OK, Dearies. This is for all of you tea drinkers out there.
I have found my sweet spot when it comes to my DamnGood game...Starbucks Verona pods at home with Truvia and a light splash of creamer, and an iced triple shot with sugar free cinnamon dulce and a splash...but I am stumped when it comes to what I hope will be my afternoon tea treat.
Years ago, my sister gave me a teapot and a bag of loose tea that was delicious. It was very "spicy" with what I assume was orange peel, cinnamon, and cloves. If I drank enough of it my lips and tongue actually tingled, and I was known to pull one or two all-nighters while under its influence.
I have never been able to find that exact tea again. Recently, I bought a tin of Harney and Sons Christmas/Holiday tea and it was definitely NOT it. I think the Harney tea has vanilla and almond...two flavors that I normally love...but not in my tea apparently.
Do you have any suggestions for a black tea (with caffeine, if you please) that has that orange spicy thing going for it, but without anything else?
I have a little white tea pot that I fill with hot water while the kettle boils, and I'm adding two tea bags to it and steeping for about four minutes or so before pouring and sipping.
Anything I'm missing?
Thanks in advance. Like I said above...I'm pretty sure I go through this uncertainty every year, but since Stewey and his valet (*) have been gone I'm afraid it's gone to the hounds around here.
(No pun intended, and I'm not even sure that's a real saying).
(*) Stewey's valet was called Reginald, and a few days after Stewey's memorial services he returned to service at Sandringham to Her Majesty and Co. thanks to a provision in Little Lord FussyPants' will.
You might try Market Spice Tea. It is similar to your description and is delicious.
ReplyDeleteYou might also try this one. https://www.goodearth.com/collections/sweet-spicy/products/sweet-spicy-tea
ReplyDeleteI think this is the one you are talking about, Sweet & Spicy, delicious, this is my fave too
DeleteI would second Good Earth tea - its a favorite and I miss having a restaurant in NE like I had in MN - still a must eat when I got 'home' to the Twin Cities. Otherwise I can get it at a couple groceries and Amazon.
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ReplyDeleteNot trying to be mean but is caffeine advisable when you have kidney problems? I had a cancer scare and surgery over the summer. I gave up caffeine and didn't realize how it affected me in various ways until I gave it up. I hate to act like a preachy reformed addict, but you may want to consider drinking less. I know its not easy, I was addicted for 40 years!
ReplyDeleteModerate consumption of caffeine-containing beverages has not been shown to have an adverse effect on kidney function. I suspect that Coni has discussed her tea and coffee habit with her doctor, and if he'd told her to give them up she would have.
DeleteI like Bigelow "Constant Comment" tea for an orange spice tea. It comes in both caffeinated and decaf. For a great cinnamon tea with a kick try Harney and Sons "Hot Cinnamon Spice". It tastes just like a cinnamon red hot candy and is sweet enough for my taste without any added sweetener.
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DeleteConstant Comment for the win!
Deletehttps://www.amazon.com/Harney-Sons-Cinnamon-Spice-Bags/dp/B000PGQQFC
ReplyDeletethat is just hot cinnamon spice....not christmas
makes your lips tingle
I like all of these: Hot cinnamon spice from Perennial Tea Room, Post Alley , Seattle WA. Constant Comment, almost any grocery store. Market Spice from Market Spice Co, Pike Place Market, Seattle WA. I like the hot cinnamon spice the best.
ReplyDeleteMy Grannie was from Scotland and she knew how to make tea, so did my Mom. The best black tea for me is Scottish Breakfast Tea, it is stronger than the English or Irish Breakfast black teas. Constant Comment came to my mind when you mentioned a spiced tea, also a Chai tea blend. But the most important thing, if you are using a tea bag, use only one. Using loose tea, don't add lots of scoops. Steep the tea for as long as needed to obtain the strength you desire (3-6 minutes). If you use more than one bag per your tea pot you are increasing the tannic acid which makes your tea bitter and not pleasant to drink.
ReplyDeleteBigelow's Constant Comment and Stash Chai tea are my go to spice teas.
ReplyDeleteThis one might not be spicy enough for you, but I love Stash Orange Spice Tea.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite is Earl grey tea. The smell is fabulous you may need to try a couple different brands to get the blend that's perfect for your taste.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourites is rooibos tea, also known as South African Red Bush tea. It is very spicy but nice..I live in Europe, where it is a quite wellknown tea. Hope you can buy it where you live.
ReplyDeleteI have a cup of Harney Bros. Hot Cinnamon Spice tea every afternoon at precisely 3PM. Love it.
ReplyDeleteBigelow Constant Comment is my go to. Just enough spice. I brew it with Lipton tea (ratio - 1-2) for a gallon. Then drink either cold or warm.
ReplyDeleteHarney Hot Cinnamon Spice I’d very good
ReplyDeleteHarney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea Tin - Black Tea with Orange & Sweet Cloves, the best tea ever! and you can order through the Amazons!
