doubts.  However, taste wise, they're pretty good, with a big bite of cinnamon.  I can't really taste any matcha, but it may be gentling the cinnamon.  They're tasty and well worth getting if you like that particular spice.  Warning - they are a bit khaki colored, which to me is odd.

This is Vienna, the tall spike in the middle is the cathedral, Stephansdom.  One of the many Hapsburg palaces, this the Belvedere, is just beyond the gardens.  Behind me is another palace, where visitors stayed. The royal family did not allow people, even other royals, to stay in the same palace with them.

Cucumbers In The Rain

Pouring rain.  Gray skies.  Wet cats.  Tea to the rescue!

Tea Forte is ever expanding its line and I was gifted with one of the newbies.  It is Cucumber Mint  "green tea for youth recovery".  Gosh, I don't know if I really should, as I am pretty content being older.  Oh well, it can't really hurt.  Besides, it also has blueberries in it and antioxidants and its supposed to do something for my skin. All  that in one tiny teabag!

I use water at a near boil and steep it for three minutes.  It has a rather odd aroma of guess what - mint and blueberry!  I can't decide if I like it.  The tea is a bit odd as well.  At first, I really couldn't say what it tasted like, but then different aspects will come forth to be recognized, clearly cucumber or mint or the sharp/sweet of the fruit.  It's intriguing and I am definitely going to keep drinking it.  I am going to cool some and see how it will be as ice tea.

Some of the rhododendrons across the street are blooming, but a lot got frozen out, as did our lilacs, which is a great grief to me.  Our neighbors early rhodys got frozen into an ugly brown mess and it looks like the plants aren't doing well.  I think our currents and gooseberries managed to hit it right, as they seem to be producing some fruit.  Hopefully more than the six currents we got last year.  Elderberries are finally growing, but the rose seem to be in sad shape.  Sigh, weather can't be controlled, but gardeners live into hope.

A cheeseman at the farmers market in Bern, Switzerland.  Good stuff!

Tea For The World

Further bits and bobs about World Tea East:

One of the many educational sessions looks at Fair Trade certified alternatives for tea and herbs. With more than 38 percent annual growth for Fair Trade certified teas and major commitments from industry leaders to certify their ingredients, Fair Trade tea is here to stay, according to the tea experts and organizers of World Tea East.


It's about time they figured that one out.

The "Think Tea in Every Menu Course" presentation looks at how many chefs and restaurants are experimenting with tea. Maybe I 'll see about some ideas translatable for our tables.

Some of the presenters you may not have heard of, but who are important in the tea world are:Dan Bolton, World Tea News; Charles Cain, Adagio Teas;Chris Cason, Tavalon Tea; Mim Enck, East Indies Coffee and Te;, Gail Gastelu, The Tea House Times; Dianna Harbin, certified tea specialist; Beth Johnston, Teas Etc.; Anupa Mueller, Eco-Prima, Inc. and Silver Tips Tea Room;  Susan Peterson, Teaberry’s Tea Room;
Thomas Shu, ABC Tea House; Joe Simrany,  President, Tea Association of the USA, Inc.; David Walker, Walker Teas and Todd Wickstrom, Rishi Teas.

That's in addition to the ones I have already told you about.  It is quite a lineup.

Now, I must have some tea after all those people and ideas to think about.   Forte is the signature tea of Tea Forte.  Both are pronounced 4 Tay.  As in my forte is math.  It is billed as "a robust black with a hint of Jasmine".  The aroma in the tin is a heavy black with a sharp, not quite floral scent. The leaves are definitely black, with quite a few dried jasmine flowers.  I cannot distinguish the scent as that of Jasmine.  I brewed it for 3.5 minutes with boiling water.  This one could not go for 5.

The brewing aroma was that of a malty, somewhat earthy tea, with a sweet edge, again, not identifiable.  Well, this tea is a disappointment.  It is just a plain okay tea with no hint at all of Jasmine.  On the redeeming side, it is smooth and medium hearty and takes cream all right, so it's good for breakfast.  I also got it on sale.  On the whole, I am not taken with Tea Forte teas and except for their Black Current, which is wonderful, I won't be getting any more from them.

