Tea...

Not sure what you tea guys think of these, but I had one back when I used to drink a lot of tea and thought it was fantastic across the board. It's like a tea-sperience.

HiTempguy wrote:

Jay wrote: Pro tip: put a pot of cold water on the stove (1-2 cups), put two teabags in, bring it to boil (watch it or it will boil over), take it off the heat and steep it for 3 minutes, then put it back and bring it to a boil again. It makes it ridiculously strong without becoming bitter. Put a shot of condensed milk in instead of the normal milk. I got that technique from a Hong Konger friend of mine, he says that's how most people make it over there (more or less.)

I'll have to try this, even though I love a good cup of tea in the morning or before bed, I make terrible tea (my mother on the other hand, makes excellent tea).

Don't try that before bed... The only time I can get caffeine to have ANY effect on me is when I make tea that way. I usually have it mid-afternoon when I just can't stay awake. Two cups of it and I'm totally wired. You've been warned.

Taiden wrote: Not sure what you tea guys think of these, but I had one back when I used to drink a lot of tea and thought it was fantastic across the board. It's like a tea-sperience.

Not to sound ignorant or anything, but what the hell IS that?

For a good morning/daily tea, I really like Twinings Earl Grey. Plain, simple, and a good representation of Earl Grey flavor.

Tazo has some interesting flavors but they're getting a bit commercial and hokey in my opinion.

Find a good coffee shop/tea shop that sells loose tea. You don't even really need an infuser (the little perforated ball you put the tea in) if you don't want to. Proper tea is loose in the bottom of the pot IMHO. Teas aren't quite as sensitive to dilution and bittering like Coffee, so its not like you need to be as careful about how long the water is in contact with the infusion.

In reply to 1988RedT2:

A glass of sea urchin?

Tim mentioned Lapsang Souchong. That's good stuff. Has a very distinct smokey flavor. I also find peppermint tea to be very refreshing.

Jay wrote: Don't try that before bed... The only time I can get caffeine to have ANY effect on me is when I make tea that way. I usually have it mid-afternoon when I just can't stay awake. Two cups of it and I'm totally wired. You've been warned.

Interesting, caffeine doesn't tend to affect me either (a redbull or monster perks me up or keeps me from falling asleep on the road). Maybe this will be something to start drinking in the morning so I'm not a zombie at work!

It is a tea blossom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvkqnKbut0

Taiden wrote: It is a tea blossom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvkqnKbut0

Since we're on the topic, what do you think of Mayim Bialik's addition to the cast of "Big Bang Theory" and the fact that she herself has a PhD. in neuroscience?

Peet's has a great tea blossom like the one above. Really great cup and you can re-steep the blossom a couple times.

I'm a big fan of Oolong teas, which are prepared somewhere between how green and black teas are. I find them generally a bit woody and smoky with just a hint of sweetness. Hot, they are the perfect tea for fall. I also think they make the best iced tea without the need to add a bunch of extra flavors.

For black teas, I'm partial to Darjeeling. Very nice, slightly delicate, unflavored black tea.

Peet's coffee is common around here, and their tea selection is excellent. They sell it primarily loose leaf in tins, but have a number of teas in bags too. They also sell little disposable bags for making individual cups. From the grocery store, I usually go with Tetley.

Ooohh...I have practically given up coffee since my trip to China last year.

teas I enjoy: Lipton's premium selection Black Pearl - great smooth balck tea with lots of depth and character - get it a Kroger for cheap - twinnig's Darjeeling and Earl Gray - both nice and smooth with an added flavor twist. Republic of Tea (yeah, I know) house chai - very spicy, quite tasty. I also have some full leaf green tea I brought back from China, but it was a gift to me and I have no idea what it is.

I was also given a traditional Chinese tea set and instructed on it's use. Not that I ever use it - the cups are too small.

For Iced tea, it's gotta be Tetley, usually with 1 cup of Splenda / gallon. throw 4 family teabags in a pot with water, bring to a rolling boil and move off heat immediately to steep for 10 min.

After reading all this, I'll have to try PGtips, and the boil-steep-boil method sounds like it's right up my alley.

BoxheadTim wrote:

Woody wrote: I tried to like Earl Grey a few months ago, but it didn't take. Too much orange and spice.

That doesn't sound quite right TBH, a regular Earl Grey doesn't really have much spice in it, let alone orange.

This is the first line of the Earl Grey Wiki (yeah, yeah, I know about Wiki...):

"Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit."

What I am absolutely certain about was the Earl Grey was really staining my mugs. You've gotta wonder what it'll do to your teeth.

What caught my eye on the box of PG Tips was the line "England's #1 Tea". Of course, some might claim that McDonald's is America's #1 hamburger...

Woody wrote:

BoxheadTim wrote:

Woody wrote: I tried to like Earl Grey a few months ago, but it didn't take. Too much orange and spice.

That doesn't sound quite right TBH, a regular Earl Grey doesn't really have much spice in it, let alone orange.

