Tea Party!

[Medusa]

I know we have several folks here who love tea as much as I do so I thought it might be fun to share tips, favorite brands, etc. :)

WolfyOne came this weekend and brought a huge sampling of her favorite teas. Needless to say, we sat around sampling and sipping several times this weekend and I have now become a full-blown tea addict!
She left several bags lined up in a neat row for me to try and had hand-written the instructions on how long to steep them for each one. I thought it was pretty fucking thoughtful :)

I had discovered www.teavana.com a while back and went nuts getting some wonderful teas there. My favorite is "Snow Geisha" and also their version of "Sleepytime".

Wolfy brought about 30 teas from http://www.todd-holland.com/ and I fell in LOVE with several of them (so much so that I had to go order a bunch)

I am having a cup of "Summer Peach" right now. I believe it is a Tisane?

Let's talk!

[Fancy]

Any and every kind of Jasmine Tea floats my boat. My fav is Jasmine Dragon Balls, and here's what some sites say about it:

Sweet scented aroma
helps to relieve tension.
Because the Art of Tea is about Good Taste.
Known for its aphrodisiac properties and its ability to calm and soothe the nerves.


Some of the local arts and crafts fairs have started having booths dedicated to whole flower teas, mix your own brew, and unique infusers/kettles, etc.

Great thread.

[Arwen]

She left several bags lined up in a neat row for me to try and had hand-written the instructions on how long to steep them for each one. I thought it was pretty fucking thoughtful :)

I had discovered www.teavana.com (http://www.teavana.com) a while back and went nuts getting some wonderful teas there. My favorite is "Snow Geisha" and also their version of "Sleepytime".

Wolfy brought about 30 teas from http://www.todd-holland.com/ and I fell in LOVE with several of them (so much so that I had to go order a bunch)

I am having a cup of "Summer Peach" right now. I believe it is a Tisane?

Let's talk!

Mmmmmmmmmmm...that Wolfy is a dangerous one. Turning you on to tea and such! :) I'm gonna lurk. I love tea but know little to nothing about it.

[Medusa]

Freckle! What the heck is flowering tea? I saw some of it on Teavana.com and it looks like a little ball. Does it open when it is put in the water?

[SuperFemme]

I admit it. I came in here very scared thinking that either we were having a republican caucus OR that we were gonna get our gossip on.

I am clearly tea challenged.

Wolfy should bring some to Little Rock and Medusa should let us have a slumber/tea party.

Are my meds showing?

[cane]

I only drink one kind of tea, African Rooibos, hot or iced doesn't matter. Love it!

[Fancy]

Freckle! What the heck is flowering tea? I saw some of it on Teavana.com and it looks like a little ball. Does it open when it is put in the water?

Yes, exactly. I believe there are different varieties. I've seen folks sell the clear glass tea pots to brew them in so you get to see the flower unfurl. It's neat!

[2myladyblue]

:wine:
"There are many different kinds of tea. Certain varieties, such as white tea, are like great wines -- only experienced palates can truly appreciate the subtleties caused by seasonal changes and soil conditions. Indeed the vocabulary of tea aficionados is similar to that of wine lovers: a leaf with a fine appearance is "well-twisted," whereas an oversized one is "bold"; "mature" tea is neither bitter nor flat, while an immature one tastes "green."

There are also teas suited to specific occasions. A strong, full-bodied tea like the smoky Lapsang Souchong is just right for breakfast. Lunch calls for a lighter, digestive drink such as green tea. Orange Pekoe is a delightful afternoon pick-me-up, while the flowery semifermented Oolong teas with their calming effects are perfect right before bedtime."
:tea:
:blueheels:
~Blue

[gotoseagrl]

i love Sleepytime, too. i'm easy.

[2myladyblue]

I :stillheart: :tea:
I mostly drink black or green tea...hot or iced.
I also use tea medicinally...red raspberry leaf tea is helpful for cramps...
peppermint tea is good for nausea...ginger tea is good for digestion..catnip tea will help you sleep.
:blueheels:
~Blue

[Diva]

Freckle! What the heck is flowering tea? I saw some of it on Teavana.com and it looks like a little ball. Does it open when it is put in the water?

Yes, exactly. I believe there are different varieties. I've seen folks sell the clear glass tea pots to brew them in so you get to see the flower unfurl. It's neat!



I love tea....mostly hot. And I have one of those clear glass tea pots and I use Primula Tea Flowers ~ www.primulatea.com The flowers opening up are hypnotic!

Also.... there is an amazing tea shop called > > McNulty's (http://www.mcnultys.com/) < < that is so lovely....the building (in Greenwich Village, if I'm remembering correctly) still has the original hardwoods ~ like an old general store ~ and very old, wooden tea bins, the old glass cases trimmed in oak. It's just charming. I could stay in there for hours, it smells so divine! I bought several teas there the last time and have ordered from them on~line. My favorite (so far) is the Mango Tea....but they have all manner of flavored, herbals, organics, etc.

Neat place.

Neat thread! :tea:

[Nat]

Dragon's Well tea is good for the heat. I drank lots of it one summer. :)

:tea:

[oblivia]

My favourites are Jasmine Dragon Pearls or Tears - same as above. :) I recently discovered Earl Grey and do like it quite a lot!

I lean toward milder teas. Blacks are often too bitter, though I love fruity ones when brewed just the right amount of time so they don't get oversteeped. There was the cutest little tea shop in Tacoma, WA where I used to have little femme tea get togethers with local friends and they had the most lovely Strawberries & Cream black tea that I adored and another, a Peach Passionfruit that was heavenly. I must admit that I went there as much for the tiny sandwiches and wonderful scones with devonshire cream and homemade jam as I did for the tea!

I miss that little place.

[Nat]

I listen to this herb show a lot where the woman advocates nettle tea. I've never tried it. Has anybody else? She says it's energizing without wearing out your body the way caffeine can.

[MsMerrick]

After many years of being a black tea addict, lots of different kinds... I was turned on to Silver Needle White. Very different but wonderful ;) Now i drink it pretty much all day .
Btw, many of the things you are mentioning are technically not Tea, though we refer to them as such. Herbs are tisanes, or herbal teas :)
I love many tea sites, but I am trying to cut down on buying it :)
I actually buy a lot on China Town.
Oh here's an interesting and unusual Tea site, they just started shipping in the US. Based in France, but having a Russian background.
http://www.us.kusmitea.com/en/black-tea/c1/index.html


Did anyone mention the Tea Map site yet ?
I use this when or if I travel to find Tea shops ;)
http://www.teamap.com/

The Main site their Adagio Tea, is quite wonderful. Between all the Tea, and the Recipes, as well as Tea Lore.. and , individually blended Teas.. They have it all covered ;)
If you want a $5 gift certificate, drop me a note with an email address, and I can send you one ;) ( Free to me.. )
I spend hours there sometimes, just searching thru the recipes..and the Tea lore..

[Toofrufru]

I love a good cup of tea. Jasmine is my always my first choice. I found a wonderful tea shop. I have tried a milk tea, smoke tea, and the flowers teas. I lean toward a naturally sweet tea. I am a regular iced sweet tea drinker and moving to where they do not serve it in any restaurant. Being from the south not serving sweet tea at restaurant for this girl is like serving soup with no spoon! Why its just uncivilized LOL[

[MsMerrick]

And before I forget, you do all know about the Monthly Femme Teas, that we have in NYC, yes?
If you are visiting or live here.. and don't know, get in touch, we love out of towners to come to them :)

[MsMerrick]

Also, in no way was the above Post meant to imply,suggest or otherwise implant in any one's mind, the idea that Tea is a Femme only thang ! The group was started, to be all about Femme Bonding .. and Tea, seemed a good way to do that :) So its Femme Only, for that reason, no other...
I enjoy Tea with any and all kinds of folks..and you all should feel free to take m eto Tea, anytime you are visiting ;)
I will be happy to recommend all kinds of places.
We have Korean Tea Houses,a Vegan Tea House, East Indian Tea House, Japanese, and a Alice in Wonderland Tea house..as well as others I can't quite recall . Oh yes, very English one, Tea & Sympathy..
Tea is a good thing :)

[2myladyblue]

I recently discovered Earl Grey and do like it quite a bit!

Mmmm....my favourite....the bergamot scent/flavour is heavenly. :)


I listen to this herb show a lot where the woman advocates nettle tea. I've never tried it. Has anybody else? She says it's energizing without wearing out your body the way caffeine can.

Yes! A woman I work with gave me some to use for its anti-inflammatory properties. I use it as an adjunct to my glucosamine...speaking of which, its still raining here, I'd better go make some now...thanks for the reminder Nat!

~Blue

[WolfyOne]

I know we have several folks here who love tea as much as I do so I thought it might be fun to share tips, favorite brands, etc. :)

WolfyOne came this weekend and brought a huge sampling of her favorite teas. Needless to say, we sat around sampling and sipping several times this weekend and I have now become a full-blown tea addict!
She left several bags lined up in a neat row for me to try and had hand-written the instructions on how long to steep them for each one. I thought it was pretty fucking thoughtful :)

I had discovered www.teavana.com a while back and went nuts getting some wonderful teas there. My favorite is "Snow Geisha" and also their version of "Sleepytime".

Wolfy brought about 30 teas from http://www.todd-holland.com/ and I fell in LOVE with several of them (so much so that I had to go order a bunch)

I am having a cup of "Summer Peach" right now. I believe it is a Tisane?

