I’m still off the caffeine most of the time, but I was able to sneak in a little treat last weekend during our backpacking trip along Ingall’s Creek on the east side of Blewett Pass. There were 9 of us in the group, and many of them have had the joy of gongfu tea at [...]
I’ve been drinking the same Tippy Yunnan red tea for years now. It’s tasty, with a nice full flavor and smoky notes balanced by flowery notes, and it comes in at a price I’m willing to pay. But it’s not organic, and now that I’m breastfeeding a baby, I’m trying really hard to limit my [...]
I was fiddling around in the kitchen last night, trying to pack a lunch for today, and I was lamenting the lack of any tiny tupperware that would let me take a bit of chevre in my bento this week. I glanced up to the shelf above me and saw my white gongfu cups sitting [...]
Things seem to be calming down, and my body is starting to tolerate caffeine just a little more. I’m being advised to hold out for a few more weeks just to be sure, but in the meantime, it doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying myself! I’ve been able to drink several dark teas following a suggestion [...]
When I posted asking for a translation on some tea purchased for me in Osaka, Takuro responded with a link to the boutique where the tea was purchased, and some names to put with the flavors. The one in the purple “Okame” package was sencha, so my nose and taste buds were on the money. [...]
It’s really been a rollercoaster of a year so far. Seattle has been hit by several storm systems that have wreaked havoc with wind, rain, snow, and ice. I’ve never experienced this many Snow Days in one season! So while waiting for a bus that never came, a friend and I decided to get out [...]
I will confess to you that I’ve had a hard time identifying with oolong tea. But I’ve had some new experiences with it that are slowly changing the way I think about it. We live fairly close to a Seattle restaurant called Lemongrass, Taste of Vietnam and I was in there over the holidays with [...]
My latest ritual comes from having a series of lunchtime appointments about half a mile from work. I’ve been stopping at Cafe On The Ave on my return trip. They serve Caffe Vita, which is a popular local coffee roaster. It took me a long time to find any good information on the tea they [...]
We took a break from unpacking to go to the store and get various household items, including a Rival brand electric kettle for the upstairs. It’s plastic, and doesn’t have a lot of features, but we’re on a budget. It does have some non-specific temperature control, though, so I can keep water at or below [...]
The long process of moving is over, but the unpacking continues. In the meantime, I haven’t had any access to good tea except the occasional order-to-go. My kettle is still in a box, my cupboard is empty, and taking so much time off work makes me so rushed when I’m there that tea gets all [...]
