Random thoughts on... TEA

I am not a coffee drinker.

There.  I said it.

Hubs is; he's a HUGE coffee drinker. (like 10 cups a day, some of which are brewed and consumed late in the evening!)

I like tea.  Lots of different kinds of tea. 

In fact, taking a look at the collection of tea I have in my desk at work makes me wonder if I don't have a problem...

keep in mind, this is just the stuff I have AT WORK.  There's even MORE at HOME!!!  Plus, this picture doesn't include the loose bags of P&G Tips, Maple Tea, and Madagascar Vanilla Rooibos Red tea stashed in a little baggie...

Now, while I don't enjoy drinking coffee, I love the smell of it.  And, occasionally, I will drink a cup.  Particularly if I happen to find myself at a Dunkin' Donuts; I'll get a medium french vanilla with extra creme and extra sugar.  One the rare occasions that I do have a cup of coffee, people usually make fun of me beacuse I put so much creme and sugar in it.  But, with tea, I drink it straight up. 

Actually, I can't stand milk or sugar in my tea.  I think it tastes gross.  (I know, I know, my "Southerner" card has just been revoked and Southern Living has just cancled my subscription immediately, but I CANNOT STAND sweet tea.  I think I am the only person born below the Mason-Dixon line that always orders UNsweet tea; even at chik-fil-a and Bojangles...)

I prefer to enjoy the flavor of the tea all by itself. 

Somebody once told me that they try to like tea, but after a few sips, they realize that it just tastes like hot water to them.  Not me.  I don't want to sound like a tea snob, but I can DEFINTILEY tell the difference in taste between a certain black teas, green teas, white teas, and hot water.

I just finished drinking a cup of the "Chocolate Mint" tea included in the picture above.  I must admit, the first time I tried it, I was skeptical.  And it smells a lot stronger than it tastes.  But it tastes so nice; it's like an Andes Mint, without the sweetness.  It also has the benefit of making my office smell really nice and reminding me of a crisp fall day. 

There are actually many teas that have a flavor memory for me: The Mango Ceylon reminds me of the middle of summer beacuse that is when Hubs first gave me an iced tea pitcher along with a box of Mango Ceylon to make iced tea with.

Bigelow's Constant Comment (which is one of my absolute faves: if any freinds are ever stumped on what to get me for my birthday, you can seriously go to the grocery store and get me a box of this and I would be soooo thrilled!  In fact, it's a gift my dad gives my mom every year for Chirstmas and she loves it. - or, she's a really good actress...) anywho, Constant Comment reminds me of the holidays.  A spicy citrusy blend that just FEELS like November and December to me.

And, I find watching the tea brew in my cup kinda relaxing.  I enjoy watching the layers of flavor emerge from the tea bag as its submerged in the hot water.  Seeing the flavors swirl from the bottom to the top as the water darkens and the tea steeps stronger. 

Kooky, right? Some folks enjoy the hustle and bussel of yelling their order to an indifferent barista in the special starbucks language, but give me a clean mug with some hot water and a bag of tea, and I'm a pretty happy girl.