Tea...a beverage that puts the "steam" in Steampunk.

[Tito Alba]

Yes, I mentioned Lapsong Souchong briefly in my rather wordy post above, that I sometimes add a bit to blends to make my own "Russian Caravan".

Its the veritable Marmite of the tea world I think.  You love it or hate it but rarely find anyone who sits on the fence.

[B.Greco]

Has anyone tried making alcoholic tea?  Iced green tea punches used to be popular in the early 19th century at community parties in South Carolina and sound like they could be really good.  I've also found a healthy dose of spiced rum is a good addition to chai as a alternative to a liqueur coffee on a cold winters day.  A dash of amaretto, baileys and a few other things go quite nicely if you have them lying about too.

Constant Comment hot with some cider and rum is amazing.
I drank it all winter. When i ran out of tea, i just did cider and rum

[Arabella Periscope]

My grandmother lived through WWII and many trials and woes solely on tea -- in a porcelain cup.  No matter where she went, there was a tea caddy with leaves (not bags, "the dust swept from the tea packers' floor") and a cup and saucer.  With this talisman she could arrive in a strange country, in an empty house before the household goods had arrived, anything.  She went to England when she became ill and elderly because there, in emergency rooms and hospitals, the first thing they do is give one a cup of tea. But she said it was not hot enough unless it was in a china, not a pottery cup.   Is this an unusual addiction?  In view of the dedication discussed above, there is obviously a large population of tea enthusiasts, but this was a matter of real health and mental wellbeing for her for a lifetime.  It made a significant difference!

[barb dwyer]

That is an interesting perspective, Ms. Periscope.

Mine is a polar opposite of that one.

As a child I was 'forced' to drink
herbal tea concoctions 'for my own good'
that tasted terrible on top of being very ill.

Whether or not well intended,
(which remains debatable)
the after effect was one of terror
and then disgust of the taste
and for most of my life
I've never EVER liked tea.

Of any kind.

SO!

For me to engage in ANY drinking of tea
is a triumph of will over history
and a mark of personal advancement
over childhood trauma.

Strange how for every thing,
there is an opposite thing,
each seeking the balance of the middle.

[Hez]

I have long thought that we should use the French system.  "Tea" should refer to, well... tea.  Those concoctions made from various bits of leaves, berries, fruits and seeds should be marketed as tisanes or some other name.  That way when I am offered a hot drink I won't be conned into expecting cup of lifesaving nectar only to be faced with a mug of tart, pink fluid that smells like fruit and tastes like unsweetened koolaid.
(OK, I am exaggerating because I am in that kind of mood)
I do drink a lot of fruity herb teas, usually iced, in summer because water gets boring and the hospital air is very dry.  I have never enjoyed iced tea or hot herb tea tisanes.

[citizen_erased]

I have long thought that we should use the French system.  "Tea" should refer to, well... tea.  Those concoctions made from various bits of leaves, berries, fruits and seeds should be marketed as tisanes or some other name.  That way when I am offered a hot drink I won't be conned into expecting cup of lifesaving nectar only to be faced with a mug of tart, pink fluid that smells like fruit and tastes like unsweetened koolaid.
(OK, I am exaggerating because I am in that kind of mood)
I do drink a lot of fruity herb teas, usually iced, in summer because water gets boring and the hospital air is very dry.  I have never enjoyed iced tea or hot herb tea tisanes.

I agree fruit-flavoured teas should get a different name to them. Even if just because I don`t like the fruit ones. When I was a child, *if* I even drank tea, it was strawberry tea with a lot of sugar in it. Nowadays, I can`t even really stand the thought of such a sweet tea, much too sweet for my likings. I even don`t put any sugar in my tea, too sweet. I`m a weird one when it comes to sweet things XD

[Prof Thadeus Q. Wychlock]

Talking of the French .........
I have just returned from France yesterday evening after a lovely couple of days in Lille.
But it must be said ...... they just can't make a decent cuppa!

Ahhhh ... there's no place like home

[Tito Alba]

My grandmother lived through WWII and many trials and woes solely on tea -- in a porcelain cup.  No matter where she went, there was a tea caddy with leaves (not bags, "the dust swept from the tea packers' floor") and a cup and saucer.  With this talisman she could arrive in a strange country, in an empty house before the household goods had arrived, anything.  She went to England when she became ill and elderly because there, in emergency rooms and hospitals, the first thing they do is give one a cup of tea. But she said it was not hot enough unless it was in a china, not a pottery cup.   Is this an unusual addiction?  In view of the dedication discussed above, there is obviously a large population of tea enthusiasts, but this was a matter of real health and mental wellbeing for her for a lifetime.  It made a significant difference!

I remember reading that during both world wars one of the first actions the British government took was to stockpile and protect the tea reserves because they realised what a terrible demoralizing effect it would have on the nation if we were to run out If the humble cuppa can maintain the stiff upper lip that allowed a tiny island nation to win two world wars then it is no surprise that it could revive the will-to-live of a single individual.  The Chinese have long considered brewing tea to be as much a spiritually refreshing practice and a medicine as a simple beverage.

