Yuma Herb and Spice Shop

Even better than all of that is how this particular black tea tastes. This isn’t your store-bought or restaurant tea. This is something much, much better. I’m not going to say it’s magical, but only because, frankly, it is better than magical. I’ll share my lengthy Facebook post about it that I shared this weekend. You may as well sit down and get comfortable with a hot cup of tea because this is a long one.

Yuma Herb and Spice Shop is having a free sample of their black tea today. Normally, I wouldn’t get giddy over something so sedate as a little free tea, but I’ve been drinking this particular tea for the past two days, thanks to a care package from my mom and OH… MY… GOD. This tea is extraordinary. I am not exaggerating. It is extraordinary. I didn’t even KNOW tea could be extraordinary. And as I’ve been drinking it, I’ve been wondering why the little bistros and coffeehouses and all of the expensive restaurants don’t have iced tea like this. I didn’t even know it was a possibility, but I would THINK if I opened a niche shop that specializes in coffee and tea, I WOULD know. But from my experience, their iced tea is on pretty much the same level as the iced tea at the all-night roadside diner. I assumed that was because tea is just tea so I got a little uppity thinking my (preferred well-known tea brand) was superior to (other well-known tea brand) and restaurant tea. Well, I learned tea isn’t tea. I learned what I’ve been drinking all these years isn’t even what black tea is supposed to taste like. It was like I had been getting uppity over my Tombstone pizza being (barely) superior to Red Baron. But now, I’ve run out of my little bag of black tea (in two days, no less) and I’m kind of freaking out. (What will I do today?!?) Seriously, though, if anyone on here is thinking of opening a restaurant, do yourself a favor and use this black tea for your iced tea. Go down (or up, since it’s in the North End) to her shop today and get a sample. I don’t know if she has sugar there for a sweet tea, which is what I’ve been crack-habitting, but I don’t think it would be particularly weird to bring in a tall glass full of ice and a sugar bowl. Don’t forget the tall spoon to stir, stir, stir, even if you have to bring in your stolen Cracker Barrel teaspoon. Look at this, I’m already getting jealous of you because you have the ability to go down there and get some tea and I haven’t even finished writing this out yet. 

Okay, maybe don’t even carry in the sugar bowl and tall glass of ice and the stolen Cracker Barrel teaspoon. Just go buy an ounce of tea and try it at home today, but be warned she’s closed tomorrow and Monday so you’ll be in my predicament till Tuesday. Maybe get two ounces to get you through to Tuesday comfortably, and you can even let your spouse have a glass. (Not the kids, though. Give them the leftover tea from that box in the cupboard because you’ll never want to touch it again, anyway.) It’s not even expensive. It TASTES expensive, but it’s not. I need to stop talking about this. I’m making myself feel bad. 

Remember how I told you to sit down and get comfortable with a hot cup of tea because this is a long one? I hope you did so you can look down at your tea right now and be disgusted with it… unless it happens to be THIS tea! If it is, rejoice, you lucky chosen one, you!