Tea
Many of us have our choice teas. Whether it's black, green, herbal, mild, or strong most tea drinkers have a preference.
What are some of your favorite teas and brands? How long do you tend to steep it?
Also, it is under much debate whether milk, honey, or sugar distort the flavor and essence of tea. Would you agree? Or do you prefer the additions?
Favorite Tea: Most likely Lady Grey from Twinings. It's a black tea much like Earl Grey but with a hint of orange. (2 mins. steep)
Added: Milk
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31 Comments:
Stash Green, White and Chai tea. With a little honey, maybe a dab of cream or milk in the chai if I'm feeling indulgent. Steep until I remember to take the bag out - at least 3-5min usually.
thinkingincrayons at 8:46PM on 02/25/09
@foodbuff - I love the Twinings Lady Grey! I use about a teaspoon per large cup and steep about 3 minutes. Enjoy black or with just a tiny bit of splenda.
Also a big fan of darjeeling, about a teaspoon steeped about 3-3.5 minutes, plain. Or ceylon, steeped 3.5 minutes, black or with splenda and milk (my favorite way to wake up). My favorite ceylon is one I found at Tea Palace in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London, but I also love the Twinings version.
I MUCH prefer loose leaf over teabags, but like Whittard's teabags in a pinch, or Twinings (which are much more readily available).
littlestcapy at 9:07PM on 02/25/09
I LOVE tea! If it's loose tea, then I don't add anything. If it's bagged, then it depends on the tea...some get sweetener, some don't. For loose tea, I just go to the local tea shop and pick whatever looks good...I generally like fruity teas. There's a black called strawberries and cream that's divine. For bagged tea, I usually drink either Yogi Tea or Celestial Seasonings...current favorite is Yogi Tea's Mexican Sweet Chili, which has a sort of spicy cocoa flavor and doesn't need any sweeteners IMO. As far as steeping goes, you're supposed to steep different types of teas different amounts of times and in different temperature waters, but I always forget which one is which and usually end up oversteeping.
cycorider at 9:11PM on 02/25/09
I drink lots of tea, probably more than coffee. I grew up on PG Tips, ceylon, assam and strong Earl Grey. Normally, I don't drink flavoured teas. Not that I can't drink a cup on occasion, I just don't enjoy them. I did go through a stage when I tried all kinds of flavours, just to see if I may find something I fancy, but nothing really stood out.
I drink mostly chai (from Talyors of Harrogate), Earl Grey, Yorkshire tea (strong English breakfast), assam, Barry's gold blend, PG Tips... and I like my tea strong. I also love green tea, especially for iced tea.
Oh, and black teas (including chai) - almost always with milk (although I can do without, I just prefer with), but never with sugar. Hot green tea - either plain, or with lemon. Onlywhen I make iced green tea with lemon, do I sweeten it a bit, with honey.
Interestingly, I stopped taking sugar when I was 12 - we spent 3 years in Turkey, and a family friend told me that if I wanted to really enjoy my tea, I should try it without sugar. So I tried, and I haven't had a cup of sweetened hot tea (or coffee, for that matter) ever since. I'd rather drink water than sweetened tea or coffee.
brooke29 at 9:14PM on 02/25/09
my favorite is earl grey with rose petal leaves.... or herbal teas like raspberry leaves or cinnamon spice...
pooch at 9:36PM on 02/25/09
Stash Vanilla Nut Creme (decaffeinated) with vanilla soy milk...and Benefiber.
feedme2 at 10:13PM on 02/25/09
I stay away from caffeinated teas; they throw me off (I don't do coffee either). I love most herbal teas (e. g. Celestial Seasonings), especially the holiday-themed ones, but I don't really like peppermint or ginger teas. I also like boba teas, but that's more for the chewiness of the tapioca than for the tea itself.
runnereater at 11:00PM on 02/25/09
My husband drinks a lot of very strong iced black tea...~2 gallons of unsweetened black tea a day. He uses 3 family-sized bags per gallon and lets them steep over night. Because of this, I've relegated him to the cheap, big boxes of black tea that Target sells. He drinks a 2 liter of soda per day on top of that.
I buy most of my tea once a year at Lupicia in Honolulu, as well as get them as gifts. It's easier to link...my favorites are their:
- Momo oolong super grade
- Lychee loose leaf tea
At work, I keep a canister of jasmine earl grey green tea.
