By Golly, Ollie!

  • Butterscotch Chai from DAVIDSTEA

    Butterscotch Chai from DAVIDSTEA

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    Following my Celebration of Autumn with DAVIDsTEA YouTube series, I couldn’t resist placing another order with the company to buy more of their Pumpkin Chai and Salted Caramel Oolong. Then, I found myself tempted by several new and re-released chai blends because who doesn’t like warming up with a spicy chai latte when the temperatures start to drop? Butterscotch Chai. Baked Apple Chai. Maple Chai. Cinnamon Bun Chai. How is a lady to choose?

    The answer: She doesn’t. She lets her husband choose, and when he selects Butterscotch Chai, she’s quietly disappointed he didn’t choose Cinnamon Bun Chai.

    I can see small pieces of amber-colored rooibos mixed with large chunks of tropical fruits, whole green cardamom pods, sugar crystals that look like gems, and small flakes of blackberry leaves and ginger root. The blend is a feast for the eyes, as DAVIDsTEA blends usually are. The scent of the dry tea is buttery and sugary sweet cardamom, but I don’t think it smells much like butterscotch. Once steeped, the blend produces an orange-colored liquor that reminds me of butterscotch pudding and smells like sweet cardamom and spiced wood.

    Tasting Notes

    There are elements of this blend that I really appreciate. First, I love the spiciness of the Butterscotch Chai. The inclusion of black pepper adds a satisfying heat factor to this tea that has me going back for more sips. Also, DAVIDsTEA delivers on the “butter” aspect of butterscotch in a way other brands have not achieved. Seriously, I am in love with their natural butter flavoring. It’s subtle. You may even almost miss it. But there it is, right at the end of a sip– a slab of unsalted, melty butter coating the tongue. I noticed the same flavor and sensation in their Maple Syrup Oolong, a blend inspired by maple syrup drenched buckwheat pancakes, and I think it is spectacular attention to detail.

    But then, the blend starts to fall apart for me…And, okay…I’m not going to lie. A major factor in this is because what I was really searching for was a tea that tasted like liquid Werther’s Original, but I’ve jut found out those are caramel-flavored and not butterscotch-flavored. My whole life is a lie. Instead, the blend is buttery sweet with a subtle bitterness and flavor that I associate with molasses followed by a hint of cardamom.

    And while on the subject of sweetness, between the sugar, the fruit pieces, the sweet blackberry leaves, and the stevia extract, Butterscotch Chai was too sweet for my personal tastes. I think to get the full Butterscotch Chai experience, you need to drink it sweetened. However, I think the degree of sweetness is such a personal preference, so I would have much preferred to add my own sweetener. I also don’t love the flavor of stevia. I don’t always notice it imparting flavor in a DAVIDsTEA blend– the Vanilla Cappuccino blend comes to mind. But, I did notice it in the Butterscotch Chai.

    Interestingly, turning the Butterscotch Chai into a latte (or just adding a spot of milk), which is how I usually sip my spiced chai, doesn’t work for me either. It cuts down on the sweetness, which I appreciate, but it also mutes the flavor in general. The spice is still there, but the buttery flavor that makes this blend unique is missing.

    Overall, Butterscotch Chai from DAVIDsTEA is a miss for me, but it reminds me of those awkward breakups that start with, “it’s not you…it’s me…”. (Has anyone outside the movies actually ever heard that line?) I went into this experience looking for a certain flavor profile, and the Butterscotch Chai wasn’t it. The cloying sweetness and flavor of Stevia didn’t help either. This blend actually tastes quite similar to another one of DAVIDsTEA’s sugared and spiced rooibos blends– Monster Mash– so, if you’re already a fan of that blend, Butterscotch Chai might tickle your tastebuds.

    Oh, and what did my husband think of this blend? He genuinely liked it! But, when I told him Werther’s Original was caramel and not butterscotch, he said he needed to start his life over.

    What spiced chai blends have you been keeping warm with this Autumn? Let me know in the comments!

    Already chaied tried Butterscotch Chai from DAVIDsTEA? Why not try some of these tasTEA blends?

