Found a cool blues music blog called, Bang Bang Blues. Coincidentally we both posted a Howling Wolf song today, must be the moon. Check out the blog here —–> “Going Down Slow” by Howlin´ Wolf [Everyday I have the Blues (EDIHTB)].
Monthly Archives: February 2013
Tune: Spoonful
Posting pretty early today, course I am actually home for once. Today’s tune is, Spoonful, played by Howling Wolf. The song was originally written by the awesome bass player and composer Willie Dixon. Willie did a recording of it himself, but wrote it for Howling Wolf to play. There have been covers of this song, and even a psychedelic version done by Howling Wolf as well, but this version in my opinion embodies that eerie and primal sound that blues can have.
P.S. best listened to at night during a full moon (as in tonight)
Here are the other versions:
Psychedelic
Willie Dixon
Tea: Quangzhou Milk Oolong
Today I decided to do a review for one of DAVIDs TEA. The tea I made was Quangzhou Milk Oolong; I have no idea how to say it. I received this as a sample with an order from them. I have had a few green oolongs before, but not a milk one. With that being said this was quit a wonderful tea, but first rant time.
When I looked at the steeping instructions on my sample packet, I was shocked at the steeping instructions. It wanted me to use almost boiling water ans steep it for 4-7 minuets. That is way to long to steep a green oolong; or most teas n general. I thought that maybe it was just cause it was a sample packet the instructions might not be accurate since they tend to be standard. However, when I went to their site it was the same instructions. GAH! I HATE IT WHEN TEA COMPANIES POST BAD STEEP TIMES! It’s like when you get bagged green tea and they want you to pour boiling water over it. From what I have seen, for green oolongs you want the temp to be around 190F and you want to use soft water (not tap). I also find that the leaves open up better if you put them in after you put water in your brewing vessel.
Anyways with that aside and using my own steeping times, and a tad more leaf I found that this made a really great cup. It was supper creamy and sweet I didn’t even need sweetener It wasn’t really vegital flavor either. It was just buttery and sweet with light notes of orchid. My only thing with this tea is that it wasn’t very strong but on some days it is nice to drink a nice light tea that is sweet and creamy on it’s own.
Overall it was a very enjoyable tea, and for the price and the many steeps that you can get from it (I think I went to 5?) it’s a good buy. The only bad thing is that I wish it was a bit more complex, but still very good.
*******************************************************************************
Brewing Specifics
- Pot: Porcelain
- Water: 8oz per steep
- Leaf: 1.5 tsp (5 grams)
- Steep Time: 2 minuets (then added 30 sec each steep)
- Sweetener: Don’t need it
- Temp: 190 F
Tune: I’m Not your Stepping Stone
In lue of my absence I give you the song, “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” and it’s many covers. To my knowledge the Paul Revere & the Raiders is the first recorded version of the song. The Liver Pool 5 did a great cover of the song, and added a great raw bluesy element to it. The Monkeys did a decent recording of it. They took the original and made it just a little bit more poppy with the vocals. And last but not least the Sex Pistols also did a cover of the song as well. They added that classic gritty and rough punk rock attitude sound to the song.
There are many more covers of this song, but I think these show a good diversity in playing styles to the original It is interesting to see how one song can be covered and have a totally different tone and sound based on the band playing it; as to almost transcend different genres
Tea: Flowering Green Jasmine Tea
This wonderful blooming tea come from Verdant Tea and is called Flowering Green Jasmine Tea. I have tried a few blooming teas in the past and found them to be only ok. They tended to be really dry, bitter, taste to strongly of jasmine, and that they they seem more for decoration then for drinking. This one, however, is a different story. After watching the little tea ball bloom in my glass pot and inhaled the wonderful honey and wild flower sent I poured it off into my cup and found that blooming teas can taste awesome.
It made a light green-yellow liquor, that smelled of honey and wild flowers. The taste matches the smell perfectly. It taste strongly of clover honey, almost as if I put a small dolp in my cup. The base tea adds to the the honey flavor with a citrus tang and a smooth and dewy mouth feel. It should be noted that while having jasmine blossoms in the tea, it does not dominate the flavor at all, but adds a nice floral sweetness in the back drop of the velvet honey flavor; so jasmine weenies don’t need to be worried.