Yesterday and today we spent digging huge holes yet again for more of our plants - not many to go and only little ones.  Hooray!!!!!  I also finished a crocheted scarf for Frank.  It is very funny looking - pregnant in some spots, malnourished in others.  It wasn't until the end that I figured out how to keep my edges straight.  I don't think anything exotic is in my future for yet a while. But I have a simple afghan I started long ago that I will finish.  I also discovered why I gave up knitting - it is boring and to to become good at it will require a long time making boring things.  I will stick to crocheting.  After I finish the stupid scarf I started in knitting.

Can Good Tea Go Rogue?

Ho boy, when Tea Forte says something has cinnamon in it, they really mean it.

Even before I got the top of the canister completely off, I was overwhelmed by

the incredibly strong aroma pouring out of it.  Vienna Cinnamon is just too much, a prime example of the tea flavorer's imagination gone overboard.  It is not as hot as Red Hots candy, but it is as strong.  It is also sweet, without any sweetener.  It is hard to tell that you are drinking tea.  I really don't like this way of flavoring tea.  I like plain tea best and if it is flavored, the flavor should be an enhancement or a fillip, not too much of what might have been a good thing.  I mixed it with some very plain ice tea and then it was ok.  However, I shall comfort myself with some good old PG Tips.

They say good things come in threes.  But I ask, do they all have to come at

once? I am going to the World Tea Expo East, going to visit friends I haven't seen in too long and I signed up for the Master Gardener Program classes.  They are starting before I return from Philadelphia, so I miss the first session.  Phoo.

I have wanted to take this course to become a Master Gardener, for a very long time, but there never was one when I could take it.  It is a longish course covering a whole host of things gardeners need to know.  I am really thrilled to be able to do it.

Very locally we did not suffer from the wind and rain of Irene - just a bad storm here.  However, a little east of us several towns and villages were flooded and I know that many more in the path of the storm had a lot of damage.  Thankfully, it was not as bad as anticipated, although I am not sure that matters to those who lost loved ones .  They have all my sympathy and whatever help I can give.

Black Tea, Green Tea, Which Shall I Have

A prettier view view of the Sorrento port,
on the Bay of Naples.

Yesterday I made some ice tea from leftover teabags from Tea Forte, about half Citrus Mint and half Chamomile Citron. I just put them in my pitcher, added cold water and stuck them in the fridge. The result is ok for mint tea, with the barest hint of citrus. Nothing to rave about, but the mint is pleasant on this very warm day. I just added some black tea and it all tastes pretty good. I really don't think Tea Forte teabags are worth their very expensive, in many ways, cost. However, I still think their loose leaf Black Current is the tops.

Today is a green day. Another offering from Blue Raven Teas, Strawberry Clouds. It does indeed smell like strawberries, with maybe a hint of rosewater or some other floral. it is quite attractive, with shades of green and what looks like black tea, accented with dried strawberries, maybe rose petals and dried apple peel?.

I brewed it for two minutes with water about 175 degrees. It is a pale amber and continues to give off the scent of warm strawberries. And that, indeed, is what it tastes like, strawberries kissed by the sun,with a mild underlay of tea. I imagine it would make a nice ice tea and that is what I am going to do with the rest of my sample.

Today we excavated holes for elderberries and rambling roses, which are all by the front fence. It is so exhausting digging huge holes in heavy soil and gravel, then filling them and mulching the plants. I hope next year we will think it is all worth it. I do love elderberries, which I am sure no one who lives in the city or suburbs even thinks about. But they make a lovely jelly and a really nice pie, as well as a pretty vinegar. They must be cooked to be eaten and need a bit of vinegar or lemon to bring out their flavor. Next comes the currants and gooseberries. I am planting berries that stores and farmers' markets don't carry, or if they do, they are horrendously expensive. Next year I will do black caps/black raspberries and maybe red or yellow raspberries.

St. Peter's church in Bacharach, Germany. I like how they are restoring it to its original colors. I also think the stairway is lovely.

Okay, even I will admit we really are in Spring. Kids are riding their bikes, I did some cleaning up in the garden and I went to Agway (farm and garden) and spent beaucoup bucks on seeds, bulbs, potting soil, the whole shebang. I planted my saved forever tomato seeds and I am good to go. We have saved these seeds, which we call Peter's tomatoes after a friend of a friend, for over 30 years. They are so good, a type of Polish Paste, big, long, meaty. We have only saved seeds from the sweetest and tastiest. Now we need to work on making them more prolific. I also have some cherry tomato seed that I really like.

