Life & Research Notes

Decent black tea. Tetley is a good starting point, Yorkshire Gold is better, and I really like Barry’s. Twinings will do in a pinch, preferably their Irish Breakfast. I take sugar, either with some whole milk or a wedge of lemon. Sometimes some decent soymilk, like Silk organic or similar, can be nice as well, though it’s a little thinner and not as smooth. I don’t generally drink Earl Grey tea. I guess I’m just not a fan of the built-in citrus flavor. I’d rather add my own. My friend Anita is really good about setting a timer to steep it for 5 minutes. I usually am not so exact, but I’m still careful not to overbrew.

Mint. I drink a lot of this. Straight up is good, but I usually take it with some sweetness, preferably honey. And lately I’ve been squeezing half a lime in, sort of like the tea version of a mojito. With the lime it reminds me a little of this smoky red tea I had in Thailand, drinking out of bamboo mugs while staying up in the hill tribe village, cup after cup with so much sugar and fresh lime juice. Lime actually makes almost anything better. I actually prefer more normal mint teas like Twinings or Stash, or even loose from the bulk section. I found Mighty Leaf smells better than it tastes, and because it’s expensive I feel a little more hesitant adulterating it with the lime and honey. Regardless of brand, while steeping the tea I like to inhale the cool mintiness from the wrapper or container.

Sportea has frequently rescued me from exhaustion, coldness, or even just melancholy. It’s a blend of green tea, mate, ginger, ginseng, and some other magical goodnesses from the hearty eco-outdoorsy land of Boulder, CO. It has a wonderful light, natural sweetness, and the longer it steeps the better. On cold days I like to throw a bag with hot water into my nalgene as I’m heading out the door, and hold it to keep my hands warm while waiting for Bart or the T or whatever other public transit system. And anyone I share this tea with becomes a convert. Reminds me of all night projects at the lab, working through sleep deprivation and hunger, drinking many cups. It’s never jarring or jittery, just a pleasant increased alertness. Plus tons of bonus points for having the most enjoyably bad website I’ve probably ever seen. (link)

Rooibos. I was on a bigger kick with this a few years ago, but occasionally it is still the best thing. No caffeine, nice very light earthy flavor, and supposedly some of the same health benefits as green tea. Great with some honey, or a little milk and sugar. I’ve also had it in more ground forms, brewed espresso-style to create shots for lattes. I’m kind of a sucker for the vanilla flavored variants. Reminds me a little of pipe tobacco.

These are just a few of my mainstays. I’m not picky by any means, and I enjoy a variety of other teas as well. When I have a good bag of loose green tea I can quickly get into a very regular ritual with it. It’s a great pick-me-up almost any time of day, and generally isn’t as harsh tasting as some black teas. There aren’t many green teas that really jump out at me, though I do like the Mighty Leaf tropical green mix. My sister is much more of a green tea drinker than me. Occasionally I’ll go for Jasmine, Oolong, or various black teas (Russian caravan, etc), but my knowledge of these is fairly spotty. I’ll also sometimes drink chamomile, throat coat, sleepytime, or other herbals. I’ve also had some very nice mixes.

I always enjoy water heated in a kettle on a stovetop (preferably gas). Not a big fan of whistle kettles, but sometimes they’re important if you’re multitasking (laundry in the garage while you boil the water, etc). I don’t like hot water dispensers or microwaves so much, though if a dispenser is available I generally feel obligated to use it rather than wasting energy just for my own fetish. Maybe it’s just because it’s what I grew up with, but I like the ignition of the gas, preparing the tea cups or pot while waiting for the water to heat, and listening for the boil and watching for the steam.