I am officially banned from purchasing anything further on: the amazons, the Targets, the WalMarts, the Cliniques, the needlepoint.coms, the Hallmarks....
Stuff is showing up that I have absolutely no memory of ordering, but when I check my pin money account, it's all there in black and white.
I think it's a lot like food.
If you diet hard and fast and restrict yourself too much, eventually you binge.
Well, my little binge came in the form of tea.
The Harney's Peppermint is a favorite and very good for relieving nausea. The Harney's Holiday blend is, as my mother would say, NOT my cup of tea. As I would say...blech.
(But no offense if you happen to like this blend.)
The favorite thus far is the Twinnings Christmas Tea. Just the right balance of cinnamon and clove.
(No orange, though.)
I'm sipping the Stash Christmas Eve tea now. It has a nice flavor, but I keep getting a hit of something a little perfume-y that makes this a second place finisher.
Before you worry that I've just jacked myself upon caffeine at 8:00 at night, let me assure you that the Twinnings has caffeine and was my late afternoon cup, and the Stash is herbal and caffeine free.
All of this has convinced me that orange, cinnamon, and clove are the magic recipe for me. Not so much with vanilla or nutmeg or cardamon or almond, etc. I think I'll just stick with those magic three ingredients and all will be well.
I'm looking forward to a nice quiet weekend. If I feel up to it I'm going to make Mom's Greek cookies...kouliarakia, but this year I'm going to use a different recipe due to a revelation I had a few days ago. (More on that later).
The iPad is going to get tucked in until Monday, Dearies, so I will wish you a happy, safe, healthy, and fun weekend and see you then!
When you brew the Twinnings, why not just put a slice of orange in the bottom of the cup? It might give you just enough of the orange flavor to make it perfect.
ReplyDeleteOr some orange zest, which is what they use for natural orange flavor. But the slice would be smarter, it you eat it
DeleteGurl, I feel you! My family bans me from all the shopping (except groceries) from Black Friday through Christmas in the hopes of surprising me for the holidays. It doesn't usually work- I have Amazon lists that they DON'T see, a stitchy list that they've never asked about, and keeping me off Etsy would take a miracle. Also, I have things shipped to work and smuggle them home in my tote bag. (I realize that's not an option for you)
ReplyDeleteOh, and I just placed an order with Adagio Teas yesterday. You might want to take a look at them! (sorry for enabling)
Ahhh Twinings - good tea makers, very old company - really, really old! The factory, thankfully, is a bit more modern! HRH likes this brand.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of tea, have you checked the Charleston Tea Plantation? They are the oldest tea plantation in American and their teas are to die for. While the don't have an orange, cinnamon, clove mix, they do have a cinnamon-spice mix that is yummy. I'll admit they are a bit pricey though https://shop.charlestonteagarden.com/collections/pyramid-tea
ReplyDeleteYour tea selections look good, Coni! I saw the Twinings earlier in the week on someone's IG page and had wondered if you had seen it. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteIf you order from Stash directly they have a Christmas sampler that is awesome. The Christmas in Paris is my (and my 8 yr old sons) favorite. I get a case every year since these are only available during the holidays. Stash teas are my favorite and I'm a huge tea drinker. Don't waste your money on Kusmi, the names are cute but the tea is average.
ReplyDeleteTry Constant Comment! It really good!
ReplyDeleteUse whatever black tea you usually brew and add 1/4 teaspoon of orange zest, 1/2 cinnamon stick (which can be re-used) and a few cloves. Let it steep a bit more than usual. Once you've had a couple of cups, you can adjust the spices to your own taste. You might want to experiment with adding cardamom pod and allspice, too."
ReplyDeleteBigelow's Constant Comment is still my all-time favorite orangey spicey tea.
I remember you struggling with your mother's recipe in the past. I have wondered if it is like the recipes I have from my grandmother. They are mostly just lists of ingredients. You are expected to be an experienced cook who already knows how to mix the ingredients together. Good luck with this year's effort.
ReplyDeleteI am very impressed with the speed you were able to gather all these teas and already try them all out. You weren't kidding around! I think I need some Christmas tea now :)
ReplyDelete