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Favorite tea?

MrsDarcy

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I'm sort of a tea aficionado and I know I can't be alone! What's your favorite brand and blend??

Right now, I think I'd having to say Twinings green tea calm. It's lovely!
 

MichelleCarmen

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I love earl grey.
 

marymm

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My current fav is Harney & Harney's Paris blend - so wonderful (thanks Mom)!
 

yssie

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Ahhh... tea... I'm an addict. I kicked the coffee habit a couple of years ago and I drink anywhere between five and eight cups of black tea a day, so I'm careful not to perjure myself by saying "caffeine" ::)

My favourite non-boutique brand is Republic of tea - I buy loose leaves by the bag. They have a ton of flavours but I stick to their Classics - Vanilla Almond, Ginger Peach, and I adore both the Mango Ceylon and Lapsang Souchong. Their Earl Greyer tastes fabulous but I always find it a bit muted, so I'll throw in some Twinings Earl Grey leaves for the extra kick of bergamot - but mixing is gauche, I know!!
http://www.republicoftea.com/classic-tea/c/CLASSIC/

A friend turned me onto Genmaicha - green tea with brown rice. I love how rich it is - it smells fantastic and it's filling and fulfilling, like drinking a meal in a mug :))

Every month or so I'll mix a batch for chai. Plain black unflavoured tea leaves, cardamom pods - toss the shells in too, it'll all get strained out anyway! Some dried roses, toasted mustard seeds and black pepper, a pinch of cloves, and white rock sugar; store it in an airtight container in a dark cupboard and it'll last for weeks no problem. I usually cheat when I actually make it and add a PG Tips teabag to brew it faster :halo:

I got a cast iron teapot from Teavana for Christmas last year and I LOVE it. I only use it for black teas, so I don't mind if the flavours blend a bit... this thing is amazing. If I'm careful to pre-heat properly it keeps tea warm - steaming warm! - for an hour afterward, it's super simple to keep clean (just rinse and wipe dry, no soap and scrubbing needed), and it's unbreakable (no worrying about the water being too hot for glass, no worrying about dropping it and breaking it - though to be fair if you drop it it'd probably break whatever surface it lands on, so maybe that's more of a "con"?)...

I've always been a tea-with-cream sort of person. Recently I've been skipping the cream to cut the extra calories and I like the taste, but I've become a bit compulsive about whitening my teeth every month - and OMG that whitening stuff is absolutely disgusting :knockout:
 

kenny

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VRBeauty

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My very favorite - an everyday tea with touch of luxury, and my go-to tea for gift-giving:

jdp_l.png

I do wonder about what it takes to roll the pearls however. Peets also offers a jasmine tea in a non-pearlized blend; I might get that next time I'm out so I can see how the flavor compares to the jasmine downy pearl tea.

Yssie|1417931312|3797056 said:
A friend turned me onto Genmaicha - green tea with brown rice. I love how rich it is - it smells fantastic and it's filling and fulfilling, like drinking a meal in a mug :))

Toasted rice, right? This is another of my favorites - like you, I love the smell. I recall this being served in Japanese restaurants, way back when. I can sometimes find packages of NUMI toasted rice tea locally, but not often. Is there a brand you particularly like?
 

LLJsmom

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Mightyleaf Green Tea Tropical. Light and relaxing...
 

dk168

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Twinings' Assam, bold and strong, with lots of milk, no sugar.

I also like a variety of Chinese teas, no surprise there as I am Chinese afterall.

DK :))
 

Gypsy

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My absolute favorite is Earl Grey. I adore Bergamot.

Teavana was a super strong version of it... I think it's the white one?? And I get that one mixed with the black Earl Grey.

One of the local coffee/tea shops (Suju's) has a fantastic earl grey with lavender in it they call 'vintage earl grey.'

I strongly prefer loose teas. But if I have to use a tea bag then I prefer Harney and Sons or Numi.

I also have a jasmine green I adore, from Harney and Sons, called Yin Hao.