Let's talk!


I laughed out loud when I saw the title of this thread. I thought for sure we'd all be sharing tea in Little Rock in August. I think it's a great idea for those that drink tea to bring a few of their favorites to share. Medusa and I could bring tea sacs and measuring spoons. I suppose we'd have to figure out how to get enough cups though because no one should drink good tea in those throw away cups. I have an electric teapot to boil water in and would also bring it along.

None of the teas I left behind for you are Tisanes, but with the flavor of them they should be, lol.

The book I left behind on purpose and finally told R last night I did, is filled with explanations on some things about tea. If you flip through the pages, you can tell some of the people here that have never been tea addicts, some little tidbits or just the facts. Like Merrick said, the Tisanes have no tea in them at all, but steep like tea. I know the page with the Tisanes tells what is actually put in it. The other interesting thing we read was about the different types of tea leaves, but I can't remember it all to write about them.

Arwen, if you remember, you had the double mint tea in Cali with R and I because we had it with us when I left from Vegas. Yes, I know, twas a long time ago.

SF, for you, I would bring whatever you asked me for......even a sleeping bag or 3 for the slumber party you want :)

So, getting back to LR, I'm willing to help plan some kind of tea tasting event if others will pitch in and bring something along. If we make it a group effort, we may just find a few more tea merchants teas we could enjoy that we wouldn't have tried before had it not been there for the simple pleasure of sharing.

[WolfyOne]

Also, in no way was the above Post meant to imply,suggest or otherwise implant in any one's mind, the idea that Tea is a Femme only thang ! The group was started, to be all about Femme Bonding .. and Tea, seemed a good way to do that :) So its Femme Only, for that reason, no other...
I enjoy Tea with any and all kinds of folks..and you all should feel free to take m eto Tea, anytime you are visiting ;)
I will be happy to recommend all kinds of places.
We have Korean Tea Houses,a Vegan Tea House, East Indian Tea House, Japanese, and a Alice in Wonderland Tea house..as well as others I can't quite recall . Oh yes, very English one, Tea & Sympathy..
Tea is a good thing :)


So, if I ever come to NY, I'll sit at the table next to all the femmes having tea. I'll sit quietly sipping my tea as I watch the bonding going on. Lastly, I for one did not feel like you were implying that tea was for femmes only. I totally understand about bonding with like minded people.

[PapaC]

Well, one can't live in Victoria, BC and NOT post in this thread. ;)

If you ever visit the island, one thing to do is Afternoon Tea. Now, I've heard that typically people will go to the Empress Hotel by the harbour for that, but if you want a cheaper tip, get a chance to go to Butchart Gardens and have their afternoon tea there. It's just as elegant and in a more beautiful natural setting if you're into gardens of all types.

I enjoyed afternoon tea there with my wife and mother-in-law 4.5 years ago and it was lovely (ok, admittedly I liked what comes WITH the tea. :) )

Another moment of tea bliss oddly came at the airport where we had lunch, and asked for Iced Tea. There isn't unsweetened iced tea readily available in Canada (odd that). But the server was clever and brought us hot tea and a pitcher of nothing but ice cubes and lemon wedges. For us diabetics it was pure heaven!

I'm a coffee drinker on average but to reduce my caffeine addiction, I'll welcome the change to tea when i'm around my wife or other tea drinkers. Specifically I'm into Jasmine and Green tea the most but I also enjoy others.

Good times.

[Arwen]

I love a good cup of tea. Jasmine is my always my first choice. I found a wonderful tea shop. I have tried a milk tea, smoke tea, and the flowers teas. I lean toward a naturally sweet tea. I am a regular iced sweet tea drinker and moving to where they do not serve it in any restaurant. Being from the south not serving sweet tea at restaurant for this girl is like serving soup with no spoon! Why its just uncivilized LOL[

Too true, Fru--on the sweet tea. One of my most horrific eating experiences involved a restaurant in Ohio. I ordered a glass of sweet tea and was told they didn't have it. I sucked it up and ordered a glass of regular tea.

AND IT WAS INSTANT!

I asked for water. Nasty, nasty, nasty thing to do in a restaurant. I mean, I'll drink instant tea if I must but I'm sure the heck not paying for it. LOL

I only drink one kind of tea, African Rooibos, hot or iced doesn't matter. Love it!

Cane, I adore Rooibos. I toured the Celestial Seasoning factory once (it was an easy drive when I lived in Colorado) and bought this amazing Moroccan tea that was hibiscus, rooibos and something else. Too die for good and I can't find it any more. SOB


If you want a $5 gift certificate, drop me a note with an email address, and I can send you one ;) ( Free to me.. )
I spend hours there sometimes, just searching thru the recipes..and the Tea lore..

Dang tea pusher! LOL But thank you. I found some neat places to try here in Austin. This one (http://www.teamap.com/tearooms/tea_embassy_1787.html) I've heard a lot about.

W00t! Thanks, Merrick. They have a TeaMap app. :) Downloading it now. Definitely going to call a few friends to go check out some tea rooms with me.


Arwen, if you remember, you had the double mint tea in Cali with R and I because we had it with us when I left from Vegas. Yes, I know, twas a long time ago.


C, I do remember that. Yumminess!

One of the things I dearly want is a tetsubin. One day.

[Fancy]

I listen to this herb show a lot where the woman advocates nettle tea. I've never tried it. Has anybody else? She says it's energizing without wearing out your body the way caffeine can.

I used to get a Strawberry Nettle tea from London Fruit & Herb Co. It was refreshing and mild. I didn't know about it's benefits at the time.

[Medusa]

Im trying to find a decent tea service here in Little Rock. There is an afternoon tea thing at one of the bed and breakfasts but I think its kinda random and doesnt have a set time.

Is there a certain order that things are done in at a formal afternoon tea?

[Arwen]

Im trying to find a decent tea service here in Little Rock. There is an afternoon tea thing at one of the bed and breakfasts but I think its kinda random and doesnt have a set time.

Is there a certain order that things are done in at a formal afternoon tea?


You may have just found your niche for the right business to open.

http://www.teamap.com/states/state_AR_Reviews.html
http://www.teaguide.net/tearoomsarkansas.htm

Seriously. :| 'Cause, girl, you got nothin' up there.

[Medusa]

You may have just found your niche for the right business to open.

http://www.teamap.com/states/state_AR_Reviews.html
http://www.teaguide.net/tearoomsarkansas.htm

Seriously. :| 'Cause, girl, you got nothin' up there.


Perhaps if I served possum and moonshine, it might help bring in more business?!

(Cause that there fancy tea stuff is too fancy schmancy for us Arkies!)
:rofl:

[Arwen]

Perhaps if I served possum and moonshine, it might help bring in more business?!

(Cause that there fancy tea stuff is too fancy schmancy for us Arkies!)
:rofl:


I can see it now.

Roadkill Tea Room

....where you can get possum three ways (and three tire tracks too) plus a proper cup of tea.

[Kätzchen]

In the southeast sector of Portland, Oregon we have the Tao of Tea house - they have lovely selections of teas. LINK (http://www.taooftea.com/aboutus.php3?id=)

I learned about roiboos tea a few years ago: a tea herbalist was sharing with me that it helps the body to retain and absorb iron. It has a light, delicate taste and I tend to sweeten it with honey. *yum*

[Fancy]

Last year my daughter and I hosted a "Mom & Me" tea party at a local tea room (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Hi1U1md3hLJfs-km3sryEA?feat=directlink). We had scrumptious desserts, an amazing tea, and played a couple mingling games. We all wore fancy hats and had tons of fun chattering over our tea cups. I know we'll organize another. I would recommend it for anyone!

It was La-Tea-Da (http://www.la-tea-da.net/) :)

[WolfyOne]

For those that have trouble with their stomach and can handle a tea with earthiness as I like to call it, Pu Erhs are perfect for it. They tend to be more expensive because some of them are aged teas.

Here's a little about them for those that aren't familiar; The Chinese have hailed Pu Erh tea for centuries as an aid to digestion. Current medical tests have indicated its effectiveness in reducing cholesterol, giving credence to the Chinese tradition of drinking Pu Erh after a heavy, fat-laden meal. The large-leafed tea trees in Yunnan that produce the tea are closely related to the ancient tea plant of preglacial times.

[JustJo]

My favorite tea shop is Tea & Sympathy in NYC...mostly just because I love the name! :)

[SassyLeo]

When you come to Portland, we (YES JUNE) will take you here>> Tao of Tea (http://www.taooftea.com/)

[Dylan]

Tea gardens are fairly easy to manage, and you can grow wayyyyyy more options than you can find in local tea houses (usually)


Dylan

[julieisafemme]

I am a tea addict. I love love love love tea.

Grey cracks up at me all the time because if we travel I have to take my "kit". I also drive Him crazy because I won't drink tea out of those plastic travel cups. I only like them in mugs so I am forever spilling all over His nice clean car or on myself.

I only like loose leaf tea. I love Peet's Irish breakfast. Wolfy I have an electric tea kettle at work too. Most of my day is spent trying to achieve that perfect cup of tea. It can't be too hot or lukewarm. It has to be strong but not too strong. I like all my tea black. No sugar or cream. I love Jasmine Pearls too. Mighty Leaf tea is a great bagged tea company. I also like this decaffeinated Peach Green tea that I was obsessed with when I was pregnant.

My daughter knows not to interrupt Mom at tea time.

