Any Tea Drinkers Out There?

[Magpie]

Actually yerba mate is exactly what I was talking about, but I'm not familiar with that brand. The gourd they're showing is called a coya, and the straw is a bombillia. It has a filter on the end, and you pack the bottom of the gourd with mate leaves, and pour water into it and slurp it through the straw. You can get a good litre and a half through a quarter cup of leaves. It's great for hot climates, because you stay hydrated while not drinking straight water and throwing your electrolyte balance out of whack.

It's called mate when you drink it hot, and some name that I can't come close to pronouncing and therefore don't have hell's chance of a ball of snow of spelling terere when you drink it cold. (You also need to buy specific brands if you want to drink it cold, because it packs too tightly otherwise). It's got a real nice charcoal/bitter flavour to it, so it packs a kick to the tastebuds, just like coffee does. It has caffeine, but less than coffee, and it also has other alkaloids, so that you react really differently to it than to the caffeine in coffee or tea. (Some people claim that it has "mateine" instead, which is supposed to be a stereoisomer of caffeine. Caffeine cannot have a stereoisomer, and mateine is another name for caffeine.)

[AdminAssistant]

Well, y'all would be proud, I ventured into the world of hot tea yesterday. My doc said basically no caffeine for me (except occasionally in small doses). I was in the tea aisle to pick up some decaf Luzianne when I decided to get some Sleepytime tea. I liked it! Nice and minty.

[Pedersen]

Okay, it's been a bit. I've decided that Adagio is magnificent. I've bought three of their Ingenuitea sets (one for home, one for work, and the SO only wanted one, or she'd have two as well). We bought the Trinitea for when she and I both want the same tea.

We've bought more tea samples from them than I care to count, too. So far, we've settled in on a few favorites, but are still experimenting.

Personally, their Vanilla is my "go to" tea. I make a couple mugs/day of that. Thai Chai is marvelous, and we both love their Coconut tea with any sort of dessert (cookies, cake, etc). They have a wonderful decaf raspberry for something to drink late at night that doesn't keep me awake. The SO loves the Earl Grey Bravo for breakfast (and I can't blame her, it's nice!).

I've enjoyed their Apple, but didn't much care for Peach in black tea. White tea with peach is marvelous, though.

The number of varieties just goes on and on. Those are the ones that have the biggest impact in my memory, though. Wonderful stuff.

Oh, and as I've found out, using Adagio means I can send out $5 gift certificates for free. It also means that if somebody uses one of them, I get 10 points (which eventually can turn into 10% off an order). So, if you want one, let me know via PM, and I'll email it to you.

[lupo pazzesco]

How do I put this politely...?

GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!

Oh, wait...you said PM. Damn...

*hasn't bought tea in a LONG time.*

TOLD YOU Adagio is fantastical. I love the vanilla, too. And the vanilla chai rooibos? HEAVEN. That's one of my go to flavors. I also drink any of their white tea flavors, anytime.

I have an InginuiTEA, but just 1. I should get one for work, but never checked to see if they're microwave safe or not, and we don't have a hot water dispenser, so...yeah...

Urk. Want tea now. Have to wait until I'm off work.

*sulks*

[Pedersen]

Oh, wait...you said PM. Damn...

Yeah, have to go with PM. Need email to send it to.

TOLD YOU Adagio is fantastical. I love the vanilla, too. And the vanilla chai rooibos? HEAVEN. That's one of my go to flavors. I also drink any of their white tea flavors, anytime.

I'm not as fond of white tea, I've discovered. All of which makes for something weird: I love black leaf peach tea in a bottle. Don't like Adagio's black leaf peach tea. Not too fond of white leaf tea in general. Love Adagio's white leaf peach tea.

I have an InginuiTEA, but just 1. I should get one for work, but never checked to see if they're microwave safe or not, and we don't have a hot water dispenser, so...yeah...

From https://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html:

Super easy to clean and dishwasher safe. And it's microwaveable - perfect for the office or the road.

