The Tea Thread

[pavotrouge]

I love Twinings's teas. I got a bunch last week from a tea swap <3

[Roxy]

I wonder if it's possible to steep tea without adding boiling water? I seem to remember when I lived in Australia, that my brother added tea to a jug of water, and left it out in the sun for a while to steep. Afterwards, he iced it up, added some sweetner and wahlah - iced tea.

Has anyone else tried this?

[umbilical]

the anime is called "Karin" (or "Little Vampire" in some translations). It's your average high school comedy with a little fan service (ok lots of fan service) and a vampire twist (the vampire that gets nosebleeds if she thinks of sucking people's blood).

oh i see.. sounds like lots of fun
thanks for the info btw, i really didn't know that series.


i drank fennel tea again... mixed with orange juice

[Aurore]

I wonder if it's possible to steep tea without adding boiling water? I seem to remember when I lived in Australia, that my brother added tea to a jug of water, and left it out in the sun for a while to steep. Afterwards, he iced it up, added some sweetner and wahlah - iced tea.

Has anyone else tried this?

well, i boiled some water, added tea (the yellow thing from lipton), then put the jar in the fridge. oh my ! it tasted horrible. then i learned you're supposed to use water just from the bottle, at the room's temperature, put tea in it, and let it brew, then put it in the fridge. i'm waiting for the return of hot days to try this.

i also found maté at my fave healthfood store, anyone drinks some ? it's from South America but it tastes like matcha tea. i love it.

[oolongtea]

hi all I love oolong tea, Oolong tea has been around "forever". Oolong is fermented, but not as long as black tea, and is intermediate in flavor, color and antioxidants. Most Chinese restaurant tea flavour is oolong. There are some super pricy oolongs that come from Taiwan, most of which never make it out of that country.For more info p/l visit my site http://mytealogic.com/

[ellaminnowpea]

I've just bought a new tea - its blackcurrants, gingseng, and vanilla. Can't wait to try it!

[TheAlterEgo]

I LOVE TEA!!!!

[emendblu]

my teavana tea is going to have a revival as i'm giving up coffee (again for the seventeenth time!). it's paraguayan mate vana mixed with south african rooibos... sooooo good!

probably an old topic but matevana is not vegan sad caus it smells super good but you can do the spice nut mate, lemon blast, or the plain mate yerba and they are safe.

[ellaminnowpea]

why is it not vegan? i dont remember reading that anywhere

[Enchantress]

It says it contains milk here.

[ellaminnowpea]

oh no!! well i suppose its good I've only had it twice, I'll have to give it to my mom

[camp2020]

green tea addict here... organic, vietnamese mountain tea - some one pointed out that what with the amount of agent orange and the like floating round back in the 'nam' days, it couldnt possibly be good... i say "1. that was 25+yrs ago and 2. its an addiction so that allows me to defy reason and logic..."...yep. am narky without the stuff. not good, i know.

[Aurore]

i'm a big tea fan (bit of a purist, i never add milk or sugar, and homemade delicacies are most welcome).
i buy mine in a famous french teastore, they make wonderful blends. i also love white tea, but it's so expensive people might have a heart attack just by looking at it. i am mostly addicted to green tea, but i must say nothing beats a masala tchai
i also have a box of matcha tea, i have trouble with the taste of pure green tea (lol), but a teaspoon in a dough makes wonderful martian cakes.

[pavotrouge]

which is that famous French tea store?

[ellaminnowpea]

oooh I love matcha tea!! And what store is this you're referring to, I'd love to visit sometime

[Aurore]

the tea store is Mariage frères, they have a few shops in Paris, but i go to the one located in le Marais (30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg 75004, Metro Hôtel de Ville) . i like it because it has old wooden shelves. they have an impressive catalogue, the price range is wide, from "cheap" teas to very expensive ones. you can also have a tea there, or a brunch. it's a bit expensive, but worth it.

for the matcha tea i get it at Kioko, the japanese grocery store as it is less expensive (46 rue des Petits Champs 75002, Metro Pyramides). you can also get it at Le Palais des thés, 64 rue vieille du temple (Metro Saint Paul).

i suggest also Betjeman and Barton, another teastore with some blends i like (23 boulevard Malesherbes, 75008, Metro Malesherbes).

here you go, my fave adresses for tea in Paris

[pavotrouge]

EF, which Bioladen and which hemp tea brand? I tried some once that tasted like feet.

@Aurore: would you mind taking me tea shopping in Paris some day?

[fondducoeur]

I just made some oolong tea, which is my favorite. I buy looseleaf from this store called Teavana that has really good blends. The formosa nut oolong is my favorite, I also have a coconut black tea that is really great.

