I want nothing more than to sit here all quaint at my computer; the chill Colorado air outside; a warm, decorative tea cup nestled in my hand. I have several lovely tea cups. One, in particular, is very nice looking and elegant with a matching saucer that Dave bought me. I want to be able to take the edge off the chill by slowly sipping from this cup and rest it on it's saucer in between sips. The one thing stopping me from this cozy scene: I HATE herbal tea!! I have tried for YEARS to make myself like it...I have tried many different flavors. My last ditch effort was yesterday when I tried some vanilla honey chamomile tea. Blech!! All herbal teas taste the same; like dead leaves boiled in water. I don't think there is anyway to hide this taste. I have tried milk and sugar, honey and lemon...yesterday I even tried flavored syrup and it ended up tasting like dead leaves boiled in water with artificial Irish Cream flavoring!!! I really, really wanted to like it. I sat down at my computer, cold winds howling out the window, and tried to sip and sip and sip before I just couldn't take it any longer!!!! I dumped the whole cup out in the sink, totally deflated. I can't drink cup after cup of hot cocoa! I do prepare my cocoa with less cocoa and more water so that it turns out a water-down version of hot cocoa for less calories, but still....herbal tea is so healthy and has almost no calories and, yeah know....makes you feel all quaint and cozy and calm and sophisticated when you drink it!! At least that is the effect I have seen in numerous Meg Ryan films. And, although she betrayed me by having extensive plastic surgery done, Meg would never steer me wrong about something as sacred as herbal tea. She seems to drink a lot of it, so it must be good. And the stores seem to sell a lot of it, so it must be good. I have even personally visited the Celestial Seasonings factory up near Boulder and they make TONS of herbal teas every day, so it must be good. My taste buds must be messed up. The fact remains, though, that I have a cupboard full of herbal teas and a very lovely matching tea cup and saucer......does anyone have any suggestions for success? What do you drink that's warm and comforting but doesn't have tons of empty calories....but tastes good?
lol! i luv this post. ur tea set is too cute.i agree its an iquired taste. i have loved herbal tee forever. i love that taste you describe.
ReplyDeletei finally got my husbands drink it. it took over a decade of torture. it just clicked one day.
i love to mix flavors. or put 2 bags to steep. never steep over 3min thats when it gets super bitter. we like agave necter in our more that honey. i would have to say that the more expensive ones at the health food store are better quality in herbs. but that is special treat indeed. way pricey! try to stir with a cinnamon stick-if the flavors would mix-or a vanila stick. or try a nutty or fruity extract like in the spices section at the store.
my fav low calorie-cleansing-drink is cran-water.
1 purified water gallon-take out 3/4 of the
water
add 3/4 cups of pure cran juice no sugars
1/2 fresh lime
if you like it sweeter use stivia plus also at herbal store-it is a natural herbal "sugar"
what endurance! u go girl!
Thanks for the comments on my blog!! :) It's nice to know it's read. :) And I sooooooooo appreciate your herbal tea ideas and the cranberry suggestion!!!!! THANKS!!! I will try it!! Last winter I did a lot of wassail, which is yummy too, and pretty good for you, especially if you add more cinnamon and other spices that are so good for you. I think it would be better watered down, though, like the cranberry juice...I will so try it!! :)
ReplyDeleteI like lemon tea--basically hot water, lemon juice and honey. Go to allrecipes.com and search lemon tea...I LOVE it--especially when I have a sore throat.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katee!! I just checked out the recipe..sounds good! Can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteUm, well I grew up with a southern kind of way with tea (take in mind I was baptized later in life). Anyways, Grandma would make sugar with her tea. Seriously, there was so much sugar in her tea it was great. I have found with herbal teas, they aren't the same as cheap tea that I grew up on. I add even more sugar than is probably healthy so hot chocolate might be better. haha good luck
ReplyDeleteI love your tea cup! I have a couple that Russ bought for me.
ReplyDeleteIt took me many years to get to the point where I like herbal tea. And even now I have to be in the mood for it!
Well I love herbal teas :) and so do my kids and husband.
ReplyDeleteI already gave you my suggestions last year about warm drinks ;) So I won't retell all those. Maybe none of them worked for you.
Have you tried licorice spice tea? I have to say it does NOT taste like dead leaves.
And one more that does not taste like it is the bengal spice tea by Colorado's very own tea makers!! I loooooooooooooooooove those teas and they don't taste like "herbal tea" (imo. I should insert a disclaimer here).
I love tea cups too. that one is so pretty!
Maybe I need to browse the teas at Whole Foods for more selection!!! I will not give up!! :)
ReplyDeleteas you know, i am a fan of Pero, a natural cereal-based hot drink. i left a jar of it there, so try it. use about 1 level teaspoon with 2 tsp sugar and evaporated milk to taste. all of the measurements are guesswork since you might like it stronger or less than i do. read the ingredients and let me know how you like it. you can still use the cute cup. any of you who had chosen a cup and saucer of grama rummler's at the time of her death, let me know if you're ready to have them now. i've left them in the safety of the original cabinet they have always been in at stepanie's. they're quite quaint and are also family heirlooms.
ReplyDeleteoh and also Postum, another cereal based hot drink............
ReplyDelete