looking at all those flavors and words. Roobios loose leaf chopped up gmo organic packet sachet packaging. I just want to drink tea. I just want to break the word of wisdom in peace.

Help me now

Coffee, tea, and alcohol still confuse me sometimes. There's a lot to each of those things and honestly ordering at Starbucks still gives me anxiety.

My advice would be to just start trying different teas out. Tea is an acquired taste (in my opinion) so it may take some time before you find your "go-to" tea. Personally, I like the tea bags because they are easier to prepare to me. I like green or black tea and I like to add honey.

I will also say that my first couple of times buying tea, I did not enjoy the taste one bit! It was just hot water to me. But over time I appreciate it more.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2018 04:10PM by nonsequiter.

Here's my suggestion:

Pick a couple up at the store. Try using your nose, if it smells good to you, it'll likely taste good. Try those at home. If you like 'em, home run. If you don't, repeat the process.

The reason there are so many teas is because tastes vary so much. If I just told you the ones I like, that's no guarantee YOU will like them.

Roobios isn't tea in the classic sense though it's often blended. Try things until you find something you like.

If roobios is your thing, I like Good Earth brand Sweet and Spicy which comes with caffeine or without. It's herbal technically. It needs no sugar or lemon, just good straight.

See if you can find a tea house in your area. Then you can try a variety one cup at a time.

Paintingnotloggedin Wrote:
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> looking at all those flavors and words. Roobios
> loose leaf chopped up gmo organic packet sachet
> packaging. I just want to drink tea. I just want
> to break the word of wisdom in peace.
>
> Help me now

Rooibos is NOT "tea" in the way you are speaking of it here.

"Tea" (to Americans) generally means black tea or green tea (both of which, as I remember, are actually the same plant, but processed differently), whose leaves are chopped up and dried, and then (later) reconstituted in hot water to make a hot beverage.

"tea," as a term in common language, is also applied to many OTHER kinds of leaves and twigs (etc.), from many OTHER kinds of leafy plants, which are initially dried, and then reconstituted in hot water by whoever is making the hot tea.

Rooibos is one of these "other" types of plants. It is native to South Africa, and is a very popular hot beverage there (where it is also used as a cooking ingredient in some South African dishes). It is very red in color, and--as with all teas or coffees--it is a good idea to wash out your mouth with clear water after you drink these, to minimize the long-term discoloring of your teeth.

There are all kinds of "non-tea" teas: In my cupboard right now I have oat straw tea, roasted dandelion root tea, raspberry leaf tea, nettle leaf tea, ginger tea (from ginger root), and a whole bunch of other ones (such as Throat Coat, which Bill Clinton and I both swear by if we have to do public speaking, which contains: licorice root, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, wild cherry bark, fennel fruit, cinnamon bark, and sweet orange peel).

Start out with green tea or black tea (which are standard in American diets), and then you can branch out from there, if you wish (or if you get a cold or cough, which usually begins a discovery tour into the "non-tea" teas).

Think of it as a global adventure, and have fun!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2018 04:24PM by Tevai.

I cannot drink Roobios. It doesn't taste like any tea to me that I'm accustomed to.

Sampling different teas is probably the best way for painting to discover for yourself what you like or don't like.

Have fun! Teas are meant to be fun to enjoy (IMHO.)

Amyjo Wrote:
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> I cannot drink Roobios. It doesn't taste like any
> tea to me that I'm accustomed to.

It isn't like any of the better known American teas.

It does, though, somehow taste better in South Africa, maybe because it fits in so well with the terrain and the culture.

My personal favorites are Chai tea by Bigelow, in the Keurig cups.

Just discovered another one recently via Amazon that's very good, and all made in the USA: Cha4Tea. Saves a little moolah over the Bigelow brand.

Another really good brand is (which you can order online via Amazon if not sold at your local stores,) "Matcha Love" it's Japanese green tea w/real matcha. It isn't too expensive app $5.00 a box on Amazon. I can send one or two boxes to you for free if you want to swap addresses, since I bought some in bulk last year, and have a surplus. They come in boxes of ten bags each, wrapped in muslin. Matcha is the healthiest green tea there is.

I also purchase it in bulk powder to use in smoothies. Look for Japanese matcha (it's the best!) It can also get very expensive so I compare shop to find some very good deals online via again, Amazon. Recently purchased a lb of matcha for app $16.00. Which lasts a year. In Japan matcha is used in a wide variety of foods. I discovered it while visiting there in 2014, and have been hooked on it since.

That's the danger in sampling teas. You end up becoming a collector the more you sample them. I have a wide variety of teas, but tend to use only a few of them regularly.

You'll become a connoisseur in no time. :)

English breakfast tea is another good one if you like a hearty black tea.