So, yeah, microwave safe

Urk. Want tea now. Have to wait until I'm off work.

*sulks*

/me offers up some of his current Candy Apple. Still not sure if I like this one. Got a sample a few weeks ago, and the one time I've made it, I think I oversteeped it. Still letting it cool slightly so I can taste it.

[Amina516]

Ive noticed that I leaning towards flavor teas and straight black tea (during my bronchintis episode, this was my bestest friend).

I tried the youthberry from Teavana mixed with a blood orange tea and is fabulous. Almost like fruit punch thats hot...might sound gross, but i promise its not.

Also I found a pomegranate green tea thats RIDIULOUS! No seriously, it is. Soo good.

Sadly, none of these are from adagio and Im scared of the Chai....(oh noes). I dont know why. Im scared of spices maybe?

ETA: OF COURSE THE INGENUITEA IS MICROWAVABLE, HOW WOULD I SURVIVE OTHERWISE!? Im too impatient to wait for the kettle.

[42_42_42]

I know I'm extremely late to the party, but putting my 2 cents in anyway.

For iced tea, Luzianne really is the best (take it from a through and through southern gal).

For hot tea, I prefer Bigelow's English Tea Time (although my friend from England scoffs at it) or Twining's English Breakfast and English Afternoon (according to my friend, Twining's is the only acceptable brand available in the US, she actually has her sister mail her tea from England). I take it with milk and sweetener (I use stevia). Twining's full range of products, including loose tea imported from England and 100% fair trade and organic tea on their website.

For tisanes (herbals) Celestial Seasoning's Mandarin Orange Spice is my fav, especially if you have a cold/sore throat. I drink it hot w/ lemon and honey and sometimes a splash of bourbon or brandy. Their various zingers are good, too, I drink them iced, sans sweetener.

As for sweeteners, seriously, check out stevia, it is sooo much better than any of the other sweeteners as it has NO weird aftertaste! We get it in bulk and a scant tablespoon is enough to sweeten a gallon of iced tea to "southern sweet". We also get the packets (I carry them in my handbag in a little change purse for use at restaurants since I prefer it to all other sweeteners and of the others Splenda is the only one I can tolerate as aspartame gives me migraines and saccharin-dextrose is unpalatable) and 1/2 a packet is enough for a big ol' mug of hot tea.

If you really want to treat yourself well, start taking afternoon tea at 4pm every day and have a scone with cream and jam or a fairy cake along with your tea!

[MoonCat]

Also late, throwing my 2 cents in (10 at today's prices).

I love Earl Grey! Absolutely love it. However, another good brand is Republic of Tea. They make some delicious flavored varieties including Ginger Peach and Blackberry Sage, both very yummy. Blackberry Sage is especially refreshing cold, unsweetened.

I'm also going to go against the accepted wisdom and suggest you do not boil the water. Now, there's a reason for this. If you let the water get hot enough to steam real good, but not boil, and make your tea, you will see a lot of cloudy bubbles come up and float on top. The flavor of the tea will be richer. To me, boiled water makes the tea taste flat. I read somewhere that boiling destroys the oxygen in the water and that's what makes the difference. I don't know if that's true, but I find the taste of the tea much better when the water is hot but not boiling.

But, of course, do what tastes best to you! Enjoy!

[PepperElf]

tea choices

bagged tea:
I've recently found that among the bagged teas, some of the cheaper brands are pretty nice. I have a nice stash of... Stash and Celestial Seasonings at the moment. I've tried a few more expensive bagged brands but am not impressed to be honest.

At the moment I have no Twinnings in bags. I use to but I've been experimenting in other flavors. However on my second ship, when a coworker asked me for a bag of "regular tea" cos he was sick, he received Twinning's Earl Grey. That's my "regular". (I'm sure he really wanted liptons but... I NEVER drink that crap).


Loose leaf tea:
Right now I have Twinnings Earl Grey and English Breakfast. I also have some Jasmine green tea.

Other loose leaf teas I've noted... ice wine (seriously, awesome!) and...

