Tea and biscuits

December 5, 2020November 30, 2020

5 December Countess Grey

A twist on the traditional bergamot-infused blend, Countess Grey is based on well-twisted orange pekoe teas, lifted by classic bergamot and a light orange flavour. Its light and delicate character makes it ideal for morning or afternoon drinking, when the spirits require a little reviving.https://www.fortnumandmason.com/countess-grey-250g-loose-leaf-bag

Ingredients: Tea, Flavourings, Dried Marigold Flowers

I love Earl Grey. I think Twinings Lady Grey is wonderful. I’m very excited about this one. It smells amazing. Can I get this as a perfume? I want to smell like this tea.

The orange pekoe tea they use has a strong, dry aftertaste. The citrus is prominent in the taste, not the aroma once it’s steeped. This cup smells like plain black tea.

This silky bag is not good for a second cup. It brewed up weak with no orange or bergamot flavour at all.

Do they mean calendula, not marigold? I wish they’d say.

I’m not impressed with this variation. Whatever they’ve done, they’ve taken the joy of bergamot out of Earl Grey. I’m giving this 3.5 out of 5 Earls.

Random musing…

As I’m flying back and forth to Kansas to spend time with my boyfriend and his kids, I have decided I can’t live without tea. I mailed my back-up kettle and a jar of Earl Grey Moonlight to his house in September. When I was back in October I went to make a cup and his youngest (aged 15) grabbed the jar and said I was killing his new bestie. In the few weeks I had been gone, he anthropomorphized my jar of tea that I left on the counter. After much giggling I told him I love Earl Grey and this is my favourite blend, but I have about 25 different versions of it. At this point he said I was cheating on Earl. The boy has his father’s sense of humor. I giggled the entire time.

During my visit the two of them were shopping and the boy raced down the aisle of tea (not a normal stopping place for them). He wanted to find Earl Grey for me. Dad pointed out I prefer loose leaf and all this store sells is bagged. My heart! So sweet.

***

I tried this years ago. I like it. But I have sampled a lot of Earl Grey in my life.A lot of Lady Grey’s, and even a found Countesses. I have tried the whole royal family of Earl Grey.

This is actually a lovely blend. It’s a tad tame for me. I do love my black teas to be brewed very strong. I have recently started to omit milk and add lemon or a bit of orange zest to my Greys. I just find that most of the time they are lacking that current of citrus.

This lacks that. While it isn’t horrible by any means it’s just a boring cup of tea to me. I totally agree with my Wifey on this one. I give it 3 sorta yawns and a fond wish for more bergamot.

December 4, 2020November 25, 2020

Adagio Day 4 Cherry Marzipan Oolong

In this post my (Viking Wife/Lady Grey) comments are in pink. This is not listed on the Adagio website as a blend they normally sell.

a jar of sweet cherries and a jar of tart cherry pie filling that I canned this summer.

1. First impressions?

There is a full tablespoon in this bag! Smells like tart cherries. Can’t smell cinnamon. The almond scent lingers behind the cherry scent.

After steeping – the almond and cherry scents seem equal. But neither come through on taste. Half way through the cup the cinnamon scent came through.

The aftertaste has a cherry almond flavour.

2. Do you think this is a good choice for an Advent Calendar? Why yes, or why no?

Marzipan is one of those things I avoid… I mean, is traditional for the holiday season. Cherries (usually dried or brandied) inevitably come up for Christmas. So yes – it’s a good choice for the calendar.

3. Tell me how you really feel. Or any random thing that needs to be said.

This is a pretty good tea. I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it, but if it was offered to me in a post-Pandemic holiday world, I’d drink it. If I had it in the house I’d happily offer it as refreshment at a holiday party.

Did they add the rosehips to help give the cherry flavour more tartness? They have ‘natural wild cherry flavor’ and cherries in here. WTF is wild cherry flavor anyway? What sort of cherries did they use? There are all sorts of cherries! I have questions, and again I am left without answers.

Oolong love.. How many O’s out of 5?

