Tea Time

La Tea Dah over at Gracious Hospitality has been having a tea themed blog-a-thon about different tea subjects. This week has been about the types of tea that we enjoy drinking on a regular basis. Tea is great for us for many reasons. The health benefits (especially for green tea) have been shown to reduce risks for cancer, bad cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Tea has been found to enhance immunity and to aid in digestion as well. Plus I would argue that taking time for a relaxing cup of tea decreases stress and can increase social networks when indulged in amongst a group (as historically was the case).

In my family we have an on-going joke in regards to my father and his tea drinking habits. Not only does Dad drink the strongest, cheapest, and in my opinion, most awful flavored green tea (although its probably truer to the source of the actual tea leaf), he also has a habit of steeping his tea for an enormous amount of time. He believes that tea should be left to steep for 10 minutes and often forgets about his cup as it steeps/cools. This causes him to have to reheat the tea whenever he discovers it again in the kitchen and always causes us to have a good laugh.

I feel lucky to have in the Pacific Northwest several major tea companies and thus feel even more glad to be able to purchase my tea from local sources. Portland is the headquarters for both Tazo and Stash tea companies. Another favorite brand of tea is that of Yogi Tea, which is headquartered in Eugene, Oregon and often uses organic ingredients. Primarily I enjoy a good cup of English breakfast tea or chai tea mixed with a spoonful of brown sugar and a glunk of soy milk. I usually enjoy tea at least once or twice throughout the afternoon and evening. When I am desiring tea but am worried about sleep being inhibited due to caffeine, I drink a cup of decaffeinated regular Good Earth tea (via Santa Cruz, CA) with or without the added sugar/milk combo dependent upon mood.

One brand of tea that I found while studying abroad several years back in London is that of The London Cuppa. I was lucky to have two friends who went there the subsequent summer and picked up more boxes of it for me, however friends on recent trips have been unable to find it in many of the stores there. This tea, while definitely not local, is probably the best English breakfast tea I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. Although it is probably a good thing that I have had to ration supplies as the strength of this tea and the manner in which it coats both my cup and my teeth, leads me to wonder just how good it is for my body.

One additional thing that I love about both Good Earth and the Yogi tea brands are the quotes that they imprint on the tag connected to the tea bag. Often inspirational these quotes brighten my day almost as much as the tea does itself. Today's Yogi tea quote for your enjoyment and one that applies to postings on this blog, "Compassion has no limit. Kindness has no enemy."