  • Five October Favorites

    Five October Favorites

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    Normally, I am of the ilk that says, “I’m glad to live in a world, where there are Octobers”. But with election day looming overhead, Oliver having more sick days than school days, and always feeling behind the eight ball at work, I just sort of feel…burned out. So burned out that I replaced my tea rituals with cups of coffee because I’ve needed something stronger to power through this month. I always try to sit back and reflect on all of the good things that happened during the month because perspective always improves my mental health, but this month was tough…so, here goes:

    Celebrating Four Years of Marriage!

    Four years of marriage kind of sneaked up on Jon and I. We had a low-key celebration which included having an Ollie-free afternoon, enjoying a restaurant-cooked lunch in the socially-distant safety of our car, and indulging in some much-needed retail therapy. I think it’s been two years since I’ve been shopping? And the only pants I had were pre-pregnancy pants, which means I’ve spent the last two years sucking in, haha!

    We followed that up with a Friday Date Night a week later. After tucking Ollie into bed, we enjoyed a livestream performance of the new Puscifer album while sipping mead and sparkling Malvasia Bianca from Caduceus Cellars.

    All of Oliver’s New Words

    During my last Five Monthly Favorites, I mentioned Oliver was starting speech therapy, and three months later, his language is exploding. It has been so interesting to hear the words he learns and uses. He’s mimicking everything right now, which is anxiety-inducing considering Jon and I historically have had…colorful language. But, right now, he’s obsessed with making animal sounds (especially horses, sheep, and frogs), practicing letters of the alphabet, saying “hello” and “goodbye” to the cats, and telling mama and dada to sit.

    All of the Tea Mail

    Okay, even though I’ve been drinking mostly coffee, I’m still buying and receiving all the tea! Recent additions to my stash include Ollie-friendly blends from the kind folks at Little Rituals, breakfast blends from some new tea companies, like Us Two Tea and Prairie State Blending Co., and of course, I may have indulged in a few blends from DAVIDsTEA (because I really did need more Salted Caramel Oolong and Pumpkin Chai in my life) as well as the Adagio Teas Wicked Teas and Advent Calendar.

    MyTeaPal App

    There is a new app that has many tea lovers making heart-eyes. Jenn over at Tea Leaves and Tweed recently wrote about the app in her post, Blending Technology and Tradition, and several of my other tea blogging friends have raved about the app as well. It’s not released to the public yet, but since I was subscribed to the MyTeaPal newsletter, I was granted early access, and OMG I’m so excited to use this app. Right now, I have taken on the arduous task of cataloging my entire tea collection in the app, but I am so excited to start using it for tea tasting notes, and I am especially interested in the Flavor Dictionary!

    The Last Day at the Park Before Oliver Got Sick…Again

    Most October days are overcast and rainy here in Michigan, but we had a sunny and crisp day recently, so instead of driving Oliver home from Jr Preschool, we decided to walk home. (My village may be rather boring, but the fact that we live within walking distance from both the school complex and the library brings me joy). We enjoyed seeing everyone’s Halloween decorations as well as trees of red and orange and yellow. I swear I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen Fall colors this beautiful. Oliver also stomped on every crunchy leaf and and jumped in every puddle.

    We stopped to play at the park between our house and the school, and I think Oliver spent an actual hour going down the one slide. Then, we meandered over to the other park down the road, and Jon met us there shortly after. We traipsed across soccer fields and baseball diamonds, and we ran up and down a giant hill. (Of course, more sliding ensued). Eventually, it grew too cold for my jacket, and I had to lure Ollie home with the promise of spaghetti for dinner.

    Honorable mentions include: Beating Dragon Age 2 | Tony’s Chocolonely bars | Voting by mail | First to Love by Blaqk Audio | Finally having a workspace that isn’t at the kitchen table | Decaf Coffee because it forces me to reach for a cup of caffeinated tea | My new crockpot | Listening to Oliver talk in his sleep

    What are some of your October favorites? Let me know in the comments!

