I've always been a coffee lover, never liked tea despite bringing home many boxes of it over the years. Tea offers so much variety, though, and the ritual of drinking it is appealing too. I'd love to read what kinds of tea people like the best and what they like about it.
I adore tea! Warm & cozy in the winter. Crisp & refreshing in the summer. I am always trying new flavors but here's a list of my go-to favorites.
Harvey & Sons Citrus Blend
Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger
Republic of Tea Hibiscus Blueberry
Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger
Stash Licorice Spice
Republic of Tea Double Dark Chocolate
Stash Breakfast in Paris
Harvey & Sons Boston
Celestial Seasoning Morning Thunder
Twinings Assam
I love stash's breakfast in Paris!
Chai, peppermint (herbal) great after dinner.
And green tea ( any friuty flavor) I have to drink it iced I don't like green tea hot.
Stash has a really lovely black-green tea blend -- it tastes black, but with a very smooth finish (no astringent tannin notes).
Hojicha can be a very nice variety. Mighty Leaf has the best I've come across -- it's pricy, but you can get several steepings from each bag without a noticeable dropoff in taste.
I really like teas with tulsi (holy basil) in them. It's supposed to be very good for a number of health issues (like stress), but I just really like the taste - it has a very mild but distinctive flavor. Organic India has maybe a dozen different flavor types - ginger, chai, green tea... all really good.
Pu erh is a whole 'nother ballpark... definitely an experience. Ideally there's a whole ritual to how you prepare it. It used to be used as currency, it was so valued. I think it tastes like dirt, though. Probably because it gets buried and fermented in the ground...
I usually drink a mix of black and green (my fambly keeps a pot on hand), but Rooibos is actually my favorite. It's also sometimes called bush tea or red tea. It's not the same plant and it has no caffeine. I like the taste and it's mellow... almost no tannic acid.
Try Detox by Yogi Tea for an exotic, full-bodied taste. It's supposed to support liver and kidney function, but I drink it mainly for the flavor. The tea's peppery notes calm the stomach and make this a great choice when you're slightly hungry but not quite ready for a meal.
I buy loose leaf tea at my local tea shops and I can never go back to boxes! If you have a tea shop in your area, I recommend you stop by and ask where they get their tea. The ones around here go to Asia and pick their teas themselves and bring it back really fresh. The key to great tea for me is freshness, storage (in the fridge for most Japanese green teas and some oolongs), expiry date (I drink mine as fast as I can, which means I don't have many at once) and most importantly, steeping methods.
If you're just starting out, I don't recommend investing in fancy steeping methods. One of those individual cup/teapots hybrids work just fine if you're into loose leaf tea. I use the David's Tea ones and really like them.
I love almost all teas but here are my favourite: Japanese sencha in general, "Floral/Green" oolongs (Tie Guan Yin is a staple) and roasted oolong (great for digestion). I love chai tea, matcha and pu erh but never buy them, I usually have them when I'm having tea somewhere.
Just a tip, I love unflavoured tea. I think it's great on it's own. But I love to experiment with boxed herbal teas. My favourite brand is Pucca and they're often on sale at Home Sense if you have one in your area!
I love coffee too;-) But i love tea as well;-) I love all kinds of tea! Green, black, herbal, hibiscus(carcade, roselle), ginger, with additional flavours or pure;-) you need to try everything to find your favorite one!
I love drinking tea every day and it is part of my every day meal. I used to drink 2 cups of tea every day, one in the morning and before bedtime. Green tea helps me to have a good digestion and it helps me to lose weight also. I love drinking chamomile tea before bedtime because it is so relaxing and calming. It also helps me to fall asleep early especially when I'm stressed or tired from work.
What's your favorite tea?
