Kitchen

[Sooner]

A few teas for a brief review!  I have ordered samples and favorites from Upton Tea:

Lendenhall Street Breakfast Blend: A blend of broken leaf Ceylon and good Assam, for me it is a good any-time tea that can be drunk with or without milk.  I would say it is a good go-to cup!  Not too strong or not too weak, not bland but not too tannic.  It is not as bold as their Scottish Breakfast tea--another favorite of mine.

Season's Pick Assam Organic--good organic tea with enough flavor and body to be a good Assam.  It's hard to find a good organic I like so far but this one is nice.  

They have a number of organic teas grown in Columbia, so that is my next try!

And they also have ceramic 36 oz. Ai Cha Teapots with a filter for $10.69 and it seems to be a good buy!  It is more slender than rounded, sturdy and makes enough for iced tea.  It comes in an off-white/cream shade.  So far mine has worked well.  You do need to fill it full for the filter to work, or just use bags in it! 

So that's my tasting report!  What have you tried lately?  

[cindyNC]

@Sooner Thanks for posting.  I've been looking for a spoon for loose leaf teas as I'm switching from tea bags and it looks like they have a nice one. 

[Sooner]

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@cindyNC wrote:

@Sooner Thanks for posting.  I've been looking for a spoon for loose leaf teas as I'm switching from tea bags and it looks like they have a nice one. 

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@cindyNC I have never had any issues with Upton and have been buying from them for more than 25 years.  I love getting their samples, and make sure they include a catalog if you order something.  Those are good reading!  

[candys mine]

I just tried "Golden Monkey" tea.  It's light tasting, a bit flowery.   A tea for lemon or sugar.  Dairy overwhelms it.  I'd consider it a nice "Afternoon" tea. 

Closer to Darjeeling than a  bolder Keemun.

I picked up 4 sample packs from the local shop

from strongest to lightest Ithink they'd be.

Keemun   Many times a part of a breakfast blend type tea. Definately a Black Tea. sorta one note but good with milk and sugar.

Yunnan    Same Black tea type but a bit less bold and is smoother. Nice stand alone if you don't want a bold WAKE ME UP! cup.

Golden Monkey   as above.

Darjeeling 1st flush I consider lightest only because it's a bit more flowery to me. Lemon or sugar go well with this.  I think of taking Tea in the garden. with this one.  " One lump or Two?"

They're all good !

[Sooner]

@candys mine Thanks for the reviews!  If I remember I liked some Yunnan  better than some Keemun I tried for the reasons you state.  One of them had a stronger almost musty taste to me that was supposed to be smokey.  Now I can't remember which--so thanks for the review!  

It has been a long time since I have had a Darjeeling--so I'll have to try that!  Thanks for making me think of this!  Mine will be under the air conditioner I believe rather than in the garden!  

[just bee]

Harney & Sons had a sale so I stocked some favorites and ordered two new flavors: Milky Oolong and Black Cask Bourbon.

Smells and tastes like cream with a bit of fruitiness.  Really pleasant.

Tried Lapsang Souchong 50 years ago and instantly disliked it.  Ordered this, thinking it would probably be a mistake, but I've been drinking it every day and have only four of fifty sachets left.

Smoky, but not too smoky.  Good straight.  Better with a touch of heavy whipping cream.

These may become regulars.

[candys mine]

@just bee  I'm not really a fan of when they 'Fuss" with tea, But That sounds kinda GOOD!

Have you tried it over Ice?

[just bee]

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@candys mine wrote:

@just bee  I'm not really a fan of when they 'Fuss" with tea, But That sounds kinda GOOD!

Have you tried it over Ice?

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@candys mine 

You know how some like it hot?

Hot tea for me.

[wagirl]

I've been making ice tea lately. I LOVE Celestial Seasonings fruit tea sampler--has 5 fruit flavors that are so good--I add decaf black teabags and 2 bags of my flavor and steep them together----tastes amazing and no sweetness need to be added. Today I made country peach with black tea. A few days ago it was blueberry. I have also used decaf green tea too. 

[lork]

I am a purest, and for many years only drank Lipton Loose Leaf Black Tea.  But the last box or two, seemed like more Lipton dust, rather than loose leaf, so I read reviews and switched to Taylor's of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea (Amazon!).  I buy it in the 240 bag box and it lasts for several months.  Mind you, I drink a lot of hot tea, and during the day, a lot of iced tea.  I don't put sugar, lemon or milk in my tea, nor do I drink decaffeinated tea.  It has become my current favorite!