I celebrated with some Oasis from Tea Forte. This is a mix of green tea, spring flowers and citrus. I brewed it for about 2.4 minutes with 180 degree water and it is citrussy, but very pleasantly so. The liquor is a pale gold and is slightly sweet, with a mild citrus flavor that is well-undergirded with the green tea. Altogether a very pleasant and successful blend. By which I mean you can taste the tea as well as the flavoring. I really don't like tea that only tastes like flavoring. I don't see the point of drinking it.

Not A Forte of the Earl

I love this style of steeple.

I happened to be in Walmart and saw they have a selection of largish teacup and teapot planters. I have not yet sorted out all my garden ware from when we moved, so I was not tempted. I also didn't like them, which is the real reason I wasn't tempted. I am more into a mix of classic and my own version of tacky, as anyone can see who visits my house.

We just got rid of a love seat and got a new chair, so we have been spending the morning hauling furniture around. We're not done yet, but I am desperate for a cup of tea.

I decided to try more of the Tea Forte I was given, since I have had such good luck with it. I am having Earl Grey, which I love and I am always ready to try a new one. It is still that box of teabags and the bag is quite full. there isn't a lot of scent dry, but that is not surprising. However, there's not much scent wet, either. And, not too much taste, to boot. In fact, it seems like a cross between black currant and Lipton's, with the barest hint of citrus. It won't make me run right out and buy some loose.

Another note about Japanese Teas - any tea that is currently in a store or your pantry is perfectly safe, as it was here long before the radiation problem. Quite probably that will go for this year's crop as well. If you are worried, go to the New York Times website and look for their map of radiation. Most Japanese tea is grown west and south west and a bit north of Tokyo, on the big island. The reactor is on the large northern island. The same is true of Japanese restaurants. Almost all of their ingredients are purchased here, especially the ingredients in sushi or they have been here from before the reactor problem, so it is perfectly safe to eat in them.

However, we need to mention that Teavana had a voluntary recall of its peppermint tea, as there was a slight possibility that it was contaminated with salmonella. They are to be commended for doing this and if you have any you bought recently, please take it back or throw it out. It should be emphasized that no one has fallen ill from the tea.

The Official Beginning of Spring-

Tomorrow is the official first day of Spring. Can't come soon enough as far as I am concerned. Here, however, it is really mud season. With our heavy clay soil that means you try very hard to keep to pavement or gravel if you can find any, lest you be up to you hips in mud. Our fur persons are coming in with very dirty paws and tummies, except for Sarah, La Principessa, who wouldn't dream of sullying those pristine white appendages.

Sunday, First Day of Spring! And very welcome it is, too. I am greeting it with an herbal tisane from Tea Forte - Raspberry Nectar. It definitely smells like fresh raspberries and as it brews, it is that beautiful red of crushed berries. It tastes like fresh berries, but also has that somewhat ubiquitous taste of hibiscus. There are also rosehips, apple, blackberry leaves, orange peel and flavors in addition to the raspberries. It is both sweet and tart and very tasty. However, I would have liked it better if it had had less hibiscus and some of the other stuff. As it is, it skirts on the edge of being like every other herbal in the berry/hibiscus/rosehip lineup. A bit of sweetener does wonders for it.

I am in the process of, once again, cleaning out the tea cupboard and trying to get rid of the ones I don't especially care for before I have to store them under my bed or something. Some are just old and will make nice mulch, some I will give away. The ones I like, I will keep. So you all may be offered some teas a bit down the road.

Currants and Tea

Flowers in Italy. Wish we had some now. Although the grocery
store just got in hyacinths and I had a good sniff fest yesterday.

Hot diggity dog! Or something like that. I found a black currant tea I can drink! It doesn't smell like cat spray! Woo Hoo! I am a happy camper, as I did like this stuff long ago and any I have had since has just been awful, awful, awful. The only problem is it is Tea Forte. Now Tea Forte makes some very tasty teas. The packaging is visually appealing, it would make lovely gifts. BUT (there's always one, isn't there?) that packaging is decidedly not earth friendly. There is so much of it and some is just not going to waste away in compost. Also, they are very expensive. But I may have to bite the bullet. Oh dear.





However, I am going to review it, because I am so pleased to taste it. I got mine as a gift, by the way. First of all, it smells wonderful, a gentle fruity aroma that smells like fresh black currants.
Then, after 3.5 minutes of brewing in it's cute little pyramid bag, it tastes wonderful, like the aforementioned black currants. Imagine that. Plus, there is a gentle hint of mint on the side. It really reminds me of being out in the garden, picking berries and gathering herbs. I wonder if they have any loose leaf. I'll find out and get back to you.

