Tea Me, Baby

I realized the other day that I totally forgot to mention my tea obsession this year. I've always been a tea drinker, but somehow the casual cup of tea became a virtual fetish as I started visiting tea houses, mystic shops, and a chain (Teavana) that we found when we were in Ft. Lauderdale. Then my very perceptive mother got me a tea set, complete with selected loose-leaf green teas for Xmas. Our refrigator is jam packed with all of the teas I've collected over the last few months. I am definitely even more "regular" than this vegetarian usually is! My favorite loose tea that I've found is from the Perennial Tea Room in Seattle; it's called Sweet Citrus Mint with Licorice. Even Adam loves this one and he hates licorice. We were in Seattle on a cool, dreary day, and I had a cold. We went into this place and the woman who worked there had this one steeped and ready to pour for samples. I took one sip and fell in love! I got a cup and it helped clear up my symptoms. We also got some for the trip home. Our favorite bagged tea is the Market Spice, also from Seattle. This comes from the Pike Place Market, one of the most famous places in (and my favorite part of) Seattle. It's an orange-cinnamon blend, heavy on the cinnamon (to the point that it just bearly stings your lips when sipping). I don't add sugar to my tea anyway, but if you do, you don't need to with this one. That cinnamon is so sweet it makes the entire tea sweet. Everyone I've shared this tea with has loved it. So I guess that's that. If you're not a tea enthusiast, I've just bored you to tears; if you do like tea, maybe you'll order some online, or go visit for yourself.