Of all the gall - or lack thereof

Three days after I last posted I had my gallbladder out. Thankfully it was laparoscopic but I still had to deal with the aftereffects of major abdominal surgery. My two days in the hospital were spent staring at my box of Revolution's Dragon Eye Oolong. Water tasted good but not much else did. I think I finally got two cups down while I was hospitalized.

However, since I was still trying to clear up my eczema I was (partially) motivated to start drinking oolong again once I got home. My mom got to do double duty as my own private-duty nurse and tea-brewer. It's a good thing she likes oolong too! (She even bribed my taste buds with my favorite Jasmine Oolong.)

While it's impossible to list all the oolongs I drank in the past five weeks I did discover a few things. Teavana's Eastern Beauty Oolong Tea is a new favorite.

This tea was made famous by Queen Elizabeth for being exceptionally beautiful in appearance and having the most exquisite taste of any Oolong tea. This rare Formosan Oolong lives up to its reputation with a sweet and even-bodied cup that is a feast for the senses. Known as 'Champagne Formosa,' this Taiwanese tea starts with a floral aroma and gives you a naturally sweet fruit and honey taste. Perfect anytime of the day.

Teavana also "improved" their Six Summits Oolong Tea so it now includes raspberries. I was not happy with this announcement since I love the old version. I tried the new blend with trepidation and have to admit I like it - although I can't say there is a huge difference.

Mom and I went to The Urban Tea Loft in Chandler and tried to get more of their delicious Lemon Ginger Oolong but they only had a few ounces left - so we bought it all. Our server was startled when we ordered a pound (we really like this one!) but assured us they'd call when more arrived. I mentioned that I love their store but their site needs to list their tea menu - not just their food menu. She thought that was a good idea and said that would be added soon.