ReplyDeleteyes that one exactly
DeleteConstant Comment and chai teas came to my mind also. If you want something in yet another direction, I also like lapsang souchong. It has a lovely smokey flavor. I haven't been able to find it in stores for a long time, it may need to be an on-line order.
ReplyDeleteEarl Grey gave me quite an interesting experience. To my knowledge I'd never had it before, unless maybe as a small child and I had no memory of it. I had a dream I was drinking it and could taste it. A bit later, I got some and it tasted exactly what I had in my dream. I've never before or since had a dream where I tasted anything, let alone have it be spot on.
Constant Comment by Bigelow is wonderful and when I want something soothing I reach for the Earl Gray
ReplyDeleteConstant Comment by Bigelow is wonderful and when I want something soothing I reach for the Earl Gray
ReplyDeleteI also like Rooibos tea (redbush), and honeybush tea which is also very nice. Not had it for ages. But I used to like a winter spice tea from a herb company, which had licorice, ginger, oodles of cinnamon and cloves and I've probably forgotten any more ingredients. There's a Youtube channel by Eccentric Nature where he does taste tests of various teas and coffee alternatives. Absolutely bonkers but interesting research that he does. I'm not sure if they are British based companies as he lives in England now, but he does try all sorts as he has followers from all over the world.
ReplyDeleteAs for HRH, he likes his Darjeeling tea which is a bit milder. Leaves are better than bags which are apparently the scraped up leftovers! LOL! I'm more herbal infusions or coffee! But whatever you find - enjoy! xx
Taylor's of Harrogate has a Christmas spice tea that sounds similar. It's at Amazon if you're interested!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice, but it's more of a chai tea- not the orange you're looking for.
DeleteI like the Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea.
ReplyDeleteLove this one too! Not as spicy as Good Earth - but another go-to!!
DeleteConstant comment is a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if you have Harris Teeter, but they have an Orange Spice Tea bag that sound a little like this. But someone earlier mentioned Market Spice. I really like that too, and it is loose leaf.
ReplyDeleteHi Coni Just noticed your note about Stewey at the end of the post. You are such a gifted writer with great imagination, how you ever thought of writing children's books with Stewey as the main character? I think you would be a natural.
ReplyDeleteYes....I think about that all the time! Thank you for the lovely compliment...I never think of myself as particularly gifted...just a bit nuts and not afraid to reveal that. Besides....Stewey gets all of the credit. He was pretty special.
Deletebut you must write "mother" into the story
Deleteit is how i came to laugh out loud and have not stopped finding your blog since
that and your sleep study tale
Teavana has a chai tea that's lovely. I tried it at Starbucks the other year (it's not the regular Starbuck chai). My supply ran out so I've been drinking Celestial Seasonings Tiger Chai. My box is decaf so I add a regular teabag to the pot when I want caffiene.
ReplyDeleteCould you ask your sister what tea she gave you?
ReplyDeleteYes, I did. It was about thirty years ago and came with a Bodum tea pot. I looked on their site, but they don't sell tea now...just the accessories.
DeleteThe only tea like that that comes to mind is Constant Comment. I have been drinking since I was a little girl, and is very spicy.
ReplyDeleteYogi Tea. Sweet Chai Ayurvedic blend with anise, fennel, liquorice, and hints os cardamon, black pepper, cinnamon ginger and cloves. Wonderful, needs to brew for a good 5 mins. As a great chai lover this is the closest I have found to chai from countries where each brew is freshly made. Good luck with your search. Susan
ReplyDeleteBigelow Constant Comment us what you probably remember. If it is far enough back in time, chai teas were not as well known and still don't always come in teabags. Someone else mentioned it too. One teabag at a time. I am enough of a tea snob to say that the only Bigelow product I will touch is Constant Comment. It is available in most grocery stores, Walmart, target, etc. Try it first before the fancier ones. At least it is cheaper. Have fun tasting.
ReplyDeleteConstant Comment, as others have mentioned. These days, I am drinking Twining's Christmas Tea which is black tea with caffeine. Also good is Celestial Seasonings Nutcracker Sweet, also black and caf. If I drink tea in the evening, I usually drink herbal or decaf. A good herbal for this time of year is Twinings Winter Spice. I don't like a lot of herbal teas; anything with almond in it reminds me of drinking warm Jergen's lotion (original scent).
ReplyDeleteNot be redundant, but Constant Comment! Yummy ...but not sure if it's available as loose tea. I always buy it already in tea bags.
ReplyDeleteStash Chai is good too....
ReplyDeleteI'm another voter for Stash brand teas. Check out their Orange Spice Black tea
ReplyDeletehttps://www.stashtea.com/products/orange-spice-black-tea-bagged
Yes, my absolute all time ever favorite.
DeleteHi Conni, Do you have T2 shops there? If not I think the tea you are describing is Orange Pekoe. Robyn Sydney Australia
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tea is Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice. It’s a black tea with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Claims to be caffeine free but I don’t believe it. So spicy good! Enjoy the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you find the tea you are looking for and please share which one ended up being the winner. It sounds delicious!
ReplyDelete