It's Tea Time

Doberluv · Nov 12, 2012

I know we've had a thread about tea before, but I just was pondering more about it as I thought about making a cup soon.

All through history, it seems, tea has always been the thing to drink when you're sad, disappointed, having just had a particularly stressful moment, when you're tired, when you're not tired, when you're chilled to the bone, when you're sick with the flu or a cold. People drink it when they can't think of anything else to drink. And they drink it as a first choice. Not only all that, but it just plain tastes so good and really does have a medicinal effect...lots of anti-oxidants and other good things. It's the perfect thing to make when you want to show sympathy toward someone or make something better. "Oh dear me honey, let me make you a cup of tea." It's used as a ritual type thing. Where ever did this come from?

I know I love tea. I'll make myself ice tea in summer and hot tea in winter, sometimes visa-versa. A cup at around 4:00 pm is the perfect pick-me-up. I have a cup or two after dinner often. I prefer black tea, Earl Grey specifically. That bergemot is heavenly. But some of the others are yummy too. Orange, ginger, cloves, and other spices can really make it interesting.

Is it tea time yet where you live?

What kind are you going to enjoy?

Lyzelle · Nov 12, 2012

I've gotten DH into a minty or fruity type of tea right before bed. At first he just had it because I was having tea, but now he'll go get himself a cup every night. He sweetens his with sugar.

I'll have a cup of black tea(Earl Grey, Awake by Tao, or just plain whatever black tea) anytime I want coffee, but it's too late or my stomach can't handle the acidity. I'm not fond of overly fruity teas, but I like green tea and chamomile and Chai and pretty much anything and everything. I sweeten mine with honey, mostly, but with Chai I'll warm up some milk and honey.

I'm a bit of a tea and coffee nut.

I used to drink cold sweet tea more often, but not in the last year or so.

Locke · Nov 12, 2012

There's something so comforting about a nice cup of hot tea. I usually just go for Orange Pekoe, but Earl Grey is also delicious.

There's a tea shop by my work that is just incredible. They have a blend called Check Mate, and it is the best tea I've ever had. I just can't get enough of it!

Doberluv · Nov 12, 2012

Lyzelle said:

I've gotten DH into a minty or fruity type of tea right before bed. At first he just had it because I was having tea, but now he'll go get himself a cup every night. He sweetens his with sugar.

I'll have a cup of black tea(Earl Grey, Awake by Tao, or just plain whatever black tea) anytime I want coffee, but it's too late or my stomach can't handle the acidity. I'm not fond of overly fruity teas, but I like green tea and chamomile and Chai and pretty much anything and everything. I sweeten mine with honey, mostly, but with Chai I'll warm up some milk and honey.

I'm a bit of a tea and coffee nut.

I used to drink cold sweet tea more often, but not in the last year or so.

Mint is definitely good in tea. I grow it right outside my back door. It's also good in gin and tonics and mojitos.

AllieMackie · Nov 12, 2012

You got me started, Dober!

I love tea. All kinds of tea, any time of day, but especially when I wake up and right before bed.

This place is local, and feeds my addiction:
http://www.teastore.ca/

My favourites from them are the Lady Grey, Thunderbay blend, their lapsang souchong and my absolute favourite of theirs, the chocolate mint rooibos. My favourite bedtime tea. Of course they also have a killer sencha, herbal cold relieving tea, and time-of-the-month tea (yes, that's a thing.)

There are a ton more I love from them, and many more I have yet to try.

As far as bagged teas go, I like anything by Celestial Seasonings. Nothing beats their Echinachea Complete Care when I feel like the bottom of my foot. Plus I love their holiday herbal blends.

TEA. So much tea.

Renee750il · Nov 12, 2012

As of this moment, I'm having a mug of Upton Tea River Shannon blend, their Irish Breakfast blend

I also love first flush Darjeelings from several different estates (Castleton, Makaiibari and Margaret's Hope are favorites), and there are a couple of estates that grow a lovely Lapsang Souchong. I haven't had the opportunity to find favorite green or white teas.

