Tea Anyone?

[MasonM]

I enjoy a good tea. I have always preferred a good Earl Grey but with all of the press regarding the health benefits of green tea I have switched. It doesn't taste quite as good but as I am concerned for my health I drink a cup or two with my afternoon cigarettes. While I love my morning coffee there is something quite civilized and even a bit soothing about having a nice cup of tea in the afternoon.

Do you enjoy tea? How do you take it?

 

[castlecraver]

... but as I am concerned for my health I drink a cup or two with my afternoon cigarettes.

LOL!

I like the orange tea. I think too much tea is decaf now, which pretty much defeats the purpose. There's a great trendy teahouse place up the road from me -- makes a great first date.

 

[ravkesef]

I have 3 places that I enjoy buying tea from. By far, the best tea place is Upton Tea in Boston. Hundreds of different teas from hard to find locations. All sorts of equipment, etc. last year I purchased 1 % of the world output of a particular white tea from them. Fabulous!!!
Other good places to buy tea: Teavana. Kind of commercial, but they have good stuff.
When I'm in Canada, I shop at Say Tea in Toronto. Again, a class act.

I enjoy just about any sort of tea, and in the afternoon I look at the selection and decide what will feel best. here are a few tea tips. Regardless of what kind of tea you're drinking, the rule is 2.25 g per 6 oz water. The temperature of the water will, of course, depend upon the type of tea, as will the steeping time. No tea bags in this house--it's whole leaf only, and there are enough different devices to ensure that you strain the leaves out.
here's an interesting tea to try Pu-Erh. It's a doubly fermented tea that some people say tastes the way a barn smells. it's a love it or hate it proposition, but my wife and I are crazy about it.

I'm also heavily into coffee, and the morning usually starts out with a cup of French press. Then I have an Olympia Cremina espresso machine (also a Saeco, but there's really no comparison.) My friends know the house as the place to get the best tea or coffee in town. anywbody want to start a coffee thread?

 

[Mama Bear]

One of my favorite things to do when I am in a new place is to look for teas that I have never tried. My mainstay is Constant Comment, but I have a whole kitchen cabinet dedicated to teas and always am searching for new tea balls and mugs. I am addicted to iced tea in the summer times and make it usually by the gallon often with honey. It doesn't last long.

Last summer I found a cherry/burgundy wine tea in a store in Ohio and it made the best iced tea I have ever had in my entire life. I think there is a teaspoon left. I am out in the RV, but will check when I get home. I am going to want more of this myself... it's time to try it hot also.... ;-) I will be home tomorrow and will post the name of this... it was a FIND!!!

Bear Hugs!!

Sue

 

[dszpiro]

I drink coffee during the day, but I prefer tea in the evening.

For many years Earl Grey was my favorite tea, but recently I am trying different brands of Chai. I find the spiciness of Chai is very pleasant after dinner. I believe the authentic way to brew Chai is by placing the tea in boiling milk. I, however, cheat: I use the North American-friendly way of simply putting the bag in water.

Cheers,

 

[MasonM]

LOL!

I like the orange tea. I think too much tea is decaf now, which pretty much defeats the purpose. There's a great trendy teahouse place up the road from me -- makes a great first date.

I'm glad someone caught the humor there.

I enjoy an orange tea once in a while as well but I avoid tea houses as I don't especially care for the kind of people that usually hang out in them (first dates excluded).

 

[MasonM]

I have 3 places that I enjoy buying tea from. By far, the best tea place is Upton Tea in Boston. Hundreds of different teas from hard to find locations. All sorts of equipment, etc. last year I purchased 1 % of the world output of a particular white tea from them. Fabulous!!!
Other good places to buy tea: Teavana. Kind of commercial, but they have good stuff.
When I'm in Canada, I shop at Say Tea in Toronto. Again, a class act.

I enjoy just about any sort of tea, and in the afternoon I look at the selection and decide what will feel best. here are a few tea tips. Regardless of what kind of tea you're drinking, the rule is 2.25 g per 6 oz water. The temperature of the water will, of course, depend upon the type of tea, as will the steeping time. No tea bags in this house--it's whole leaf only, and there are enough different devices to ensure that you strain the leaves out.
here's an interesting tea to try Pu-Erh. It's a doubly fermented tea that some people say tastes the way a barn smells. it's a love it or hate it proposition, but my wife and I are crazy about it.

I'm also heavily into coffee, and the morning usually starts out with a cup of French press. Then I have an Olympia Cremina espresso machine (also a Saeco, but there's really no comparison.) My friends know the house as the place to get the best tea or coffee in town. anywbody want to start a coffee thread?

I heat some water and make some tea.

 

[mpisarcik]

best iced tea i've ever had:

Tejava. Its good cold or hot. As far as strictly brewed hot tea: green, black, passonfruit, jasmine, or whatever i have on hand. I usually brew a huge pot every two days.

 

[MasonM]

One of my favorite things to do when I am in a new place is to look for teas that I have never tried. My mainstay is Constant Comment, but I have a whole kitchen cabinet dedicated to teas and always am searching for new tea balls and mugs. I am addicted to iced tea in the summer times and make it usually by the gallon often with honey. It doesn't last long.

Last summer I found a cherry/burgundy wine tea in a store in Ohio and it made the best iced tea I have ever had in my entire life. I think there is a teaspoon left. I am out in the RV, but will check when I get home. I am going to want more of this myself... it's time to try it hot also.... ;-) I will be home tomorrow and will post the name of this... it was a FIND!!!