Teany. No idea where Teany gets their tea from but I remember liking some of the teas I ordered... Lychee and Earl Grey Royale were my favorites.


Tip for lazy tea making. Clean the coffee pot. Use a filter for loose leaf tea or... just toss a couple of bags into the bin. It comes out a little weaker perhaps (unless you add more bags or shove them into the carafe) but it's not bad.

[surreal20]

I'm not sure if it's been stated before ( i browsed the comments before commenting) that Black tea is probly one of the best. I get lipton's black tea. It's what i would call the "standard" of tea. When i think of Tea or i think of going to the drive thru for tea Black Tea is probly the one done.

Also, I LOVE Chai tea. It's a milk tea, so you add milk and sugar to it. But it's a wonderful dessert tea. Honey is a good way to cut back on sugar, if that's another worry. Honey is the best source of food for you, since it's been digested once already. :P Also, a little lemon in your tea will give it a bit of an added flavor if you find you aren't 100% sold on the plain tea taste.

[Pedersen]

I'm not sure if it's been stated before ( i browsed the comments before commenting) that Black tea is probly one of the best. I get lipton's black tea. It's what i would call the "standard" of tea. When i think of Tea or i think of going to the drive thru for tea Black Tea is probly the one done.

It depends so very much on the type of black tea that it's not even funny. Just to name a few of the Black Tea varieties available at Adagio: Yunnan Jig, Keemun Rhapsody, Golden Monkey, Earl Grey, Assam Melody, Ceylon Sonata, and Darjeeling.

Saying "I prefer black tea" is loosely akin to saying "I like water with flavor in it". It's not saying much of anything.

Now, Lipton's black tea is a popular variety in this country. I made some for me a couple months ago, and discovered that I did not like it. I've found a bunch of varieties and flavors at Adagio that I do like, quit a bit. Takes moderately more effort than the Lipton, but so much better tasting.

Also, I LOVE Chai tea. It's a milk tea, so you add milk and sugar to it.

Chai tea is definitely not just milk based. I've gotten a Thai Chai from Adagio that is quite good without any milk. Of course, if I take Lupo's suggestion, and go half milk half water, the flavor is very nice. And I use Chocolate Chai instead of Thai Chai, then it's a very suitable replacement for hot chocolate

But it's a wonderful dessert tea.

An even better dessert tea, IMO, is coconut tea. Coconut goes exceptionally well with anything sweet, so cakes, muffins, pies, etc, all will be enhanced. Now that is yummy stuff!

[Amina516]

I just tried the chocolate chai...

I almost


Im sorry.

Also, Pedersen, I never received the Adagio coupon....Is it possible to resend? I checked my spam and all. I just never got it.

[surreal20]

Chai tea is definitely not just milk based. I've gotten a Thai Chai from Adagio that is quite good without any milk. Of course, if I take Lupo's suggestion, and go half milk half water, the flavor is very nice. And I use Chocolate Chai instead of Thai Chai, then it's a very suitable replacement for hot chocolate
!

Well, when i said "add milk and sugar" i was suggesting you make the tea with water first, then add the milk and sugar to it. I suppose my comment was conveyed wrong. And i am well aware that isn't strictly a milk tea.

Taste fully Simple has an AMAZING powdered version of chai tea called "Oh my, Chai Tea." and you can use it with hot milk or water. No other items needed. It's WONDERFUL. But that's only if you LIKE chai tea :P

[MoonCat]

I think Red Rose is the best brand of regular black tea, but everybody has their own preferences.
PepperElf, I've tried an ice wine variety, too, and it was great!

I like chai but it has to be strong. Normally I don't care for milk in my tea, but with a good strong chai, it just enhances the flavor and makes it nice and smooth. Yum! Want some now!

[Pedersen]

I just tried the chocolate chai...

I almost

I'm sorry. I loved it, personally. Tis a shame it doesn't work for everybody.

Also, Pedersen, I never received the Adagio coupon....Is it possible to resend? I checked my spam and all. I just never got it.

I tried, and it told me you had already gotten one