[Klytemnest]

I just made some oolong tea, which is my favorite. I buy looseleaf from this store called Teavana that has really good blends. The formosa nut oolong is my favorite, I also have a coconut black tea that is really great.

I tried the oolong tea at PF Chang's - yummilicious! Is it supposed to be good for you too? Could someone elucidate?

Lately I have been enjoying a jasmine white tea combo from Rishi tea that I buy at Whole Foods. It is not as drying as the green tea jasmine pearls.

Oh, but you have not lived until you have tried the Rooibos Earl Grey! Of course, it is caffeine free, full of anti-oxidants, and absolutely delicious! Also from Rishi Tea.

Isn't variety a wonderful thing?

[Herbsman]

I searched this thread for 'iron'; nothing came up so I assume no-one has mentioned that the tannic acid in tea seriously inhibits iron absorption from food. Avoid drinking it during or near mealtimes.

[Eclipse]

I love all sorts of Tea. My favorite however is Snapple's white tea. It's light, not too strong, and....its vegan! Yum

[Darky_]

I just bought a Clippers: fairtrade tea bags and they are nice. hehehe. Taste different too.

[AlexKunzill]

I love tea, ive been drinking it for around three years. I dont think ive ever gone without a few cups of green tea since I started drinking it at 15!!!

Since around a year ago I've been drinking more and more white tea. Its just totally amazing, its expensive, but worth it.

I buy my tea from this website,

http://www.theteahouse.co.uk/

They buy their tea directly from the farms in china and they sell a fairly good range and also organic teas. The prices aren't too steep, from around £3.00 up to £12 for some teas.

Give it a go, they also send you a free air tight container with every type of tea you buy, so the next time you order the tea they send you a bag instead.

Hope you like it!

[Aurore]

thanks for the link, they have nice teas, and their white teas don't cost that much compared to where i usually buy my teas. that's great they send you boxes too !

[fondducoeur]

I tried the oolong tea at PF Chang's - yummilicious! Is it supposed to be good for you too? Could someone elucidate?

Lately I have been enjoying a jasmine white tea combo from Rishi tea that I buy at Whole Foods. It is not as drying as the green tea jasmine pearls.

Oh, but you have not lived until you have tried the Rooibos Earl Grey! Of course, it is caffeine free, full of anti-oxidants, and absolutely delicious! Also from Rishi Tea.

Isn't variety a wonderful thing?

Sorry; I just saw this posting. I have not heard anything about oolong tea being better for you than normal tea, but I love it. I drink tea in general because it tastes good, its comforting to me to have a cup of tea, and I have stopped drinking coffee for my caffeine fixes (I was drinking way to much and got really bad head aches when I didn't have it) as most teas have quite a bit less. Also tea is not as acidic and bad for your stomach as coffee.
However, tea is also known to speed up metabolisms and lower cholesterol, so I would say that oolong is good for you (except for being one of the higher varieties in caffeine).
The oolong tea at P.F. Changs is the first place I had it too a few years back!

[JC]

Has anyone tried the soya chai steamer from AMT coffee? omg, it's amazing! I tried it at starbucks too, but it wasn't the same, and they charged extra for the soya milk! It's a shame their aren't more AMT places around.

[Gwydion]

Ooohhh, on a major tea spree at the moment! Took delivery of a load of samples from Nothing But Tea the other day.Tealicious.

Also recieved The Story Of Tea (Amazon US link because of reviews and browse-ability) this morning. Looks mucho's interesting.

Thanks for the link AlexKunzill.

[herbwormwood]

I had chai latte made with soya milk at the Co-op cafe in North Shields. It was delicious. If you happen to be in North Shields do try it.

[squigaletta]

I'm addicted to the ayervedic detox yogi tea thing, the fortunes make my cuppa!

[Arabfrancophile]

I searched this thread for 'iron'; nothing came up so I assume no-one has mentioned that the tannic acid in tea seriously inhibits iron absorption from food. Avoid drinking it during or near mealtimes.

Hello Herbsman,

Now, I only drink tea at least 30 minutes after an iron-rich meal, but I've read some where that you should wait few hours after your meal before drinking tea.

Maybe we should start a thread about the effects of tea on the absorption of iron......peace, Mike

[ellaminnowpea]

I agree that drinking tea and coffee blocks the absorption of iron during a meal. This is probably only a factor for about an hour before and an hour after the meal.

I would only worry about it if you have a known iron deficiency though. A deficiency isn't going to be caused by having a few cups of tea with a meal, but rather a lack of substantial iron in the diet to begin with. That said, I avoid taking coffee or tea with meals because I bruise easily and can become anemic very quickly. I've also heard about other nutrient that have decreased absorption du to the various chemicals in tea but this is quite negligable.

