POLL: Favorite Teas...Please!

[kabs]

Ok. Don't think I'm weird, but I have always wanted to be a hot tea drinker. It's never been my thing, though. I read an article over the weekend about the health benefits of drinking tea, and think I want to give it another shot. So, tell me, what teas do you drink? What teas would you recommend (for health reasons or other reasons)?

[tovie]

My favorite is Heath & Heather herbal teas. I've got Mango & Apple and Wild Strawberry here at work. I like other teas but I've never found anything else that compares to them (imho)

I also like Oolong tea, both hot and iced, which I buy at a Chinese restaurant.

[lorilei]

I drink quite a bit of green tea (warm in the wintertime and cold in the summer) -- for both the health and the flavor of it. It's superb accented with a bit of lemon and honey and not as strong as other teas.

I'm also a big fan of the YOGI brand teas. Lots of great formulas for colds, flu and general health. I try to drink their DETOX tea a few times a week (which is actually quite delicious) just to keep things in balance.

My cupboard is actually FILLED with teas. My favorite teas, purely for enjoyment, are made by THE REPUBLIC OF TEA. Their Blackberry Sage tea is delicious, as well as Orange Ginger Mint and Cinnamon Plum... mmm.

[hlao23]

I prefer coffee, but I drink tea because of the antioxidants.

I like:
Bigelow's Constant Comment. It's flavored with orange and spices.
Morning Thunder Celestial Seasoning's, I think. It has more of a coffee "feel" and is good with milk. Irish Breakfast Tea is also good with milk.
Also the Republic of Tea has an excellent blend - I'll try to remember the name but I know that there is an elephant on the can. This only comes in loose leaf.

[MrsReber]

I usually drink Celestial Seasonings tea. My favorite is peppermint with a little honey added. The lemon zinger is also good! Tea does have many health benefits. I did read that the regular teas have more health benefits than the herbal teas. Is this true? I tend to stick to the herbal teas because they have no caffeine and I don't drink caffiene- and I don't like regular decaf tea.

[Lisa D]

I do not drink coffee, so tea is for me on most mornings.
As far as I'm concerned you can't beat a steaming cup of Earl Grey (I like Bigelow)
I also have a few of the Republic of tea "flavors" ;my favorites are Mango Ceylon and their various green teas
As far as health value you can't beat green tea for lack of caffeine and anti oxidants

As anyone actually had people over for high tea?? I have always wanted to do that.

Lisa

[aggie94]

I love hot oolong tea, with a touch of sugar added.

[KathrynY]

My current favorites are Harney & Sons Tropical Green and Organic Green. I must admit that I skipped over the articles I know CL has run on green tea and health, but I really should dig them out and read up on the subject.

In the morning I like a tea with a bit more *ummph* to it, like an Irish Breakfast or English Breakfast. I also agree with tovie - the Heath and Heather are nice. My favorite is their Raspberry.

Try several different kinds - there are so many varieties you're bound to find one that you like. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by KathrynY (edited 04-03-2001).]

[Don]

Well, I'm sure that I am breaking some type of tea etiquette, but I actually have three favorites: Stash's Chamomile, Bigelow's Green Tea with Peach, and Twining's Green Tea and Wild Berry. I know that the real tea connoisseurs out there are probably shaking in horror, but what can I say. I have cheap tastes!

[Sara Emily]

MrsReber, like you, I really enjoy a variety of herbal teas, including the Celestial Seasonings brand you mentioned. But, I have read in many different places that the black and green teas are the best, healthwise, for their antioxidant effects, and that a serving of one of these is even considered acceptable to count as one of your servings of fruits and/or vegetables on the food pyramid.

Fortunately, I also like so many of these, with my favorites being green tea, jasmine, and Earl Gray.

Many of the herbal teas are so interestingly flavored and soothing though, that I do not give up on them and wonder if there might be and phytochemical benefits there. Does anyone know?

[makedah]

Kabs, why do you want to start drinking tea?

At any rate, I don't care for herbal teas much. I love black teas, especially Earl Grey. Darjeeling and English Breakfast Tea are nice, too. However, I am limiting my caffeine so I don't have tea as much anymore. I like the Stash brand.

[Gelfling]

I found a favorite that was featured in Cooking Light a while back. Its called Steep, you can go to steep.com to get it. I ordered a sampler back for my boyfriend for this last x-mas, and I've been drinking it too. It even has really neat packaging!

[mandarin2j]

I love Market Spice Tea. It's a citrus oil infused black tea, and probably has no health benefits apart from tasting great with milk rather than cream. The Market Spice company out of Seattle's Pike Place Public Market sells it. Their number is (425)883-1220. Sadly, they are barely online, with a website that merely lists a telephone number and e-mail address.

www.marketspice.com

-Amanda

[This message has been edited by mandarin2j (edited 04-03-2001).]