Fran27 · Nov 12, 2012

Usually good old cheap lipton. I stick to caffeine free after 4pm though, and I can't drink it on empty stomach or I get sick. I'm not too picky but I can't handle some herbal teas (it's instant vomitting), chamomille I think? Mint isn't my thing either. I like fruity teas though.

And I just boil a cup of water in the microwave. Too lazy. Lately I've been just been having lipton and honey because my throat is sore.

Red.Apricot · Nov 12, 2012

We always have iced tea in the fridge; right now it's lipton + something called Moroccan mint and it's amazing. I'm having it sweet with my lunch/dinner, and it's so so good.

I also like chamomile a lot, and greens... and black tea.

I like tea.

PlottMom · Nov 12, 2012

Just had a mug of vanilla coconut white tea from the old San Diego tea... place... Lol I used to hate tea (or thought I did) but everything they've given me there I've loved so I've changed my tune.

MafiaPrincess · Nov 12, 2012

I love David's tea.

Orange chocolate is my fave. I drink about 4 cups a day of different varieties. I like long life oolong, brazillionare, amaretto, pumpkin chai..

Though I get small bags of things that sound promising every time I go and some become my faves. Never thought I'd be a fan of loose leaf tea.

Fran101 · Nov 12, 2012

I want to love tea. I really do! Went all the way to London to some of the best tea places, had tea with my fellow interns
and could barely stomach it!

My mom loves tea time. She has this amazing antique tea set and tea flowers that open up in hot water, I wish I could enjoy it but blech

Doberluv · Nov 12, 2012

That's too bad Fran. Maybe you'll acquire a taste for tea at some future time. That happens sometimes.

I've never put lavender in my tea, but I know it's done. And very good for you. I have about 3 lavender plants. I don't know why I never did. If there are any flowers on them now, (have to check) I might just try it.

Lavender Tea Benefits

Lavender Tea Benefits have been known for a long time as being particularly beneficial to disorders involving the nervous system.

Lavender is an aromatic, shrubby, multi-branched herbal plant with a stem reaching a height of about 6 to 24 inches. Purple-colored flowers typically grow on the woody stems, although there are varieties that have pink and white flowers. Lavender bears very narrow, gray green leaves.

Lavender has been valued as a scented herb throughout the centuries. The fragrance of lavender is known to relax and soothe the mind and the body. Many perfumeries include the essential oil of lavender in formulating their products.

The lavender plant is native to North and East Africa, the Mediterranean, Southern Europe, India and Arabia, but is also now cultivated and grown in such places as the United States and Japan. Lavender grows best at sites that are dry, and are exposed to good sunlight.

The beneficial constituents of lavender include flavonoids, tannins, courmarines, and essential oil containing camphor, geraniol and linalool.

To make lavender tea, simply infuse a handful of dried lavender blossoms in a pot of boiling water. Let the tea steep for about 7 to 10 minutes. Then strain and enjoy.

The following are the health benefits attributed to lavender tea:

Lavender tea may help ease insomnia.

Lavender tea may help calm nervousness and anxiety. It may also be used to alleviate stress and uplift flagging spirits.

Lavender tea may help treat an upset stomach, as well as flatulence and colic. It may also be used to treat stomach and bowel infections.

Lavender tea may help alleviate depressive and migraine headaches.

Lavender tea, when applied topically, may help alleviate colds, cough, asthma, bronchitis and similar problems in the respiratory system.

Lavender tea may help induce sweating and consequently reduce the body temperature during fever.

Lavender tea, when applied topically, may help heal cuts, wounds, ulcers and sores.

Lavender tea is also useful as a mouthwash to combat halitosis.

http://www.teabenefits.com/herbal-tea-benefits/lavender-tea-benefits.html

stafinois · Nov 13, 2012

My husband is a tea snob. He tries everything. We order most of our stuff from Upton.

Romy · Nov 13, 2012

There's some herbal stuff that I really like. Rooibos and rooibos chai are both awesome. The chai is perfect for these cold fall evenings, it tastes like pumpkin pie.

