Bali Black Raspberry

I don't remember how I first discovered Bali Black Raspberry or when I first tasted it.  I started to drink it during a time when I was first discovering the wonderful world of warm, caffeinated beverages.  I started to drink it during a time when I was first discovering my need for warm, caffeinated beverages in the morning.  College.  

I drank tea every morning because I had not yet entered the world of coffee.  Coffee was still too bitter, but Bali Black Raspberry was perfect.  During my sophomore year of college, I made a cup of Bali Black every morning and often drank it in the afternoon and evening.  

When I smell and taste the tea, it reminds me of chilly fall mornings in Philadelphia, walking from the Quad to Steiny-D for my 10:30am Financial Accounting class.  It reminds me of the room I shared with Marla and the electric tea kettle that I used to boil the water.  It reminds me of the stainless steel Wharton travel mug that I used to transport the tea.  

As time went on, coffee began to overpower tea and became my warm, caffeinated beverage of choice in the morning.  I still had Bali Black in my pantry, but I drank it infrequently.  I was more likely to be sipping a latte or a Starbucks black coffee than Bali Black in the morning.  Afternoons and evenings were usually reserved for decaf tea.  

But this fall I have rediscovered my love for Bali Black Raspberry.  All of a sudden, coffee started to make my stomach hurt.  And the acidity began to bother my taste buds.  Little by little, coffee lost its appeal and sent me back to tea.  I have had a cup (or two!) of Bali Black each morning this September.  And I am in love with it all over again.  The aroma, the taste, the memories.  Mmmm.  I still use my Wharton mug when I make it at work.  

Maybe my warm beverage drinking is cyclical and I've returned to the time of tea and Bali Black.  My sophomore year began during the fall of 2002 and Bali Black has returned in the fall of 2008.  Check back in fall of 2014 to see if I'm blogging about my return to Bali Black Raspberry again...

[Note: Bali Black Raspberry cannot be found at most stores.  It is a Celestial Seasonings Tea that can be purchased in bulk here] 

Java Junkie

i love coffee. seriously love coffee. i'm a coffee purist (black, no cream/sugar). and i love the song by david m. bailey called 'java junkie'. the lyrics are below... i particularly related to the last few lines (in bold) today after an awful commute into work that took 5 times as long as it should have and involved me walking around in the rain.

I like a caramel cappuccino with a double shot of jo

And a white chocolate mocha, make that one to go

See, I’m a coffee connoisseur, a Dali lama of latte

A genuine java junkie every hour of the day

Columbia and Kenya, Ethiopia, Peru

They all make a fine roast, the French do too

Cubans drink it sweet, the Turkish drink it strong

Me, I just drink it, all day long.

Most drink it for breakfast, some after they dine

Guess they just don't know you can drink it anytime

Pre-brunch, post-lunch, afternoon tea

Perfect coffee breaks if you’re asking me

I like to brew a pot before the lights go out

Some say it keeps me up, I say it helps, no doubt

Now, some of you are thinking it's gonna make me sick

That I should switch to decaf as though that would do the trick

But I've learned a thing or two in my 30-something years,

Life is short so stay awake before it disappears

And if that means that I should drink an extra cup of Joe

Well sign me up, fill my cup, let it overflow

It's more than just a beverage; it's better than a drug

It's like an old best friend who greets you with a hug

the caffeine curve