And I have several herbal and rooibos teas I adore, especially iced, from David's Tea (I was just there today) and Harney and Sons and Teavana.
Here are my favorites:
http://www.davidstea.com/midsummer-night-s-dream-en?&TF=7DC6367FC0E7&DEID= ( I tell my sales person to leave the gooseberries out of mine though, and they do for me)
http://www.davidstea.com/magic-dragon?&TF=7DC6367FC0E7&DEID=
http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/herbal-teas/p/wild-orange-blossom-herbal-tea
https://www.harney.com/african-autumn-loose-1-lb-bag.html

I was raised with tea always brewing in the house growing up. But the number of teas I have in my house can even make my mom speechless. Last time she helped me move she opened (not small) box for the kitchen and was shocked it find it full of tea. :oops:

I take pleasure in never serving her the same tea twice (unless she asks for one) whenever she comes over.

Also, I have to share my favorite tea ware:
Love these at work: http://www.davidstea.com/david-s-tea-filters-100-pack?&TF=384C2498270F&DEID= I have a tin of loose tea and use these to make them into sachets.

Ice tea infuser: http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea-makers-infusers/p/large-blue-infusion-tea-pitcher (Kohl's also has one that gets good reviews). This can be stored on its side in the fridge.

My husband love this: http://www.davidstea.com/the-steeper?&TF=8215E1C9208C&DEID=

And my favorite work mug: http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea-cups-mugs/glass-tea-cups/p/grande-tasse-glass-tea-mug

I also have a wonderful, but discontinued tea pitcher by Teavana.
 

Mayk

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PG Tips

I buy these from Fresh Market. With Milk & Sugar please!
 

RandG

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I'm addicted to Twinings Pumpkin Spice Chai. It's delicious :)
 

missy

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I only like herbal teas and my favorites are from Republic of Tea. I love their Good Hope Vanilla but enjoy most of their herbal offerings.
 

mochiko42

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Mayk said:
PG Tips

I buy these from Fresh Market. With Milk & Sugar please!
PG tips for the win! I buy the triangular ones because I'm convinced that they brew a richer cup of tea. It reminds me of my childhood :)

Sometimes I like to add milk, cardamom and Penzeys cake spice (cinnamon, ginger, star anise, nutmeg etc) to make a homemade chai. Other times I do milk, no sugar.
 

dk168

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I have fond memories of having a pot of Pu-erh black tea concentrate in the family home at all times, and we would dilute the concentrate to taste with hot water from a vacuum flask whenever we fancied a cup of tea.

He also favoured Oolong tea.

During my last trip to visit him in Canada when he was still alive, he asked me to take anything from the house that I could carry back to UK with me, and I chose one of his tea sets and a teapot, and they sit proudly in my kitchen on display.

DK :))
 

House Cat

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VRBeauty|1417933607|3797076 said:
My very favorite - an everyday tea with touch of luxury, and my go-to tea for gift-giving:

jdp_l.png

I do wonder about what it takes to roll the pearls however. Peets also offers a jasmine tea in a non-pearlized blend; I might get that next time I'm out so I can see how the flavor compares to the jasmine downy pearl tea.

Yssie|1417931312|3797056 said:
A friend turned me onto Genmaicha - green tea with brown rice. I love how rich it is - it smells fantastic and it's filling and fulfilling, like drinking a meal in a mug :))

Toasted rice, right? This is another of my favorites - like you, I love the smell. I recall this being served in Japanese restaurants, way back when. I can sometimes find packages of NUMI toasted rice tea locally, but not often. Is there a brand you particularly like?
This x2

I am also loving Numi's Chocolate Pu-erh
http://shop.numitea.com/Chocolate-Puerh/p/NUMIS-10360&c=NumiTeaStore@Teabag@Puerh