I give this one 4 out of 5 O’s

December 4, 2020November 25, 2020

4 December Rose Pouchong

In this speciality of China, rose petals are interleaved with the tea as it dries, and a few are left in for decoration, ensuring that the visual appeal matches the flavour. Serve in the afternoon to make the most of its fragrant and delicate taste.https://www.fortnumandmason.com/rose-pouchong-tea-125g-loose-leaf-tin

Interleave: verb

past tense: interleaved; past participle: interleaved

1.
insert pages, typically blank ones, between the pages of (a book).
“books of maps interleaved with tracing paper”

The website says the ingredients are tea and rose petals. Great. Thanks for that. But on the Advent Calendar box we are told “Fine grade, large-leaf Maofeng Keemun is naturally scented with fresh-picked rose petals, creating a delicate tea redolent of Turkish Delight.” Much sexier.

I’ve been making notes on both calendars in a little notebook.

Maofeng Keemun is a China black tea grown only in the Anhui province. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhui#/media/File:Anhui_in_China_(+all_claims_hatched).svg

This smells like roses. Divine!

The Keemun is a gorgeous backdrop for the rose. If you’ve never sipped a straight rose tisane, you should. I have found that by steeping individual ingredients I get a better sense of how they play together in blends. Not everyone is into rose water or Turkish Delight. We aren’t used to using roses in cooking, baking, or drinking. I vote for more rose flavoured things in my life.

There is a sweetness in my mouth from the tea leaves. Before every sip I inhaled the aroma. Just wonderful.

From my notes… “I might break up with Earl Grey for this tea.” “I need to order this”

This is so good I finally ordered my Royal Albert Old Country Roses tea cup and saucer, and a box of Turkish Delight. And now I’m thinking of making rose petal jelly.

***

Well it was bound to happen. That moment during the reviewing process we would disagree.

I am not a fan of roses. I enjoy them in gardens. I like to look at them. I occasionally like a bunch for the house.

I agree here. I love them in gardens. I do not like them in the house. They make me sneeze. And my cat eats them. But, Viking Wife, you say, you have 3 cats. y’all get one guess as to which cat eats roses.

But the moment it starts wilting I must yeet them into the nearest dumpster.

Childhood trauma comes in many flavors and sadly for me two of them roses and gardenias. I hate the wilted scent of them that is usually found in perfumes or body sprays. Roses however are more of a sachet kind of thing. You know that thing old ladies stick in their underwear drawers.

This bag isn’t overwhelming but I am not digging it. So dropping it into water seemed the best course of action.

I can’t help but think this smells like soap as it brews.

*shrug* my shampoo, conditioner and deodorant are all rose scented.

Yeah, I am not a fan. It’s a good cup of tea, I can tell. The pouchong tea seems nice. But the cloying taste or roses ruins it for me.

If you like roses and tea, I would suggest this. But not for me!

dessert plates that were a gift from my maternal grandmother. She grew prize winning roses. Her favorite hand lotion was Rose Milk. She even had a miniature rose called the Kara Rose, which she said was named after me.

December 3, 2020November 25, 2020

Adagio Day 3 Golden Turmeric Chai

In this post text from the Adagio site is in red. Text from me (Viking Wife/Lady Grey) is in pink.

Blended With Turmeric Inclusion, Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon, Fennel, Black Peppercorn & Natural Spicy Cinnamon Flavor

Prized for its golden orange color, turmeric was widely used among primitive cultures as a means for decorating ceremonial masks, baskets, and for waiting. It was also used as an offering to deities or spiritual ancestors. While some idols were bathed in it, other times it was used in ceremonial rituals related to life transitions from birth to marriage and even death. It was even applied directly to the body as a form of protection from enemies and promote longevity.

Satisfy your savory sensibilities with a touch of gold. Our Golden Turmeric Chai features earthy turmeric with the warming spiciness of ginger, and is softly sweetened by a blend of cinnamon, clove, and a hint of fennel. It finishes off with a slight fiery kick of black peppercorn. The suggested serving is one teaspoon per cup of water or milk of preference for a golden milk latte!

Herbal Tea | No caffeine | Steep at 212° for 5 minutes.

I didn’t pay attention to the ingredients before I drank it. No wonder it didn’t taste like tea. It isn’t.

Regarding turmeric… it is an anti-inflammatory. I’ve had people suggest I drink Golden Milk, blend it straight with honey and take a spoonful daily for arthritis, and even take daily capsules. I’ve never found any personal benefit. Golden Milk is punishment. And ruining honey with turmeric is a sin against bees.

1. First impressions?

Looked good. Smelled nice, cinnamon was strong. That first sip hit my gag reflex. WTF was in my cup? Nonsense. Utter nonsense. I braced myself for another sip. After 3 sips I decided to abandon my initial plan of having one plain cup, then a milky cup. I ran for the fridge to get the half and half. This made it palatable, but not good.