Overall this tea is simply wonderful. Besides being pretty to look at and having great flavor, it can be steeped many times; (I’m sipping on my 4th steep now.) This would make as a great present for any tea lover, or just to add some beauty to your tea routine.
*************************************************
Specifics
Via Verdant’s website: “Flowering tea (or blooming tea) is best brewed in a tempered glass vessel. Bring filtered water to a boil and pour in an 8-16 ounce vessel. Allow the water to cool for about one minute, to around 185 degrees. Drop one flowering tea ball in the glass and watch it unfurl slowly. Smell the tea and focus on its transformation. After the jasmine and amaranth flowers open up, you can start sipping the tea. Top off with hot water throughout the day and enjoy.”
Water: All 16oz batches
Pot: Glas
Sweetener: Not needed
Steep Times:
- Till Opened
- One minuet
- One & a half minuets
- Two minuets
Tune: Don’t Want to Fall in Love
Obvious song choice is obvious. This song was actually first recorded as a demo for dookie on acoustic, but then it was re-recorded for insomniac. However, they probably didn’t put it on Insomniac because it doesn’t really fit the tone of the album(in my opinion). The recording was then put on Shenanigans.
Tea Related: Let’s talk tea
Taking Tea in Turkey has posted a cool article about Turkish tea culture. You should check it out here ——–> Let’s talk tea.
Tea Related: Free-ish Fruit and Match Mix Fruit
So I went on Adagio and saw that they were promoting a new edible fruit mix dusted with matcha. So of course I dove right in for my sample. There is a small catch though. It is $3.75 for basic shipping and you have to have something else that cost money in your cart.
The good thing is though is that they have tons of different teas with most having a sample size option that are about $2. Also when I finished checking out they let me pick from this massive list to add another free sample.
In short, for what comes out to a mere $5.75 I get to try a new fruit mix with matcha, and 2 samples of tea; both of which are said to make 10 cups each.
So if you got a little bit of money to spare and want to try some new teas stop by Adagio Teas before this promo is up.
Tune: Psychotic Girl
I LOVE THIS BAND! They are on of the few new bands that I will listen to. They have just such a kick ass blues sound. You don’t hear that too much anymore. Here is a live version of the song; though the album one is nice, they just sound way more raw live
Tea: Chocolate Chamomile Curiosity Brew
This tea is part of another Sip Down of my large stock of tea and comes from the lovely Verdant Tea. It is called Chocolate Chamomile Curiosity Brew, and as the name suggests it is a curious concoction indeed. It takes some of the traditional ingredients from a sleepy time tea (spearmint, chamomile,fennel) and mixes it with cinnamon chips, the malty chocolaty laoshan black, Wuyi Big Red Robe, Peruvian Cacao Nibs, and Marigold. I at first was skeptical of it, being an odd combo, but found it to be a unique, relaxing, and tasty tea. The malty and chocolaty black tea mixes with the cinnamon and fennel to make an almost brownie like flavor. The chamomile adds a nice creamy floral aspect, while the spearmint adds a nice touch of coolness. It tastes great warm and makes a refreshing ice tea; it’s a very relaxing mix. Did I also mention that this tea can take many steeps as well.
So if you are found of sleepy time tea. mint teas, or want to try something out of the norm, I would give this one a shot.
******************************************************************
Brewing Specifics
- Pot: Porcelain
- Water: 8oz per steep
- Leaf: two tsps
- Steep Time: 1 minuets (then added 30 sec each steep)
- Sweetener: just a pinch of light agave
- Temp: 205F
Directions
HOT BREW
- After getting your water boiling poor it into the pot and leave it for 5 seconds, then pore out the water; this is to do a rinse.
- Pour under boiling water back in and steep for 1 minuet; continually added 30 seconds for each steep done.
- When it is done steeping strain it off into a mug or pitcher
- Add sweetener if desired
- ENJOY
ICE TEA
Note: use 4 tsp per 8oz of water; can make between 1-2 quart batches from 8oz steeps.
- After getting your water boiling poor it into the pot and leave it for 5 seconds, then pore out the water; this is to do a rinse.
- Pour under boiling water back in and steep for 1 minuet; continually added 30 seconds for each steep done.
- When it is done steeping strain it off into a pitcher or extra large pyrex
- Add sweetener if desired
- Then add equal parts ice to your pitcher or pyrex (ex: 16oz of tea + 16oz of ice)
- ENJOY
Tunes 'N' Tea 