As for the vessel, I think China does make a difference.  Other kinds of earthenware are OK but you can definitely taste the difference when it is served in some kind of cardboard, plastic or worst of all, polystyrene cup 

[Arabella Periscope]

How interesting to know that the British government was aware of the heartening effect of tea upon the nation during World Wars!  It cannot be the ceremonial aspect alone, can it, because if you have ever attended a Japanese tea ceremony the product of all the fuss is like a little puddle of frothy mud (sorry to offend those to whom it is sacred).  The comforting and encouraging effect of tea remains a mystery.  I know nothing of the herbal or fruit varieties but would call them infusions because presumably they extract the essences of other plants that are not the tea plant.  And my grandmother would have considered a cardboard or polystyrene cup a threat to her immune system!

[Dr Fidelius]

Has anyone tried making alcoholic tea?  Iced green tea punches used to be popular in the early 19th century at community parties in South Carolina and sound like they could be really good.  I've also found a healthy dose of spiced rum is a good addition to chai as a alternative to a liqueur coffee on a cold winters day.  A dash of amaretto, baileys and a few other things go quite nicely if you have them lying about too.

Constant Comment hot with some cider and rum is amazing.
I drank it all winter. When i ran out of tea, i just did cider and rum

I did rather the same this past winter.  Although, in the interest of economy, I skipped the parts which included tea and cider.

(This summer I have been making a very nice iced tea using a jasmine green tea I find at a restaurant supply store.  Very light and refreshing.  I also keep a jug of iced tea made from supermarket bags in the fridge, which guests are allowed to add as much sugar as they wish.  It might be swill, but it is still much better than the "iced tea" made from flavoured sugar mixes.)

[barb dwyer]

My "gallon o' greentea" came out wonderfully-
(I've never attempted it before)

I can enjoy it as I can handle it
and it keeps longer in the fridge.

The air here has a 'tinge' of the coming winter
you can feel it on the edge...

I fear soon it'll be back to the usual cozy snow day teas.

[Tito Alba]

How interesting to know that the British government was aware of the heartening effect of tea upon the nation during World Wars!  It cannot be the ceremonial aspect alone, can it, because if you have ever attended a Japanese tea ceremony the product of all the fuss is like a little puddle of frothy mud (sorry to offend those to whom it is sacred).  The comforting and encouraging effect of tea remains a mystery.  I know nothing of the herbal or fruit varieties but would call them infusions because presumably they extract the essences of other plants that are not the tea plant.  And my grandmother would have considered a cardboard or polystyrene cup a threat to her immune system!

Ritual and ceremony often appear bizarre when viewed from the outside.  The Japanese tea ceremony is more like a mass of Zen Buddhist symbolism than a simple cuppa.  The Roman Catholic mass is a pretty flashy way to have some wine and cake too

The quest to make the perfect cup of tea does seem to involve a lot of ceremony wherever it goes.  The Victorian 'high tea' and 'afternoon tea' are just as heavily shrouded in formality and ritual, including the right equipment, the right snacks and even the right company!  Your grandmother's views on porcelain cups seems to be a similar symbolic need: if the tea was not served in the correct vessel it is invalidated as being 'tea' in the real sense of the term, including many of its health benefits, despite being the same liquid in the cup.  A similar view is held by many people in South America on Yerba Mate: mate can be bought in bags and drunk on the move but it isn't really considered a cup of mate unless served in a gourd and shared among friends.

I think there is something quite therapeutic about making a pot of loose leaf tea that is a perfect appetiser for the actual brew itself.  You have to take time out, gather the equipment, measure things correctly, wait for the correct time to pour and then either share with friends or relax and and reflect.  Properly done anyone can tell the difference between that and a cup of hot mud from a vending machine slurped at your desk while working, or even a good cup of tea given by a colleague and drunk hastily at your desk for the caffeine content alone. In fact, there is something about the latter scenario that smacks slightly of blasphemy to me

[Mercury Wells]

And talking of tea...Oh dear, looks like Twinings have a "Coke" special. It's just not cricket! old chap.

[Captain Shipton Bellinger]

And talking of tea...Oh dear, looks like Twinings have a "Coke" special. It's just not cricket! old chap.

Never did like Twinings Earl Grey anyway - too 'soapy' for my taste.

I'll stick with William MacKenzie's finest. He also does a simply splendid Assam TGFOP.

[Willie Hawkes]

Mine is the cheap variety, one that you find in fast food restaurants.

Yeah... shoot me. =P

[Dr Fidelius]

Mine is the cheap variety, one that you find in fast food restaurants.

Yeah... shoot me. =P

For a good portion of my life I believed I did not like tea.  Then I found that what I dislike is cheap, supermarket / Lipton's tea.
Try some real teas.  It is a different beverage completely, and I am certain you can find a variety you will like much more than the stuff you are drinking now.

(Ooooh, peer pressure...)

[SteamLove.com]

I for one love tea! We get our at Teavana. ^^
Most store bought teas contain stuff I can not pronounce.

[Tito Alba]

I've heard of teavana.  I don't know if they have a UK branch as I only found a US site.  I always feel a bit suspicious by excessive sales talk though.  I'll decide if its delicious thanks!

