Decent quality tea, properly brewed, needs no sugar/sweeteners (IMHO of course). Never should milk befoul the tea. Take that as a life lesson.
I know I can’t be the only one who can’t stand Lipton. It literally makes me sick to my stomach. Any other tea brand (well, I had problems with Red Rose too) is fine.
My stock response to anyone who tells me something is “all natural”: So’s arsenic.
Incidentally, when I read the phrase “boiled weed juice” I had this image of dumping my bong water into a coffee cup and sticking it in the microwave. Talk about needing a barfing smiley…
Ya know what I hate?
You only get hot tea one of three ways:
Jeezus, doesn’t anyone know that you’re supposed to pour the water over the tea? Instead, the customer is left to bob the tea bag gingerly to try to saturate it with water so it will actually sink instead of just blobbing up and floating at the top.
No idea how long it’s been there.
For the first mug, this is as close to ideal as you will get in a restaurant.
But, then, um, excuse me, I’m supposed to rebrew this bag? This bag of black tea? Rebrewing green tea is a whole experience in and of itself, but black tea is only good for one infusion. And if I was, foolishly, going to rebrew the black tea, would I be doing it in water that’s been sitting out while I was drinking the first cup in an uninsulated glass pot, comining into thermodynamic equilibrium with the air in the room?
IIIIIIII think I’ll pass, thanks. Either bring me fresh water and a new bag, or I’ll do without.
p.s. What is with this orange-pekoe-cut crap! Seems like that’s all you can get most places, even in nice restaurants where you’d think they’d have brains enough to stock some Twinings or something.
On planes, I’ve taken to bringing my own teabags, and asking for a cup of hot water and an empty cup. This is evil, from an environmental POV. Also, possibly against FAA regulations, inasmuch as I might use a few grams Ceylon and a filter bag to fashion a crude explosive device, utilizing my tiny tea tin to produce a cloud of deadly shrapnel. I do not care. I must regulate my blood caffeine level most carefully when traveling, and when I’m fighting jet lag, exhaustion, boredom, and the desire to reach over the back of my seat and throttle the unholy little seat-kicking spawn of Satan that they always put behind me, I must have a decent cup of tea, goddamnit.
That’s what I do as well - no sweetener, no milk, no lemon. Maybe I’m just a fan of more subtle teas or something, but I’d worry they’d foul up the taste of the tea. I do tend to throw honey and/or lemon in if it’s something like Lipton.
She’s baaaaaaaaaaaack…
I confess, I do consume Lipton’s in addition to much finer teas. Here’s the deal:
Every once in awhile I happen into some truly fine loose-leaf teas which are carefully and tenderly brewed the One True Way - in a pre-warmed pot, carefully measured, steeped to perfection. (Yes, I do use sugar in all tea - but the better the tea the less sugar required. Sorry if that offends some purists, but I’m a barbarian American, you must allow for that)
When at home I’ll use something like Twinings (which I consider mid-level tea) in bags, using water of a proper temperature and some steeping in the cup. Not quite the Nirvanna of choice #1, but certainly quite enjoyable.
If I’m in a hurry, semi-concious, or can not obtain water of an optimum temperature (like the doofus “hot water dispensers” at work, which are never hot enough) I’ll use Lipton’s. It’s tea, it has a tea flavor, but since it will never taste super-fantastic you don’t feel so bad when it comes out less than stellar.
Another tea gripe is the shit they give away at work. Hell, they should pay us to drink it. It taste more like bad coffee than tea, which shouldn’t be a surprise since it’s supplied by a coffee service. (Ditto for the crap teas they serve at the local Starbucks - not sure if it’s the casual disregard for proper treatment of the beverage or if the tea is SUPPOSED to taste like shit, but it’s awful. But what do you expect from a coffee shops who’s coffee doesn’t even smell good?). This stuff is foul and wretched, suitable only to stave off caffeine withdrawals. It is only marginally more tolerable than the wretched coffe they serve.
Look, I can handle the lemon slice on the side of the saucer - it’s a waste, but at least I have the option to use or not use. It’s hiding the lemon in the cup that was low and sneaky.
I remember when I used to hang out with the Irish in Chicago - loved they way they brewed the tea strong and proper. And they were used to half the group wanting it with milk, half without. Not MY cup of tea, but that’s the way they drink it and it’s no stranger than adding lemon (or anything else)
Hoo boy, I learned that the hard way when I married into a Southern family! You folks in Dixie keep things just a touch too sweet for this Yankee, but my accent gives 'em warning that I’m from up north so they aren’t too surprised when I ask for it without and plan to do my own sugaring.
Eh, just don’t like hot lemon I guess. Now, lemonade with vodka when you have a cold is yummy (Helps the cold? After a couple who the hell cares?)
On MY airplane you are welcome to brew your own tea - but ONLY if you share it with the pilot and remember she doesn’t like lemon.
I, too, have the urge to throttle seat-kicking Satan-spawn, regardless of transportation mode. AHHHHGH!
Now – does anyone know where I can get a reliable source of a good Jasmine tea? It used to be quite common but seems to have gone out of fashion…
Broomstick, Indiana is civilization. I know, I’ve been there, and if I had the money, I’d be visiting there again the weekend after next.
For day-to-day, I don’t want to hassle with it tea, the stuff I drink first thing in the morning because despite over 30 years in America, I still don’t really like coffee, buy yourself some Red Rose tea. It’s the same price as Lipton’s, if not cheaper, and it tastes much better! Trust me on this.