I am keeping a notebook so I can scribble things while I am sipping. I’m going to quote myself

“Ye gods.”

“Oh, this isn’t pleasant”

2. Do you think this is a good choice for an Advent Calendar? Why yes, or why no?

It’s terrible. If I was served this again I’d kill it with fire. It does not invoke the spirit of Christmas or Yule or Hanukkah. It is legitimately terrible.

3. Tell me how you really feel. Or any random thing that needs to be said.

Imma take this time to be random as I’ve already said how I really feel. I think in the film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi has a scene where the wife gives the husband a cup of golden milk. I’ve not made the time to re-watch it recently.

BTW ZERO out of 5 whatever scale we’re using. Just gross.

December 3, 2020November 25, 2020

3 December Chamomile and Bee Pollen

“A thoroughly unique blend of refreshing camomile, Fortnum’s own Salisbury Plain honey and waxy-sweet bee pollen, this all-natural and gently-sweet Camomile & Bee Pollen Infusions Tea is a fresh-drinking delight.”

https://www.fortnumandmason.com/camomile-&-bee-pollen-infusion-pouch-30g-2209346

Ingredients: Camomile (75%), Liquorice Root, Bee Pollen (9%), Flavourings (5%)

Hello, forgive me F&M, but I’ve a question for you, if I may be so bold. I see you describe your product as having honey, but … and do forgive me here, you seem to have left honey off the ingredients list. Also, you’ve lost your H.

To begin, it looked perfect. I got out loose leaf chamomile to compare. It steeped beautifully and smelled like chamomile and honey. I find chamomile has a *nearly* honey taste to it on its own. But the blend here brings out that flavour. I’ve always been a fan of chamomile. The liquorice and bee pollen bring out a dimension in the flowers that plain honey cannot. This is divine. As in all agricultural Goddesses and Gods across every pantheon ever should forevermore be depicted sipping this tea.

The really nice thing about these silky bags vs steeping loose in a strainer is there isn’t the detritus. No bits of pollen or leaves or whatnot clinging to my throat. Yes. I’ve just said silky tea bags have a place. You may be shocked. You have my permission.

I don’t get to wear this bee necklace that often. I made it about 5 or 6 years ago. The glass bead demanded to be made into a bee. Chips are citrine and obsidian.

I’m miffed about “flavourings”. Kindly define this, F&M. You aren’t protecting some ancient recipe. If you can’t be bothered to use actual honey, just say it in plain terms. Honestly. This bit of nonsense will be the reason I don’t ever order it.

My favourite story as a child was Peter Rabbit. It had it memorized. My parents told me I’d “read” it to them. No matter who read it when Mrs. Rabbit made some chamomile tea and ‘gave a dose of it to Peter’ there was shock and dismay. I know now that is because neither of my parents had any idea what chamomile tea tastes like. Perhaps my dad does now. If I tried to give it to my mum she’d be all “you can’t drink flowers”. (Permission to roll your eyes with me at her.)

Mom gives Peter Rabbit some broth. www.beststoriesforchildren.com | Beatrix potter illustrations, Beatrice potter, Peter rabbit and friends — Giving a dose of chamomile to Peter because he ate too much.

We had a VHS, then upgraded to a DVD, of an animated production of Peter Rabbit when my daughter was small. It’s one of those comforting videos we watch when we aren’t feeling well. And a cup of chamomile is always cheering.

As you know I’m a bit of an amateur herbalist. I keep loose chamomile for medicinal teas. It is a base ingredient in my Period Pain blend. It’s calming and a perfect cuppa at the end of the day – hot or iced – to help you relax before bed. It’s safe for children. As always, if you suffer from hay fever you may want to stay away from drinking chamomile. I am allergic to all the things, my hay fever is terrible, and I’ve never had a problem drinking it. But please, do use caution, speak to your doctor or master herbalist if you have questions.

***

Chamomile will always remind me of my childhood. I suffered from nightmares, chronic insomnia, and on bad nights terrors.

When it was bad my mom would brew me a cup of Sleepytime Tea by Celestial Seasons. She would add a spoonful of honey and let me stir it. One of the main ingredients is chamomile. So when I smell it, to this day I immediately think of comfort.

