I’ve been struggling with allergies and a lingering cold. Does anyone have suggestions as to what kind of tea might be soothing for a sore throat? I’ve seen several brands of throat-coat tea. I also remember hearing that chamomile was supposed to be good for a cold.
Throat-Coat Suggestions?
September 23rd, 2008Metromint Water – Revisted
September 23rd, 2008Back when I had my 5 day adventure with Metromint water, I mentioned that there was a new flavor, Cherrymint water. Well, I was at my local meat and vegetable proprietor the other day, who just happens to carry Metromint, and I stumbled upon a display. There it was for the world to see, Cherrymint! Naturally I had to pick up a bottle, especially at the sale price of $1 per bottle. I only picked up one.
Cherrymint has a cool factor of 5. The smell reminds me of Christmas for some reason, don’t go asking me why. There is a strong flavor of cherry, but not like natural cherries, more like you were drinking cherry extract. I am not saying it is a bad thing, but I will caution anyone who tries it, this is not like drinking water flavored with my favorite cherry, the maraschino. I will pause while the sick-o’s out there get their head out of the gutter.
This is not a flavor I would reach for on a daily basis. It tastes good, but I think it might be better if it was combined with a desert, enjoyed after a fine meal, or taken along to the State Fair and enjoyed with fried foods. I might keep a bottle of it in the fridge, next to the chocolate flavor. I wonder what would happen if the two were combined…
…but that is for another day.
-Walter
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
September 19th, 2008Recently, a bit of a fight broke out here at the “offices” of the Robust Beverage Society. The cause of our disagreement was who would get the last cup of coffee. It’s good coffee. The best, if certain aficionados are to be believed.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is grown, unsurprisingly, only in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Only coffee certified by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica can be labeled as Jamaican Blue Mountain. It’s highly sought-after stuff, known for being mild, and lacking bitterness.
Damn, but it’s good. I’m not certain it’s worth the $40/pound we paid for it, but it’s good enough that we’re not wasting a single drop of it. The coffee demands to be treated well. Serve only with real cream and real sugar, and precious little of either. You don’t need it, the experience is sublime enough as is.
While ol’ Dave can’t afford to have this coffee as his every-day drink, the occasional cuppa Jamaican…
Just don’t get between me and the last cup in the carafe.
jamaican skies
September 16th, 2008jamaican blue mountain coffee in two words…
effing good 
Starbucks
July 31st, 2008One might ask why ol’ Dave even bothers with Starbucks. They’re notoriously overrated. The truth is simple. Consistency. Starbucks isn’t great coffee, but its quality is consistent. You can get exactly the same drink in any Starbucks on the planet.
A smiling barrista and a hot cuppa go a long way to keeping me happy.
we b some tea drinkin mofo’s
July 30th, 2008Man, I just realized how many tea posts we’ve got. Unbelievable. We should change our name to the tea time tories”. With that said, I have just found the ultimate canned tea. Canada Dry – sparkling green tea ginger ale. Proceed with caution my homies as this is truly addictive stuff.
j. linc.
Lipton White Tea To Go (Apple Cranberry)
July 22nd, 2008Getting me to drink enough water is a chore. When ol’ Dave is thirsty, water is NOT what he wants. Thank goodness for this little godsend of a powdered beverage. Just sprinkle one of these into my water bottle, and watch my liquid intake skyrocket. By now, you know that I’m a sucker for tea. While Lipton isn’t the be-all and end-all of tea, convenience sometimes overrides good taste, and this stuff is both convenient and yummy.
Golden Kili Honey Chrysanthemum Drink
June 11th, 2008Occasionally, ol’ Dave (I’ve taken to talking about myself in the third person) drinks something from far off lands. Such was the case many years ago with powdered chrysanthemum beverage. Let’s not dwell on the where and when, but it’s been many a year since the day when I first imbibed this, and long have I searched to be able to drink it once again.
And there, one day, while surfing Amazon.com, it was.
This beverage consists of three things: 1) Powdered Chrysanthemum flowers, 2) Honey, and 3) Sugar; just not in that exact order. I bought a bag of 20 packets, which should last the Drinkinator a while.
It’s a heady, sweet nectar, very much in the vein on my beloved sweet tea, except that it’s properly served hot. This is especially good when you have a cold, but don’t wait for that. Any excuse will do. I rank this among the great beverages of the world.
lemon/cucumber on tap
May 22nd, 2008My wife has turned me into a hydrohaulic. I am now drinking water flavored/seasoned with sliced cucumbers and lemon juice. It’s totally addictive and better than any bottled water out there.
Ingredients
3 cucumbers peeled and sliced
2 lemons squeezed
1 pitcher of tap water
Mix all ingredients together and then let sit in refrigerator 8 hours (overnight). After that – it’s good to go.
I’ve noticed the longer the water “cures” the better it tastes, however it won’t last very long. The pitcher can be refilled once i’ve found without sacrificing taste if it “cures” a little longer, or you could make a pretty good cucumber salad with soy sauce.
j. linc
Honest Tea First Nations Peppermint
April 9th, 2008With such an obvious pun as for a name, I was sorely tempted to pass on Honest Tea altogether. However, curiosity got the better of me, and here we are with me writing a review. Still stinging from Walt’s superb scoop on Metromint (which I too utterly enjoyed), I was itching to get my taste buds around something minty and refreshing.
The lesson in social consciousness is entirely optional.
This tea claims to be based on an old Crow Indian recipe, and uses peppermint collected on the Crow Reservation, by members of the Crow nation. Portions of the proceeds go back to the reservation as part of Honest Beverages’ commitment to supporting development in disadvantaged communities.
Unlike Metromint, Honest Tea First Nations Peppermint includes a small amount of sugar. It’s not a true sweet tea, however, and is not particularly sweet. It also contains agave, which is a little odd. However, the flavor is all mint. Very tasty. So here you have it, A tasty, all natural, socially conscious, real peppermint beverage, which pulls no punches.
It’s honest tea, all right.