I used to get mine from a little shop on Old Compton Street in Soho, London near where I worked.  Small, friendly, in business since 1887 and simple no nonsense descriptions of the product:

http://www.algcoffee.co.uk

I find too many places these days try to "brand" their tea in an attempt to hide the basic information - its region, plantation and grade.

Unfortunately since I stopped working near there I haven't had a chance to go back.  When I run out of my existing ones I'll set up an internet account.

[Willie Hawkes]

Mine is the cheap variety, one that you find in fast food restaurants.

Yeah... shoot me. =P

For a good portion of my life I believed I did not like tea.  Then I found that what I dislike is cheap, supermarket / Lipton's tea.
Try some real teas.  It is a different beverage completely, and I am certain you can find a variety you will like much more than the stuff you are drinking now.

(Ooooh, peer pressure...)

I actually enjoy Tazo tea. Right now I have a blend of lemongrass, orange, licorice, and several other ingredients, such as hibiscus and ginger.
It is sweetened with Acai berry juice, which is too expensive to consume by itself, but makes a nice flavoring for citrus-y teas.

I often just don't bother though, I drink cheap tea because it's fast, and doesn't have the sugar of other drink options at fast-food restaurants. I only buy tazo when I'm in a squandering mood.(And when I'm in the city; rarely.)

[James Harrison]

I rather like Whittard's blends.  Coming back from submitting my dissertation last week I was rather loaded down with packets of Whittard's tea leaves- Earl Grey, Ceylon, Darjeeling and Assam- sadly not all for myself. 

[Palmyrin Rosette]

Sometimes I'll make my own blends mixing in two to four types.  This is one time when a bit of Lapsong Souchong can be good.  Too intensely smoky on its own, a pinch goes nicely into a pot of Russian Caravan to give a slightly smoky twist.

I like Lapsang Souchong myself it is the smokiest of all teas. In fact I find it similar, in it's own way, to some of the pipe tobaccos I sometime smoke.

[Hez]

ever try smoking the tea? 

[Palmyrin Rosette]

No, I've never tried smoking the tea, but I believe it can be done and it would be a lot cheaper than smoking the tobacco!   

[Kryss LaBryn]

I grew up with afternoon tea and still try to have it on a daily basis, in addition to all the tea I usually drink throughout the day. Afternoon tea was always very important in our house, but then, my grandparents and great-grandparents had a tea plantation in India, so I suppose it's ingrained by now!

My mum always made a special blend of two Twinings: you put a bag of Darjeeling into the pot and add a teaspoon of their loose-leaf Earl Grey. Delicious with cream and brown sugar! (I was fortunate enough to grow up on whole milk; it would be delivered in glass bottles every Sunday and Mum would pour off the cream for our tea and porrige. Milk just isn't the same in/on either )

Unfortunately I'm not very good with caffeine these days, so what I use with great success (I always get compliments on my tea ) is a bag each of Tetley's decaf Orange Pekoe and their decaf Earl Grey.

Of course, one needs to warm the pot first, and use boiling water. A friend uses the same tea now, but she tends to put the electric kettle on, let it boil and click off, and then wait for a few minutes before she adds the water. The water must be actively boiling when it's added to the pot or it just isn't the same. It comes out bitter.

Also, once the tea has brewed, squeeze the bags out in the lid and remove them. It'll keep the pot tasting the same all the way to the end.

I am just in the process of putting together a picnic tea set. I've got tea cups/saucers (Corelle, because I don't want to break anything), a lovely little kettle, a tiny alcohol burner, and am just trying to pick up a silver teapot for a decent price. Still kicking myself that I didn't grab the one I saw in the thrift store while I was travelling! But I've already got a large collection of tea pots (which will someday be on display on a shelf instead of stuffed into the back of a cupboard) so my husband was beginning to make "Good God another one??" sort of noises, haha.

I like a nice green tea when I'm feeling unde the weather, but usually it's my trusty black tea blend for me!

[Annlyn Lloyd]

I've actually just brewed myself a cuppa. I prefer tisanes over actual tea, I've always likes fruits, and David's Tea is probably one of my favourite places for my fix. They have tea and lots of unique tisanes--I saw a popcorn flavoured one that actually smelled like kettle corn. For the quicker cuppa, I just drop in a vanilla rooibos from a Tetley tin sitting on the windowsill.

How do I take my tea? Too much sugar, usually, and barely a spash of milk. I don't like too much milk in tea, it ruins the taste.

Above is my original post, zoom for it because I've changed the way I take my tea.

Again, just brewed myself a cuppa. This'll be my first taste of Earl Grey, so [insert tea break]

Hm... I don't think that right now it's--pardon the pun--my cup of tea. I just rediscovered that I have a tea ball (yay~) so I think that makes a difference over the one-use bags my dad and I put our tea into. Again, I can't stress how amazing David's Tea is. David (yes, apparently there is a David behind all this) is a wonderful Canadian.

Anyways, I think I'd better clean out my tea ball now if I'm brewing my favourite rasberry tisane. (If you're curious, -> davidstea.com and it's under rooibos)