  • Armchair Travel And Rooibos Cinnamon Apple from Adagio Teas

    Armchair Travel And Rooibos Cinnamon Apple from Adagio Teas

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    Love it or hate it, 2020 has been a year of armchair travel. When everyone was stuck at home due to shelter-in-place orders, many turned to sharing old vacation photos as a way to feel a little less cooped up. I have managed to avoid that trend until now, thanks to the Rooibos Cinnamon Apple blend from Adagio Teas, which transports me to an afternoon spent picking apples in Ohio.

    The Rooibos Cinnamon Apple from Adagio Teas is a blend of red rooibos, apple pieces, cinnamon, natural apple flavor, and natural cinnamon flavor.

    The dry leaf consists of small chips of rust-colored Rooibos accented with dried apple and cinnamon pieces, and it smells woody and sweet with a subtle apple scent. Once steeped, the blend produces a vibrant red-orange colored liquor, which smells inviting– juicy apples warmed up by subtle cinnamon.

    The tea tastes like fresh, juicy apples and newly cut wood. The spice of the cinnamon is not as pronounced as I would have preferred but instead offers a subtle, earthy aroma. I also notice that the Rooibos used in Adagio’s blends has a sort of boozy quality about it, which whether intentional or not, makes this blend taste a bit like hard cider.

    Whenever I sip the Rooibos Cinnamon Apple, I am instantly transported to the Lynd Apple Orchard in Pataskala, Ohio. During our visit last year, we meandered among rows of trees and picked Fuji apples in late Autumn sunshine, which always seems to glow a bit more golden this time of the year. Ollie had just learned to walk that week, but he preferred to sit contently in the grass snacking on fresh apples the size of his face.

    Have you indulged in a little armchair traveling this year? Let me know where you explored in the comments!

    Already tried Rooibos Cinnamon Apple from Adagio Teas? Why not try one of these tasTEA blends?

  • Five July Favorites

    Five July Favorites

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    I feel like the month of July flew by faster than any other month so far. But, that’s sort of how it happens, right? As the end of the year approaches, days and weeks and months just sort of slip by faster and faster and before I know it, I’m sitting down in front of the computer and typing obligatory year-end blog posts. It doesn’t help that I’m struggling with being present and living with intention. Everything just sort of feels like auto-pilot right now, and I don’t know how to turn it off. So, as usual, I am taking a moment at the end of the month to reflect on all of the great things that happened because sometimes I just need a little reminder. Here are my five July favorites:

    Oliver’s New Toys

    “New toys” also happened to be one of my May favorites because let’s be real– they are just as much for me as they are for my toddler. I can only play with pipe cleaners so many times before I need to hide them in the back of the closet so Oliver can’t find them. Our new batch of toys include jigsaw puzzles, counting bears, color-sorting activities, and a 500-count sticker book. And, you know– “500 stickers” sounds like a lot, but in the hands of a toddler, it’s really not. Despite all of the new toys, coloring remains Oliver’s passion.

    Speech Therapy

    During Oliver’s 18-month wellness visit, we were referred to a speech therapist because Oliver only had three words, and he was very reluctant to use any of them except “no”. At first, it was one of those moments when I felt like I was failing my son, but following a particularly vulnerable Instagram post a few weeks ago, I learned that speech delays are actually really common. I was astounded by the amount of tea friends who reached out to me and let me know their kiddos went through speech therapy too, and it made me feel less alone.

    As for the actual speech therapy, Oliver kind of loves it because he gets to play with someone who isn’t me for 45 minutes. Don’t get me wrong, he felt frustrated at first because he’s never had to use his voice to get something before, but after 6 or 7 appointments, he’s experimenting with a bunch of new sounds, and he has even added three new words to his vocabulary– “nana” (banana), “yeah”, and “cee-cees” (Reese’s…peanut butter cups). His voice is so gosh darn adorable!