Bear Hugs!!

Sue

Sounds interesting.
RV?

 

[MasonM]

I drink coffee during the day, but I prefer tea in the evening.

For many years Earl Grey was my favorite tea, but recently I am trying different brands of Chai. I find the spiciness of Chai is very pleasant after dinner. I believe the authentic way to brew Chai is by placing the tea in boiling milk. I, however, cheat: I use the North American-friendly way of simply putting the bag in water.

Cheers,

Chai is quite good.

 

[MasonM]

best iced tea i've ever had:

Tejava. Its good cold or hot. As far as strictly brewed hot tea: green, black, passonfruit, jasmine, or whatever i have on hand. I usually brew a huge pot every two days.

Every two days? I find fresh is best.

 

[Steelforge]

Tea is the main thing I drink, at all times of the day (ok I'm from Britain!).

I usually drink traditional english brands like Tetley, PG Tips, Typhoo etc, but occasionally drink a fruit tea or camomile tea in the evening to relax. I love it as it's much lighter than coffee, I do like a coffee occasionally but usually I find it too heavy and 'thick'.

 

[MasonM]

I do like a coffee occasionally but usually I find it too heavy and 'thick'.

Actually that's what I like about coffee.

 

[Steelforge]

I do like a coffee sometimes (I had a cup about 30 minutes ago), but I feel it leaves some kind of coating in my mouth which I can still sense/taste for ages afterwards. I don't like it so much in the summer, but it's great on a winters morning. Tea I can drink any time all year round, and it always leaves me feeling refreshed.

 

[Stauff]

For Breakfast I usually drink pure Assam (mostly Whittard).
In the afternoon it's Darjeeling, Earl Grey or Ceylon (whittard or Taylors of harrogate -their EG is out of this world.
Recently I got a tin of Whittards Royal Blend (Darjeeling and Assam) which is great. In the evening it's often fresh mint or chinese gunpowder.
I'm not really a twinings fan, apart from their Prince of Wales, which IMHO is a wonderful lunch tea.

Coffee on the other hand, is pure poison for my constitution. Makes me thirsty, stubborn and aggressive (well, what's a little exaggeration?).
No, I'll drink coffee in café's because Italian espresso is everywhere, whereas decent (English) tea is nowhere to be found in my barbaric country...

 

[Scotto]

I am a tea fanatic. Somewhere on this board there is another tea thread I started some time back. In any case, I find Upton's teas past their prime, so I don't do business with them anymore. I have had consistently above average to excellent teas from Special Teas and In Pursuit of Teas for many years.

I drink black (red) tea in the morning, usually a Keemun, or sometimes Assam. I have a hot pot in my office, and I keep a steady suppply of oolongs and Chinese greens there which I partake of during the day.

 

[Suzuki]

I enjoy a good tea. I have always preferred a good Earl Grey but with all of the press regarding the health benefits of green tea I have switched. It doesn't taste quite as good but as I am concerned for my health I drink a cup or two with my afternoon cigarettes. While I love my morning coffee there is something quite civilized and even a bit soothing about having a nice cup of tea in the afternoon.

Do you enjoy tea? How do you take it?

I love tea - my preference are teas from the Tea House in Covent Garden in London. Very reasonably priced, but the shipping is a killer - whenever I have a friend going to London, I always ask them to grab me a few packages - the loose tea is great and they put a lot of great tea in bags, which is perfect for work.

Mason - as for your green tea woes, here's my suggestion - Earl Grey Green Tea! Yes, it exists and its not bad. As far as readily available brands who make an Earl Grey green tea, there is Twinings; Bigelow and Taylors of Harrowgate - I particularly like the last one. None of these are crazy expensive (I think the Taylors was about $8 - $10 for 50 bags), but are a little more than "grocery store" tea.

 

[Chagidiel]

I just have to mention it - IMHO the best of them all, Lapsang Souchong - Highgrown heavy smoked tea. A very strong tar-ish taste, smoky and very smooth.. No everybodys cup of tea (pun truly intended) but I find it superior.. Anyone tried it?

 

[majkeli]

I switched from coffee to tea several years ago. I still have an espresso every so often, but I rarely drink a cup of joe anymore.

I drink primarily China greens, my daily teas are Pi Lo Chun, mild and fruity, almost peach-like taste, and Lung Ching, a little more solid, with a chestnut-like flavor. But I like a cup of Genmai-cha, Japanese sencha with toasted brown rice, every so often in the afternoon.

Also worth trying are Tongyu Mountain Green, which can be brewed quite strong without getting too tannic, and Silver Needle, which is an expensive but delicious white, full leaf tea.

In Black teas I like Chinese Keemuns, they have a dark, almost chocolate flavor, and Darjeeling Puttabong, which is fruity, almost citrus tasting.

I've ordered from most of the online tea shops and I've found specialteas.com to be the best. They also give you a free sample with every order so you can try some teas you might not want to pay for.

Try and brew them like they recommend, getting the times and temperatures too far off can really change the taste.

 

[BlackLabelBrewer]

I worked in a Starbucks for a number of years, so I had constant access to their TAZO line of teas. TAZO Earl Grey is my favorite, and is the best Earl Grey I've had yet. Highly aromatic.

Anyone else have a favorite Earl Grey?


Second is the TAZO Zen -- a blend of green tea, lemon verbena leaves, spearmint, lemongrass, etc.

I alternate between the two, but the Zen on ice is excellent for an upset stomach.

Straight black tea? Typhoo.