When I pour tea over my rice, it's usually genmaicha or sencha. In the summertime, I'll drink mugicha.
Republic of Tea's double green matcha (I hate that this is technically misspelled this way everywhere) is pretty good and it's cheap. I also keep a can of Ujinotsuyu matcha for my stepmother, since it's all I can obtain/afford in Cleveland w/o having to order larger quantities online.
I steep my tea for 1-3 minutes. It depends on the size and type of leaf. I prefer nothing added to my tea.
I prefer iced and tepid tea over hot tea when I am drinking tea. Of course, poured over rice, it has to be hot. I'm not fond at all of teas with sour fruits in them, as well as vanilla.
Thai iced tea is an exception. We make it at home...mmm, condensed milk.
I'm a sucker for tea canisters.
Cassaendra at 11:24PM on 02/25/09
I always drink loose leaf teas if I can help it. My favorites are oolongs (especially the dark ones from the Wuyi mountains in China, though there are some floral tasting ones I love), Japanese Senchas and Chinese black teas. And I always drink my tea straight unless its a particularly brisk Indian black tea.
And I steep 4-6 minutes with just shy of boiling water for oolongs, 1-2 minutes for the Senchas with about 175 degree F water(up to 3 minutes for other types of green) and 4 or 5 minutes with boiling water for the black tea. All of that depends on the specific type of tea, of course. Oh, and yellow teas are always worth a try if you can find them (and always brew at 175 degrees for 3 minutes). Just be careful that you aren't really buying green tea, as some companies will try to pass it off as yellow. The real stuff should be all buds, like white tea, except it has been lightly and slowly oxidized, so it looks like a mix of medium to dark green and yellow buds.
I also have to add that I love rooibos. Just boil the heck out of the water and steep for at least 5 minutes (I sometimes go for 10, because I like it really strong and it doesn't get bitter). Two leaves and a bud has some really yummy herbal blends featuring this.
MikeA at 11:35PM on 02/25/09
@runnereater, have you tried the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride? I'm not even sure it tastes like "tea" anymore, or at least not how I would expect tea to taste, but for some reason I really like it. I usually sweeten it slightly, and it seriously tastes like cookies.
cycorider at 12:04AM on 02/26/09
creme de la earl grey from tealuxe. lady grey, english breakfast (for a little more kick) from twinings.
i brought back a few tins of mariage freres from paris. soooo good, but soooo expensive: eros and french breakfast.
bring to a full rolling boil, steep 3-5 (depending on the tea) and add milk & honey for my first cuppa of the day.
save the tea & do a second steep for 5-6 minutes for my evening tea.
saltcrystal at 12:11AM on 02/26/09
I think tea is fantastic too and being British it is something that I have come to love, morning, afternoon, cream teas etc. It tends to be breakfast tea I drink but I do like to dabble in earl grey, mint and jasmin. Milk is a must for an english cupper!
ramsay_who at 5:38AM on 02/26/09
Adagio has some great loose teas. Citron Green is my favorite.
http://www.adagio.com/
caramel at 9:00AM on 02/26/09
What tea I drink depends on my mood. Sometimes a good English breakfast with a squeeze of lemon hits the spot.
For Christmas I made a bunch of Chai tea and gave it out as presents, and I kept some for myself. It takes a bit of time to make--boiling the spices, etc--but it's probably my favorite. Have to add milk/soy and brown sugar or honey, of course.
Laurel E at 10:29AM on 02/26/09
I love a cup of Tetley British blend decaf in the morning. Yes, decaf in the morning -- I prefer the taste. :) Add a very small amount of sugar, and brew for 1-2 minutes.
Other than that, I like the Republic of Tea goji raspberry green tea. I also have a few loose leaf teas I purchased in Japan at a little shop in Karuizawa that I love. I also enjoy Whittard's Imperial Spice tea. After a tough day, I like a cup of Sweet Apple Chamomile (Celestial Seasonings), or good green or white tea, or even a second cup of the Tetley decaf.
Skythe at 10:58AM on 02/26/09
Ah, tea, so many good ones! I go through phases of which tea I like to drink but one brand I really like is Stash - they make an awesome green tea and a great lemon ginger verbena.
As for general flavors, I love Earl Grey, I like Darjeeling...Rosehip Hibiscus is a favorite when I'm in the mood.
