Image via WikipediaThis is NOT a sponsored post. I really, really like tea.
Not to be confused with a tea snob, because a tea snob probably knows way more about brewing tea than I ever will. They probably know specific temperatures, the correct alignment of the sun, what time of the day is best for what and how many leaves, precisely, to use.
I however, am just a tea wh*re. I love tea. I will give any tea a chance. I’ll let any kind of tea, regardless of it’s brewing, to pass my lips at least once so that I can say I have tried it and whether or not I like it.
It all started several eons ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth when I was a small girl. My parents and my grandparents drank tea like like thirsting men in the desert enjoy water. Specifically, my Grandmother’s house was filled with Red Rose, or Tetley Tea and my home filled with the same. My father started his morning with a cup of tea, same as my mother. My father liked his tea with very little milk and sugar, while my mothers, as my father jokingly remarked, like “swamp water tea.” A lot of milk and a lot of sweetener.
Off and on through the years living with them, I’d endulge in a cup of tea, but it never truly grew on me. Not until this year.
Now, whether it’s a sign I am growing old and crotchety…crotchetier? –or whether it’s simply a sign of tastes changing as one grows older, I have found myself obsessed, pleased, and calmed by tea. It all started with four tea bags of Genmaicha tea handed to me as freebies from the local organic health store and I haven’t quite been right since.
I’ve had a slew of samples from Adagio teas, some of my favorites are: Cirton Green, Kukicha tea, White Monkey, Chocolate tea, chai tea, Lemon Lavender and Mint tea.
I used to start my days with coffee and drank near a full pot every two days. That’s a lot of coffee and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the healthiest decision. There’s something terribly soothing about tea, now that I am older I’m able to appreciate it.
Lately I’ve been on a tea prowl. What can I add to my taste-collection that I’m missing out on?
Are you a fellow tea-wh*re? What’s your favorite brand or flavor and where do you love having your cup of tea? I’m always looking for a new flavor to try, so do you have any recommendations for me to try?
April 17th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Well, if you want it to travel from far away, I will tell you my favorite tea is Angel Water and it is made by Silk Road Tea out of Victoria, BC. It is a loose tea, I don’t know if you are drinking those, but if you are a whore that I would imagine you are doing it all, right?
You can order it on line at http://www.silkroadtea.com. In fact, that website is a perfect tea whore place to go. I think it might be a pain in the ass to order it (pmt and whatnot) but it’s worth it.
Enjoy!
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April 17th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Oh, that sounds delicious.
I do drink loose leaf and bagged, though honestly I am starting to prefer it loose leaf.
Thank you for a tea-link! I shall horde it with my few others.
I really recommend the chocolate tea from Adagio as well. It came loose leaf, and it was perfect (for me.) The chocolate did not overpower the tea and vice versa.
April 19th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
You could call me a “tea whore” too – I drink two full pots of it a day! And if someone has a different flavor or free samples or something new to try it makes me very pathetically happy!
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April 19th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
It’s awesome to be a Tea Whore. That would totally make a rocking band name or T-shirt, too.
Free samples are good–it keeps me from accidentally purchasing an entire box of tea I might not drink! :p
May 26th, 2009 at 8:25 am
As you can see (from my email addy), I’m a tea whore too! Try any kind of oolong. It’s good for summer too as iced tea. I let the leaves float around loose in a jug of cold water in the fridge…you can drink it after approximately 4 hours, but it really gets better the longer you leave the leaves in. This cold-steep method is pretty effective, and there’s no bitter aftertaste or clouding from chilling hot brewed tea. Oolongs are varied and lovely and complex…it all depends on where they’re grown, how they’re processed. They are half black and half green teas. If you like lots of different types of green (Genmaicha/Kukicha) you might want to explore oolongs. I’m always pleased to meet a fellow tea freak, even if it’s only online. :)
May 26th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Hello Carolyn, and welcome! Glad to have you here!
I’ve not yet tried Oolong as a tea for iced tea, that is a delicious sounding idea and I have made a note to try this next time I have oolong in the house!
I like hot teas a bit more than cold, but in the end love any kind of tea anyway.
It’s nice to meetcha too, and thank you so much for your comment!
August 13th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Oh Oh! Tea! I am a Tea whore to the max! It all began when I was a little girl. My family was poor and we didn’t buy anything that we could make/grow at home. My favorite memory is laying in the back yard on a blanket with my mom. We’d spray lemon juice in our hair to get highlights and sip on fresh brewed Sun Tea and eat tomatoes like apples from our garden. It was the best!!!! And that’s where it began!
Some of my favorite teas are:
From http://www.spiceandtea.com located on John’s Pass in Florida.
1:Almond Cookie – Warm & toasty cinnamon and almond mixed with fine black tea make for an incredible dessert tea. Perfect to curl up with on those chilly evenings. (perfect served hot with a little milk and sugar)
2:Bombay Chai- Incredibly aromatic blend reminiscent of an Indian street market. Black tea leaves blended w/cinnamon, cardamom, orange, pepper, and cloves. Steep with water & milk for a unique flavor. (Iced with sugar and cream or hot with milk and honey)
3:Wild Blackberry- Exquisite China black tea is mixed with wild blackberries to make a naturally and slightly sweet tea blend. Makes a nice iced tea as well. ( I like it best iced and sweet)
There is also a health food store near me that sells loose teas they make themselves. They have some red teas I really enjoy and a White Swiss Truffle Rooibos that is to die for!
I’m a Boba Tea nut too, although really I like the tea more than the tapioca pearls (unless they are soaked in sweet coffee first!) Lavender Boba Tea is my favorite!!!!