A few of my favorite things: Tea edition
I’m a coffee girl and can’t go a morning without a cup of hot Joe or espresso, but once fall rolls in I start upping my tea game in the afternoon and evenings. I do enjoy most varieties of tea. Lou doesn’t actually care for coffee so he drinks tea every morning regardless of the season. Between the two of us we have quite the collection. In the early days of staying in with COVID, we ordered a lot of tea because doing some sampling and ranking our favorites was a fun and low-key project during the doldrums of last spring. We tried everything from local NYC favorites to international brands. Here in no particular order are some of my favorite brews to enjoy as the cold weather creeps in.
Barry’s Irish Breakfast: I studied abroad in Ireland and this is the tea we drank every morning. I like a good English Breakfast tea too but if I’m going to start my day with tea instead of coffee there is no substitute for Barry’s.
Bigelow French Vanilla: Back in what feels like ages ago now, I worked in an office and we had a variety of Bigelow tea on hand. This was my go-to pick me up during the grey winter months.
Harney & Sons Cranberry Autumn: The newest tea we’ve tried in our household. It’s a great fall tea that isn’t overly fruity. If you are in NYC you can visit Harney & Sons’ shop in SoHo.
Mariage Freres Wedding Imperial: Years ago my friend Sandy brought me back some of this tea from her trip to Paris. Since then I’ve been hooked. You can order their tea online, but it is a little pricy. I tend to buy it when I’m in Europe and stretch out using it until my next trip to the continent is scheduled.
Republic of Tea Ginger Peach: My absolute favorite fruit tea. It’s so tasty and in the summer months, it is excellent for brewing ice tea.
Serengeti Teas & Spices Jasmine Lemongrass Green Tea: This tea shop is located in Harlem, but they ship nationwide. This is my favorite variety of green tea. I love the floralness of the jasmine which is balanced by the earthiness of the lemongrass.
Smith Tea Lord Bergamot: Lou and I love Earl Grey tea and this is our absolute favorite one. We discovered on a trip to Fiorello’s.
Teapigs Chai: Teapigs started in the UK about a decade and a half ago. I first saw their varieties on a trip to San Fransico. I can find them in most grocery stores in NYC now. They have some great and unusual verities, but I absolutely adore their chai.
Twinings Lady Grey: This is probably the tea I’ve been drinking the longest. I love Twinings in general, but this is my favorite of theirs. Think of it as a milder Earl Grey.
Yogi Tea Stomach Ease: Yogi has a great assortment of wellness teas. The licorice and peppermint based Stomach Ease is great if you’re experiencing an upset tummy or cramps.
What’s your favorite tea?
