A few people have asked me about the teas I’ve been drinking lately. I will say that it’s very hard to find good loose leave tea here in Baton Rouge. The closest place to finding “decent” teas are at Whole Foods and World Market. These are good teas—but why just settle for “good” when you can have “great.” Believe me, forget about the good ol’ tea bag—-and look for some loose leave love. I recommend these online sites: http://www.teavana.com and http://samovarlife.com/.
Here are the teas I’m drinking now:
Silver Needle (White Tea): VERY light, clean tasting white tea. Delicate taste—and great for infusing mixing with other teas. Also, it is very high in anti-oxidants; so great health benefits to drinking this stuff! It’s the healthiest tea I’ve had so far. These tea leaves can withstand multiple steepings.
Monkey Picked Oolong: In my opinion, this is the Ferrari of all teas. Very light, crisp taste—but complex. Great benefits also. Not as high in antioxidants as white or green tea; however, this tea is great for boosting your energy and metabolism. GREAT for dieting and keeping hydrated. These tea leaves can withstand multiple steepings — in fact, some of the flavors change after different brews.
White Avurvedic Chai: When I first tried this tea in Houston, it knocked my socks off. VERY, VERY flavorful. Great for boosting energy and hydration. It’s almost like drinking candy!
Mate Vana + Rooibos Chai: This blend KICKS BUTT too. If you are a coffee drinker; and trying to make the “switch” into teas— this one is for YOU! This blend brews very dark and reminds me of coffee on the palate.
And there you have it… These are the teas I’m enjoying right now. —- I will forewarn you: loose leave teas are ALOT more expensive than your regular “Wal-mart” tea from a tea bag. But, worth it? ABSOLUTELY. When I made my first “purchase”, I had sticker shock when told that my bill was $90 for two full tins of tea. But, ohhhh here is where the addiction begins… Just to show you how bad: the last time I was in Houston to see my “dealer”, I dropped $250 on these teas I described above. HAPPILY walking out with my “fix” — talk about “Holy Herb!?!?” BTW: It’s Camellia sinensis … 🙂
Of course, I typically buy in bulk—-and this amount of tea lasts me for like 4-6 months.
So give it a try… If you are wanting a good “starter’ experience try this Starter Kit.
Want more? Checkout the Doctor Tea videos. Also, if you are on Twitter, follow Kevin Roses’ “Good Tea” account. OH, and by the way— drink all the tea you want. Unlike coffee, tea has a chemical called L-Thiamine that counteracts the “jitters” you would get from caffeine. Read HERE for more info on the health benefits of drinking tea.
Thanks,
Will – http://twitter.com/wsellers
