Black Beauty

I was always curious about this tea. I liked its name because of a beloved children's book by the same title. In all truth, I vaguely remember the book, and was glad to find some descriptions of the plot online to refresh my memory. In my defense, it has been somewhere around 30 years since I have read that book. I was always trying to keep up with my older sister who seemed so much smarter, and such a better reader (and failing). This tea, however, has nothing to do with books or horses. It is a China black tea flavored with lichee fruit. Thanks to Aldi's foods from around the world, I have tried canned lichees. The canned version are little white balls with the center punched out to remove the pit. I honestly wonder if any of the grocery stores in the area where I grew up would even have canned lichee. Thankfully food trends and variety have progressed since I was a kid.

When I opened the bag, I thought it smelled like vanilla. I have no objections to that. When I brewed the tea, I started getting more fruit notes. The resulting brew has a distinctly fruity scent and flavor. The fruit seems to intensify when you aerate the tea.

Part of me wishes for the simplicity of childhood. Then I remember there was nothing much that was simple or pleasant in my childhood. I'm almost finished cleaning my old apartment (Just a few hours of cleaning left this morning - I hope). Unfortunately it has become clear that the people who lived in my new apartment before me broke the rules and smoked indoors. I hope that the smell doesn't get any worse than it already is :( More scrubbing needed here. Also, new paint needed, too. That should be a challenge with all my stuff here now. That said, I'm happy and relaxed when I drive home from work, and I'm not constantly on guard whenever I hear someone walking around outside my new home. What can I say? Horny men ruin everything. At least I've found enough of my stuff to brew a cup of tea.