[Emdg]

I think green tea is the one that gets touted for health reasons the most. I drink chamomile, it sooths the throat. And love the tea from the Good Earth. I get it at TJ's. You can make teas from herbs. They're good for various problems. There are many good books out there on tea.

[Leslie w]

I have been a tea drinker since I was 10! Never liked coffee. Anyway I can beat Don in the cheap department. For me it's Lipton regular and decaff. I let it steep for about 5 min. and drink it black. Can't stand milk or sugar in my tea. When I have company I like to serve Twinings English Breakfast loose tea. You just can't beat loose teas for ultimate flavor. I also like to veg at night w/ a cup of Celestial Seasonings Camomile tea. It's a soother. Incidentally herbal teas should not be drunk when pregnant. Can't remember why but my doctor told me not to when I was.

[kwormann]

ALthough Ive never met an herbal tea I didnt like, I really have to give another vote for Constant Comment.

Kim

[JA]

My recent favorite is Celestial Seasonings ginger tea. Such a treat with the ginger biscotti!!!

[chefbec]

I love blackberry tea. Also, Celestial Seasonings makes a really cool Strawberry Kiwi. When I need the caffeine, I go for Green Tea (if I'm not doing coffee). It's supposed to have lots of health benefits (and also comes in decaf if needed).

[ewatkins]

I really hate herb tea--have always gone with black (Irish breakfast and Lapsang Souchong- dark and smoky). I decided to try green tea after all the health hoopla. I couldn't stand the plain green tea, but Celestial Seasonings had a sampler box with 4 different ones, including a lemon one that was quite good, and a special anti-oxidant one that was also good. They do recoomend using water that is less than boiling hot.

[emilycat]

I love tea -- oddly enough, even though I'm a southern girl, I don't drink the iced stuff.
I buy loose tea at Elephant Tea; I haven't experimented with many different kinds yet, but I do love Masala Chai and their Jasmine Phoenix Pearls.
For tea bag tea, I like Twinings and Tazo; I really enjoy the Darjeeling and Earl Grey blends of the former, and I love the latter's green tea -- it's probably what I drink the most. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Gina O]

I really enjoy hot tea. After trying nearly everything available at the grocery store, I ventured to the speciality stores and exclusively buy Tazo now. I have liked all of the flavors I have tried (Passion, Refresh, Wild Sweet Orange and Spice). Last week I tried the Chai at a Starbuck's and instantly fell in love. I am headed to Tazo's website to see about ordering some (I have already been to the store I usually find Tazo and they didn't have it). Gina

[Missi]

I just found the best tea from Celestial Seasonings called vanilla hazelnut. I found it at an organic foods store but have not been able to find it at a regular grocery store. I usually heat some soy milk and then steep the bag in it. It tastes sooooo yummy and helps me get soy in my diet (I don't like soy milk straight!)

[mlou]

http://www.rmad.org/celestialboycott/

[schuh]

I am a coffee drinker but the one tea I will drink is cinnamon stick decaf. It's in a red box in the grocery store -- I don't remember the brand. Try it! It's milder than most teas. I have no idea as to the health benefits -- I thought they were reserved to green tea, which this is not.

[JulieM]

Hi everyone! I'm new. My favorite green tea is Great Eastern Sun's Hojicha Roasted Green Tea. It's quite different from regular green tea.

[aka]

I love tea too. While I'll drink any tea I always have it with sugar NEVER milk (won't even use the same spoon to stir my tea with).

I love Bigelows Cinnamon stick (unfortunately I can't find it in my part of Canada so I have to "stock up" when I go to the U.S.)

I also like plain tea with a slice of lemon.

My mom used to put a cinnamon stick in our tea...if I can't have the Bigelow this will do.

I like English Breakfast.

If you are reading this and you live in the Dallas area check out "Cultured Cup"...they have an awesome selection of (loose leaf) teas that I really miss. They even offer samples in elegant china cups.

Finally, I also like the "Constant Comment" with a splash of Amaretto....definately not a "morning treat" though! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

How long do you steep your tea? I like mine to be a nice amber-ish colour....dh's mom and dad like one bag per cup steeped at least 5 minutes until it looks black as coffee. It didn't take dh long to realize that if he wants his that way, he'd have to make it himself...just can't bring myself to do it. Luckily he's not that picky.

Lilia

[KValley]

I'm crazy about herbal tea- go through several cups a day- and as I contemplate giving up coffee this summer, I know my consumption will increase.

