The Tea Thread

[Angry Floof]

Trying lavender chamomile tea. So far, it's not that great. Bad smell in the package, not much better steeped. Flavor I can live with in order to not waste tea. I might have a better liking for it once the whole package is gone. It's not terrible enough to waste.

Add a touch of honey to it. I find lavender tea to be bitter so always add honey.

I'll put it on the grocery list. I'm using lemon. Almost any bad tea can be made drinkable with some lemon.

 

[gmbteach]

Trying lavender chamomile tea. So far, it's not that great. Bad smell in the package, not much better steeped. Flavor I can live with in order to not waste tea. I might have a better liking for it once the whole package is gone. It's not terrible enough to waste.

Add a touch of honey to it. I find lavender tea to be bitter so always add honey.

I'll put it on the grocery list. I'm using lemon. Almost any bad tea can be made drinkable with some lemon.

True!

 

[rousseau]

Trying lavender chamomile tea. So far, it's not that great. Bad smell in the package, not much better steeped. Flavor I can live with in order to not waste tea. I might have a better liking for it once the whole package is gone. It's not terrible enough to waste.

I definitely wouldn't recommend lavender to anyone for flavour, no redeeming qualities there. I drink it purely as a relaxant, although these days I've had so much of it that I'm accustomed to the taste.

Most of the time I'll add the tiniest pinch of it to a better tasting tea to add a bit of sedation to what I'm drinking. Although occasionally I'll pile it on when I really need to knock myself out.

With chamomile it's usually another tiny pinch with a pinch of chamomile too. Mostly water but it seems to calm the nerves without shutting me down completely.

rousseau, have you ever tried this to relax/sleep? It works. https://www.harney.com/products/tilleul-linden-tea

Dude, I'm glad you're not drinking like you used to. Good for you!

I'm always open to new sedating teas. Just did a search on my local's website and came across this one with linden flowers mixed in:

https://theteahaus.com/herbal-decaf/sunshine-tea.html?search_query=linden&results=1

None with the pure flower, but I'd be curious if any other tea shops around the city carry it.

RE: alcohol, thanks! I've been pretty moderate for a while, but these days 'moderate' seems to be evolving into being something of a teetotaller. Lately I've been training my body to just not want it, and all seems to be working well so far. Unexpected side effect of this is that I'm craving more exercise to wear myself out and bring myself down, rather than the occasional drink that was doing this superficially.

 

[Thomas II]

rousseau, have you ever tried this to relax/sleep? It works. https://www.harney.com/products/tilleul-linden-tea

Dude, I'm glad you're not drinking like you used to. Good for you!

I'm always open to new sedating teas. Just did a search on my local's website and came across this one with linden flowers mixed in:

https://theteahaus.com/herbal-decaf/sunshine-tea.html?search_query=linden&results=1

None with the pure flower, but I'd be curious if any other tea shops around the city carry it.

RE: alcohol, thanks! I've been pretty moderate for a while, but these days 'moderate' seems to be evolving into being something of a teetotaller. Lately I've been training my body to just not want it, and all seems to be working well so far. Unexpected side effect of this is that I'm craving more exercise to wear myself out and bring myself down, rather than the occasional drink that was doing this superficially.

Whatever you're doing, it's working. Again, good for you!

 

[rousseau]

rousseau, have you ever tried this to relax/sleep? It works. https://www.harney.com/products/tilleul-linden-tea

Dude, I'm glad you're not drinking like you used to. Good for you!

I'm always open to new sedating teas. Just did a search on my local's website and came across this one with linden flowers mixed in:

https://theteahaus.com/herbal-decaf/sunshine-tea.html?search_query=linden&results=1

None with the pure flower, but I'd be curious if any other tea shops around the city carry it.

RE: alcohol, thanks! I've been pretty moderate for a while, but these days 'moderate' seems to be evolving into being something of a teetotaller. Lately I've been training my body to just not want it, and all seems to be working well so far. Unexpected side effect of this is that I'm craving more exercise to wear myself out and bring myself down, rather than the occasional drink that was doing this superficially.

Whatever you're doing, it's working. Again, good for you!

Nothin' to it. When I want a drink I don't have one. Over time the 'wanting' turns into 'not wanting'.

It does help that the aforementioned teas can provide a bit of a buzz.

 

[Thomas II]

Whatever you're doing, it's working. Again, good for you!

Nothin' to it. When I want a drink I don't have one. Over time the 'wanting' turns into 'not wanting'.

It does help that the aforementioned teas can provide a bit of a buzz.

Teas, or endorphins, or whatever. It's improving you

 

[whollygoats]

I prefer black teas, usually iced in warm weather and hot in cold weather. The blends they use to make mainline brands...Tetley, Twinings, PG Tips, Stash, Bigelow's, Red Rose...I think they are mostly orange pekoe blends.

