Do you know about FLYlady–the home blessing instructor? If you do, then you know about the lessons on decluttering cabinets and counters. I looked in my cabinet at my various containers of tea, a cabinet that seriously needs decluttering. I have been in recent years attempting to broaden my tea horizons by sampling many different teas. Of course, there turns up some that I just do not like–
The French breakfast tea from a company that reviewers have highly touted, and that cost an arm and half a leg. I did give it good tries. Especially after paying so much for it. When I thought it tasted, and smelled, like dirty socks, I re-read the directions and brewed it carefully. And then twice more, just to make sure. The fourth time I tried adding honey, but ended up pouring the cup out in the sink. It still tasted like dirty socks to me.
The black tea with real rose petals. Oh, this tea smells of sultry bourbon roses out of my garden! Surely I should love it. I have enjoyed the scent each time I’ve brewed it, and I’ve thought it should relax me. But my taste buds are telling me, “Eweww,” even with a bit of sugar added. The last time I threw it out and went to brew me a good old standard Ceylon. My tastebuds, my entire body, said, “Whew!”
The strong English Breakfast tea, as well as a good old standard everyday tea. I used to like both, but others have taken their place in my affections. This happens with broadening tea horizons. Now these containers of tea bags remain pushed to the back of the cabinet. I’m waiting for some emergency shortage in my tea supply, I guess, like during the next world war, which may not be long off, considering the news reports.
Yes, I can give these teas away, and I did give the dirty-socks tea to my sister-in-law when she visited. (Now, that sounds terrible, but I warned her, and it is in a pretty tin, so I feel I gave her a gift. Besides she uses milk and sugar sometimes, whereas I do not.) But I have no one else to give these teas. I am the only person among my family and circle of friends who enjoys tea. And one does feel a little awkward saying, “Here, I hate this tea, would you like it?”
I must declutter these shelves. While considering my options, I made a tea I adore–Mim Estate Darjeeling, smells and tastes divinely like tea, peace, calm, maybe a hit of fruit, needs no sugar or cream.
Ideas come to mind–perhaps I could sprinkle the rose petal black tea out around my roses, for fertilizer. Or maybe carry the tin around in my purse (it is rather large) and pull it out for bare acquaintances, who might possibly be secret tea drinkers. Or maybe tear the bags of English Breakfast up and sprinkle the tea around my house plants. Or give it to the cats to see if they will play with it.
What do you end up doing with the tea you don’t like?
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Tea Blog 
If I purchased a tea and I like the smell, but not the taste, I would prepare the tea by itself and pour it in a spray bottle. I would then use the tea as a sort of perfume. I do the same for teas that have expired and taste stale, but still have a sweet smell. Also, I would use it as a natural hair dye.
I think http://teatra.de exists for this very reason!
I’ve found that some teas I did not like hot I enjoyed as iced tea. So maybe give that a try before you throw the teas away.
Oh, you wise person! Yes, I shall try the rose-petal black tea iced. May be just the thing on a hot afternoon in the south!
dear Ann,
please expain to me how you can make a Mim Estate Darjeeling?
But i agree with you,the tea gives you peace
>>dear Ann,
please expain to me how you can make a Mim Estate Darjeeling?<<
Oh, too funny. You are so right, of course! Can't be done…uhmmm, maybe I should claim: I am woman, hear me roar!
Easy question to answer. Plenty of options.
Try icing it, you never know.
Brew the liquor and use it to make muffins.
If it’s green, make it into ice-cream/
Mix it with salt and make tea salt, as per my you tube video on the subject.
Serve it to your mother-in-law
If it’s too smoky or ‘meaty’ grind it and mix through hamburger mince.
Sell it on teatra.de After all, there are some people who like tea that tastes like dirty socks. 🙂
I know exactly how you feel.
I thought of using the tea in baking but if I don’t like the taste of the tea in a teapot will I like it in a cake?
I try to gift them to friends and coworkers but it is a tricky gift to make. Somehow I’m not sure it would make good fertilizer or that my cat would like to play with dried leaves.
Wow– great idea of trying it in baking. Maybe the baking would completely change the taste.