I usually drink mine plain (maybe a drip of honey and lemon if I'm sick), but I did recently decide that I'm in love with the Earl Grey Tazo Tea Latte at starbucks...meaning I enjoy the milk and vanilla syrup.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 12:42PM on 02/26/09
I really enjoy Silver Needle...naturally sweet. Just a very good tea.
I have a bunch of Ti Kuan Yin Oolong which has been growing on me.
And...cream/sugar is only allowed on certain teas...Earl Grey for example. Other than that...no dice.
lawofmurphy at 2:05PM on 02/26/09
I'm pretty hooked on Tazzo Berryblossom White Tea.
And ever since trying it last month at a restaurant, The Republic of Tea brand blackberry sage tea.
Another favorite is goji berry grean tea from Yogi Tea.
I usually let it steep for about 5 minutes and prefer it plain.
Sara
NaturallyRecommended at 2:07PM on 02/26/09
Tetley rules. All varieties.
hungrychristel at 2:15PM on 02/26/09
My mum put tea in my baby bottle, and when I was old enough, I got tea in a sippy cup. It was usually my mother's homemade indian tea (i guess chai, but none of the commercial stuff ever tastes the same as the spicy milky brew churned out of the giant copper kettle). Since about the age of 6, it's been PG Tips, British Rail strength, spot of milk, no sugar. Repeat at least 3 times a day, more in times of crisis/joy/surprise/sadness/contemplation/exhaustion/anger/stress/frustration/boredom...
froggo at 2:29PM on 02/26/09
@froggo - care 2 share your chai recipe?
hungrychristel at 2:39PM on 02/26/09
Red Label tea from the Indian store for my chai! @hungrychristel, I shared my chai recipe on a previous thread about coffee. http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/02/help-coffee-withdrawal.html#273558
You can also check out www.chaientist.com for more recipes. It hasn't been updated in awhile, but the basic tea recipes are good.
inothernews at 2:51PM on 02/26/09
Celestial Seasonings Fruit tea - great iced or hot!
zina1017 at 3:01PM on 02/26/09
@Brooke29 - I am a huge fan of Yorkshire tea, I have a feeling that you are from the Texas area (could be wrong) and I am surprised Yorkshire tea is sold there. Whenever we go to the USA, I will pack my tea before my toothbrush because we have so much difficulty getting a strong cup of tea there - however the iced tea is the best ever! I love my Yorkshire Gold strong with a bit of milk and it is like medication, it cures almost anything that ails me! I don't drink herbal teas or flavored teas and I absolutely hate Earl Grey, I would rather pass altogether. I have never tried chai (what exactly is it?) - I just had a cup of tea at my SIL which she bought at an Indian store - it was in a red box and was just excellent. I don't believe it was chai.
bareneed at 3:10PM on 02/26/09
@bareneed - I live in NJ now (born and grew up in England though) and for the most part, I order my tea online (although sometimes I find it at Marshalls, of all places). I pack my tea when i travel, too:-).
Chai is basically spiced black tea - the 'spiced' part usually comes from cloves, cinamon stick, ginger, whole black pepper and cardomon pods. You can make your own, too. I absolutely love it.
brooke29 at 3:44PM on 02/26/09
Grrr, "cardamon", not "cardomon", of course.
brooke29 at 3:46PM on 02/26/09
Oh boy! Chai ingredients here I come! I can't wait, thanks guys :D
hungrychristel at 3:55PM on 02/26/09
I am not a tea purist, or even lover really. I don't find the flavor of most teas strong enough. I steep two teabags in about a cup of water for four minutes, although I know better. I used to work at Starbucks, so I'm working through a few boxes of Tazo (Passion, Green Ginger, Chai). I have a cold right now, so I've been adding honey and a little sugar, but I love my Chai with a dollop of flavored creamer. I'm a heathen, I know.
PrettyNicola at 4:45PM on 02/26/09
for every day -- PG tips with milk and sugar
for when i'm feeling fancy -- mariage freres "pleine lune" -- my all time favorite. also with milk and sugar.
megannesta at 4:54PM on 02/26/09
@cycorider, I have had the sugar cookie tea. It's great tasting, and the box is so cute!
runnereater at 5:40PM on 02/26/09
milk, honey, or sugar can distort the flavor of tea but it depends on the type of tea. Sometimes they can enhance the flavor too.
americandesi at 3:00PM on 03/06/09