Schozzola update: It’s better, but it’s still not pretty. I did get a slight concussion, which I am powering through, since I have to. There has been an endless stream of workers in the building for various things, mostly making holes in the wall to replace the crappy galvanized pipes with copper. Need I write that I need a drink?
Oddly, I am not a “Saucy Boozehound” as the wonderful Devin Green (the face of Betty Bowers) would say. I prefer tea. Yes, tea. I love Trader Joe’s English Breakfast and have it most days for, well, breakfast. I also love Earl Grey, but for me it has to be Twinings. Some of the others put in too much bergamot oil and it’s overpowering. Green tea is always good, but my dentists says it will stain your teeth but hard. There’s also the delicious and deliciously perfumed jasmine, preferably the one with buds in it.
So, are you a tea person? Let us know your favorites in the comments.
Image: Wikipwdia
I am a new tea person. So far my favorite is Jasmine dragon pearls from teavana. I also like their lavender chamomile tea. Perfect conception to put one to sleep.
You can get some really great jasmine teas for much less from Adagio, if you don’t mind ordering online. Teavana’s teas are on the pricey side…..
I am so a tea person. I’d choose tea over alcohol or wine any day. I rationalize my tea spending because I don’t have any expensive vices like smoking, I use up everything I buy, it isn’t as expensive as wine can be or Starbucks $5 per drink, and it is very healthy and good for my spirit too. These are just my teas of the moment and I could give quite a long list if I mentioned all the ones I ever liked, so I edited it down.
-Black tea: Taylor’s of Harrogate ‘Yorkshire Gold’, Rishi ‘English Breakfast'(so worth every penny), Twinning ‘English Breakfast'(decaf and regular), Bigalow Constant Comment (decaf), Stash ‘Chocolate Mint Oolong'(for Thin Mint cookie cravings without the calories).
-Green teas: Rishi ‘Sencha’ and ‘Jasmine’ green teas, Two Leaves and Bud ‘Tamayokucha’, and YamaMotoYama 16 bag count in a green box (Sencha tea) which is the best value but good and can be found in Asian food markets.
-Herbal teas: Two Leaves and a Bud ‘Chamomile’, Tazo ‘Calm’ and ‘Sweet Cinnamon Spice’, Mighty Leaf ‘Citrus Chamomile’ and ‘African Nectar’.
I’m drinking Rishi’s English Breakfast this morning. It is a very good tea! I love the color too. I have a big bag of the Yorkshire Gold on the table.
For years a coffee perfectionist (I grock you, Deb– we’ve roasted our own for 7 years now), I’ve taken up tea because my tastebuds and stomach demanded a break. Now it’s exclusively loose leaf tea, which makes a huge difference vs. teabags IMHO, and compared with coffee toys, er, I mean equipment, costs pennies (in-cup washable metal filter is $10 or less, and that’s all you need; teacup lust is another subject entirely).
Current fave hands-down is Harney & Sons Brigitte’s Blend, a caffeinated black blend of Assam and Ceylon. It’s pretty tannic (like a red wine), and loves a splash of half-and-half so the apricot, honey, and slight chocolate come through the brightness. Makes me intensely happy.
Sounds delicious! And another must-try.
So you know about the woes of coffee perfectionism…..I never got to the point of roasting my own, but every other single step? Yes.
Indeed. For sheer fascination, check out the descriptions for coffee on a coffee roaster’s site (I use sweetmarias), and you’ll notice how like perfume are the descriptions for coffee aroma. I find if before my first sip really take the time to chuff in the aroma, wafting up in all that lovely steam, coffee is so nuanced and satisfying. Tea, perhaps even more so?
Regarding tea being perhaps even more nuanced and satisfying vis a vis perfume-like qualities: yes, I think so–especially as one explores things like oolongs. I’ll have to go to sweetmarias and check it out. :o)
I learned to love tea at the knee of my Irish grandmother. The Brits have it right. There is precious little in this world that doesn’t benefit from a good cuppa.
I alternate between Earl Grey, English and Irish Breakfast, and the beautiful red-pink Assam.
Hope your recovery goes well and that the workmen have the weekend off.
Like so many others here, I have a mug of tea before me right now. I begin my day with coffee, which I love, but after that, it’s tea, hot or iced. Bigelow Lemon Lift is a favorite, Twinnings Irish Breakfast, Earl Gray, or Lady Earl Gray are also great loves. Teavana has lovely teas, but they’re so expensive – and they’re not always up-front about the total cost until it’s almost too late to back out. I hate that…
I love teas. Ginger is great for an upset stomach as is peppermint. Gunpowder is an interesting experience, but my favorites are Oolongs and Lapsang Souchong. Recently someone gifted me an apple orchard blend which was wonderful on a cold night. I hope you take it easy with that concussion, rest, and feel better soon.
*puts down mug of tea so she can type* Yes! Yes, I am a tea person. My favorites are Tazo China Green Tips for an everyday green tea; Tazo Lotus for a decaf, floral green tea; jasmine dragon pearls for jasmine green tea by Teavana or several others. The Republic of Tea makes a yummy peach blend that I have repurchased several times. I also love Darjeeling; Twinings is very nice. My teenagers are very fond of the specialty blends sold in the Teavana boutiques, but I usually buy my tea in the regular grocery store or Whole Foods.
I received some Teavanas as a gift. That rooibos chai was incredible with a little sugar. I will have to check out that Tazo Lotus!
I drank Tazo Lotus last night. That is a lovely tea! Thanks.
Oh, you know I will be Right There with your posts on tea. But what is this you say about a concussion? Yikes. I am glad you are getting better; it has been a very rough spell for you!
I need about 200 mg of caffeine to get going in the morning; coffee seems to be hard on my stomach, and it’s such a hassle to prepare in comparison to tea. I get perfectionistic with making coffee and, well, let’s just stop. Even discussing it. In light of the need for a decent amount of caffeine, I use Tazo’s Awake or Bigelow’s American Breakfast with Honey. I think they add a little extra caffeine to those. I need it.
For other times, Adagio’s Kasumi is an amazing blend of jasmine rooibos, a black tea with cream flavor and Earl Grey Moonlight. It is like drinking a perfume. Other great offerings include the dancong oolongs offered by Rishi. Right now, it’s a Honey and Orchids. I swear I had one that was Iris and Orchids, but can’t find it now. Anyway, Rishi’s dancong oolongs are very floral and lovely to prepare in the gaiwan method. http://www.samovartea.com/how-to-brew-with-a-gaiwan/
If you want something without caffeine–and want to change up the jasmine tea experience–try it as a person from Hong Kong taught me: make the tea, then add one packet of chrysanthemum-honey drink. They are available on Amazon; my favorite is Gold Kili.
I hope I haven’t been repetitive with any of this. And I hope you get completely over all of things besetting you soon, Tom.
I love tea and my favorite is the Tazo chai from concentrate. I’m really lazy so, heating up water and all that is too much work when I wake up. It’s a little more expensive than tea bags but it’s worth it.
Thomas!! You have picked my other weak spot. well, one of them. I love tea.
Sending you a multi pack with teas of the world. Please email me your address again.
Thanks,
Portia xx