Awesome thread Medusa!!! I am excited to check out the links. My favorite tea place here is Imperial Tea Garden in Berkeley. They have a traditional tea service and the people that work there are very knowledgeable.

Ok I am going to make a cup of tea!!

[Diva]

Here's my little tea place....and the neat thing about it? You can order from them and they are SO Austin......

> > Linkalicious (http://www.zhitea.com/) < <

[blush]

Here's my little tea place....and the neat thing about it? You can order from them and they are SO Austin......

> > Linkalicious (http://www.zhitea.com/) < <

We should go there sometime for afternoon tea!

I used to drink more tea than I do now. I love Constant Comment, Earl Gray, Sleepytime, ginger, mint...

Pretty standard fare, but tea always calms me down.

[Diva]

We should go there sometime for afternoon tea!

I used to drink more tea than I do now. I love Constant Comment, Earl Gray, Sleepytime, ginger, mint...

Pretty standard fare, but tea always calms me down.



Just say when! It's not too far from us!
I love all those teas, too! Esp. the Constant Comment!

[MsMerrick]

My First Tea.. was Constant Comment :)
I adore it..
You can only get it loose these days, directly from Bigelow ... ! Loose is .. such a difference !
Loose Tea btw, is cut differently from Tea Bag Tea ( in general although these days.. Theres a lot of.. change in that area.. )
Wolfy, if you are ever here, you will go out to Tea with me thank you very much :)

Tea & Sympathy, was a favorite spot of mine, many years back, but over the years it got a tad expensive for a pot of Tea, although they do still have the most fascinating British fare..
Pu Erh is wonderful, I like it with Chrysanthemum blossoms
On eo fmy favorite Scented Black Teas, btw is Lychee Black Tea ( 0r Litchi or ..probably a couple other spellings.. ) . Rose Congu, is darn good too :)

[Cowboi]

I love me some Teavana!!!!

[Medusa]

Im having some Todd & Holland "Ruby Tuesday" right now :)


Do any of you prefer a special teacup? I have been having my tea in chunky coffee cups but I would much prefer something like this:
http://www.teatreasures.com/images/queen-victoria-teacup-large.jpg

[Fancy]

Oh, that's just lovely.

Im having some Todd & Holland "Ruby Tuesday" right now :)


Do any of you prefer a special teacup? I have been having my tea in chunky coffee cups but I would much prefer something like this:
http://www.teatreasures.com/images/queen-victoria-teacup-large.jpg

[Medusa]

FOAM!



http://www.amazon.com/Yedi-Houseware-Classic-Teacups-Saucers/dp/B001ET6OQ0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1276053633&sr=8-5

[2myladyblue]

Tea gardens are fairly easy to manage, and you can grow wayyyyyy more options than you can find in local tea houses (usually)


Dylan

What a LOVELY idea, Dylan!! :D
Has anyone done this? (& if so...) What kinds do you grow?
:wateringgarden:
I recently found a delightful chocolate mint tea (smells like chocolate, tastes like mint) that I'd love to grow!

~Blue

[2myladyblue]

I learned about roiboos tea a few years ago: a tea herbalist was sharing with me that it helps the body to retain and absorb iron.

This is great to know...I will have to find some for my vegan daughter. Thank you for this!

~Blue

[Arwen]

I will always be a SleepyTime girl...which reminds me. I have a gift for the small blush in the valley. smile.

I think we need to do Austin Femme Teas for sure. :blueheels:

[Massive]

I feel like a bit of a philistine coming into this thread now, but for Me, as a Brit, we usually drink tea with milk and sometimes sugar ...
The common brands are Twinings, who do a great range of all kinds of tea, but I prefer their Breakfast Tea, and a brand called PG Tips.
I don't actually know many other Brits who don't drink anything other than the type that they have with milk, I do like Twinings range of fruit teas and have a real thing for rose-hip tea, but I rarely find it these days, it's a childhood memory thing for me!
Anyway, I would recommend Twinings tea now, they've got very good over the past few years!
*waves over the pond*

[Medusa]

I feel like a bit of a philistine coming into this thread now, but for Me, as a Brit, we usually drink tea with milk and sometimes sugar ...
The common brands are Twinings, who do a great range of all kinds of tea, but I prefer their Breakfast Tea, and a brand called PG Tips.
I don't actually know many other Brits who don't drink anything other than the type that they have with milk, I do like Twinings range of fruit teas and have a real thing for rose-hip tea, but I rarely find it these days, it's a childhood memory thing for me!
Anyway, I would recommend Twinings tea now, they've got very good over the past few years!
*waves over the pond*


I LOVE Twinings Earl Grey!

[MsMerrick]

We get PG Tips here, its good :) ..and for me, Tea mostly has milk and mild sweetener ( I prefer honey )
But for White and Green tea, I prefer no milk .. rarely a sweetener, Agave is good though. Anyone do any cooking with Matcha btw? Green Tea Cup Cakes..Yummm
Medusa, I have a ton of lovely Tea Cups, well at least several different patterns :) Yep, out grew the mugs ;)
But I also like drinking Tea in glass glasses..!
Smoked Teas, which remind me of Russian Teas..as well as White Tea.. :)

[Fancy]

Someone mentioned teas that are naturally sweet, and it instantly made me think of Good Earth's brand Sweet and Spicy. It has an amazing flavor that just doesn't need any sweetener.

http://www.chinookpta.com/images/good_earth_teas.jpg

[Greyson]

I am a tea addict. I love love love love tea.

Grey cracks up at me all the time because if we travel I have to take my "kit". I also drive Him crazy because I won't drink tea out of those plastic travel cups. I only like them in mugs so I am forever spilling all over His nice clean car or on myself.



So very true. She is the first "Tea Addict" I have experienced up close and personal. Regarding the "kit"... correction. I call the kit her "rig." Previously, I did not realize all the paraphernalia it takes to make the perfect cup of tea. Who knew there is more to it than hot water and a tea bag?

[Arwen]

My mother told me that my father liked hot tea with milk and sugar and lemon. He was dead by then (died dramatically in a car crash on my 10th b'day) so I glommed on to anything that made me feel closer to him.

You will be allowed a full 15 minutes of laughter as I tell you that it took me several tries to figure out how to make that without having the lemon curdle the milk.

Now I like black tea with just cream/milk and something sweet. These days that's Splenda. And no, I don't want to hear about how bad that is, thanks for asking before preaching. :D:byebye:

[Fancy]

My mother told me that my father liked hot tea with milk and sugar and lemon. He was dead by then (died dramatically in a car crash on my 10th b'day) so I glommed on to anything that made me feel closer to him.

You will be allowed a full 15 minutes of laughter as I tell you that it took me several tries to figure out how to make that without having the lemon curdle the milk.

Now I like black tea with just cream/milk and something sweet. These days that's Splenda. And no, I don't want to hear about how bad that is, thanks for asking before preaching. :D:byebye:


I've always wondered how to do the lemon and milk sans curdling. I'm all ears....

[Arwen]

Im having some Todd & Holland "Ruby Tuesday" right now :)


Do any of you prefer a special teacup? I have been having my tea in chunky coffee cups but I would much prefer something like this:


My mother had a friend who collected tea cups like that one. She served her friends with them and part of the charm was that only the cups and saucers matched but she didn't have a whole set.

I also want to learn how to read tea leaves so I want one of these!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51N8K4NW7ML._SS500_.jpg

[Arwen]

I've always wondered how to do the lemon and milk sans curdling. I'm all ears....


I honestly have to sit down and do it again. I'm sure I'll have to figure it out again. LOL I'll let you know when I do.

[MsMerrick]

I've always wondered how to do the lemon and milk sans curdling. I'm all ears....

Me too :)
I've never been able to do that.. Ok, I never spent a lot of time trying but.. Is it possible ???
I've had problems adding milk to Flavored Teas with high concentrations of citrus : )

[julieisafemme]

I love the tea at Indian restaurants with lots of sugar. I don't know how they make it but it is so good. I also like Thai Iced Tea. Does anyone know how to make the Indian hot tea?

PG Tips is good strong black tea. I love it.

I only use mugs. I have some fancy tea cups that were my Grandma's but they are too fragile to use. I would love to have a nice tea set and cups. Some day I want to have a tea party with my daughter. Is 8 too young for tea?

[MsMerrick]

I love the tea at Indian restaurants with lots of sugar. I don't know how they make it but it is so good. I also like Thai Iced Tea. Does anyone know how to make the Indian hot tea?

PG Tips is good strong black tea. I love it.

I only use mugs. I have some fancy tea cups that were my Grandma's but they are too fragile to use. I would love to have a nice tea set and cups. Some day I want to have a tea party with my daughter. Is 8 too young for tea?

I suspect Indian Tea, is some variation of what we tend to call Chai.. Cardamom and other spices being added to good black Tea, of which India produces a couple kinds, but Assam comes to mind first.
I have some Thai Tea, loose, from L'Amyx, along with some lovely Mint Oolong, that an Oakland friend, sent me : )..
Thai Tea, actually has food coloring in it to make it that strange and yet fascinating Orange ...

[SassyLeo]

This is not necessarily *fancy* tea... but I LOVE this as iced tea... with just a touch of sweetener

http://www.jlhufford.com/images/mangoceylonbags.jpg

[Massive]

Maybe I'm too British, but I just can't drink iced tea ... I don't know what it is, maybe it's from years of attempting to drink tea that's gone cold cos I've been too busy talking or typing to drink it ...
I've only ever had bottle Lipton iced tea though, I'll have to try real iced tea when I do finally get over the pond, I'll leave it until then to make a final decision!