It started with my grandma. She always bought Lorna Doone shortbreads and served them on a pretty china plate, with a paper doily. And she would brew up a pot of Bigelow's Orange flavored tea. That was our daily tea every afternoon, for years.

Even after doing a 17-year stint as a Mormon, I went straight back to Bigelow's. Nothing like it, iced or hot. I've even got my TBM DH drinking some of their herbal varieties.

I love the orange flavored tea also. It comes in both decaf and caffeinated. Soooo good!

The name of the tea is pretty easy to go by. If it sounds good to you, the chances are that you will like it.
Brands make a difference to me. Hate Lipton, can't stand it.
China Mist, Love it. I go with the st8 black tea. Then peach, then green. The berries tend to be more juice like, heavy and sweet. Mango is another go to. English Breakfast is good.
Find a hippy coffee or sandwich shop that serves random daily teas and sample a different one each time you refill. Don't refill on the same one if there are others to try.

I really like Earl Grey tea. It has a mild flavor.

valkyriequeen Wrote:
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> I really like Earl Grey tea. It has a mild flavor.


I like Earl Grey tea, too.

I haven't had any for a long time, so thank you for reminding me, valkyriequeen!

It's the bergamot that gives it the rich flavor. Found this on wikipedia (will now look for "French Earl Grey" it sounds rather exotic with floral overtones!)

"There are variations available including such ingredients as jasmine, as well as various flowers. A blend with added rose petals is known as French Earl Grey. A variety called Russian Earl Grey often contains ingredients such as citrus peels and lemon grass in addition to the usual black tea and bergamot.
Earl Grey tea - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Grey_tea

I really like Christmas tea during the wintertime. It's called "The de Noel," by Compagnie Coloniale. First discovered it at Marshall's one winter. Now I find it online during the holiday (it is seasonal only.) Comes in a little red tin, loose or in bags. I buy it loose so can steep it in my little cast iron tea brewer pot.

Then add sweetener and creamer to taste. It's comparable to the Chai tea, but it has more delicate flavors for the holiday like cherry and almond. Mmmm good.

First, don't do things just because you're free from LDS restrictions, whether it be substance use or behavior. Think about why you want to try something first. It's possible to get carried away with unfamiliar freedom (e.g. sex) and substances *(e.g. alcohol). Tea is pretty tame, comparatively, but you know what I mean.

If you're in a large city, there may be a tea boutique you can visit. David's and Teavana come to mind. Check the internet.

At a tea boutique, informed salespeople will explain the different types of teas, from seriously strong, smoked black teas to gentle herbals. They should have canisters they can open so you can take a sniff and get a better idea. What people recommend from their preferences may not (ahem!) turn out to be your cup of tea.

The tea-dispensing merchandise they sell at a boutique (infusers, pots, etc.) tend to be overpriced. Go to a simple kitchenwares store or Target and get a wire-mesh infuser to start out. As you become more experienced, you'll have a better idea of what brewing gear is out there.

Last: If you're unfamiliar with what caffeine does to you, take it easy, and consider avoiding such products from late afternoon on, so it can dissipate from your body before bedtime.

Enjoy, and pleasant sipping!

My advice would be to start with tea bags. If you can find a sampler kit of teabags, that would be a great way to start.

I like a classic black tea. Popular brands include Salada, Lipton, and Red Rose, which I favor. English Breakfast is another good choice (Twinings is a solid brand.) Try it different ways -- plain, with milk, milk & sugar, lemon, lemon & sugar, etc.

Earl Gray is a mild tea with a bit of a lavender flavor. You might also try other herbal teas such as Chamomile and Celestial Seasoning's "Sleepytime."

Good luck, and have fun with it!

I agree with posters who say to visit a tea room or shop. They carry different types of tea and the staff are willing to help you find a tea you'll like (that's why they're there).

However, if you can get loose leaf, do so. Tea bags are full of dust and leftovers from processing loose leaf tea and are lower quality. It is possible to buy bags to fill with loose leaf tea and can be a good starting point for loose leaf brewing.

The colors of tea come from the oxidation during processing the leaves. From least oxidized tea to most oxidized: white, green, oolong, black.

I'm not sure what teas to recommend you as I don't know what flavors you like. I would recommend starting with genmaicha (green tea with roasted brown rice), earl grey (black tea with bergamot essential oil added), and lady grey (black tea with bergamot oil, lemon peel, and orange peel).

There are additives to tea to make it taste better, but it can vary on where you are. Adding anything to green tea is generally frowned on in Japan, adding milk and sugar is common in England, lemon and sugar in tea is more of a French thing, and the Russians will sometimes add jam to tea (I've actually tried this, it's pretty tasty).

Time for a Tea party.