I really loved the scent of this (Although I thought Viking Wife would not because it really smelt like candy to me.) and I wished it wasn’t in a tea bag. (Btw. I went to the website and they don’t carry this loose leaf. Also the picture of the tea on the site has way, way more present chamomile blossoms then I had.)(My tea bag when it was dried just looked filled with dust and a few beat up dried flowers…) I know.. I am a snob, but no matter what the quality is, the bag adds it’s own flavor and I often wish it wasn’t in the profile.

VW here… I loved the scent. I love that it’s in a bag.

It looks beautiful brewed, the perfect golden color. The honey is very present for me and I am annoyed to think it’s a flavored additive. I found that I didn’t need to add anything to this cup and it was wonderful as is. It has a natural sweetness I think and the bee pollen adds more sweet.

While I do not feel this is very Christmasy it is a sweet memory of childhood which is just as good.

Overall for a chamomile herbal infusion it’s quite lovely. I only wish it came in loose leaf.

I totally recommend it.

December 2, 2020November 25, 2020

Adagio Day 2 Elderberry Wine

In this post Adagio’s text is in red. My text (Viking Wife/Lady Grey Moonlight) is in pink.

Blended With Hibiscus, Rose Hips, Elderberry, Echinacea, Apple Pieces, Lemon Grass, Raspberries & Blue Cornflowers

In some myths, the elder tree is thought to ward off evil and give protection from witches, while other beliefs say that witches often congregate under the plant, especially when it is full of fruit. If an elder tree was cut down, a spirit known as the Elder Mother would be released and take her revenge. The tree could only safely be cut while chanting a rhyme to the Elder Mother.

Tart, sweet and oh, so good! As the name suggests, our Elderberry Wine is a full-bodied, complex tisane. With notes of grape and cranberry, it is the perfect tea to sip on to satisfy the need for bold flavor.

Herbal Tea | No caffeine | Steep at 212° for 5 minutes.

“Elder is the Lady’s tree, burn it not or cursed ye be.” How have I never dressed as the Elder Mother for Samhain before? I need a crown of plastic and silk elderberries and leaves and deep purple robes, stat!

I need to say WTF to the ‘notes of grape and cranberry’. Obviously they mean elderberry when they say grape. And hibiscus and rose hips don’t REALLY taste like cranberry. Did whoever wrote this ever eat a cranberry? I mean a fresh cranberry all tart and firm, not jellied or sugared/dried and nothing at all like an actual cranberry. This is the worst simile. The violet jelly I made this spring tastes more like grapes than elderberries do.

1. First impressions?

I am loving the little packets. So festive!

This is a staple in my cabinet. While I do have most of the ingredients on hand for my own blending pleasure, I like to keep this one as an evening go-to. The first four ingredients are good for heart health (physical and emotional), immune boosting, and there’s vitamin C.

I love how the lemon grass compliments the tart reds (hibiscus and rose hips), while the apple sweetens the elderberries. If people would drink each of these ingredients on their own (I have them in jars, come over, we’ll have a party) they would understand why this blend is spot on. And doesn’t take ANYTHING like cranberries or grapes.

This is my first time I think. Unless we had this in another calendar and I have since forgotten it. I love cranberry and I can taste it as the over sweetened Ocean Spray kinda way. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t have the tartness that I love from cranberries.

2. Do you think this is a good choice for an Advent Calendar? Why yes, or why no?

Yes. As we’ve discussed in the past, dried fruits are traditional Christmas fare. This infusion (not a tea, not a tisane) is great hot, iced, sweet, not sweet.

3. Tell me how you really feel. Or any random thing that needs to be said.

Did you see how many reviews people left on the Adagio page for this trying to compare this infusion (not a tea, not a tisane because it’s mostly fruit) with actual wine? *gives squinty side eye to the reviewers* I’ve not had the pleasure of drinking elderberry wine, but I have had elderberry mead. People! *claps* this is obviously NOT wine.

When the pandemic first began it was presumed that the SARS-COV 19 virus was causing a cytokine storm in the body, which is an immune reaction. So people were warned to NOT take elderberry because elderberries cause a cytokine storm as it boosts immunity. There are many articles published in June 2020 on the NHLBI, NIH, and webMD sites that reference this. As time has gone on, a university in Tennessee ran a model of the virus and found it more closely mimics response storm associated with blood pressure.

https://elemental.medium.com/a-supercomputer-analyzed-covid-19-and-an-interesting-new-theory-has-emerged-31cb8eba9d63

So how many tarts out of 5?