[Arabfrancophile]

I agree that drinking tea and coffee blocks the absorption of iron during a meal. This is probably only a factor for about an hour before and an hour after the meal

I agree elminnowpea; an hour before or after the meal should be enough time and I know I worry a bit too much about having all the right nutrients since I became a vegan, but I'm new with this.

I think I'm going back to drinking green tea since it's full of antioxidants.........peace,.Mike

[Kitteh]

I had three cups of black tea w/ rice milk this morning

[veganwitch]

I know about the 1 hour wait before and after eating for tea drinking but I don't practice it . I probably should. Like LMNOP, I bruise easily too.

[Roxy]

Has anyone tried the soya chai steamer from AMT coffee? omg, it's amazing! I tried it at starbucks too, but it wasn't the same, and they charged extra for the soya milk! It's a shame their aren't more AMT places around.

I'm not sure about the UK, but here the Starbucks Chai isn't vegan. It's got honey in it

I've never heard of AMT but that's pretty cool if you've found a place that doesn't charge extra for soy milk!

[squigaletta]

is there any tannin in herbal/redbush teas? i didnt think there was so maybe they would be ok with/before/after a meal?

[cedarblue]

since starting to read 'rebecca', i've got into the idea of afternoon tea and have actually started making scones regularly to eat about 4'ish with cup of tea!

it's a wonderfully comforting and enjoyable ritual - i must take some pics and maybe start a thread on the subject. we could have our cuppas and tea nibbles too perhaps?

[BlackCats]

Hehe Cedar. I love scones.

[ellaminnowpea]

is there any tannin in herbal/redbush teas? i didnt think there was so maybe they would be ok with/before/after a meal?

Hey squiggy, herbal and redbush (rooibos) teas have tannins but much less than like darker teas like black tea. I think it's okay to have tea with meals, just be aware that the tannins and caffeine (if present) will inhibit iron absorption. Whats worse is that they affect absorption of plant iron moreso than animal iron. If you don't have symptoms of anemia, I'm sure you're fine, though, most people aren't going to become iron deficient simply from having tea with a meal.

[pavotrouge]

I envy people who are able to have afternoon tea Between 3-6 pm is the last time in the day when I can think of sitting down with a cup.

[ellaminnowpea]

Green hoji tea is amazing! I've drank two cups of that today, along with two more cups of golden oolong tea

[Wilhelmina]

I drink 2-3 litres of Natures Cuppa Earl Grey tea a day....I may have a tea problem But I get plenty of soymilk as a result, and it's so good to drink down here in the cold.

[BonnieS]

I am such a tea junkie. I have every kind of tea imaginable, tea is overrunning my kitchen! My favourite has always been lapsang souchong, which to most people is an acquired taste but to me, it's heavenly! Tea has so many health benefits, it's insane! There's actually a tea diet book out there by someone named Dr. Tea. I bought it before I became vegan, so I don't know if the recipes are of any use, however the information on how tea can change a person's life is immensely helpful!

[BonnieS]

Also recieved The Story Of Tea (Amazon US link because of reviews and browse-ability) this morning. Looks mucho's interesting.

You'll love that book, if it's the one I'm thinking of. Come to think of it, I've never read a boring book about tea!!!!

[Roxy]

I am such a tea junkie. I have every kind of tea imaginable, tea is overrunning my kitchen! My favourite has always been lapsang souchong, which to most people is an acquired taste but to me, it's heavenly! Tea has so many health benefits, it's insane! There's actually a tea diet book out there by someone named Dr. Tea. I bought it before I became vegan, so I don't know if the recipes are of any use, however the information on how tea can change a person's life is immensely helpful!

I think you and veganwitch might need to have a tea challenge She's the BIGGEST tea junkie I know

I bought some "Spring Cleanse" loose leaf tea yesterday, which is good for your liver and kidneys, and general inner health.

Here's what's in it: Licorice Root, Red Clover Herb, Burdock Root, Oregon Grape Root, Fennel Seed, Dandelion Leaf, Dandelion Root, Cleavers Herb, Chickweed Herb, Nettle Leaf and Peppermint Leaf.

It's got a very fresh taste to it.

[BonnieS]

Thanks for the note, Roxy! Bring it on, veganwitch!!!! It's a Tea-Off!!!! LOL!!!

[BlackCats]

I just tasted Yogi Licorice tea the other week and I love it. I'm going to have to try their other varieties.

[Roxy]

Thanks for the note, Roxy! Bring it on, veganwitch!!!! It's a Tea-Off!!!! LOL!!!

Aphro, I tried the Yogi Cocoa Spice tea awhile back and I really enjoyed that one.

[umbilical]

yogi seems to be quite popular among our forum members

[pavotrouge]

I think it's popular with everybody who likes tea because it's divine. I've never met a person who didn't like it.