Earl Grey is a nice introduction.

When I saw how badly tea stains a tea cup, I decided I could live without it. It was either that or brush my teeth after each cup of tea. Too much trouble for mildly flavored hot water.

Besides, Americans are deeply suspicious about tea, probably a Revolutionary War holdover.

Dish soap and water clean em right up, and a soft scrub.

It's actually in a class of "teas" that are really just "infusions". That is, they are not from the tea plant. They are just leaves, roots or other parts of different plants that can be seeped in hot water to make a beverage. Like peppermint "tea", burdock "tea", chamomile "tea".

If Mormons are thinking that infusions violate the WoW, they've really lost their minds.

The differences between real tea types is the degree of processing, which can range from almost no processing to heavy processing/fermentation.

To violate the WoW and enjoy some good real tea, made from real tea leaves, from the actual tea plant, I recommend:

Assam tea (my favorite flavor of tea). Richly flavored, but not too dark.

Oolong tea. Not too much processing (aging), but enough to make it quite flavorful. Also touted as a way of getting unwanted fat out of your system.

For optimal health and mild flavor: White tea (sometimes called "silver needle). This is the least processed of all and is made from the youngest buds of the tea plant, dried as is and ready for a very soothing, mild, healthy drink. Green tea is another good one. Amazingly, there are also many variations of green tea. My favorite is the one made from young leaves (the next stage in leaf growth following the bud stage).

If black tea is your taste I would suggest avoiding any of the brands sold in regular grocery stores. To may taste they lack any kind of strength or body. A very good one is Yorkshire Gold that can be found at specialty stores like Cost Plus. It all comes down to taste.

Like any other beverage, tea is a matter of personal taste. Which one do you choose? Try a lot of them and see which you prefer.

Today when meeting with a nutritionist, we went over what I ate and drank. When I got to teas and coffee, I asked if that was good or not? She said, they absolutely are ... in moderation.

Both have health benefits ...

As for teas, green is healthier than black teas. White tea has supposedly more anti-oxidant power than green does.

Experiment, experiment. If you don't like something, you'll find something that you do like. It's just a matter of taste. :)

Constant Comment is my favorite tea.

Drink some and see what you like. I spent part of my childhood in Hong Kong. Even though my family was active Mormons my dad drank Oolong tea as most the people in HK did. I picked up his tea habit.

My favorite grocery store variety teas are: Twinnings Darjeeling tea. Just a wonderfully flavorful, smooth tea. I like Bigelow's Plantation Mint which is a combination of black tea and mint. Bigelow's Lemon and orange teas are great.

A favorite is southern ice tea. I have an ice tea maker and now make it without sugar. Ice tea is wonderful.

Barry’s Irish in the green box is my favorite. PG Tips is a good English brand. I grew up drinking tea Irish or English-style, with milk and sugar. It was only later in life that I found good green and white Chinese teas, but I still prefer a good black.

If you are interested in good Chinese teas, check out Red Blossom in San Francisco, they are a wonderful family owned shop. http://www.redblossomtea.com/

The suggestions here are good, but if you want to experience the ultimate tea, look no further....Silver Tips Imperial.

$1850 for 2.2 lbs.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/gallery/20180924-indias-rare-tea-picked-under-a-full-moon


Then try Lipton and return and report.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2018 06:04PM by Darren Steers.

Be careful! It's not the drinking of tea that is addictive (well, yes it is), but it's the collecting of different teas, tea pots and tea cups that is addictive!!! You should ask my husband!

Now, where am I going to put that new curio?

Not to mention black tea will stain the cups and pots. Heard plenty from the wife I was staining all the cups with my black tea.

I haven't had that problem. Try salt and vinegar scrub.

Rooibos isn't tea.

Just look for black tea, or green tea or white tea, instead! ;o))

Paintingnotloggedin Wrote:
---------------------------------> I just want to [honour] (investigate) [experience] the word of wisdom in peace.
>

Don't worry about breaking it.
It's already broken.

Seek out a local tea shop?

Best to choose the freshest tea available, loose when possible. Compare the various ways to brew or steep it. Packaged tea can be costly sometimes but be easy and neat. Sun tea can be good too. Try it full flavour, and occasionally with milk/ 1/2 & 1/2.

Try tea now.
Right now!

This coffee.
Yuuummmmm

M@t

Free Man has yet to acquire a taste for the real thing.

Someone once gave me a plaque with an old Gaelic blessing on it that I just love. It goes like this,

"May you always be blessed with walls for the wind,
a roof for the rain, a warm cup of tea by the fire.
Laughter to soothe you, those you love near you,
and all that your heart might desire."

The 'warm cup of tea' works for me every time. :)

Not a big tea drinker. That could change though.