[Diva]

I'm happy to say that Blush is wrangling a Tea Party for the Austin femmes on Saturday! So thanks, Medusa, for getting this started!

We're going to Zhi! :tea:

[Puplove]

I LOVE Twinings Earl Grey!

NOTHING tastes as scrumptious as Twinings Early Grey tea in London. Getting the tea in the US just doesn't taste the same (okay it's good, but not ecstasy-producing delicious).

[Medusa]

NOTHING tastes as scrumptious as Twinings Early Grey tea in London. Getting the tea in the US just doesn't taste the same (okay it's good, but not ecstasy-producing delicious).

Ok, so you are the second person who has told me this!!!!! This makes me want to go to London now (although flying over the water for that long would require more Xanax than I currently have a prescription for) :)

[Spirit Dancer]

Just wanted to share the link
for the native american tea company
http://www.nativeamericantea.com/cgi-bin/shopper.exe?search=action&category=TEAS
I adore warriors brew and teepee dreams

[cara]

I'm happy to say that Blush is wrangling a Tea Party for the Austin femmes on Saturday! So thanks, Medusa, for getting this started!

We're going to Zhi! :tea:




Oh, fun!

:stillheart:

[cara]

My favorite teas are black teas...Peach Apricot is my favorite followed closely by a nice Scottish or English Breakfast blend. Like Massive said earlier, I've never gotten used to the idea of iced tea and prefer to drink it hot. There are a couple of really great tea rooms in the Seattle area. Now that I know you like tea, Sassy Leo, we should definitely plan to get together for tea. I'll also make a note to bring some to share in LR! :-)

:stillheart:

[Medusa]

Note to self: I am not allowed to "window shop" on the Teavana tea site. :|
(I am NOT spending $256 on TEA)

[Diva]

Another neat place in Austin....

> > Tea Embassy (http://www.teaembassy.com/) < <

[oblivia]

I had a friend who had access to a wholesale supplier of fine teas, and they had really really high quality teas that you could buy by the pound. Incidentally, a pound of tea is a LOT and it keeps very well. LOL So I'm stocked up on loose leaf for... well.. hmm.. a while.

You need a business license to buy from them, but I once wrote to them and told them I did not yet have a license but was considering a tea business (I swear at the time, I was!) and they sent me a whole TON of samples (I was not expecting that, just a copy of the brochure!):
http://www.metrotea.com/

If you DO have a business license you can buy wholesale and it is really lovely. I got a whole pound of Jasmine Dragon Pearls (the hand-rolled long leaf 'gunpowder' style of Jasmine tea) for like $70 I think. This is one of the most expensive teas you can buy so I got a FANTASTIC deal for a pound.

Anyway... would recommend them in a snap!

I've tried their black teas, rooibos (they have some lovely fruity blends of rooibos that are heavenly), and greens and they're all marvelous. But the jasmine pearls are still my all time favourite and probably the only one I'd go to the trouble to buy in bulk again.. .er.. if I ever run out that is. I even share - a LOT! LOL

[oblivia]

Note to self: I am not allowed to "window shop" on the Teavana tea site. :|
(I am NOT spending $256 on TEA)

Oh my... do they ship to Canada? I actually have teavana's app on my ipod touch - it's a lovely download that is a teatimer! You select the type of tea and it tells you how long to steep and has a lovely little animation to go along with it. :) Also info on different tea varieties, etc. :)

[Diva]

Is there a Tea Basket for the Reunion Raffle?

[Medusa]

Is there a Tea Basket for the Reunion Raffle?






Im going to have to check because I have been trying to win a frigging tea basket for the last umpteen years and have YET to succeed! And one year they had the cutest little crocheted tea cozy :praying:

[Medusa]

Ok, so you are the second person who has told me this!!!!! This makes me want to go to London now (although flying over the water for that long would require more Xanax than I currently have a prescription for) :)



Incidentally, I checked flights to London last night and 2 round-trip first class tickets ( I am NOT flying coach for that long over the water) from Little Rock, Arkansas to London Heathrow is a little over $17,000 :|

[MsMerrick]

Im going to have to check because I have been trying to win a frigging tea basket for the last umpteen years and have YET to succeed! And one year they had the cutest little crocheted tea cozy :praying:

That was knitted thank you very much....

[MsMerrick]

NOTHING tastes as scrumptious as Twinings Early Grey tea in London. Getting the tea in the US just doesn't taste the same (okay it's good, but not ecstasy-producing delicious).

Part of the problem, I suspect..is that in the US, people tend to use Tea bags
Which are NOT at all the same as using loose Tea . Very different in taste and quality. The Tea put in bags, is cut very fine, and loses taste very quickly..
Not these days, there are company's changing the bags, and putting real loose tea in them, but those are the ones you have probably thought to yourself..Why would anyone pay that much for those !
:tea:

[WolfyOne]

Part of the problem, I suspect..is that in the US, people tend to use Tea bags
Which are NOT at all the same as using loose Tea . Very different in taste and quality. The Tea put in bags, is cut very fine, and loses taste very quickly..
Not these days, there are company's changing the bags, and putting real loose tea in them, but those are the ones you have probably thought to yourself..Why would anyone pay that much for those !
:tea:


The tea merchant I use has T-Sacs that I use when I only want a cup of tea for traveling. Just like tea bags, but you can put your loose tea in them. I think it's the next best thing to a tea bag if you don't like tea floating in your cup from a tea ball or infuser. Personally at home, I have a tea spoon I fill with tea when only wanting a cup. So, for those that like tea bags and also like loose tea, use a T-Sac.

[Melissa]

Incidentally, I checked flights to London last night and 2 round-trip first class tickets ( I am NOT flying coach for that long over the water) from Little Rock, Arkansas to London Heathrow is a little over $17,000 :|

Medusa - if you don't like flying or being on a plane try the Cunard transatlantic sailing trip. http://www.cunard.com/ They have afternoon tea everyday on board! It is a lot cheaper then flying first class. It also takes longer. About 6 days from NY to Southhampton. Rufusboi has arthritis and can't sit on a plane longer then 3 hours. Even that length of time makes him limp getting off the flight. So we are thinking of the Cunard option.

Melissa

[MsMerrick]

The tea merchant I use has T-Sacs that I use when I only want a cup of tea for traveling. Just like tea bags, but you can put your loose tea in them. I think it's the next best thing to a tea bag if you don't like tea floating in your cup from a tea ball or infuser. Personally at home, I have a tea spoon I fill with tea when only wanting a cup. So, for those that like tea bags and also like loose tea, use a T-Sac.

Absolutely, although i was referring to a lot of new companies, with.. Infuser bags.. I think that is more what they get called. Much improved and contain already measured loose Tea.. : )

[Arwen]

Hooray for Blush! She's trying to move the :tea:party to Sunday so poor Arwen can go. LOL

I just looked at a tea menu for The Steeping Room here in Austin. Wow. Just Wow.

I'm going to need a tea translator.

What's a good tea to start with? I really like roiboos, hibiscus and pomegranate.

Does that make me fruity?

[julieisafemme]

I suspect Indian Tea, is some variation of what we tend to call Chai.. Cardamom and other spices being added to good black Tea, of which India produces a couple kinds, but Assam comes to mind first.
I have some Thai Tea, loose, from L'Amyx, along with some lovely Mint Oolong, that an Oakland friend, sent me : )..
Thai Tea, actually has food coloring in it to make it that strange and yet fascinating Orange ...

The Indian Tea is not Chai tasting. I am not a huge fan of Chai. It is very strong black tea that they mix with milk or cream and then you load in the sugar and they have these little mugs to drink it out of and it just the best.

I did not know that about Thai Iced tea!! I thought it was just from the natural tea color. I like it with those tapioca balls in it too. It is like dessert.

[julieisafemme]

The tea merchant I use has T-Sacs that I use when I only want a cup of tea for traveling. Just like tea bags, but you can put your loose tea in them. I think it's the next best thing to a tea bag if you don't like tea floating in your cup from a tea ball or infuser. Personally at home, I have a tea spoon I fill with tea when only wanting a cup. So, for those that like tea bags and also like loose tea, use a T-Sac.


I need to try these tea sacs. Then I won't have to bring my rig when I travel. Are these the unbleached paper kind? Are they reusable? They have those for to go loose tea at Peet's.

[Arwen]

There's a restaurant in Denver. It's hard to find unless you know it's there but it is by the Samurai sushi place on Arapahoe.

Anyway, I ordered tea one night and the owner, a lovely Persian woman, asked me if I wanted Persian tea. I said yes.

In a regular iced tea glass, I was served HOT spicy flavorful tea that was amazing. I'd love to recreate that experience. Anyone know what this is or have a clue?

I found this (http://mypersiankitchen.com/how-to-brew-persian-tea/)which seems to be in line with what I got at this place. Miss that place because the kabobs were so yummy.

[WolfyOne]

My freebie site sent this to me and I thought since we're talking about tea, this would be a good place to share it.

Get a free tea sample - Language of the Leaf is offering a free tea sample. To receive this offer, enter your name on the lower left hand side of the page. Then enter your email address and complete the form on the next page for your shipping information.

Edited to add, I chose the Blueberry White and will let you know what I think when it arrives.

http://languageoftheleaf.com/

[WolfyOne]

I need to try these tea sacs. Then I won't have to bring my rig when I travel. Are these the unbleached paper kind? Are they reusable? They have those for to go loose tea at Peet's.