My absolute favorite tea of all time is Mighty Leaf's Vanilla Bean. First, their teas come in little sewn pouches. They are gorgeous! But their teas are so delicious. I love the vanilla with full fat creme and wild honey. I know, that makes it more like a dessert.. :tongue:

http://www.mightyleaf.com/product/vanilla-bean-black-tea-pouches/
 

monarch64

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The only tea I drink is from a box, or occasionally Starbucks. Right now plain old green tea of the Great Value brand from Wal-Mart. With tupelo honey from Appalachiacola, FL. I'm a honey snob. ;))
 

UrsTx

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If there is a limited selection like at a restaurant, I like British Breakfast. But if there's a myriad of choices, my latest obsession is Peach Oolong - which is different for me because I usually hate anything peach flavored!
 

Lady_Disdain

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Unfortunately, I have had to cut back on tea consumption and substitute more herbal infusions (the caffeine was causing my low iron levels). I drink a lot of different flavours. Right now, I am alternating between magnolia, jasmine, earl grey, peach oolong and lemon/ginger. I also have a lovely mix from a local tea shop that is a very interesting blend of everything under the sun. Pur'eh is out of the list for the moment, because of the caffeine thing.

When I go to the US, I stock up on Stash tea. I love their vanilla chai, the magnolia I mentioned and I always pick up a few more unusual flavours or types.
 

ckrickett

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I used to manage and train people for tea store about 10 years ago. I had a huge LUST for tea, and I collected my fair share of types and blends.

currently I have about 85lbs in my tea cabinet, but I DO have my favorites


fullsizerender-32.jpg

White-
Silver Needles is my most favorite of the whites, and if I can find it bound into tight little balls that is even better!

Oolong-
I love Monkey Picked Oolong, and Pheonix Mountain dan Cong, if I can find an amazing jasmine oolong then I swoon over that. (Also the oolong teas in chinese restaurants is pretty great too)

Greens-
Gyokuro Imperial
Matcha
Jasmine Pearl Tea
Genmaicha

Blacks-
I LOVE Chinese black teas, especially ones with a rich full body!
I also Love english breakfast

Flavored Blacks
Lapsang Souchong - it's a smoked tea, and tastes like a delicious campfire
Earl Grey

Herbal-
Rooibos teas, especially ones flavored with orange, lemon, or macadamia
Linden Flower Tea

various herbal tisanes are great as well
 

House Cat

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ckrickett|1417971771|3797232 said:
I used to manage and train people for tea store about 10 years ago. I had a huge LUST for tea, and I collected my fair share of types and blends.


Flavored Blacks
Lapsang Souchong - it's a smoked tea, and tastes like a delicious campfire
This is very intriguing to me. Is there a brand that is better than others?
 

monarch64

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Where is AutumnNovember? She loves tea.
 

canuk-gal

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HI:

Anyone use a French press for tea?

I also love Mighty Leaf teas. We drink lots-o-tea 'round here.

cheers--Sharon
 

kenny

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ckrickett|1417971771|3797232 said:
I used to manage and train people for tea store about 10 years ago. I had a huge LUST for tea, and I collected my fair share of types and blends.

currently I have about 85lbs in my tea cabinet, but I DO have my favorites


fullsizerender-32.jpg

White-
Silver Needles is my most favorite of the whites, and if I can find it bound into tight little balls that is even better!

Oolong-
I love Monkey Picked Oolong, and Pheonix Mountain dan Cong, if I can find an amazing jasmine oolong then I swoon over that. (Also the oolong teas in chinese restaurants is pretty great too)

Greens-
Gyokuro Imperial
Matcha
Jasmine Pearl Tea
Genmaicha

Blacks-
I LOVE Chinese black teas, especially ones with a rich full body!
I also Love english breakfast

Flavored Blacks
Lapsang Souchong - it's a smoked tea, and tastes like a delicious campfire
Earl Grey

Herbal-
Rooibos teas, especially ones flavored with orange, lemon, or macadamia
Linden Flower Tea

various herbal tisanes are great as well

Wow.
I have a friend in NYC who is a tea gourmet.
I think he orders his teas from Japan.
He is on a waiting list for one extremely expensive tea with very limited production.
Basically he's waiting for other lifelong subscribers to die.
Supply is so limited because there's only one place in Japan with soil and climate ideal for this tea and they harvest only a few leaves from each plant/tree.