I used to drink coffee, but I've dialed waaaay back on that consumption. I occasionally buy myself a Dutch Brothers' iced latte, but that's maybe one a month. When in the UK last year, I was gratified to find that the ubiquitous Star*ucks is getting some decent competition, which have even figured out that iced coffee is a bang-on idyllic idea. Cafe Nero in Cambridge was a nice find.

 

[rousseau]

I was driving home from my parents place this past Saturday night and picked up an english-toffee flavoured coffee/latte kind of thing from a Macs Milk. The drink was delicious, might have a new bad habit incoming. Especially now that I'll be married in a little over a month I'm just about free to let myself go .

 

[rousseau]

Having a to go tea from my local with lavender and chamomile. It's amazing how much of a difference the flowers being fresh makes.

Looks like I'm going to need to turf some of my old packets and start buying smaller quantities more regularly.

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

[Politesse]

I love tea, and have a fairly grand collection of fancy ones from here and there. I do not drink them all as often as I used to, especially the black teas, as they can be a trigger for my acid reflux, alas! Especially true of my once-favorite morning blend, Peets' Russian Caravan. But I do still drink medicinal herbal type infusions, and a normal day sees me down a mug of either persimmon or bitter melon in the morning, sometimes followed in the evening with a blend of chamomile and lemongrass. I got the idea from Ahmad's version of the same thing, but usually just make it from my own supply now, so it is fresher and I can get the balance right.

 

[rousseau]

Didn't have time to make my morning coffee this morning and have been trying to catch up with green and black tea.

I imagine this is what it's like for a smoker trying to quell their cravings with Nicotine gum.

 

[Angry Floof]

I've found that adding lemon to chamomile tea makes it taste like pineapple.

 

[whollygoats]

I love tea, and have a fairly grand collection of fancy ones from here and there. I do not drink them all as often as I used to, especially the black teas, as they can be a trigger for my acid reflux, alas! Especially true of my once-favorite morning blend, Peets' Russian Caravan. But I do still drink medicinal herbal type infusions, and a normal day sees me down a mug of either persimmon or bitter melon in the morning, sometimes followed in the evening with a blend of chamomile and lemongrass. I got the idea from Ahmad's version of the same thing, but usually just make it from my own supply now, so it is fresher and I can get the balance right.

Wow...'Russian Caravan'. I haven't heard that in decades. The kind I knew was made with Lapsang Souchong variety tea, giving it a distinctive 'creosote' aroma (and thus, flavour) that I likened to licking a treated utility pole on a hot day.

I think Lapsang Souchong may be an exception to Angry Floof's lemon rule. Indeed, I'd posit that adding more lemon makes Lapsong Souchong taste worse.

Any Lapsang Souchong imbibers around?

 

[whollygoats]

Didn't have time to make my morning coffee this morning and have been trying to catch up with green and black tea.

I imagine this is what it's like for a smoker trying to quell their cravings with Nicotine gum.

Use more tea (bags) and let it steep longer....strong enough and you'll get jangles. The thing is, most are to impatient and just want to lace it with shiploads of sugar, any way.

 

[Angry Floof]

I love tea, and have a fairly grand collection of fancy ones from here and there. I do not drink them all as often as I used to, especially the black teas, as they can be a trigger for my acid reflux, alas! Especially true of my once-favorite morning blend, Peets' Russian Caravan. But I do still drink medicinal herbal type infusions, and a normal day sees me down a mug of either persimmon or bitter melon in the morning, sometimes followed in the evening with a blend of chamomile and lemongrass. I got the idea from Ahmad's version of the same thing, but usually just make it from my own supply now, so it is fresher and I can get the balance right.

Wow...'Russian Caravan'. I haven't heard that in decades. The kind I knew was made with Lapsang Souchong variety tea, giving it a distinctive 'creosote' aroma (and thus, flavour) that I likened to licking a treated utility pole on a hot day.

I think Lapsang Souchong may be an exception to Angry Floof's lemon rule. Indeed, I'd posit that adding more lemon makes Lapsong Souchong taste worse.

Any Lapsang Souchong imbibers around?

I've never heard of it, I don't think. I might try it some day out of curiosity.

 

[whollygoats]

I love tea, and have a fairly grand collection of fancy ones from here and there. I do not drink them all as often as I used to, especially the black teas, as they can be a trigger for my acid reflux, alas! Especially true of my once-favorite morning blend, Peets' Russian Caravan. But I do still drink medicinal herbal type infusions, and a normal day sees me down a mug of either persimmon or bitter melon in the morning, sometimes followed in the evening with a blend of chamomile and lemongrass. I got the idea from Ahmad's version of the same thing, but usually just make it from my own supply now, so it is fresher and I can get the balance right.