Then there's black elderberry mint. I want to plant an elderberry tree so I can make my own.

Grab · Nov 13, 2012

The CHinese Flower Tea from Harney & Sons is my favorite. I get very stingy with it when I have a tin, lol. My husband doesn't like tea. Clive seems to, though

Saeleofu · Nov 13, 2012

Over the last 6 months or so I have become hopelessly addicted to tea. I used to think tes was tea was tea - all good, but all the same. NOPE. I still use a lot of tea bags for convenience, but have been slowly transitioning to loose tea, and soon whole-leaf loose teas. I have an order from Adagio Teas that should be here tomorrow

Earl Grey is one of my favourites, as well as Lady Grey (a bit more citrusy); both make a fantastic iced tea as well as hot tea. I love chamomile before bed - in fact, I'm drinking it right now! Black teas are my favourite, but I do like herbals on occasion. I'll drink green once in a while, but not often. I have a sample of Rooibos tea coming in my Adagio order - never had it before. I have tried Oolong and am not a fan of it. I did try a barley tea the other day and it was good, very nutty. I DO NOT like teas with Jasmine in them at all. Ew.

I got a thermos for my birthday, so now I make tea the night before and have hot tea at work all day long

Depending on the tea, I'll add a bit of milk or nothing at all. I used to sweeten my teas, but anymore I can't stand sweetened teas. It covers the flavour of the tea and is just way too sweet. I'll add milk to anything black and not cirtus. I don't add it to herbal teas, green teas, or Earl Grey/Lady Grey.

My go-to brands for black tea in bags is PG Tips, Typhoo, and Tetley, in that order. They all make a decent cup of tea when I'm in a hurry, and they look scrumptious and rich when I add milk (most brands of black teas look grey and sickly when I add milk). Typhoo is available at Big Lots here for around $4 for a giant box. PG Tips is around $5 for 40 bags, and Tetley is $3 or $4 for 30 or 40 bags, depending on if I get decaff or not (I get the "British Blend" Tetley). Twinnings is my go-to for flavoured tea bags like Earl Grey. However, I have a feeling I may stop using bagged teas at all once I get my whole-leaf teas. I'm getting way too spoiled lol.

chaospony · Nov 13, 2012

I second what Mafia Princess said!
Davids tea is love!

I am so hopeless addicted to their tea! Every time I go downtown I try a new kind, and often end up liking it so much I have to buy a bag of it! I can do without their Amaretto, Lapsang, orange Chocolate pureh, cocoa canella, stormy night, pumpkin chai, and probably a whole ton of others!

I am a huge tea drinker. I always have at least 30 kinds on hand, it's the only thing I really allow myself to spend lots of money on. Tea is crucial to my mental state!

I love Zhenas gypsy tea too, Earl grey Raspberry and the black tea with Rose.
I tend to prefer flavored black tea mostly and I love teas with roses, lavender or other floral elements.
I usually join tea swaps in swapbot or postcrossing so I can try tea from all over the world. I save all the wrappers so I can remember all the kinds I've tried.

Dizzy · Nov 13, 2012

Euuuuuuw I hate tea.

And I thought of food when I saw this.

Tea time to me is when you eat your tea!! Or your dinner.....

Breakfast, lunch, tea.

Breakfast, dinner, tea.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Just depends where you were brought up

People from Yorkshire are meant to be hardened tea drinkers... but I think I was born wrong.

smkie · Nov 13, 2012

Any good black tea, and pomegranate too.

Saeleofu · Nov 13, 2012

I was REALLY tempted to get this tea when I made my Adagio order:

TARDISblend

BUT instead I bought a ton of different samples to see what I like. NEXT TIME!

It's Tea Time

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

Wookie Collie

Felurian

Active Member

Active Member

The Littlest Hound

Obvious trollsare Obvious

Resident fainting goat

Active Member

Professional Nerd

Taxiderpy

Active Member

Active Member

New Member

Sit! Good dog.

pointer/labrador/terrier

Active Member