The Tea Thread!

[rosarugosa]

We started talking about tea on the Frugals thread and it seemed like a topic that might warrant its own thread. I will readily admit that I'm no connoisseur. I would say I'm at a similar place as with wine; I know there are differences and I know what I like, but I enjoy trying new varieties and expanding that list.
We mostly use tea bags, which I think is the first cardinal sin among true tea lovers. My favorite black tea is Darjeeling, with just a bit of lemon. I like herbal teas as well, with my favorite being Celestial Seasons Lemon Zinger.
I'm about to take it to a new level with a tea I encountered at a french restaurant (Chez Nous) in the Berkshires last year, Ruby Sipper, by SerendipiTea. It's an amazing fruit tea with blood orange, hibiscus, rosehips & papaya and was just as nice of an apertif as a fine cognac. I recently ordered some online so IO can enjoy it at home. It was kind of expensive, but we could call it frugal compared to a trip to the Berkshires with hotel and restaurant costs.
What is your favorite tool for containing a loose tea while it steeps in the pot?

[catherine]

Here's mine--this is a picture I had, so you can't see the little mesh thingy that goes inside the pot, but that's what holds the loose tea. The tea pictured here is a blend from a local forager.

[Zoe Girl]

I love tea! and can't always afford the great loose tea. I got some amazing tea for my birthday, a loose chai and some green tea. When my stomach is disturbed in the morning I do fresh ginger, a slice of lemon and some green tea. My parent's (of kids at work) kept asking about giving me wine for Christmas and my staff told them that I don't drink so I got gift cards and a huge box of international teas.

Being from Boulder of course I love Celestial Seasonings tea. I love making the zingers with some black tea and sweetening it. There are canned Xing teas that I get when I run out of tea to bring and my tea tastes just as good. Plus CS makes a special tea that you have to drive to the factory for or order on-line. I go up 2 times a year and take the free tea tour and buy some of the Fast Lane tea. It has more caffeine than coffee! They add the caffeine from their decaff teas to bring it up to 90 mgs. It also has a bit a spice, cinnamon and a few other things, so it is super tasty without that bitter tang that some black tea can get.

Darjeeling is good, but Earl Grey is my favorite smelling tea. English Breakfast is such a classic and you can find that anywhere as well. I drink mine like coffee, with sugar and half and half (my stomach is way too sensitive to drink coffee). Ahhhh, good thread to start.

[herbgeek]

I love tea. It will never replace that first cup of coffee in the morning, but I drink tea all day both summer and winter.

For brisk, bold tea, I like an Assam- this is also the main constituent in Irish breakfast teas. My favorite comes from Harney and Sons, its the CTC assam. A pound of tea lasts me a VERY long time. For flavored teas, I'm a fan of Harney's Holiday Tea (almonds, spice, citrus) and Florence (a chocolate hazelnut tea). I usually buy all of these loose. I have a teapot that has a built infuser with lots of room for the tea. I also have an individual influser with lots of room that I use when I only want a cup.

When I'm lazy and going for tea bags, I like Republic of Tea. Their British Blend is pretty good. They also have an herbal dessert tea I like, chocolate coconut. Republic of Tea also has some "wine" teas that I make fake sangria with. They use grape skins instead of tea leaves. You will never convince anyone who's drinking it straight up that it tastes like wine, but in a sangria it adds the right notes. And yes, I also like Celestial Seasonings. Peppermint in the winter, Zinger teas in the summer iced.

[IshbelRobertson]

I used to love Assam tea, but I now find it too strong. My husband has it as his breakfast tea, I have Darjeeling. During the day I drink Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong, and for afternoon tea I like either Lady Grey or more Darjeeling

I always use loose leaf tea, generally Twining's. I am not a fan of fruit or flowey infusion teas.

[rosarugosa]

Zoe Girl:I used to be a fan of Fast Lane, but realized it made me kind of irritable and was a potential threat to our marriage, as in, "Hey Dude, we need to wash all the walls and ceilings NOW and why aren't you helping me?!" I didn't realize they still made it. It actually made me feel like I was high, but with too much of an edge to it. As an aside, I really miss all the lovable graphics and quotes on the CS boxes.
Herbgeek: I am with you on that first cup of coffee in the morning!
Ishbel: Twinings is the brand of Darjeeling I buy. They have a nice berry tea and a lemon mint chamomile too that I recently discovered.

[Aqua Blue]

My favorite tea is Evening in Missoula. I love it iced.

[Dhiana]

Assam is my favorite. I found it to be very light with a nice bit of sweetness.
Only ever found it once here in the states at a tea shop in San Diego. They served it the
same as I experienced it overseas.

I'll have to try Irish Breakfast, I didn't realize it contained Assam.
As others mentioned, it may be too heavy in a blend like that.

[IshbelRobertson]

I can recommend Twining's Breakfast Tea blend. I keep some as an emergency supply if we run out of Assam!

Just to clarify, I am not related to any of the Twining family, nor employed by them... Although I did work with one of the family for a couple of years!

http://www.twinings.co.uk/tea/englis...ast?quantity=0

[JaneV2.0]

I love a good jasmine; it's what I made kombucha from last year. I mostly use the bagged stuff, and I keep a wide variety--of caffeinated, decaf, and herbal around the house. Tazo's Passion is excellent hot or iced, with fresh lemon.

We used to go to a tea house for the real thing, but it closed, and we haven't found another. Also, I used to visit Kobos (http://www.koboscoffee.com/product-category/tea) regularly.