Are you calling me a tart?

Flirt.

This gets 5 out of 5 tarts from me.

This get’s 5 tarts out of me. Obviously it’s mother was a hamster and it’s father smelt of elderberries.

December 2, 2020November 25, 2020

2 December Moroccan Mint

“Based on a traditional recipe, this Moroccan Mint Tea is a blend of Chinese gunpowder green tea and roughly torn mint. The resulting flavour is cleansing, refreshing and the perfect after-dinner rejuvenation.” https://www.fortnumandmason.com/moroccan-mint-tea-15-whole-leaf-silky-tea-bags

Day 2 began with a “bloody hell” when I opened this window. I like green tea. Gunpowder is fine. I love peppermint. Frankly “roughly torn mint” in this description makes me feel like a Bond Girl going weak in the knees as Sean Connery’s James Bond kisses her in a silk draped boudoir in Marrakech.

Actor Sean Connery, beloved for James Bond portrayals, dies at 90 | National | dailyfreeman.com — https://www.dailyfreeman.com/news/national/actor-sean-connery-beloved-for-james-bond-portrayals-dies-at-90/article_1c4e4f54-1b7b-11eb-95a0-73d6f1e26354.html

*fans self*

What were we talking about?

Ingredients: Green Tea, Spearmint Leaves (10%), Peppermint Leaves (2%). Brewing: Use water heated to 85C and brew 1-3 minutes. Best served without milk.

Let’s break this down for our American readers:

85C is 185F. You can get a good electric kettle with this as a temperate preset, or let your boiled water cool for approximately 20 minutes
Don’t ever put milk in green tea or mint tisanes.
Boiling water on delicate mint leaves will make your drink bitter

I loathe spearmint. It gives me a headache. My taste buds do not enjoy it. So I’m already prepared to be disappointed today. This is why I said “bloody hell”.

The bag smells both minty and like green tea. The brewed cup BLESSEDLY tastes like gunpowder green tea. Yes, the spearmint is there. But it’s not pervasive. Perhaps that tiny, miniscule, puny, Lilliputian amount of peppermint helped soothe that savage spearmint.

At the end of the cup my iPod began to play “O Mio Babbino Caro” as if it was preparing me for the face punching horror of spearmint.

Gift givers – check with your tea drinking friends before thinking this is a good stocking stuffer. Make sure they think spearmint isn’t trying to kill them, or give them headache. I’m off to find a paracetamol.

I’m giving this cup 3 out of 5 James Bond snogs in Marrakech for the quality of the Gunpowder Green Tea.

As I am sipping this tea for taste, I am listening to The War on Drugs song Pain. It’s very mellow. This tea is very mellow.

This tea is the kind of tea that makes you want to take a deep breath when it is really cold outside. That refreshing first one that knocks all of the old summer dust from your lungs. That just might be me, but having lived in the desert, it’s a very special thing to me.

I love mint. All mint all the time. This tea is wonderful and I am not sure why I haven’t had it a lot more. It has totally redeemed the Christmas Black from yesterday. I do actually end up enjoying gunpowder teas even though my brain wants to scream its *GREEN TEA* which it’s not.

The tea bag was completely filled with leaves after I brewed it because gunpowder tea is rolled into little balls. I was very impressed with the quality.

I would give this 5 out of 5 James Bond snogs. Only I want to snog the villains.. Well one of them.. Le Cliffre.. *fans herself*

Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) - As an international money launderer and 'banker' to the world's terrorists, Le Chiffre (the Number) is playing a risky game, in which he has one last gamble - — For you, Hipster Wife. Enjoy. https://mi6-hq.com/sections/villains/lechiffre

December 1, 2020November 25, 2020

Adagio Day 1 – Spiced Apple Chai

Text lifted from the Adagio site is in red. My (Viking Wife/Lady Grey Moonlight) musings are in pink

Blended With Black Tea, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Orange, Cloves, Apple Pieces, Natural Apple Flavor & Natural Cinnamon Flavor

The popular Christmas carol “Here We Come a Wassailing” is based on the old English tradition of “wassailing,” a type of caroling that involved exchanging drinks for presents and visiting orchards to ensure a good harvest. The drink of choice on such occasions was, of course, wassail, a type of mulled cider made with apples that eventually grew to include popular mulling spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, with the word “wassail” even meaning “be you hale” or “be healthy.” We might skip the singing this time around, but we do wish you many a happy cup. Wassail!