He served me a tea, not that one, and it was the most sublime thing I have ever drunk.
I can understand how people really get into teas.
 

yssie

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VRBeauty|1417933607|3797076 said:
Toasted rice, right? This is another of my favorites - like you, I love the smell. I recall this being served in Japanese restaurants, way back when. I can sometimes find packages of NUMI toasted rice tea locally, but not often. Is there a brand you particularly like?

Yes!! I'm convinced part of the smell is the rice :bigsmile:

I get the same Numi toasted rice for the office - I've had good luck finding it at the Vitamin Shoppe, of all places. This is another one I think Republic of Tea does well on in taste
http://the.republicoftea.com/teablog/2011/04/15/tea-of-inquiry-full-leaf-loose-green-tea-genmaicha/
but the sencha takes FOREVER to brew to the strength I like! I'll leave it steeping in a coffee pot and come back for it after a half hour.
 

yssie

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Gypsy|1417945460|3797115 said:
I take pleasure in never serving her the same tea twice (unless she asks for one) whenever she comes over.

I love this ::)
 

ckrickett

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House Cat|1417976592|3797274 said:
ckrickett|1417971771|3797232 said:
I used to manage and train people for tea store about 10 years ago. I had a huge LUST for tea, and I collected my fair share of types and blends.


Flavored Blacks
Lapsang Souchong - it's a smoked tea, and tastes like a delicious campfire
This is very intriguing to me. Is there a brand that is better than others?

I have found that Republic of Teas loose leaf variety is really nice. I get it at whole foods
 

ckrickett

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Messages
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kenny|1417978338|3797289 said:
ckrickett|1417971771|3797232 said:
I used to manage and train people for tea store about 10 years ago. I had a huge LUST for tea, and I collected my fair share of types and blends.

currently I have about 85lbs in my tea cabinet, but I DO have my favorites


fullsizerender-32.jpg

White-
Silver Needles is my most favorite of the whites, and if I can find it bound into tight little balls that is even better!

Oolong-
I love Monkey Picked Oolong, and Pheonix Mountain dan Cong, if I can find an amazing jasmine oolong then I swoon over that. (Also the oolong teas in chinese restaurants is pretty great too)

Greens-
Gyokuro Imperial
Matcha
Jasmine Pearl Tea
Genmaicha

Blacks-
I LOVE Chinese black teas, especially ones with a rich full body!
I also Love english breakfast

Flavored Blacks
Lapsang Souchong - it's a smoked tea, and tastes like a delicious campfire
Earl Grey

Herbal-
Rooibos teas, especially ones flavored with orange, lemon, or macadamia
Linden Flower Tea

various herbal tisanes are great as well

Wow.
I have a friend in NYC who is a tea gourmet.
I think he orders his teas from Japan.
He is on a waiting list for one extremely expensive tea with very limited production.
Basically he's waiting for other lifelong subscribers to die.
Supply is so limited because there's only one place in Japan with soil and climate ideal for this tea and they harvest only a few leaves from each plant/tree.

He served me a tea, not that one, and it was the most sublime thing I have ever drunk.
I can understand how people really get into teas.

I'd be greatly interested in finding out what it is. I will probably never even see it, but i love learning about new and exotic teas!

It is amazing what climate can do for tea!
 

chrono

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Gyokuro (whole leaf only, from Japan), no sugar nor milk added.
 

dk168

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I also like Japanese tea with toasted rice as it has a nice nutty flavour.

DK :))
 

chrono

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dk168|1417982485|3797316 said:
I also like Japanese tea with toasted rice as it has a nice nutty flavour.

DK :))
Genmaicha?
 
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