I have a friend who swears by mint tea, but I’m with you. Most herbals taste too vegetal for me, but then, I’m picky. I was also in my late teens before I realized Americans don’t put cream and sugar in tea. I’m still not sure I’m over the shock!
I also hereby promise you before the denizens of the BBQ Pit of the SDMB, the most vicious group of human beings on the face of this or any other planet, and that includes prison populations, that if I am ever fortunate enough to go flying with you, I will bring you a cup of Red Rose, Wagner’s Cinnamon and Spice tea, or some other tea of your choice (not decaffeinated – I understand the stuff exists; I just don’t understand why), prepared to your taste.
CJ
Hmmmm, never had lemon in tea, never seen someone have lemon in tea, never been offered lemon in tea. I suspect you 'mericans drink tea differently to us Aussies/Kiwis.
Tea for me: Not too strong, a little milk, no sugar.
Shhhhh! We’re trying to keep it a secret so the Yuppies don’t move in and raise the cost of living…
Heck, I’m a native with almost 40 years here and I don’t like coffee either. I like the smell of coffee, but I suspect that has a lot to do with childhood associations with home and loving parents as much as anything else.
Assuming we’re talking about the same Red Rose… not a huge difference. Again, I think the association of Lipton’s with childhood and home (mom always keeps some on hand) has an impact. Either that, or we’re calling two different things by the same name. Certainly wouldn’t pass on a cup of properly brewed Red Rose, though.
Thank you, CJ, you have a standing invitation to fly with me. Although “tea, hot, Earl Grey” has become trite with Star Trek re-runs, in truth I’ve been drinking just that for over a quarter century - far longer than Captain Picard has been at the helm of the Enterprise. And with our temps hovering around -15C in the mornings, a hot cup of tea to warm up the pilot while the engine is warming up would be most welcome.
Words to live by!
Sure. I order regularly from Ten Ren, a large Chinese supplier. Their variety is excellent, their service is swift, and I highly suggest you sample the tea for yourself. Other than the Twinings remnants from long ago, Ten Ren is just about the only tea I keep in my household anymore.
You may find your jasmine tea here.
Actually Cessandra, particlewill was correct. I do put milk and sugar in my iced tea. Unless I make my own suntea, in they go as one would with hot tea.
As for hot tea Lipton’s is a no-no. Preferably Yorkshire or, if in a pinch, Typhoo or PG tips. I do also occasionally indulge in Ceylon or Assam. Not into the herbal teas, but chai tea is lovely.
I don’t consider myself a tea snob, but am very Un-American in that I can’t stand coffee.
I sympathize completely with the obligatory-lemon-in-your-tea rant.
I’m no more than an occasional hot tea drinker and not very picky about it (except that I, too, do not like Lipton), but I do most dearly love a bottle of Pellegrino with my supper.
::spots the people who laugh at people who pay for bottled water headed this way::
Uh uh. I don’t have any weird notions about it being healthier, or think that there’s something amiss with my tap water. My tap water is good old Croton Reservoir New York Public Water System’s Finest, rated very highly by expert water tasters, and I have no compunctions about drinking it, believe me. It just ain’t Pellegrino, which is the tastiest water in the world.
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Anyway, same problem: the damn waiters are insistent about attaching a lemon wedge to my water. I love Pellegrino and I love lemon (preferably halved and liberally salted, for squeezing directly into my mouth), but I no more appreciate lemon in my Pellegrino than I’d applaud the garnishing of my tossed salad with chocolate sprinkles.
And, as with the tea, I’m not always fortunate enough to obtain the unrequested lemon segment in a saucer on the side. They like to play cute and split it and cram it onto the rim of the glass. Sometimes they squeeze it, ruining the Pellegrino before it lands. Sometimes they toss it right into the water where it floats like a ring of fried calamari in a milk shake. And then I have to send it back.
And a fresh glass, too, please.
That doesn’t sound so bad…
Hopefully that hold true for all your holes :eek:
For folks in the Barbarian Hinterlands, you can get real at Adagio
Ah, tea.
I love the tea trolly that does a twice daily tour of duty in my office.
there are two Steel containers, one for tea, the other for Coffee.
Not any special herbal tea, no haff caff mocha maplenut crunch coffee.
Just tea flavoured tea and coffee flavoured coffee.
And it is ALWAYS good.
Nothing hits the spot like a shot of rum in your tea.
But it’s got to be the right kind of rum, namely the kind my grandmother in Germany used to buy. It had a sweet and candylike flavor. She also used to put it in the icing on her special Christmas cookies. The shit that passes for rum in the US is insufferable. Might as well put gasoline in your tea.
Hey, don’t knock it 'till you’ve tried it.
[sub]Just don’t smoke afterwards. Yikes![/sub][/SIZE]
I think I’ve tried it. When I lived in Georgia. They called it Moonshine, but I’m pretty sure it was gasoline in that mason jar.
Naw… either kerosene or naphtha, but not gasoline.
Hoo, boy, great thread! 
Me, Lipton was my comfort food growing up, so I do like it (I enjoy other brands, too). Lots of sugar and milk (you can read my other Pit thread about how I prepare my tea. When my current chew toy, who grew up outside the U.S., saw me put milk in my tea, he was flabbergasted - he’d never seen that before. (“Milk please - we’re British!”) Two cups in the morning, one cup after dinner, and sometimes one (decaf) before bed. I’ve since expanded my tastes to others (assams, English breakfasts, Earl Grays, cinnamon, etc.), but black teas remain my tea of choice. I’ve been known to sip an herbal now and then, but I don’t make a habit of it.
Esprix