If you go to the link Medusa put up in her first post for Todd & Holland and check the accessories, you'll see they come in 3 sizes. haven't really read what they're made of, but they are great for traveling. We usually buy the #2 because after we add tea, we can twist and knot it then toss it in a cup for steeping. Perhaps reusable if you don't knot it, but they come 100 to a pack, so cheap enough not to have to reuse.

[MsMerrick]

My freebie site sent this to me and I thought since we're talking about tea, this would be a good place to share it.

Get a free tea sample - Language of the Leaf is offering a free tea sample. To receive this offer, enter your name on the lower left hand side of the page. Then enter your email address and complete the form on the next page for your shipping information.

Edited to add, I chose the Blueberry White and will let you know what I think when it arrives.

http://languageoftheleaf.com/

Thank you ! I am trying the Wedding Blend, which is also a White blend..
Btw they have Tea Filters also :) Which is what we were talking about, yes?

[MsMerrick]

The Indian Tea is not Chai tasting. I am not a huge fan of Chai. It is very strong black tea that they mix with milk or cream and then you load in the sugar and they have these little mugs to drink it out of and it just the best.

I did not know that about Thai Iced tea!! I thought it was just from the natural tea color. I like it with those tapioca balls in it too. It is like dessert.

Well there's a number of Tea's from India, but perhaps you might just ask them sometime ;)
My favorite way o f drinking any kind of Black Tea, is very strong with Milk or Cream :) I prefer a small amount of sweetener, but everyone is different : 0
Here's an interesting bit from Tea Chat, about someone trying to identify some Tea in India
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13000

The tapioca pearl thing, is not something I have fallen in love with Its very popular here..in a lot of Asian places, Bubble Tea's, they are called. Ehh, its ok, just.. ..doesn't really grab me :)
My first recollection of Tea, was nice hot tea, that my Grandmother served, after we came down off a mountain, in the Adirondacks ;) To this day, the hotter it gets, the more I crave hot tea, which many people find strange....

[WolfyOne]

Thank you ! I am trying the Wedding Blend, which is also a White blend..
Btw they have Tea Filters also :) Which is what we were talking about, yes?


You're quite welcome

I'll have to look at theirs because I already know what the other ones look like
I suppose if I like their tea and place and order, I'll see what the difference is.

I just looked at their filters and it looks like they only come in one size.
Much more expensive than the ones I get from T & H

[Lynn]

I like Earl Grey in a nice pottery mug with milk and honey. Good Earth tea, as Freckle-K posted, is naturally sweet and spicy. Brewed really strong, it's great in the morning, and nice over ice, too. We recently bought Bigelow black tea with berry and used it to make sun tea--it was really fruity and mellow. Drinking hot tea from small glasses with sugar cubes reminds me of my grandmother. After dinner, tea in a fancy porcelain cup with a floating lemon slice reminds me of my (beloved) former in-laws.

I'm a big fan of medicinal teas. When I was pregnant, I found nausea relief from raspberry leaf tea and ginger tea. I give my daughter valerian tea when she is restless. Most recently, I gave the cat peppermint tea, a few drops at a time, when he was sick to his kitty stomach. It was amazing how quickly he responded.

I'm not a tea expert, but I do love it. Tea is something to savor, not rush through. Thank you for sharing all the information and the links!

[Fancy]

My freebie site sent this to me and I thought since we're talking about tea, this would be a good place to share it.

Get a free tea sample - Language of the Leaf is offering a free tea sample. To receive this offer, enter your name on the lower left hand side of the page. Then enter your email address and complete the form on the next page for your shipping information.

Edited to add, I chose the Blueberry White and will let you know what I think when it arrives.

http://languageoftheleaf.com/

Thank you ! I am trying the Wedding Blend, which is also a White blend..
Btw they have Tea Filters also :) Which is what we were talking about, yes?

Ah a friend sent me a sampling of the Wedding Blend and it has been a big hit. Thanks for posting the site information!
:tea:

[Medusa]

Sunday night tea treat - Teavana Mate Vana. It has a lovely creamy undertone and hints of nutty, chocolatey goodness. A nice medium black tea flavor.

And I have to make a confession. I treated myself this weekend to a mini-shopping spree. After months of being crazy-frugal and not buying much of anything that was an extravagance, I celebrated my new raise and promotion with a trip to the brand new Teavana store at Park Plaza Mall.

I generally despise malls but the pilgrimage was worth it. :)
I ended up leaving with 9 bags of tea, 4 tea tins, a tea spoon, a 'perfect' one-cup teapot, and a biggo bag of german rock sugar.

If you have never been to a Teavana store, I recommend checking it out. They have about 50 different teas available at the store (maybe more?) and lots of free samples, teapots, etc.

[Arwen]

Sunday night tea treat - Teavana Mate Vana. It has a lovely creamy undertone and hints of nutty, chocolatey goodness. A nice medium black tea flavor.

And I have to make a confession. I treated myself this weekend to a mini-shopping spree. After months of being crazy-frugal and not buying much of anything that was an extravagance, I celebrated my new raise and promotion with a trip to the brand new Teavana store at Park Plaza Mall.

I generally despise malls but the pilgrimage was worth it. :)
I ended up leaving with 9 bags of tea, 4 tea tins, a tea spoon, a 'perfect' one-cup teapot, and a biggo bag of german rock sugar.

If you have never been to a Teavana store, I recommend checking it out. They have about 50 different teas available at the store (maybe more?) and lots of free samples, teapots, etc.

I'm so jealous! Sounds like you had an amazing time. :) I'm glad you treated yourself. You so deserve this.

[WolfyOne]

Sunday night tea treat - Teavana Mate Vana. It has a lovely creamy undertone and hints of nutty, chocolatey goodness. A nice medium black tea flavor.

And I have to make a confession. I treated myself this weekend to a mini-shopping spree. After months of being crazy-frugal and not buying much of anything that was an extravagance, I celebrated my new raise and promotion with a trip to the brand new Teavana store at Park Plaza Mall.

I generally despise malls but the pilgrimage was worth it. :)
I ended up leaving with 9 bags of tea, 4 tea tins, a tea spoon, a 'perfect' one-cup teapot, and a biggo bag of german rock sugar.

If you have never been to a Teavana store, I recommend checking it out. They have about 50 different teas available at the store (maybe more?) and lots of free samples, teapots, etc.

I'm smiling while reading this.....thinking, next trip, I won't bring any tea at all. I may even find a Teavana tea or 3 I like and have yet another tea merchant I like.

Does this mean I helped turn you into an even bigger tea addict than you were before I brought my tea your way?

[MsMerrick]

Well, our monthly Femme Tea, this month, was to celebrate my upcoming ( tomorrow) Birthday :) We went to on of my favorite places, Radiance Tea House (http://www.radiancetea.com) which has some incredible Tea sets, Tea, and.. many many Books ! Also wonderful Hosts, who never fail to make one feel an honored guest ;) I felt very warmed by the support of my Femme friends.. I had a Yellow Tea, something pretty new to me.. ! and something I mean to repeat ! Oh and one of the gifts ( I had said no gifts but.. ) was a GC to a lovely new place in NYC, I gather they started in Chicago, so others may know them.. but they are new to me.. Argo Tea shop and cafe (http://www.argotea.com) . I had some lovely Tea, sandwich ( a tiny one ! ) and purchased some loose Tea that I had never had, called Carolina Honey :) Black Tea with the flavor of Honey & lemon :)
Have I ever mentioned how much I love Tea ;) And Femme friends ; )

[MsMerrick]

Oh and I did ask about contributing a Tea Basket.. One of our members, is going to the Reunion, and said she would be happy to help. Anybody else want to put that together? I can hook you up :) ( I can't attend or I would do it myself.. :) )

[femmennoir]

Well, our monthly Femme Tea, this month, was to celebrate my upcoming ( tomorrow) Birthday

Happy Birthday, Merrick, and I am sorry I did not make it to the June Birthday Tea! I love Radiance! I will see you tonight at Queer Knitting NYC, and I would contribute something to a Tea Basket! Who is going to the reunion?

Elle*, who HAD to order more of the Green Chai from Adagio, because it has become an afternoon addiction!

[MsMerrick]

Happy Birthday, Merrick, and I am sorry I did not make it to the June Birthday Tea! I love Radiance! I will see you tonight at Queer Knitting NYC, and I would contribute something to a Tea Basket! Who is going to the reunion?

Elle*, who HAD to order more of the Green Chai from Adagio, because it has become an afternoon addiction!

Amy :) Not sure what her name on here is.....

[2myladyblue]

Elixir de Vie
Earl Grey tea adds depth to this fruity virgin cocktail of apple juice, blackberries and raspberries.

Ingredients:
Pinch of loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
4 oz (120 mL) apple juice
3 raspberries
3 blackberries
1 oz (30 mL) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla simple syrup

Directions:
In a cocktail glass, combine tea and apple juice. Let tea steep into the apple juice until the flavor has been fully extracted (approximately 30 minutes). In a shaker, muddle berries, then add lemon juice and vanilla simple syrup. Strain tea and apple juice into shaker and fill with ice. Shake well and serve straight up in a martini glass. Garnish with edible rose petals or berries. Serves one.

:blueheels:
~LadyBlue

[Medusa]

Elixir de Vie
Earl Grey tea adds depth to this fruity virgin cocktail of apple juice, blackberries and raspberries.

