Since my first two tries at creating drinkable tea flopped, I’m burrowing into a list of suggestions from friends. One of them told me that Hibiscus tea tastes like fruit punch, and so might be just the thing I’m looking for. Today I’m trying Republic of Tea’s Hibiscus…just the plain, unadulterated Hibiscus. This tea came in a round tea bag which means I can’t tell what it looks like without destroying the bag, which made me sad. However, there’s no measuring so at least I know I didn’t screw up that part.
I’m following the directions on this one. Boil 6 oz. of water (seriously, 6 oz? I think I’ve been using at least twice that), check. Place bag in cup, check. Pour water over bag, check. Steep for five to seven minutes. I set the timer and walked away. You know what they say about a watched pot? It applies to tea, I think.
***time passes*** ***alarm goes off***
I was waiting by the cup for the last 30 seconds, because I’m impatient. I have to admit, it makes the prettiest red color! It really does look like fruit punch. The scent is soothing…a light floral. Nothing overpowering. Nothing mouthwatering. More relaxing than anything. Did I mention it’s red? Very, very red. Stain-the-carpet red. Good thing we have wood floors.
Sip.
Consider.
Sip.
Smile.
I think we have a winner! It does indeed taste a bit like fruit punch! The flavor isn’t strong, but isn’t weak either. A bit dry..like a dry red wine. Not a fan of dry wine, so I figure this tea needs a bit of a boost. I’m squirting a bit of vanilla syrup from Starbucks in it. Hey, it’s all I have…don’t judge.
Sip.
Hmmm. Now it’s a bit too sweet I think. And it’s quickly getting cold. I wonder what tea fans think about throwing tea back in the microwave to re-heat it?
I’m not sure sugar is what I need for this tea. I think perhaps a bit of cream or milk is called for. But now it’s cold (that sure happened fast) and there’s only a couple of swallows left, so I won’t bother this time. I think this would taste fantastic if poured over ice. I’ll have to try both that, and cream, in the future.
I’m adding Hibiscus to the list of “must try again”.
For those keeping score, the tally is now:
Not looking good: 2
Rooibos Vanilla Chai
Earl Grey
Try This Again: 1
Hibiscus