talking about tea

I've been so all about the coffee recently that I'd almost forgotten the great pleasure of a good cup of tea - hot enough to be warming but not so hot that it burns your tongue, steeped to the level of maximum flavor but not so far as to have that sticky, bitter taste, seasoned with just the right amount of sugar to add sweetness and complement the flavor. Lovely. And much softer to drink than coffee, so better for colds and sore throats, etc.

My favorite tea I started drinking when I worked for Coliseum Books in New York. I'd go to the coffee shop down the street and order Cinnamon Plum tea from the Republic of Tea Company so often that they called me "Cinnamon Plum Girl". I actually almost became roommates with one of the baristas there. Clearly I had an obsession! I later discovered Ginger Peach, also by Republic of Tea, and had two great tea loves.

When we went to London in 2005, we got to go to the tiny little Twinings tea shop tucked between two big buildings. I got a nice box for tea packets, and discovered Mary Twining's Spiced Tea - which is lovely when perfectly brewed, but a little too anisey when overbrewed.

So while coffee tends to be easier to make in larger-than-one-cup amounts, tea can be a far more satisfying taste experience, when done well.