Ingredients:
Pinch of loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
4 oz (120 mL) apple juice
3 raspberries
3 blackberries
1 oz (30 mL) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla simple syrup

Directions:
In a cocktail glass, combine tea and apple juice. Let tea steep into the apple juice until the flavor has been fully extracted (approximately 30 minutes). In a shaker, muddle berries, then add lemon juice and vanilla simple syrup. Strain tea and apple juice into shaker and fill with ice. Shake well and serve straight up in a martini glass. Garnish with edible rose petals or berries. Serves one.

:blueheels:
~LadyBlue



This sounds like something I need to be trying this weekend :)

[Chancie]

I used to love Good Earth Original, but the last time I had it, I read the ingredients:


Black tea, natural flavor, rosehips, cinnamon, chamomile, lemongrass, peppermint, papaya, jasmine tea, anise seed, ginger root, orange peel and orange oil. Contains no sugar, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. A natural source of antioxidants.

Does anyone have any idea what 'natural flavor' means? Sometimes it means MSG, and it's the second ingredient in the list, which means there is more of it than every other ingredient besides the black tea.

[femmennoir]

New York Femmes Tea Circle is getting a few things together for the tea basket for the reunion! We will bring them to our July tea for Amy to take with her. We are all trying to decide what to include, although there will be plenty of tea, of course! Maybe some homemade jams, jellies, or cookies too! I am looking through my antique tea linens to see. It would help if we knew what colour/style the teapot is! Do you already have cups? Inquiring minds are dying to know!
Elle* and the Femmes Tea Gang

[Medusa]

New York Femmes Tea Circle is getting a few things together for the tea basket for the reunion! We will bring them to our July tea for Amy to take with her. We are all trying to decide what to include, although there will be plenty of tea, of course! Maybe some homemade jams, jellies, or cookies too! I am looking through my antique tea linens to see. It would help if we knew what colour/style the teapot is! Do you already have cups? Inquiring minds are dying to know!
Elle* and the Femmes Tea Gang


THIS will be something that I buy a TON of raffle tickets for. I have been trying to win one of those awesome tea-baskets for years!!! The one in Oakland a few years ago, I bet I spent $100 trying to get that basket!!

[MsMerrick]

I used to love Good Earth Original, but the last time I had it, I read the ingredients:



Does anyone have any idea what 'natural flavor' means? Sometimes it means MSG, and it's the second ingredient in the list, which means there is more of it than every other ingredient besides the black tea.

Not usually with Tea, more likely a flavor...

[MsMerrick]

New York Femmes Tea Circle is getting a few things together for the tea basket for the reunion! We will bring them to our July tea for Amy to take with her. We are all trying to decide what to include, although there will be plenty of tea, of course! Maybe some homemade jams, jellies, or cookies too! I am looking through my antique tea linens to see. It would help if we knew what colour/style the teapot is! Do you already have cups? Inquiring minds are dying to know!
Elle* and the Femmes Tea Gang
Cups & Pots, are being bought by the primary creator of the Tea Basket for the Reunion ;)
We are just adding stuff, and a lot of that will be dependent on how much Amy can bring !

[femmennoir]

I personally am settling for four different kinds of tea and a scone mix! I hope we get to see photos of the tea basket!

Elle*

[MsMerrick]

So I am going to knit a Tea Cozy for the Tea Basket, and I am wondering.. I have 2 colors available. What say you all ? Particularly Medusa, because she is such a fan ! Teal or Red ? Like a bright Lipstick Red or a slightly jade colored Teal, both quite beautiful :)

[Medusa]

So I am going to knit a Tea Cozy for the Tea Basket, and I am wondering.. I have 2 colors available. What say you all ? Particularly Medusa, because she is such a fan ! Teal or Red ? Like a bright Lipstick Red or a slightly jade colored Teal, both quite beautiful :)

RED of course! :)

[femmennoir]

RED of course! :)

I totally agree!

Elle*

[Daktari]

I'm a Brit so I do tea big style! Nothing fixes the worlds ills better than "a nice cup of tea"

A good mug - or cup if you want to be dainty about it - of tea is brewed in a warmed pot and for my preference will be English Breakfast tea - most brands except Twinings which tastes 'dusty'. I like a good strong Assam too and always have Rooibos in the evenings.

I was brought up with PG Tips though
YouTube- Brooke Bond - PG Tips - French Bike Race - UK Advert

[MsMerrick]

RED of course! :)

I totally agree!

Elle*

Thanks for your input :)

[femmennoir]

I was looking through my linens, and I found a vintage crocheted kitchen pot holder in the shape of a milk jug! It is so darling, I think I have to include it in the basket with the tea and the scone mix!
Elle*

[BarbaraRyan]

I am a big fan of Zhena's Gypsy Teas.

http://www.gypsytea.com/

I love their Chocolate Chai, Berry Bellini, and Pomegranate Rose. Berry Bellini is a tea version of the famous drink. It's super yummy.

[WolfyOne]

Chocolate and Chai in the same tea.........do tell

[DressyFemme]

Being a Brit by birth, then visiting England throughout my childhood and adolescence then living there 1989-1991 made me a tea addict...I can't go a day without my daily fix! :) Nowadays I drink tea only, no coffee for this femme!

I used 2 Mrs. Tea makers until they sadly broke down from years of use... then found the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker from Bloomingdales.com and am thoroughly enjoying my re-introduction to loose leaf teas that I had previously enjoyed in England. Bought a bunch of loose teas from adagioteas.com and am enjoying them tremendously especially mango melange.... but thanks to this thread it seems there are a lot more sites I have to peek at and sample from!

Wanted to share a site I've been frequenting lately. It has reviews of teas, ranking the top 100 as sampled by members... has a message board... has a tea-house search option.... and has daily specials for members (there's no cost to membership)...

http://steepster.com

Enjoy! (I'm DressyFemme on their boards)....

Dressy :) :tea:

[MsMerrick]

I was looking through my linens, and I found a vintage crocheted kitchen pot holder in the shape of a milk jug! It is so darling, I think I have to include it in the basket with the tea and the scone mix!
Elle*

Perfect :)

[MsMerrick]

Being a Brit by birth, then visiting England throughout my childhood and adolescence then living there 1989-1991 made me a tea addict...I can't go a day without my daily fix! :) Nowadays I drink tea only, no coffee for this femme!

I used 2 Mrs. Tea makers until they sadly broke down from years of use... then found the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker from Bloomingdales.com and am thoroughly enjoying my re-introduction to loose leaf teas that I had previously enjoyed in England. Bought a bunch of loose teas from adagioteas.com and am enjoying them tremendously especially mango melange.... but thanks to this thread it seems there are a lot more sites I have to peek at and sample from!

Wanted to share a site I've been frequenting lately. It has reviews of teas, ranking the top 100 as sampled by members... has a message board... has a tea-house search option.... and has daily specials for members (there's no cost to membership)...

http://steepster.com

Enjoy! (I'm DressyFemme on their boards)....

Dressy :) :tea:

Thanks for the new site to check out !! and hey there ;)

[Arwen]

“O Tea! O leaves torn from the sacred bough! O stalk, gift born of the great gods! What joyful region bored thee? In what part of the sky Is the fostering earth swollen with your health, bringing increase” Pierre Daniel Huet

Now there's a man who loved his tea. :|

[BarbaraRyan]

Being a Brit by birth, then visiting England throughout my childhood and adolescence then living there 1989-1991 made me a tea addict...I can't go a day without my daily fix! :) Nowadays I drink tea only, no coffee for this femme!

I used 2 Mrs. Tea makers until they sadly broke down from years of use... then found the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker from Bloomingdales.com and am thoroughly enjoying my re-introduction to loose leaf teas that I had previously enjoyed in England. Bought a bunch of loose teas from adagioteas.com and am enjoying them tremendously especially mango melange.... but thanks to this thread it seems there are a lot more sites I have to peek at and sample from!

Wanted to share a site I've been frequenting lately. It has reviews of teas, ranking the top 100 as sampled by members... has a message board... has a tea-house search option.... and has daily specials for members (there's no cost to membership)...

http://steepster.com

Enjoy! (I'm DressyFemme on their boards)....

Dressy :) :tea:

Hi Dressy,
I love tea too. I enjoy Adagio Teas too. They have a great Blood Orange one which is great substitute for orange juice at breakfast. Have you tried the Zhena's Gyspy Teas? They are excellent. I have never used a tea maker. I just use a kettle and a strainer if needed. Is it easier using a maker?

Thanks for recommending Steepster.

Take care!

[Fancy]

I'm looking forward to having afternoon tea at a local tea parlor this week with my lovely little lady. One of the things we enjoy is when they bring out a big tray that has dainty bottles containing leaves of all their flavors. Olfactory heaven.

I've been reading the thread for inspiration.

I think it may have been Vegas a few years back when I won the tea basket. I remember the contents of the basket better than the event itself. LOL
:)

[MsMerrick]

I'm looking forward to having afternoon tea at a local tea parlor this week with my lovely little lady. One of the things we enjoy is when they bring out a big tray that has dainty bottles containing leaves of all their flavors. Olfactory heaven.

I've been reading the thread for inspiration.

I think it may have been Vegas a few years back when I won the tea basket. I remember the contents of the basket better than the event itself. LOL
:)

Wonderful, tell us which one :) I never went to Vegas, so someone else ( Michelle I suspect ) would have delivered it :) What were your favorite things etc etc?