Our Spiced Apple Chai features the timeless, comforting combination of apples and spice. A lively blend of black tea, classic spices from Indian Masala Chai and bright notes of crisp apple. Juicy and pleasantly sweet, like warm applesauce, with clean, refreshing texture. We suggest two heaping teaspoons per 8 oz cup. Sugar, cream or soy if desired.

Black Tea | High caffeine | Steep at 212° for 5 minutes.

*Viking Wife enters wearing white fake fur jacket holding her drinking horn* Here we come a-wassailing among the teas so green, here we come a-sipping so fair to be seeeeeen…

Wait, we AREN’T singing?

Hipster Wife: Ummm.. was that in the script? *Looks for a script.* *Sooo much caffeine!* *Tastes color*

1. First impressions?

Looks great! I’m so happy Adagio has given us the loose leaf option. Per their usual greatness you can see the quality of the leaves and spices. There is enough in this little foil packet for a few cups! Nearly a tablespoon of chai. Plus the little package is adorable. It smells like mulled cider.

I barely had enough for a cup and I think it brewed slightly weak.

I had my first cup straight. (Black, right? It’s not whisky.) Cloves numb the tongue. I learned that this year. That cute guy I’ve been dating makes liqueurs and he puts whole cloves in the vodka and candy or fruit concoctions to numb the tongue. I’ve had his apple, apple-cinnamon, and butterscotch. You can’t tell it is an infused vodka. It makes the knees wobbly and the tongue numb.

Back to the tea…I can’t taste the apple. Wait… why did they use apple flavor when they put dried apple in so many of their blends? *taps mic* Is this thing on? My daughter is allergic to apples and can’t drink most of Adagio’s fruity blends because they put apple in most of them. Logic flew out the window here and bounced off the windscreen of my Subaru while I was driving 80 in the passing lane.

My second cup had a splash of half and half. The apple came through with the dairy! The spices are warming, my tongue isn’t as numb.

I’m not a huge fan of straight up chai (and never with sugar). I am kind of addicted to Adagio’s Chocolate Chai. And perhaps this Spiced Apple Chai should make its way into my tea cabinet.

I immediately knew I would love this by the scent. I hate to say this because I am so glad that Adagio has stepped up with single use loose leaf.. But Plum Deluxe’s calendar last year gave you enough to try more than one cup. I am sad that I only got one cup out of this.

Why?

Because my mini me drank my whole cuppa while I was busy doing something else. I got exactly three sips of this cup.

The apple was very present for me as were the chai spices. I love chai tea, especially if the spices are very up front and if it’s backed by a solid strong black tea it’s perfect. I am in love with tea and will be ordering some more as soon as I finish this review. Hopefully my kid will let me have some.

2. Do you think this is a good choice for an Advent Calendar? Why yes, or why no?

Yes. Obviously apples, cider, warming spices (mulling spices, pumpkin pie spices, etc) are seasonal. I’m really pleased with this Day 1.

Kinda- especially since we review these in November. It is a very autumnal blend to me. More October-November in my opinion. I would’ve loved this around Halloween. I love it now, but for Christmas the spiced apple tends to remind me more of autumn. Probably, because in my family we would always go to Oak Glen California and enjoy their apple festival.

It is a good start to the calendar since it’s day one.

3. Tell me how you really feel. Or any random thing that needs to be said.

I randomly feel the need to suggest that we have kissing balls made out of camellia sinensis. It is an evergreen. I presume it might smell nice before all the toasting and drying for our drinking pleasure. To heck with mistletoe and fir and pine. I want to be snogged by Santa under an Earl Grey kissing ball.

Umm sure. You and your Santa Kink…

Look, you have cannibals, I have Santa.

So how many Wassail!! Out of 5 does this get?

5 out of 5 Wassails

I gave the 3 sips I had 5 out of 5 Wassails. Now off to order more!

*Viking Wife slips back into her fake fur* LOVE AND JOY COME TO YOU AND TO YOU A WASSAIL TOO, FRIGG BLESS YOU AND SEND YOU A WHOLE BUNCH OF TEA, FRIGG SEND YOU A WHOLE BUNCH OF TEA

December 1, 2020November 25, 2020

1 December Christmas Black Tea

“A warming combination of cocoa nibs, zesty Clementine and soothing Christmas spices – this festive blend is a delicious brew that is best enjoyed alongside some all-butter shortbread in front of a comforting fire.” https://www.fortnumandmason.com/christmas-spiced-black-tea-200g

Well, Happy Christmas to me! All-butter shortbread is a specialty.

No information on the website about the specific ingredients in the tea. The back of the box has the following: Black Tea (75%), Cocoa Nibs (15%), Cloves (5%), Safflower Petals, Flavourings (Orange, Ginger, Clementine, Chocolate). Brewing: Use boiling water and brew 5 minutes. Best served without milk.

We are kicking off December in fine style here. I knew these would be silky bags of tea (I can’t have every cuppa loose leaf, I suppose). The tea leaves and spices inside the bag are not crushed beyond recognition. It smells like oranges and cloves – like a pomander from primary school or the memory of Constant Comment tea. My thumbs still smart at the memory of that craft. I’ve had Constant Comment as an adult – the childhood memory is better than the cup.

*Waves* I was impressed by the mostly intact tea in the tea bags too. I still don’t like tea bags silky or not. BUT! I’ll be nice. Mostly.

I could not taste the cocoa for the first several sips. Just the orange and spice and black tea. About half way through the cup I finally got the scent of cocoa, but not the flavour. At the end of the cup I got ALL THE GINGER AND CLOVES. Holy Kessel run of spice trading, Chewie!

I never tasted anything but boring black tea. I actually didn’t even know there were other notes to look for. I brewed it as I would any other black tea. I drank the whole cup because I felt that I was missing something. I didn’t use milk or sugar. It never got past the first sip test for me. Honestly, and I don’t mean this as a total diss, this drank like Lipton to me. I don’t hate it, but it wasn’t what I was expecting at all.

I started dating a new man this year. I shan’t bore you with the details. He makes his own liqueurs with a vodka base. He adds whole cloves to the blends to deaden the tongue. Perhaps this is why I couldn’t taste the cocoa. Cloves in the tea bag got in the way.

After I put my cup down I had a strong orange and clementine aftertaste. This was pleasant.

*cries* I just got none of that.

Really? This was such a dynamic cup! I’m sorry, luv.

I give F&M’s Christmas Black Tea 5 out of 5 orange pomanders. Not sure I’d buy it. But if someone wanted to get me a gift, this would be most appreciated.

I give it 1 orange pomander because it was black tea and not green tea or Lapsang.

Pet peeve of mine is not knowing what type of black tea is being used. We all know the soil and weather affect the flavour of tea. Ceylon tastes obviously different from black teas from China. So, Fortnum & Mason – where do you get your black tea from? Some of us want to know!

About Safflower petals – yes this is the plant cultivated for vegetable oil. It was grown in the new world and used by the Spanish as a substitute for saffron. It might help reduce cholesterol, reduce fever, and help arthritis pain. It has long been used in both TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Native American herbal medicine. It is rich in calcium, magnesium, folate, phosphorous and fatty acids. I tried to find a description of what straight up safflower tea tastes like. All I could find was it “has a mild and pleasant taste”. Not useful.

Two things for me to possibly follow up on – obtaining some safflower petals for tisane, and doing more research into non dairy calcium sources. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/06/02/317444736/native-americans-have-superfoods-right-under-their-feet

November 30, 2020November 25, 2020

Advent Calendars 2020 – Fortnum & Mason and Adagio

All has been quiet on the tea blogging front this year. I thought it would be the perfect time to drink ALL THE TEA and write all the time. But this Pandemic Era hasn’t been conducive to that for me. Most of my tea drinking has been Adagio’s Earl Grey Moonlight (it’s a security blanket, an old friend). I’ve spent most of my time sewing – quilts, masks, pillow cases, garb for my SCA antics. And I learned how to can – jelly, jam, pickles, beets, pasta sauce, apple sauce. When you and your BFF love tea and advent calendars, and the tea companies start their Facebook and Instagram advertising, you can’t resist the siren call!

So pretty. https://www.fortnumandmason.com/christmas-tea-lovers-advent-calendar

I thought I would surprise Hipster Wife with a calendar from a company we haven’t reviewed yet. For those of you new to our blogging antics, my nickname for her is Hipster Wife Tea Photographing Snob and her nickname for me is Viking Wife. Likely due to a combination of my general badassery, Swedish heritage,

(I was h*lla surprised!!)

