Frosted Cranberry

This was a little bitter and meh without milk, but once I added it, the flavor transformed. It totally tastes like berries and cream (I wish their actual berries and cream flavor had been more similar to this!) The milk brings out the creaminess, and there’s a light berry flavor there too, though it’s hard to tell what kind of berry. The berry could have been stronger and more authentic. Overall, it’s probably not something I’d choose again over other choices, but it’s good.

Not sprays of twigs with red plastic berries at the end, festooned with plasticized snow and glitter. Not a cranberry scone with a drizzle of glaze. Rather, the visual of a light layer of frozen rain glistening on the tiny red cranberries lining the boardwalk of the kettle bog, a hidden pocket, a remnant of Ohio’s glaciation. The same glassy glaze on the highbush blueberry of higher ground. Thick piles of sphagnum moss in impenetrably dark water, pitcher plants, tamaracks. I like when tea reminds me of my roots, and, at the risk of sounding like an old person… the good days, memories of which, in this moment, are now heavily relied upon. Lightly flavored, let it cool a bit. Throw in a little nostalgia from childhood – play-doh – and consider me lost temporarily to better times.

Thank you for the care package, ashmanra :) I’m down to the last few teaspoons, so I’m off to place a small order for me and Kiki.

CuppaGeek Advent Calendar – Day 7

I really liked this one. I didn’t get any bitterness like Sil did. It was just sweet cranberry flavor that is reminding me of the Cranberry Pear tea by DAVIDsTEA. It made me happy and went down real fast.

Day 2 Advent
I wasn’t a fan of this when it was hot. There was a bitter edge to it that made me make a face. That being said, after it had cooled a bit, i was better with it. the bitter edge flattened out and it became a tea that i’d drink. However i’m not really getting cranberry from this and as a result it’s nothing special to me. Not a BAD tea, but just middle of the road.

Still glad to try it and am loving this advent! Also…at least it only took me two days to realise the stickers are scratchable hahahaha

Ever since gmathis said this was more “Berries and Cream” to her, I have wanted to try it. The name Frosted Cranberry didn’t appeal to me much because I drank a LOT of cranberry juice years ago for health reasons and not for pleasure. I just found it too tart, so I was afraid this tea would just be tart and hibiscus-y.

When my advent from Cuppageek came, I pawed through all the packets and noticed that a few letters of the name peek out from some of the stickers, so I could tell what this one was.
Yes, friends, I cheated on the first day of advent and instead of randomly pulling out a packet I chose this one because I just couldn’t wait to try it.

I LOVE IT! I used my Kamjove and made the first steep and poured off a tiny bit to taste full strength, then made a second steep right on top of what was left in the Kamjove so the two combined.

This is sooo good, so sweet and smooth. It does have the ever so slightest hint of briskness at times so you know your are drinking TEA and not a bunch of flavorings. The cream flavor is reminiscent of Parker’s Blend (not the Evening version) but where PB has the betgamot going on this has fruit and berry! Oh so good. I made my husband smell the empty packet which was cruel since we were out. He liked.

It was so good that this afternoon I made a third steep and it was STILL good. Yes, it was muted, but still flavorful and well worth my time to make and drink.

I used boiling water at 3 minutes if anyone is interested in how I made my three steeps.

Must have more.

Today morning I was craving for something fruity, but not caffeine-free, so I decided to brew this one. Dry leaf isn’t much cranberry forward, but certainly doesn’t smell like straight forward tea. Certainly I can see some green leaves in blend but haven’t seen any of the fruits.

Anyway, used maybe only one teaspoon, though heaped a bit and brewed for four-five minutes. I see now it is suitable for multiple steeps, but I did just one.

In taste it was way more cranberry like. Indeed tart as expected from cranberries, some creamy and sweet notes and some menthol. Overall it works well together, the base is present in taste as well (that’s something I highly enjoy!).

Well done! I look forward to finish my sample from derk, or it’s from White Antlers actually? Doesn’t matter — thank you both!

Checkmark on the light mint and checkmark on the cranberry-like red fruit note. However, I still strongly feel like the third unnamed but definitely main flavour here is this fondant/icing sugar creaminess that can come off a little pasty when combined with the mint. It’s still a good tea and I like how robust and tannic the black tea is, but I can never really decide if I’m excited to be drinking it, y’know?

Milk alchemy! I misjudged leaf-to-mug ratio and steeped this stronger than desired this morning; however, milk and a magic sprinkle of sugar not only toned down the nippiness, it pumped up the peppermint, which I knew was in the blend, but hadn’t really noticed before. It’s like getting a whole new tea!

Hope you have a minute as the year ends to stop and count some blessings that came your way in 2020. There were some. This year, you just have to look.