Me = Duuuuh.

[omorka]

I bought one of Celestial Seasonings' random "zinger" flavors, this time the tangerine one, because it didn't have lemongrass in it (I like lemongrass just fine, but not in tea). Like their Mandarin Orange Spice, which I enjoy quite a bit, it's primarily citrus peel and hibiscus. Unlike the Mandarin Orange Spice, it doesn't have the cinnamon and other spice notes - it's just hibiscus and fruit.

I was drinking it iced, complaining that it tasted like Kool-Aid, and mentally blaming that on the fact that it has, in addition to the wonderful herbal ingredients, "natural tangerine flavor" (probably extra tangerine oil, and possibly lemon, added). Then it hit me: no, "hibiscus and fruit" is exactly what the "tropical punch" flavors of Kool-Aid and its competitors - and Hawaiian Punch, now that I'm thinking of - are trying to replicate. That's the reason those flavors are invariably Crayola-red - they're giving a nod to the red that the hibiscus stains the tea.

It had never occurred to me that those flavors were anything other than "fantasia" flavors made by randomly throwing artificial fruit flavors at some citric acid and adding red food dye and more sugar than you could possibly imagine.

I bet kids love this zinger flavor.

I suspect this would make good popsicles . . .

Comments

[greeneyedpagan.livejournal.com]

I used to love the original Red Zinger, but not so much the reformulated one. I do like Lemon Zinger, and find it especially useful if I have gunk in my throat. It has the added benefit of being fabulous cold. I have not tried the Tangerine Zinger, though I do love tangerine in general (but not orange so much).
After your description of it, though, I imagine I'll give it a miss.

[omorka.livejournal.com]

This is actually pretty good iced - if you like Kool-Aid and the idea of a non-artificial analogue to it doesn't defeat the whole point of it for you. I can't imagine willingly drinking it hot, though.

If we're ever in the same place at the same time before Samhain (and remember, Bagels is a working concern again, at a place that sells pasta and soups as well as sandwiches this time!), I could hand you a couple of teabags so you can try it without actually having to purchase it.