Mocha Hazelnut Oatmeal

I got an extra large pot of Mocha Hazelnut tea at the Tea Cup yesterday. If Mocha Hazelnut tea sounds good to you, I assure you, it tastes even better--a hearty, robust cup of hazelnuts, blackberry leaf, chicory, vanilla, and other wonderful, earthy delights. Oh, the aroma.

I took home the half cup I had left, and this morning boiled it in a pot and added to it my morning oatmeal. I saw some almond extract in the cupboard and added some of that too, as well as some cinnamon.

I'm a long-time practitioner of using tea rather than water in my cooking, and this morning's experiment cemented my position as a pioneer at the forefront of combining new flavors. That is to say, it was delicious.

Reinventing Tea

The other day, a friend offered to serve me tea from her impressive collection. She had the Mighty Leaf chocolate tea sampler, which included such delicious-sounding concoctions as Chocolate Chai, Mayan Chocolate, and Chocolate Mint Truffle. Chocolate tea. How perfect. I couldn't decide between the Rooibos Vanilla or the Mighty Leaf Chocolate Mint Truffle. So I chose both. Add a little bit of milk, and it was sublime: robust, voluptuous, and hearty--if ever a tea can be.

The next day I decided to order the Mighty Leaf Chocolate Tea sampler. The photos on the Mighty Leaf Web site looked enticing. The prices, however, were a different story. "Hey, I can make these teas," I thought, "and more."

Tomorrow, I head to the bulk section of my local co-op with my list in hand. I'm going to buy some of the raw ingredients found in these teas in bulk, and whip up my own versions.

Stay tuned for pictures, recipes, and reactions.

What were some of your own concoctions? I'd love to learn.