Uncommon Grounds

When my new project manager first realized I’m a tea drinker, this is the tea she recommended to me. It’s sold by a local coffee/bagel shop and was her drink of choice during her masters program. Apparently, a pot of Strawberry Shortcake was key to getting through late night study sessions.

I picked some up a few weeks ago and have avoided trying it. I trust my boss … but I usually get burned by dessert teas. I expect liquefied dessert and I get nothing. Since I’m bored this morning, I decided what better time to try out Strawberry Shortcake?

The dry leaf is probably 70:30 black tea:additives. I doesn’t smell fruity or sweet. Steeped, this smells faintly, almost sweet. Three minutes may have been too long of a steep time too, because this one is fairly bitter. That being said, the bitterness is relegated to the last half of the sip and the first half is STRAWBERRY JAM. I’m shocked and impressed. I didn’t think it was possible for me to get any sort of dessert flavor out of a tea, considering my recent track record.

Going to resteep this and add some sugar – maybe I can make that jammy quality really pop!

Easily one of my favorite tea blends. The cinnamon doesn’t overpower, the dried orange slices add a delicious touch to the green tea. A great summer tea which goes well with any meal. Smells as good as it tastes.