[DressyFemme]

Hi Dressy,
I love tea too. I enjoy Adagio Teas too. They have a great Blood Orange one which is great substitute for orange juice at breakfast. Have you tried the Zhena's Gyspy Teas? They are excellent. I have never used a tea maker. I just use a kettle and a strainer if needed. Is it easier using a maker?

Thanks for recommending Steepster.

Take care!

I love Zhena's Gypsy Coconut Chai. Lovely flavor, plus I enjoy coconut flavored teas and spice teas.

Yes, using a maker is much easier. All you do is plug it in, fill the carafe with 1200 ml of water, use the scoop provided with the maker to measure out 5 scoops of loose tea into the basket and put the cover on the basket, put the basket onto the magnetized post, put the cover on top of the carafe, press the buttons for type of tea (black, white, oolong, herbal, etc.) and desired strength, and then press the TEA button. It does the rest! and keeps it warm for an hour. Plus it has a timer feature.

It also has a Basket feature which allows you to steep the tea longer if you want an even stronger flavor. Easy to clean, too.

Here's the link to the product's website:

http://www.brevilleusa.com/tea/one-touch-tea-maker.html

It can be purchased at

http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=482439&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

It's expensive... $315.00... (look on ebay or other websites first, these are selling out fast) but if you have the money, it's a very worthwhile investment.
I haven't had it make one type of tea I haven't liked yet.

Happy Tea Time!

Dressy :tea:

[Medusa]

I love coconut chai's too Dressy!
I find them to be especially nice after our dinner meal with a tiny lemon cookie or something else with just a bit of tartness to it.

I have a coconut chai (I almost typed "chair" here! *snort*) that is just one of those Celestial Seasons boxes and its still pretty good. Pretty yummy for less than $3 :)

[femmennoir]

I wish I were coming to the reunion just to have tea with all the Femmes! How fun would that be to expand from our New York group! July Tea was a very small gathering (three of us!), three people having had to cancel at the last moment. But Merrick, Amy and I had a lovely tea at a favourite place, Cha-An, which is Japanese with a chef trained in France so the best of two worlds! I had the decadent all dessert tea, and loved it! We gave Amy our contributions to the Tea Basket, and I also, Medusa, have wanted to win that basket without success ! Good luck for this year! Merrick contributed her special apple jelly with rose geranium, some tea and a hand-knit tea cozy, and I some tea, a crocheted pot holder in the shape of a cream jug, a book about tea, and a packaged scone mix! I can't wait to see photos of the basket(s)!

Elle*

[BarbaraRyan]

Hi Dressy. I bought the Coconut Chai for my Mom as she loves pina colada's. I thought she might like it and she loves it. I haven't tried it yet. I really like Zhena's Berry Bellini. It's the perfect light fruity drink. I like chai, but I'm allergic to milk, so I have to be really careful with it. I do like spiced chai, as it usually doesn't have milk in it.

Oh wow. Your maker sounds a bit like the Coureg my Mom got. It doesn't have the multiple settings, which I would want too. I like my tea strong. My favorite black tea is English Breakfast with a bit of sugar or honey. I like how bold it is.

Thanks for the link. I can't afford it now, but I certainly can droll over it.

Hugs!

I love Zhena's Gypsy Coconut Chai. Lovely flavor, plus I enjoy coconut flavored teas and spice teas.

Yes, using a maker is much easier. All you do is plug it in, fill the carafe with 1200 ml of water, use the scoop provided with the maker to measure out 5 scoops of loose tea into the basket and put the cover on the basket, put the basket onto the magnetized post, put the cover on top of the carafe, press the buttons for type of tea (black, white, oolong, herbal, etc.) and desired strength, and then press the TEA button. It does the rest! and keeps it warm for an hour. Plus it has a timer feature.

It also has a Basket feature which allows you to steep the tea longer if you want an even stronger flavor. Easy to clean, too.

Here's the link to the product's website:

http://www.brevilleusa.com/tea/one-touch-tea-maker.html

It can be purchased at

http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=482439&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

It's expensive... $315.00... (look on ebay or other websites first, these are selling out fast) but if you have the money, it's a very worthwhile investment.
I haven't had it make one type of tea I haven't liked yet.

Happy Tea Time!

Dressy :tea:

[femmennoir]

Last Sunday a friend and I decided to have a tea outing, and we went to Warwick, upstate New York, an old 1700's town, for a British tea experience. The town (or village) is lovely, and we had fun in a couple of antique stores and at the important green market, after which we proceeded to Charlotte's Tea Rooms, located in an old Victorian house on Main Street, a short walk from the town square. In a quaint atmosphere, surrounded by tea pots and tea cups in bright colours, we had a most satisfying tea: plates of sandwiches (six different kinds), a large black currant scone with honeyed butter and strawberry jam, and the dessert of our choice (we both chose the Key lime pie, a large slice of creamy dreamy delight). The tea was from Harneys, we chose "Paris", a very fragrant tea. The whole experience only set us back $28 for two, which would be the price of tea for one in New York City! We were delighted by the experience and plan to discover more tea salons outside of the city! The next tea outing will be with New York City Scooter Chicks, at Tarrytown. More about that later!

Elle*, who would love to hear about tea salons everywhere!

[WolfyOne]

My tea came in the mail today....got 9 or 10 bags for the raffle. I haven't really unpacked the box.
Will be bringing along catalogs from Todd & Holland.
Looking forward to seeing all the the tea items, so we can mix/blend a few baskets.
The procrastinator that I am will be going this weekend to look at tea pots.

[MsMerrick]

So ? What happened at the Reunion ? Are their photos of the stuff we sent ? Did Medusa like her surprise gift ? I looked for some comments but haven't seen any besides a report one person got a Tea Basket, not sure which one it was.. and where all the stuff we sent ended up :)
Photos by any chance would be much appreciated...

[WolfyOne]

A tea freebie for those that want to try it
This is for little tea packs you pour into a water bottle and shake
Limited to the first 200 that respond

Besides, gives me a reason to bump this thread

http://www.greenteahawaii.com/free-sample-request.cfm

[WolfyOne]

I came across an interesting site while looking through my freebies and wanted to share it

It's a tea site that uses tea for cooking and you could earn items by creating recipes

http://www.teachef.com/request_sample.html

[WolfyOne]

Time to bump this thread with another free tea offer

http://free-stuff-finder.com/general-freebies/ego-tea-loose-leaf-green-tea-sample/

[Medusa]

I'm about to enjoy some wonderful orange chamomile from Teavana :)

Anyone trying any new teas lately?

[Arwen]

Blood Orange from http://www.zhitea.com which makes a truly fabulous iced tea.

[Dean Thoreau]

I love tea and just came across a wonderful tea called:
No Tea Party Tea.....................the packaging alone is great...and just cause teas (that's where i got it) gives 20% of their profits on this tea to change.org which i thought was pretty cool.

Oh and the tea is yummy...... it is organic, kosher,,,and it is the most delicious black tea...it is actually this tea brick...that u kind of break.saw/chop a small piece off and make tea (similar to pureh cakes but in a brick)
Well anyway I love it..its yummy and i feel like i am doing some political good when i drink it which make me feel less guilty about the carbon imprint from the import of it.

I just planted some tea plants this year,,.i got them fro this farm in virginia, since i am near philly i have to container them and bring them in the fall till spring....but thats ok..(I built giant pots and put wheels on them)
later folks :seeingstars:

[MsMerrick]

I am getting ready for a Femme Tea , that I am hosting at my place.. Here's the 3 Teas, I will be setting out to start :)
- Royal Wedding Tea from Harney and Sons - Chinese mutan white tea buds, with almond, coconut and vanilla to taste, and a floral abundance of pink rosebuds and petals.
- a caffeine free Rooibos based Tea from Germany, I can't translate all the ingredients but it is delicious :)
- I ma still wavering between a Valentines Day blend ( chocolate and Rosebuds) or a simple Lychee or maybe a Rose ..for the black Tea...!
There's a an Oat Berry Tart, gluten free, cooking in the oven, with Cranberry Scones ( not gluten free) to follow, tons of Rice Crackers with Matcha Cream cheese ( a dairy free alternate) to be topped with either Smoked Salmon or Cucumber.
And people are bringing all kinds of wonderful things ! Its a grand day to be a Femme ;)

[Venus007]

I just discovered a source for PG Tips and Yorkshire Gold, oh so yummy. I like my teas sturdy and robust and both of these varieties do the job. The Yorkshire Gold is a little malty and the PG Tips is just pure plain good tea. It is fantastic with a little splash of milk.

[1QuirkyKiwi]

I love drinking herbal teas….my favourite is Jasmine flowers (Sambac) with Lemon balm. I have various other herbal teas; some for my Moontime, others for general health and well being. I have a collection of Chinese and Japanese teas for after dinner.

Last year a group of my fellow stitchers and I went for afternoon tea at the Dorchester Hotel in London….the most expensive pot of tea I’ve ever had! LOL! We booked 3 months in advance and all pitched in together. The service was excellent as you’d expect from such a posh hotel. The sandwiches and cakes (some specially made for us due to food allergies and dietary requirements) were good, but, not what you’d expect from a high class establishment. A good selection of teas and a pot of hot water to refill your tea pot were provided. It was enjoyable, but, at £60 ahead, it’s definitely one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences, lol!