Wow...'Russian Caravan'. I haven't heard that in decades. The kind I knew was made with Lapsang Souchong variety tea, giving it a distinctive 'creosote' aroma (and thus, flavour) that I likened to licking a treated utility pole on a hot day.

I think Lapsang Souchong may be an exception to Angry Floof's lemon rule. Indeed, I'd posit that adding more lemon makes Lapsong Souchong taste worse.

Any Lapsang Souchong imbibers around?

I've never heard of it, I don't think. I might try it some day out of curiosity.

Um...Twinings sells it in the US, but I think a 20 count is the smallest count you can buy. Mayhaps as part of a mixed package? I'm telling you, if you don't like it, your chances of giving it away are slim. Take your chance at some gathering where some clueless rube has set out an assortment. Pick up one, or two, if you're bold. Take them home; don't make a scene at the gathering.

 

[rousseau]

I love tea, and have a fairly grand collection of fancy ones from here and there. I do not drink them all as often as I used to, especially the black teas, as they can be a trigger for my acid reflux, alas! Especially true of my once-favorite morning blend, Peets' Russian Caravan. But I do still drink medicinal herbal type infusions, and a normal day sees me down a mug of either persimmon or bitter melon in the morning, sometimes followed in the evening with a blend of chamomile and lemongrass. I got the idea from Ahmad's version of the same thing, but usually just make it from my own supply now, so it is fresher and I can get the balance right.

Wow...'Russian Caravan'. I haven't heard that in decades. The kind I knew was made with Lapsang Souchong variety tea, giving it a distinctive 'creosote' aroma (and thus, flavour) that I likened to licking a treated utility pole on a hot day.

I think Lapsang Souchong may be an exception to Angry Floof's lemon rule. Indeed, I'd posit that adding more lemon makes Lapsong Souchong taste worse.

Any Lapsang Souchong imbibers around?

I have a small pouch of it in my cupboard, the local I frequent seems to have all of the major varieties of pretty much everything, and eventually I stumbled on it. I picked it out not realizing it had a smoked flavour, and the shop keeper warned me but I bought it anyway.

I like it, but only very rarely. Can't imagine drinking it in the morning, but it can make a nice afternoon tea, imo.

 

[rousseau]

Didn't have time to make my morning coffee this morning and have been trying to catch up with green and black tea.

I imagine this is what it's like for a smoker trying to quell their cravings with Nicotine gum.

Use more tea (bags) and let it steep longer....strong enough and you'll get jangles. The thing is, most are to impatient and just want to lace it with shiploads of sugar, any way.

That's a good idea.

I do make a strong black tea from time to time, but somehow it just doesn't seem to cut to the bone like a good coffee. I don't know, I might also just like the flavour of coffee more. As much as I rely on black tea, I definitely like caffeine-free, and sedating teas more, and when I'm at home I drink coffee far more often than caffeinated teas.

 

[bilby]

Didn't have time to make my morning coffee this morning and have been trying to catch up with green and black tea.

I imagine this is what it's like for a smoker trying to quell their cravings with Nicotine gum.

Use more tea (bags) and let it steep longer....strong enough and you'll get jangles. The thing is, most are to impatient and just want to lace it with shiploads of sugar, any way.

Tea bags are made with the sweepings from the floor of the processing plant where the tea is dried, and tea made with them tastes awful regardless of the blend or variety.

If you are basing your opinion about teas on stuff made from teabags, you are doing it wrong. You might as well try to become a connoisseur of fine wines but only sample the stuff that comes in cardboard or plastic containers.

 

[rousseau]

Didn't have time to make my morning coffee this morning and have been trying to catch up with green and black tea.

I imagine this is what it's like for a smoker trying to quell their cravings with Nicotine gum.

Use more tea (bags) and let it steep longer....strong enough and you'll get jangles. The thing is, most are to impatient and just want to lace it with shiploads of sugar, any way.

Tea bags are made with the sweepings from the floor of the processing plant where the tea is dried, and tea made with them tastes awful regardless of the blend or variety.

If you are basing your opinion about teas on stuff made from teabags, you are doing it wrong. You might as well try to become a connoisseur of fine wines but only sample the stuff that comes in cardboard or plastic containers.

Aye. I actually hadn't had tea from a tea bag in a couple years so bought some several months ago. For shits I ripped one of them open and dumped the tea into my infuser. I was shocked at how low the quality of it was, even coming in with low expectations. Basically dust.

The difference between it and even a low-grade loose leaf is night and day.