Wow, sorry for the lack of posts. Between being sick, the blizzard, and a big work meeting I am preparing for tomorrow, time has gotten away from me.
I know I just did a things i like, but I’ve got another one that I just can’t hold off on.
Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE tea. I love trying new flavors, new brewing methods, and just generally find it far superior to coffee. Like most tea people, I started out with plain old tea bags that you could find in any store. It really wasn’t until I started my quest for a tea box that I discovered the power (and fun) of loose leaf tea.
On my quest, I found Serene Teaz, an amazing independently owned tea shop in Wheaton, IL. I discovered that not only did they have my tea box, but they have a HUGE selection of loose leaf teas, and they will let you try them all to your hearts content until you find one that you like.
Needless to say, I have been visiting and tasting ever since.
More recently, I have been previewing teas on their Web site before stopping in- I have found that I get overwhelmed by the options and leave the poor employees brewing sample after sample when I just stray into the store. So I have been pre-selecting a maximum of four samples before going in, based on the descriptions on the site.
Enter Lapsang Souchong. I found this tea on the site before my most recent visit- it instantly piqued my interest:
“A campfire in your cup!” the description says. “This remarkable tea has a crisp character with the heady aroma of pine and oak wood fire.”
A tea that smells like a campfire? No way. So of course, I had to head in.
I prepared myself for disappointment as I browsed the shelves– I have them memorized and found no trace of the Lapsang anywhere amongst the black teas. I tentatively asked an employee if it was sold out when she pointed me to the “Unique Teas” section.
What? I didn’t even know that section existed. So I smelled the sample jar, and WOW! It smells just like every campfire I had as a kid. Like a fish on a hook, I dragged myself to the counter and asked for a sample.
No, this tea does not taste like ash. Nor does it taste like a campfire, per se. It just provides a wonderful, smoky palate that I have never found in another tea. I admit this tea is not for everyone, but for reference, I am a girl who never sweetens her tea and prefers whiskey over any fru-fru drink I am offered. So I find this tea perfect.
I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a campfire tasting tea, but more of a tea that I imagine would be perfect to sip campfire-side. If only it weren’t 3 degrees and I could test my theory…
ooooooh I love tea, also! Have you dropped by steepster.com? I don't have anything to do with the admin of that site, but its a lovely group of tea drinking folks that talk tea, drink tea, share tea, etc.; pretty much anything to do with loose tea (and some bagged, too)!
dude, i have to say, you rock. i have been drinking tea a lot lately (yamamoto brand genmai cha) – mostly because i have stomach issues and am currently unemployed so i don't really need coffee to keep me awake as i hang out with my 3-year old (he is definitely a morning person. i am not) i'm aware of the beauty of tea and tea rituals out there but haven't yet been able to invest the time into it. i do enjoy seeing others' enjoyment of it and pictures of their stash, their pots and drinking vessels, etc. i don't know, there's something about the visceral tactileness of it all. i love that it invigorates all your senses at once. even the kettle is specific. i don't think you can put that sound to anything else. at any rate, from the first time i found your blog when you posted about your slate domino to the lamy pen to the whiskey drinking (maker's mark, neat. make it a double is my usual bar drink. currently at home we have knob creek oooooweeee woodford reserve is also nice) and the fact that we're practically neighbours (indianapolis for me – incidentally we just woke up to a ton of fresh-still-falling-as-i-write snow – what's going on in your neck of the woods???) i have been captivated. anyway, cin cin to you and your crazy life j!
@ Aspire: Wow, I've never looked into Steepster! I checked it out briefly today from my cell… I need to investigate further, as it looks awesome.
@ Snarling- Thanks for the huge compliment! Never knew that I could be captivating š
My neck of the woods is covered in snow, but at least it has stopped for now- although I've heard more is on the way. I definitely agree with the tea comments- there is just something so wonderful about the entire process.
Stay tuned- I just got an awesome brewer that I am sure to write about soon!
A tea that smells like campfire? I'm very intrigued. I don't have any tea shops near me, though I wish I did – sounds like something fun to get into. I do drink tea, but confess I'm more of a coffee drinker. Maybe I should expand my tea horizons. Great post!
Kanalt, you should definitely branch out into tea! I only drank coffee forever, now I couldn't imagine going back.
I forgot where you are located, but the company I mentioned in the post does ship if you were really intrigued by the "campfire" tea. Their site is http://www.sereneteaz.com/
I am not affiliated with them, nor have I ever ordered from them online, but I can definitely vouch for awesome service and even better tea!
I'm on Long Island, NY so I'm sure they'd ship here. Thanks for the link – I'll look into it. There is a great book I read once: The Ultimate Tea Diet by Mark Ukra. I was drinking nothing but tea for a while after reading it.
So I'm not the biggest Lapsang Souchong fan, but I do certainly appreciate it's uniqueness, and the fact that it's the single most divisive tea I have ever encountered. For the most part people love it or hate it, and I am glad you are enough of the former to post about it š
~Lauren
@ Kanalt- Oooh, that book sounds great! I will have to look into it. Your recent posts also have me looking into The Happiness Project- good thing I have a reading list in my Filo!
@ Lauren- I can definitely see where Lapsang is not a tea for everyone. My bf won't even try it! But I would take it over a fruity tea any day of the week- yay for variety!
I just checked the book out of my library again. This time, I'm going to take notes and keep a list in my happiness filo! If you end up reading The Happiness Project, I hope you like it. I'd feel bad if you didn't after all the hype I've given it. š
Lucky for you, I have rarely met a book I didn't like!
That's what I like to hear!