Glasgow has the Macintosh tea rooms….the first floor (above ground level) are decorated in his art work style. The 2nd floor is decorated in Chinese style. Tea is served all day and it’s so popular with tourists and locals alike. I really miss the Macintosh tea rooms for their friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Macintosh souvenirs are also on sale, too! I need another apron….should have got one over New Year, alas I forgot, lol!

[MsMerrick]

Our Femme Tea group, has been to a couple posh places for Tea ;) And I agree, fun for a once in ..well blue moon.. but not what we do every month ! Luckily we have a fair amount of choices , although we usually end with a non English kid of Tea.. An Indian Tea Room called Tamarind, is where we are going next month. We have been before and its quite nice although not at al what anyone would call a traditional English Tea. On the other hand, I gather it is run by the owner, who loves the same kind of Tea room, back in India !
Tamarind Tea Menu (http://www.tamarindrestaurantsnyc.com/flatiron/tearoom.html)

[1QuirkyKiwi]

Our Femme Tea group, has been to a couple posh places for Tea ;) And I agree, fun for a once in ..well blue moon.. but not what we do every month ! Luckily we have a fair amount of choices , although we usually end with a non English kid of Tea.. An Indian Tea Room called Tamarind, is where we are going next month. We have been before and its quite nice although not at al what anyone would call a traditional English Tea. On the other hand, I gather it is run by the owner, who loves the same kind of Tea room, back in India !
Tamarind Tea Menu (http://www.tamarindrestaurantsnyc.com/flatiron/tearoom.html)

The Tamarind Tea Room reminds me of the Yum-cha rooms in China and Hong Kong….they serve a non-English style tea with Dim-sum, steamed buns (sweet and savoury) and Congee (one of my favourites). You pay by how many bowls/steamers/plates you’ve ordered.

Having tea in Russia was a fun experience, if you don’t mind Jam in your tea! :blink: LOL! The usual sugar, lemon and honey are offered and it’s all down to the drinkers tastes….I don’t like sweet tea, yet, I was always offered the sweeteners. Some of the older Russians and those in rural areas drink their tea with a sugar cube between their teeth. :blink:

[Dean Thoreau]

down the street from where I live they are having the annual valentines tea...it is high tea..and so delightful...tea is so much more fun than coffee....only ceremony i have seen regarding coffee is the...pile of disposable coffee cups people empty out of their car when they are in line for a car wash.
:praying:

[Lady_Di]

My current favourite tea is a lemon rose hip combination that is simply lovely.

I have always loved tea time. Takes me back to the days with my grandparents, who did tea each and everyday.

My ex, the original GI Jane, was simply mad about tea and I learned a lot about the various tea rituals the world over from her. I am a little jealous that she is living in Japan and Hawaii right now and enjoying tea, though in much smaller quantities as we did way back then.

We did nothing in moderation, or so it seemed. Today I am enjoying everything in moderation, even moderation!

Sipping a ginger lemon combo right now as I write this and I am not sure I like it to terribly much. But I know ginger is good for me, so I am trying to acquire a taste for it~

Stubbornly,
Di

[Talon]

I wondered if someone could suggest a high-quality brand of imported English or Irish black tea. I've tried several, but wondered if I could get some new suggestions.

Thanks.

[MsMerrick]

I wondered if someone could suggest a high-quality brand of imported English or Irish black tea. I've tried several, but wondered if I could get some new suggestions.

Thanks.

Hmmm ..Maybe some UK friends can comment :)
I tend to recommend Harney & Sons, for All things Tea... But I can't say that I know much about specific English and /or Irish Teas. I was chatting with one of the people that works there, about What makes Irish vs English Breakfast Tea, but I don't recall all their answers ;) I have to say, that I have come to believe that they really do have the best Tea around :) In all its forms...!

[1QuirkyKiwi]

I wondered if someone could suggest a high-quality brand of imported English or Irish black tea. I've tried several, but wondered if I could get some new suggestions.

Thanks.

Are you looking to buy the tea from the UK?

Twinings do speciality, English and Herbal teas. www.twinings.co.uk

These two companies sell English tea and various other teas. www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/

http://englishtea.org.uk/

You could try here: www.englishteastore.com (United States)

[Talon]

Hmmm ..Maybe some UK friends can comment :)
I tend to recommend Harney & Sons, for All things Tea... But I can't say that I know much about specific English and /or Irish Teas. I was chatting with one of the people that works there, about What makes Irish vs English Breakfast Tea, but I don't recall all their answers ;) I have to say, that I have come to believe that they really do have the best Tea around :) In all its forms...!

Thank you MsMerrick...I'm definitely open to any/all suggestions. I will have to try Harney & Sons. I always enjoy a nice calming herbal as well in the evenings.

[Talon]

Are you looking to buy the tea from the UK?

Twinings do speciality, English and Herbal teas. www.twinings.co.uk

These two companies sell English tea and various other teas. www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/

http://englishtea.org.uk/

You could try here: www.englishteastore.com (United States)




I do love Twinnings for English Breakfast...also Punjana for Irish Breakfast.
The other two brands I've yet to try, so thank you.

[MsMerrick]

Thank you MsMerrick...I'm definitely open to any/all suggestions. I will have to try Harney & Sons. I always enjoy a nice calming herbal as well in the evenings.

I gather you are in the NorthEast, rather a large area but..They have a Shop in Millerton, New York , as well as in Manhattan, down in Soho.. ;) also of course, mail order :)
www.harney.com :)

[Dean Thoreau]

I think actually I know the best tea I have ever had was last saturday...had the grandgirls ages 2 and 6....and they took all the stuff off my i need to read this table... put it in the middle of the living room, and made a tea party.. .............with with folded napkins, tablecloth, little tiny tea cups and saucers,,,cookies..and put the pillows from my bed on the floor for our seats...
The tea was a well aged bottle of green tea they found in my fridge, heated in the microwave :| with several globs of honey in each cup.....:blink:..the 6 year old served it in the living room....and we 3 sat and drank our tea...holding the cups all proper....tho the 2 year olds cup seemed to droop and pour on her lap and everywhere else.............
The carpet can be shampooed.....the most expensive tea in the world will never taste so good, because this tea was made with a love only a child can give....

[Venus007]

PG Tipps is good although a little light for my taste, still quite tasty
My favorite is Yorkshire Gold by Taylors of Harrogate, it has a nice malty flavor and is strong without bitterness. You can order both of these teas from Amazon.com.

I wondered if someone could suggest a high-quality brand of imported English or Irish black tea. I've tried several, but wondered if I could get some new suggestions.

Thanks.

[princesskathie]

I adore a tea party! There are a couple of lovely places to go for high tea in the Raleigh, NC area. Any Carolina girls up for an excursion?

[macele]

i love tea parties! lipton is fine with me. i got a tea set for my birthday a couple years ago, love it. on the porch, drinking tea from my dollar store tea set. i think my niece only bought me that tea set so that i would have parties with her. we drink tea and make up gossip, ... and of course we speak in a southern accent.

[Medusa]

Just rediscovered a lovely blooming tea that I used to indulge in a couple of times a week.

Teavana's Strawberry Misaki is amazing!

This is a description of the notes:

The romance of ripe strawberries is creatively captured in this hand-tied artisan display tea. The white tea ball blossoms into a spray of carnations when steeped. Perfect for travel and a masterpiece made for multiple infusions.

Delicate floral white tea infusion with sweet strawberry undertones.

This tea is GORGEOUS when it's steeping and "blooms" and tastes really smooth. LOVE.

[Medusa]

Latest favorite actually goes in my Keurig! It's Celestial Seasons "Lemon Zinger" herbal tea and it is freaking DELICIOUS!

[Venus007]

LOVE that stuff, I have been on an iced tea kick with Lemon Zinger, drinking gallons of it, so good. The other Zingers are good too, Berry Zinger and Red Zinger.

Latest favorite actually goes in my Keurig! It's Celestial Seasons "Lemon Zinger" herbal tea and it is freaking DELICIOUS!

[Medusa]

I have been reading up on the benefits of hibiscus tea and have about a pound of dried hibiscus here at the house that I'd like to use.

Do any of you have any recommendations for those fill-your-own tea bags? I have seen several advertised and they seem to vary in price. I do have a tea ball but thought the bags might be a little less messy :)

[Parker]

My absolute favorite is Revolution's Sweet Ginger Peach tea (http://www.revolutiontea.com/Black-Tea/Sweet-Ginger-Peach-Tea-16-count) (decaf) - good for my belly as well as yummy. :)

http://www.revolutiontea.com/core/media/media.nl?id=135390&c=720216&h=52a6e6c6ad5690cfd9a5&resizeid=-2&resizeh=500&resizew=500

My second favorite is Stash's Chocolate Hazelnut Decaf tea - I introduced this one to the fam last Christmas and they all fell in love with it. :)

http://asset7.wellmedia.ca/i/ef54b33a46c9c5337bd13f51520c9cee_ra,w403,h403_pa,w 403,h403.jpeg

[Medusa]

I got my fill-your-own teabags in the mail and am going to attempt a hibiscus tea blend and maybe something with cloves and orange. I'll report back on how it turns out!!

I still have a TON of Teavana teas in here I am making my way through as well. Thankfully they are sealed in airtight containers or I'd have a bunch of stale tea on my hands!

[Medusa]

HOLLLLLLLYYYY MOLLLYYYY.


I have found what may very well be the Holy Grail of teas!!! Preface: I LOVE cinnamon and Red Hots.

THIS IS MAGICAL!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71ovRqmHWxL._SX425_.jpg