    ALL OF THE TEA

    It’s my birthday month, and I may have gone a little overboard in purchasing tea. Highlights include the Idris Hot Chocolate Chai from Calabash Tea, Sleigh Ride from DAVIDsTEA, the Chocolate Spice and my new latte kit from Just Be Tea Co., and of course, the Birthday Tea from Adagio Teas. Seriously though, the Idris Hot Chocolate Chai and the Chocolate Spice are deserving of their own post or their own TeaTube video, so watch out for those as the weather starts to cool and Chai season settles in.

    The Crime Junkie Podcast

    My dad introduced me to the Crime Junkie podcast during my recent visit to Ohio. He mentioned that two of the episodes were about a serial killer that prowled the streets during the 1980s…about an hour from where he used to live. After listening to those two episodes, I was hooked, so I have been binge-listening the podcast. Unfortunately, the only time I get to myself these days is after everyone has gone to bed, which means I’m listening to true crime podcasts until one in the morning. The episode about the Monster of Miramichi was especially horrifying, and every creak and cat-paw shuffle sent electric jolts of panic shooting through my body.

    Making Time to Write Again

    I noticed the dust settled on my blog again, but that’s my usual M.O. I contemplated abandoning BGO! because I wanted to invest my limited me-time on my TeaTube channel, but…I just can’t seem to let go of this space. It’s been my writing outlet for far too long; even just thinking about abandoning this blog for good made my world feel out of balance. So instead, I’ve turned myself into a night owl again just so I could write! (and/or create, in general) The only downside in every creak and cat-paw shuffle sends electric jolts of panic shooting through my body even when I am not listening to the Crime Junkie podcast.

    Honorable Mentions

    My birthday • Dropping Oliver off with family, so Jon and I could go on an almost-proper date (we ordered takeout and then ate in the middle of an abandoned parking lot because I’m not about to mess with the Rona) • Sharing tea with family • Sipping Hou Kui for the first time • Tea lattes • Park days • Sipping Laoshan Green Tea for the first time • The handwritten note from Just Be Tea Co. thanking me for being part of their community and wishing me a happy birthday • The unexpected (free) 1 oz. bag of Chocolate Spice from Just Be Tea Co. because it was my birthday • The best chicken soup I’ve ever eaten • Finally finishing Beowulf

  • Oh My Darjeeling

    Oh My Darjeeling

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    I am unkempt hair and peanut butter jeans. Crayon scribbles on the walls and desk and couch. Teetering piles of work and dishes that still need to be put away. Oversteeped breakfast blends tamed with honey and milk are much better suited for me. But, once in a while, I make time to indulge in a cup of Darjeeling tea– a tea that feels so elegant I pull down the fine china from the cupboards and sip from dainty teacups instead of tea-stained novelty mugs.

    I’ve sipped quite a few Darjeeling teas this year. Its fruit and floral aromas remind me of sunny Spring days, and I think we could all use a few more sunny days in our lives rights now. But, among my favorites is the 2020 Rohini First Flush from Masters Teas (free for review purposes). The leaves of the Rohini First Flush are a beautiful array of colors– dark brown, green, fuzzy silver tips, and sepia– and when gently tossed around in a warm cup, they smell rich, honey sweet and a bit like tart grapes. After the leaves have steeped, they are undoubtedly floral and almost like strawberry jam.

    The first infusion is mellow. It steeps to a pale amber and offers subtle golden raisin and floral aromas, but infusion two is when this tea sings. The color of the tea deepens, and the flavor is punchier. Bold floral notes burst through on this infusion, and as the tea cools, it transforms into sparkling white grapes. The third infusion is once again mellow. Floral notes are still prominent, but it trades refreshing grapes for golden raisins once more. When I sip this tea, I am reminded of sparkling white wine and an unexpected weekend of decadence when Jon and I were upgraded to a luxurious suite at the Great Diamond Island Inn during our trip to Maine. It is a much needed vacation while still being locked away from the world amid a pandemic.

    What do you like to reach for when you need a little escape?

About the Blogger

My name is Jackie, and I am a millennial / mother / Michigander / blogger / wannabe runner / accountant / local library enthusiast / gamer, kinda. This is a personal blog, which means I’m not entirely certain what you’ll find here, but it will definitely not show up on the first page of Google search results.