Raw Puerh Adventure and Jingmai LOVE

Puerh brewing in a tea maker.

My buddies, Glen and Lamu, over at Crimson Lotus Tea sent me a couple of puerh samples to try … after I ordered and paid for them. This happened in January 2017. Unintentionally, the tea had over a year and a half to acclimate to the varied Texas climate.

After all these years as a tea blogger, this was my first experience with puerh of any kind. The sample in question, 2016 Spring “Jingmai LOVE,” came from the Jingmai Mountains in China’s Yunnan region. It is a raw puerh. Continue reading “Raw Puerh Adventure and Jingmai LOVE”

Trader Joe’s English Breakfast Tea

Trader Joe's English Breakfast TeaLife happens and things change. Based on mediocre reviews, I figured TJ’s English Breakfast wasn’t worth the effort. I once raved about their Irish Breakfast tea but have since settled on Tetley UK as my everyday, go-to blend.

But when on vacation, detached from the workaday rut, you tend to be open to new possibilities. Such was the case when visiting Southern California recently.  Continue reading “Trader Joe’s English Breakfast Tea”

My Apple Cider Vinegar Experiment

Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
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I can’t remember exactly when or what internet rabbit hole I went down that led to my discovery of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and its long list of health benefits, but when you read the Amazon reviews of Bragg Raw, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar you would think you’ve stumbled upon the magic cure-all for human ailments and disease. Continue reading “My Apple Cider Vinegar Experiment”

English Muffins: Bays vs Trader Joe’s

Bays vs Trader Joe's English MuffinsTrader Joe’s does a lot of things well. I eat more of their Half Moon Cookies than I should. Their frozen Vegetable Biryani is a dietary staple of mine. The crumpets they sell are moist and spongy, and I dig their ice cream, Irish Breakfast tea, bagels and frozen pizzas too.

I’m on a bit of an English muffin kick these days. Bays is the brand I prefer from the grocery store, but how do they compare to the muffins from Trader Joe’s? Continue reading “English Muffins: Bays vs Trader Joe’s”

Gong Fu Style and Young Hyson Imperial Organic Green Tea

Small Chinese Tea CupsToday marks my first attempt at gong fu (Chinese tea ceremony). I bought a cheap gong fu travel set on Amazon.com that included a gaiwan (teapot), a pitcher, a strainer and five tea cups — all in the tiniest form you could possibly imagine. No tray or pets come with this set.

I celebrated the inaugural occasion with Young Hyson Imperial Organic, a Chinese green tea from Upton Tea Imports. I also ordered a pu-erh sample from Crimson Lotus Tea but figured that to be too ambitious and involved for a first-time gong fu-er (and pu-erh-er). Continue reading “Gong Fu Style and Young Hyson Imperial Organic Green Tea”