One Steep Beyond

A tea blog.

I myself’d gotten the water from the stream, which was cold and pure like snow and the crystal lidded eyes of heaven. Therefore, the tea was by far the most pure and thirst quenching tea I ever drank in all my life, it made you want to drink more and more, it actually quenched your thirst and of course it swam around hot in your belly

—Jack Kerouac

Hello, all! The tea Du Jour was a blend that I picked up in NYC a few weeks ago at a shop called “Spices and Tease”, and it is called ” Mayan Secret.” It’s always good for a sensible sweet tooth, because it is packed full of dried fruits and natural sweetness. It’s very light with a Pai Mu Tan base, and it is not overbearingly fruity. Sadly, I’m running near the bottom of my supply of it, so I use it sparingly on its own, but it also works well to mix in with Oolongs for a bit of a fruity kick.

Hello Tumblr! I have returned from my brief reprieve from posting, and I have come back with many, MANY teas. The first of which is my personal Spicy Chai recipe. It is as follows (to make an 8oz. cup):
1 Tsp. Lapsang Souchong
3/4 Tsp. Crushed Cinnamon Stick
5-7 Cloves (Varies with preference)
And a bit of milk and sugar to sweeten it up! (optional) 

Steep at boiling temp. for around 5 minutes.


I usually steep this blend twice whenever I make it. The first steep is often very smoky due to the Lapsang Souchong, but hints of the Cinnamon and Cloves are still there. The second steep tends to mellow the smokiness out, and really brings out the other spices in it.

Happy Thanksgiving, Tea Lovers! I was feeling festive, so I whipped up something new today: Red Organic Rooibos with strips of ginger and lemon mixed in. It tasted very autumnal, and a bit like a smooth chai.