I ordered us Fortnum & Mason’s 2020 Tea Advent Calendars. Before they arrived stateside, she went and ordered us the Adagio Loose Leaf 2020 Advent Calendar.

LOOOOSSSSSSSSE Leaf precious. Loose leaf…

Did Adagio listen to our complaints to deliver for us this absolute gift? Who knows. Let’s go with we’re excited. In our own taste tests between Adagio’s bagged and loose leaf teas we both have found the flavour on the loose leaf superior. Hipster Wife was going to host our nonsense on her blog, but this Pandemic Era is taking its toll on everyone in different ways. And I give huge kudos to all parents, like HW, who are at home doing the remote learning. My womb fruit is an adult, so I will be hosting the reviews for both calendars You can follow us on my IG account @ladygreymoonlight and on my Facebook page Lady Grey Moonlight Tea and Nibbles @ladygreymoonlight.

The F&M calendar was part of an FB advert for Williams-Sonoma. A quick price check on the F&M site, with postage to the US (and an approximate USD conversion in my head) told me it was cheaper to order from the source than through Williams-Sonoma.

Legit William-Sonoma has like a 78.8673% markup on air. When you go into their store it’s like they start charging you for breathing.

The box for Fortnum & Mason is gorgeous. The doors are set up not in order, like a traditional paper advent calendar. You must hunt for your daily door. The doors don’t open easily, so I foresee this thing being absolutely gutted in my frustration around the 15th of the month.

Since my tea obsession began, I’ve not had any products from Fortnum & Mason. These blends are all new to me! I’m excited to dive in and sip.

I have tried them. I was given the rest of a tin of Royal Blend. The person who gave it to me (they shall remain nameless) said they didn’t like tea like that. Like what I asked? It’s not Lipton.

Damn right, it’s not Lipton. I really enjoyed the Royal Blend and it’s on my list to buy when I have a new house or an empty tea cupboard.

The doors on the Adagio calendar are arranged 1-12 on the left and 13-24 on the right. The doors on each page are mixed up so you still have to hunt a bit for your daily door. The teas are in little packets and hold about a tablespoon of loose leaf tea each. If you use one teaspoon per 8-10 ounces of water, this gives you several cups or one big mug a day! I am not a multiple steeper.

Don’t read to the end if you want to avoid spoilers!

Adagio: Can you feel it? The scent of warm spice and the cool, crispness of the air? It can only mean one thing… The holiday season is soon approaching and we have just what you need to countdown the days to Christmas, our 2020 Tea Advent Calendar! Behind each door is one festive blend after the other to enjoy each day until the big day!

Dimensions: 8.5″ x 12.75″ x 2″ | Contains 24 servings, with enough tea for a 8oz pot each day until Christmas.

Fresh From Origin

The history of the Advent Calendar dates to the mid-19th century when German Protestants made chalk marks on doors or lit candles to count the days leading up to Christmas. In the U.S. however, Dwight D. Eisenhower is often credited for popularizing the Advent calendar tradition. During his presidency, Ike was photographed opening an Advent calendar with his grandchildren and the photo ran in several national newspapers.

Let’s count down to Christmas and get caffeinated!

Persephone doesn’t like tea. She just likes to be part of everything I do.

F&M: Countdown to Christmas in true Fortnum’s style with a daily supply of silky tea bags in our beautiful Tea Lovers Advent Calendar. Filled with all of your favourite brews, Fortnum’s classics, and even our more unique Oddi-Teas, it makes a wonderfully festive gift.

Taken from each of our collections, some of the delightful teas in this advent calendar include (in no particular order):

1. Rose Pouchong
2. Moroccan Mint
3. Camomile and Bee Pollen
4. Rhubarb, Raspberry and Nettle Infusion
5. Countess Grey
6. Assam TGFOP
7. Christmas Spiced Black Tea
8. Plum, Apple and Cinnamon Infusion
9. Earl Grey
10. Rose Pouchong

11. Breakfast Blend
12. Elderflower, Strawberry and Rose Infusion
13. Royal Blend
14. Royal Blend
15. Liquorice, Mint and Lemon Verbena
16. Genmaicha
17. Assam TGFOP
18. Vanilla Nougat Flavour Black Tea
19. Gin & Tonic Flavour Green Tea
20. Darjeeling FTGFOP
21. Christmas Spiced Green Tea
22. Apricot, Honey and Lavender Infusion
23. Lemon Curd Flavour Green Tea
24. Chai