I have this dream of becoming a tea drinker. I read about people enjoying their afternoon tea, or tea before bed. I assume this is all of the herbal variety. I have bought many different kinds of teas in my life and they all smell wonderful. The problem is they all taste like ka-ka, or something like that. Okay, usually it's they don't really taste at all. I've added Splenda, Equal or even real sugar to the teas, and then they taste like sweetened water. I've steeped tea longer thinking that was the problem, but still, it doesn't taste very good.
I love warm drinks in the cold winter months. I drink a lot of coffee, I LOVE coffee and coffee drinks like lattes, but I think less caffeine in my anxious life is probably best. So I should probably cut out coffee in the afternoon. Instead, I'd like to drink tea yet I can't find one that I like. I do like chai tea lattes, but not only do they have caffeine, they also come with milk and sugar which adds extra points. I'd prefer a warm beverage that adds no points to my day, and I'd really prefer to not add any sweetener at all because Splenda gives me a headache and the unnaturalness of artificial sweeteners is kind of a turn off. But adding a packet of Sugar in the Raw over a packet of artificial junk, even though it comes with points, is a better option.
So am I doomed to a life without tea? Or is there a magical tea that I haven't tried that I might love? So I'm putting it out too all of you, what kind of tea do you drink? And do you drink it plain, or with sweetener?
Right now I'm still battling my sweet tea addiction, so I'm afraid I'm not much help. LOL I do know that I just CANNOT drink unsweetened tea. Blech! I HAVE to put a little sugar or Splenda in it.
ReplyDeleteI don't drink tea. I don't drink coffee either. Just water here!
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas!
Until I flew to South Korea a couple of years ago, I hated tea. Despised it in fact!!! But, when the flight attendants walked around during the 16 hour flight, they were offering hot green tea.
ReplyDeleteThe person sitting next to me (a gentlemen from Minnesota who claims he was a Christmas tree salesman, on his way to Indonesia to hang out with young girls, swore sauerkraut was the cure of the SARS virus, and put himself in a 14 stupor by drinking enough wine to kill a small village - oh yeah, the guy was a winner)...anyway, BEFORE I knew he was a nutcase, he suggested I try the green tea.
And I've been a fan ever since. I found a really nice decaff variety that I'll drink the winter evenings sometimes.
Any tea, other than hot green tea...well...I still despise them. :-)
I don't care much for tea either. But I happen to be a big fan of Alpine's powdered apple cider drink mix (and I don't like real apple cider! go figure!). It comes in regular and diet varieties, and it actually has taste. I find it in the aisle with the Swiss Miss cocoa and stuff. Let me know if you try it.
ReplyDeleteI love tea! I drink it all the time. My family raised me on sweet tea, which explains my sweet tooth. :) Once I started dating MB, he converted me slowly to unsweetened iced tea and it's all I drink now. It took me awhile to get used to it, but now I love it.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of favorite hot teas. Vanilla Chai Tea is really good with a little sugar and maybe some milk. I love Jasmine Green Tea. It's light and flavorful and smells divine!
Right now, I'm enjoying Lipton's Mandarin Tea in the pyramid bag.
There are so many varieties out there. Green Tea is always a good starter hot tea. The key is just tasting a few and finding the one you like.
Good luck!
I like the idea of drinking tea...but like you, I've never really formed a habit. I prefer coffee...the super, strong, jet-fuel variety! From time to time I'll have a peppermint tea.
ReplyDeleteEmily, I have tried that, in fact I keep a supply of the sugar free variety at home. I really like it, grew up drinking it. Far better than tea. It's just the artificial aspects of it that keep me from drinking it too much.
ReplyDeleteRaegun, yes, jet fuel.
Nej, you talked me into it, going to try hot green tea.
Rae, water is my favorite!
Stephanie, never had real sweet tea. Up here in the PNW it's just never around. Sounds yummy though, but most things are better with sugar!
The trick is to any "steep" the green tea for a short amount of time...at least, when trying it for the first time. One or two minutes, max. I've tried some that I liked, and some that I don't....but I just love a good cup of tea when I have a sore throat...or during a good winter night/day. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Lori, I did a whole blog post about drinking tea. You can find it here: http://cookingtograduation.blogspot.com/2010/11/care-for-some-tea.html
ReplyDeleteI used to be a coffee drinker exclusively...and I still very much enjoy coffee...however, tea can be much better for you and you don't get all that extra caffeine! I hope you enjoy the blog post about tea and that you can find some teas that you enjoy!
This weekend I tried peppermint tea from Teavana--it was heavenly. I must get me some, but alas, no Teavana in town--will have to order online. In the meantime I bought some Vanilla Rooibos Tazo from Starbucks and it is rather tasty. I vow to give tea more of a chance!! Next up: green tea.
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