This is the first line of the Earl Grey Wiki (yeah, yeah, I know about Wiki...): "Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit."

Yes, but it still shouldn't taste like someone mixed orange juice in there. Fragant, definitely. Really good Earl Grey also tends to have bergamot flowers in there (that's the little blue "things").

Woody wrote: What I am absolutely certain about was the Earl Grey was *really* staining my mugs. You've gotta wonder what it'll do to your teeth.

Roughly the same .

Woody wrote: What caught my eye on the box of PG Tips was the line "England's #1 Tea". Of course, some might claim that McDonald's is America's #1 hamburger...

Actually that's a pretty good comparison - some of my friends in the UK refer to PG Tips as "builder's tea"...

I buy all kinds of loose tea from www.adagio.com also use their 1 cup contraption that you brew in then set on top of your mug and it runs through a filter in the bottom into your cup. Right now I'm on a smoked tea kick, have a mint earl grey that is tasty too.

In reply to SupraWes:

That's a pretty useful link, thanks!

My wife loves tea. Our local farmer's market (Dekalb Farmer's Market) has the absolute best price on tea (loose leaf and bagged). She has the little glass pot for making flowering teas, the little mesh things for making loose leaf tea, and sometimes uses a French press for making tea.

I prefer Chinese restaurant sweet tea myself. My wife calls it syrup.

ultraclyde wrote: ... For Iced tea, it's gotta be Tetley, usually with 1 cup of Splenda / gallon. throw 4 family teabags in a pot with water, bring to a rolling boil and move off heat immediately to steep for 10 min. After reading all this, I'll have to try PGtips, and the boil-steep-boil method sounds like it's right up my alley.

Definitely try pg tips for ice tea too, just let 10 bags sit at room temp for 6-8hrs in a regular 2 quart/64oz iced tea jug, toss it in the fridge afterwards; very refreshing stuff.

If you don't mind buying mass quantities of it, amazon has good prices on PG: http://www.amazon.com/PG-Tips-Pyramid-160-Count-Boxes/dp/B001EQ5JKK/ref=sr_1_8?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1306880135&sr=1-8

Thanks for all the info guys!

I buy a lot form adagio (link above already), and some others from http://www.davidstea.com/

I also have one of the electric kettles sold @ adagio. It's different than most I've seen in that the temperature is adjustable, instead of just boiling., and I find it quite handy.

Taiden wrote: It is a tea blossom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvkqnKbut0

1988RedT2 wrote: Since we're on the topic, what do you think of Mayim Bialik's addition to the cast of "Big Bang Theory" and the fact that she herself has a PhD. in neuroscience?

I've never seen the show, but something about her irritated me. I couldn't watch her or Joey Lawrence, though with the sound off I could stand a couple minutes of her friend

Zomby woof wrote: I drink at least 6 cups of this every day.

As a Southerner I was raised on sweet iced tea, but I fell in love with Jasmine tea in Indo. Then on the way over an back (Singapore Airlines) I fell hard for Oolong tea. If I'm drinking hot tea at home, it will be Oolong, at a Chinese restaurant (if they have it) Jasmine tea.

Edited to add: You guys need to try your local oriental market/food store for tea variety.

I drink a lot of herbal tea. On a "Red Zinger" kick at the moment. Tart and flavorful.

Oh, and it brews RED, which is pretty rad.

http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/detail.html/herbal-teas/red-zinger

I drink a lot of different varieties from that company. I like loose tea a lot, but this bag stuff is about as good as it gets in my opinion.

BoxheadTim wrote: Lapsang Souchong for those who like it; IMO it's again a little more flavourful and less kick-in-the-teeth strong compared to a normal Lapsang Souchong. Either way you have to like the smokey flavour.

+8 on the Lapsang Souchong.

I know some Brits, one of whom is my BiL. They are very utilitarian when it comes to tea: they drink lots of whatever's cheap. Maybe it's a class thing but they're less interested in the quality than the quantity: they also drink it all day, in cold weather or hot (my BiL once offered me tea when the temps were in the 80s).

I was gonna ask where you bunch of elitist pinkie-out tea sippers are shopping that you can buy all these fancy imported teas. Cruising the tea aisle today in my local Martin's Supermarket what should I spy but a box of PG tips. Naturally I chucked it into my cart. Stay tuned for my comprehensive review later this afternoon.

1988RedT2 wrote: Stay tuned for my comprehensive review later this afternoon.

Hmmm! Delightfully fresh and lively. Full-flavored. Understeers a bit at the limit, but overall very well-balanced. First rate!

1988RedT2 wrote: Understeers a bit at the limit, but overall very well-balanced.

Nice.

1988RedT2 wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: Stay tuned for my comprehensive review later this afternoon.

Hmmm! Delightfully fresh and lively. Full-flavored. Understeers a bit at the limit, but overall very well-balanced. First rate!

What kind of mug? Sounds like it might need a swaybar.