I Like Tea

I go through phases where my morning beverage of choice is coffee. Then it's hot chocolate. Then it's a combination of the 2.

But lately, an old love has returned and won my heart and loyalty.

Tea.

Hot tea, iced tea. My only requirement, at least for tea that I buy, is that it be some sort of herbal or fruit infusion.

I'm in second place for best tea stash in the office- Christy is the reigning champion.

Surrounding me, it colorful and pretty little boxes, are the following variety of teas.

Celestial Seasonings chocolate caramel enchantment chai (this one is in my mug right now)

Stash raspberry and white tea

Lipton herbal peppermint

Stash moroccan mint green tea

Celestial Seasonings gingerbread spice

Celestial Seasonings sugar cookie sleigh ride

Lipton herbal apple cinnamon

Lipton herbal orange

Celestial Seasonings acai mango zinger

Celestial Seasonings red zinger

Twinings Pure Peppermint herbal tea

And I have some individual tea bags or small sample packets of...

Tazo China Green Tips

Celestial Seasonings country peach passion

Celestial Seasonings raspberry gardens green tea

Celestial Seasonings chamomile

What is it about tea that is so wonderful? From Christy's plethora of options, I love the Tazo Wild Sweet Orange. She is enjoying a mug of it now and I stole the packet that the tea bag came in because the smell is so divine. "A juicy blend of lemongrass, citrus herbs, licorice root & orange essences." If I inhale slowly and deeply, I can sense each of those individual notes. It starts with the orange, moves to the subtle lemongrass and citrus herbs and then leaves a tiny little hint of licorice root. There is something so comforting and simple about a cup of tea. The warmth, the calm, the scent, the flavor. But I don't just drink my teas hot. I also enjoy them as iced tea. I will steep a tea bag in some sugar water (packets of sugar dissolved in hot water- just enough water to dissolve the sugar). Once the water has developed the intense color of the tea, I add in some cold water and then top off with ice. At home, I do this in a larger container. At work, it's in a 32 oz cup (souvenir from a summertime excursion to the local zoo). For Christmas, Christy gave me a flowering tea set. A cute little clear glass teapot and a series of various loose leaf teas that have been hand tied so that when the hot water combines with the tea, it opens up and blossoms and changes size and shape and such. It sounds more spectacular than it is but the tea is amazingly good (Numi brand), especially the jasmine tea.

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.

~ C.S. Lewis

May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, a tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you and all your heart may desire

~ Irish Blessing

The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort, and refinement.

~ Arthur Gray