Who says it has to be gourmet to be good? No worries, Don- there are several Stash and Celestial Seasonings blends I like! My sentimental favorites are CS' Tension Tamer and Sleepytime, Stash's Lemon Ginger Sharpness and Winter Mint.

For black and pekoe blends, I love Murchie's tea, which I've only been able to find in British Columbia (where it's made). The Assam and the Apricot blends are luscious.

Lipton makes me gag, sorry! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif

The Republic of Tea has the most inventive blends; I also like Market Spice.

Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist?
I am glad I was not born before tea.

Sydney Smith 1771-1845

[SandyM]

I love love love tea! Morning Thunder (I call it "Kick My Morning A**" Tea, Gevalia Blackberry Spice, herbal raspberry tea (iced especially). Also good old Red Rose decaf when I'm not feeling well (for those groovy little ceramic figurines).

For some reason, though, I cannot drink Earl Grey or Constant Comment.

[Carolyn]

My husband and I are also tea drinkers (and sometimes feel very out of place out here in the espresso filled NW). His favorite is Twining or Stash English Breakfast. Mine is: Black; Stash Kopili Assam Black or Bigelow's Lemon Lift (wonderful lemon and subtle spice flavor and you don't have to add sugar), Herbal; Stash Ruby Mist,Sunflower loose Jasmine tea, or Stash Kashmir Chai Green tea.

[KValley]

Originally posted by SandyM:
Also good old Red Rose decaf when I'm not feeling well (for those groovy little ceramic figurines).




Sandy! Does Red Rose still include the ceramic animals? I used to collect those when I was a little girl, but I didn't think they were still around.

Carolyn- I grew up in Sequim!

[MelissaAS]

I drink herbal tea all morning at work- coffee from home en route then tea all morning (usually 2 huge mugs). Somehow, I can't bring myself to drink anything cold until at least 11am! Strange but true...

I love Celestial Seasonings: Red Zinger, Lemon Zinger, Tension Tamer, Peach, anything except Chamomile or Vanilla. I keep a selection at my desk as a treat http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[JulieM]

Originally posted by SandyM:
I love love love tea! Morning Thunder (I call it "Kick My Morning A**" Tea, .

SandyM, my DH also loved the Morning Thunder tea! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[maureen k]

Yhere are two AWESOME tea companies that you can order on line.
www.specialteas.com (http://www.specialteas.com) and www.serendipity.com (http://www.serendipity.com)

[Kelli Kerrigan]

Tea is one of my favorite things. I drink all kinds...from white to blends. My favorite place to purchase teas is Todd and Holland. Check them out on the web. They have top quality teas.

[philamark]

My favorite source for tea is Upton Tea in MA. They have a great selection of loose tea and tea supplies. Wonderful customer service too. They are on the web at:
http://www.uptontea.com/

I usually call them, I'm sure the phone number is on the website. Let me know if you use them. I love Asaams and Darjeelings.

[SandyM]

KValley - yep, you can still get those ceramic figurines in the tea. I have a bag of them stored somewhere in the basement from when I was a kid. Yet I still find myself buying the tea......how funny is that? Maybe some day I can sell them on e-bay for a small fortune..... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[hlao23]

The Republic of Tea has the most inventive blends; I also like Market Spice.


Market Spice! Yes! I think that that's the name of the one I like with the elephant on the can! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[foodiedelite]

As mentioned by others earlier, my all time favorite is Twinnings Earl Grey.

With our 110+ degree temperatures in the summer we live on tea.:0 My favorite summer tea is black currant, which we purchase in bulk at Cost Plus Imports.

[Wendy w]

I like Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger iced in the summer and Trader Joe's has a pretty good green tea that comes in a tea bag in the summer that is meant to be iced. When it comes to hot tea, I have always liked Constant Comment.

[mudpuppy]

I love Celestial Seasonings Green Tea with honey and lemon. It is good hot and also cold, with a little sugar (or sweetner).

[daner94]

I never liked tea, but I was in Europe 2 weeks ago and wanted some hot tea for some reason and it was delicious! I wish I remember what kind it was... but then when I was in Amsterdam I went to one of their big grocery stores and they had almost a whole aisle for tea. I bought "Karamel" tea. I was intrigued and couldn't wait to try it. Unfortunately it has the aroma of caramel but no discernable flavor. Oh well.

[mlou]

What is this Red Rose tea??? Where do you get it???tia

[SandyM]

mlou, you'll find Red Rose tea right next to Lipton. It's everywhere. The regular (caffeinated) is in an aqua and white colored box with bold red print, and the decaf is in a smaller, green box.