PS It snowed again last night - gorgeous morning when the sun came up and sparkled everything. It is so nice to have the sun up early and still be able to see at 6 pm. I love winter, but hate the gray, although this year has had a lot more sun.

Their Forte is Tea

Ravenna, Italy, some of the jaw-droppingly gorgeous mosaics. By
the time we arrived here, we had had a surfeit of Italian churches, but these mosaics were beyond spectacular. Our whole experience in this ancient port was wonderful: the churches, the food, our total marble room [even the closet doors were marble] and the crazy way people parked.

Today I am exploring the rich gift from my neighbor, Carol - Tea Forte. I noticed my sampler had Black Currant tea, so I decided to try that first. I used to love it, but in the past few years, it has all smelled like cat spray, which, of course, affects how I would approach the taste. Woo Hoo, it smells fruity and rich and NOT nasty. This is a definitely cute tea - a nice stiff pyramid, holding a goodly amount of tea with a neat little tea leaf on a stem to rescue it from your cup.

I brewed it for about 3 minutes with boiling water and it smelled wonderful all the time. This has a black tea base and the liquor is a nice deep reddish brown. Lovely taste, rich and fruity and dare I say it, like black currants! Woo Hoo indeed. I couldn't find any info on the black tea base, but it is good and in addition to the black currant, there are blackberry leaves. The flavor comes from natural flavoring and there is NO chemical after taste. Well done, Tea Forte. On the website it can be purchased as a loose tea, so I may just get some, as I have missed having this old favorite.

This is a very attractive tea, with an attractive presentation, sure to wow almost anyone. However, I have to give them low marks for using so much stuff to package it with, layer upon layer. Life is full of compromises. As a gift, this is a star, as eco-consciousness, it isn't. The loose tea would definitely get higher marks in the latter category.

All the kitties have gone to the vet and I seem to be forgiven for such incredible meanness. Everyone is out from under the bed, so all is well for another 6 months, when we can do this all over again. Ernie - the one in the bed springs, slept in the carrying cage the night after he did that. Cats!!!

Tea With the Queen

This is about the clearest picture I got of Vesuvius. This is taken
from the southern side of Naples Bay, in Sorrento, close to the Isle of Capri. The island my husband's grandfather came from is Ischia, to the west of the peninsula above.



I am really feeling rich today. One of my new neighbors brought me a welcome present of a sampler box of Tea Forte, plus 2 of their handy little square ceramic teabag holders. As you know this tea comes in very stiff pyramids, with a small leaf attached, so you can pull it out when it's done brewing. I've only tried one of them before and it was pretty good, so you will soon be hearing about them. They get an A+ for pretty packaging.

My tea today is again iced, Culinary Teas Buckingham Palace Tea. Supposedly, this is the blend the Queen serves at her mammoth garden parties. I can't say, as I have never been invited. This is one of my favorite teas and I made a pot of it yesterday, but we only each had a cup, so I put the rest in the fridge. I have to say, it is every bit as good iced as it is hot. It is a blend of teas, with hints of Earl Gray and jasmine to lighten it. More of the bergamot than the jasmine comes out in the cold, but they both make it very refreshing on a hot afternoon, after a rigerous morning of taking a hissing, spitting, scratching cat to the vet for her annual shots and exam. Tomorrow it is the 3 boys' turn, but they are much nicer about it all.

Gingering Up The Day

I love covered bridges!


I was looking through my tea stash today and came across a bag of Tea Forte's Ginger Lemongrass. Since I like both these herbs, I thought I might as well try it. These are very cute, stiff pyramid shaped bags with a little green covered wire stem and leaf to secure the bag to the cup, so you don't need to fish it out with your fingers. All I could think was, no wonder these are so expensive. It was also wrapped in thin cardboard. The ingredients were ginger, lemongrass, licorice root, lemon peel and spearmint, all organic.


I brewed it as for any herb tea – boiling water for about 5 minutes. It's a nice tisane, tasting and smelling like ginger. The bag allows the herbs contents to expand. It tastes like good quality ginger, with the very barest hint of lemon and a bit of bitterness from the peel. Pleasant, cute, expensive (about $1.00 a bag or more); I can buy good enough ginger tea locally for 1/20th the price, so I don't think I'll be buying any. I got this one in a tea swap.