Tea-A-Palooza and My Third Tea Tasting

I am about to unleash a tidal wave of teas from my Sipsby subscription and I know what you're thinking, IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Yes, I have been lax in my tea drinking and updating since I moved, but fear not for I have returned and I intend to be more powerful than when you last saw me. For one thing I am changing the dynamic. No More Videos.

Unleashing the power of Me

At least no more videos of me trying to act like I know what I am doing and talking about. The main reason for this is the fact that it was becoming difficult. Too difficult. A Vlogger I am not, nor do I want to pretend to be. Trust I will never get to the likes of my own favorite Youtubers because honestly I don't have the drive like they do. See Markiplier and Alex Meyers as examples of the content I regularly intake.

While I still think drinking teas and discussing books to go along with them in real time is a neat idea, I just think I am far better at expressing myself through the written word versus a video that makes me look like a deer in headlights.

Another reason is that I am having a blast writing book reviews for the books I am reading and I hope to do many more within this format. Currently I am working on getting more up and coming books so as to have my blog provide early information for you, the thirsty book seeker. 

Reading more books also helps the end result in pairing books with teas. The more options I have the better I can adequately play literary cupid. So I hope that you all will stick with me and see these changes through to the end. I want to bring people the best content possible so you too can enjoy my passion of reading and in sub-part, my writing. 

To kick things off I want to discuss the last tea tasting that I filmed, but for purposes of the change, will not be uploading said video. It was in the last phases of my leaving my old apartment and frankly it is in too poor quality to allow me to share it with you.

I will however give you a review of the experience and the book I ended up selecting. The tea was from my March subscription box (crazy!) and it was the Tea Xotics Naked Grass Skirt Matcha Tea. It is described on my information sheet as having medium caffeine and so in an attempt to try and make a deadline for the blog I went for it late at night when I should have probably been heading for bed. I didn't regret it as much as I thought I would the next day thank goodness. 

The first thing I noticed upon opening the packet is that it was a very thin powder. Any person familiar with Matcha Tea is probably nodding with a frown thinking, "duh!" Well I wasn't aware of that aspect of Matcha Tea. My only interaction with it up to that point had been through the means of using a pre-made tea bag from the grocery store. 

Hands up, it was my first serious newbie experience! 

I had no clue what to do and so using the tea bags that the Sipsby Subscription box provides I separated the bright green powder into two separate bags and sealed them. When the time came to actually make the tea I was at a loss because I did not have a proper Matcha Tea Whisk. It was a stomach sinking moment that is highlighted quite embarrassingly in the video I filmed. Another reason it will never see the light of day on this blog.

Thankfully I persevered and was able to get the tea mixed well enough to enjoy. I do enjoy Matcha Green Tea despite the fact that it probably tastes like sticking your tongue out and sampling something akin to damp nature. Regardless I find peace in drinking it and through the blunders I made, this time was no exception.

I happily drank from my mug as the green tea swirled in the heat and it was then that the perfect book for it came to me. It was a book I had read years ago in a book club that has long been disbanded, but the memories of the books read stay with me.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

It is a great read through the eyes of the dog named Enzo as he reflects on his life with his loving owner and race car driver Denny Swift. Not many books get the POV of animals right, but this one gets pretty close. 

The reason I felt strongly that this was a good match was I think the comfort that the Naked Grass Skirt Tea gave as well as the sensation of sticking your tongue out in the rain and taking in the aroma that nature gives. Noting says comfort like a dog, and nothing says nature like taking a drive in the rain.

I would rate this tea at around a 3 and I highly recommend reading this book while you enjoy it.

Next up: All my boxes that I have yet to open, that's April thru July! 

Upcoming Book Review: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain