Tea?

A place to discuss casual topics amongst spiritual friends.
K.Dhamma
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Tea?

Post by K.Dhamma »

With or without milk?

I prefer milk and honey. But only with certain brands and I usually get the Irish Morning blend. How about you guys?
"Remember you dont meditate to get anything, but to get rid of things. We do it, not with desire, but with letting go. If you want anything, you wont find it." - Ajahn Chah
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Tea?

Post by Modus.Ponens »

It depends on the tea, but in most cases, no. There is only one specific tea that my sister in law makes that takes milk and it makes a good combination.

By the way, earl grey is my favorite.
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Tea?

Post by m0rl0ck »

Punjana irish breakfast has been my mainstay of late, tho i do like Red Rose earl grey. I usually take it straight, i have a tendancy to let it become a chemistry experiment if i start adding stuff.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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Mojo
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Re: Tea?

Post by Mojo »

I've really become fond of adding milk and splenda to my tea - even iced!
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GraemeR
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Tea?

Post by GraemeR »

K.Dhamma wrote:With or without milk?

I prefer milk and honey. But only with certain brands and I usually get the Irish Morning blend. How about you guys?
I have green tea which is best plain

Graham
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Sam Vara
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Re: Tea?

Post by Sam Vara »

Why thank you! Soya milk but no sugar, please. Just leave it next to the keyboard until I've finished typing. I'm on Dhamma Wheel at the moment.

Are there any biscuits? Gingers would be nice...
Coyote
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Re: Tea?

Post by Coyote »

I like strong breakfast tea with just milk. :coffee:
Sugar in tea is revolting IMO.

Though I have started to cut down on caffeinated drinks because of their effect on the body.

I also like green and white tea, darjeeling, lapsang souchong, you name it.
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared."
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James the Giant
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Re: Tea?

Post by James the Giant »

Tea! This is how I like it!
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Then,
saturated with joy,
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Kim OHara
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Re: Tea?

Post by Kim OHara »

:twothumbsup:

:focus:
My parents' idea of tea was very strong with milk and sugar ... I didn't like it much but didn't know any better. When I left home I discovered herbal teas - peppermint, lemongrass and more - and green tea.
No milk and sugar! Good!
So then I tried "normal" tea made the same way - not too strong, unadulterated ... it was actually not bad that way :smile:

But by then I was a confirmed coffee drinker anyway. :shrug:

:namaste:
Kim
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zavk
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Re: Tea?

Post by zavk »

Have had to avoid coffee because the high levels of caffeine are not good for an ongoing skin condition. I don't miss the caffeine hit so much as the aroma. :(

So I'm rediscovering the rich tradition of Chinese tea which I've not paid much attention to, even though I have been exposed to it as part of my ancestral heritage. Though, it is not uncommon for the diverse 'Chinese' diaspora around the world to be uneducated or unconcerned about such things, nor should they be expected to.

龙井茶 long jing tea, or literally dragon's well tea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longjing_tea
Have not yet tasted the expensive ones.

茉莉花茶 jasmine tea. Very common but I've been fascinated at the many sub-varieties, some of which are extremely delicate and aromatic, like when they are rolled up into 'pearls' - sometimes marketed as 'Buddha's tears'. Apparently the jasmine flower was introduced to China together with Buddhism.

乌龙茶 Oolong tea, literally black dragon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oolong
Another common tea, but never knew about the intricate craft behind its many sub-varieties. I really enjoy the Tie Guanyin (Iron Guanyin) when it is served in the traditional Gongfu tea ceremony. Not as elaborate as the Japanese chado, but something very mindful about the whole process: rinsing the teaware, appreciating only the aroma of the first brew before discarding it, then allowing the different scents of each subsequent brews to unfold...

Right now, I'm sipping on breakfast black tea cultivated in Sri Lanka, which is really an offshoot of red tea introduced by the British in the 1800s from China.
With metta,
zavk
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zavk
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Re: Tea?

Post by zavk »

Oh and I've only had it at eateries and homes of friends, have not visited those countries yet. But the chai (not the instant premix) of South Asian cultures like India and Pakistan - strong, very milky, spiced, and often sweet - they are in a class of their own. :clap:
With metta,
zavk
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cooran
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Re: Tea?

Post by cooran »

Queen of all Teas, I have been trying to find a ''real Masala Chai'' since my last trip to India - no luck so far:

Masala Chai
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/11/c ... -chai.html

craving, craving, craving :cry:

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
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Kim OHara
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Re: Tea?

Post by Kim OHara »

cooran wrote:Queen of all Teas, I have been trying to find a ''real Masala Chai'' since my last trip to India - no luck so far:

Masala Chai
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/11/c ... -chai.html

craving, craving, craving :cry:

with metta
Chris
Thanks, Chris - great link! I particularly liked "Some people really empty out the whole spice rack here," and later, "freshly ground spices, which will release a great deal more depth and aroma into your chai than will something you've held onto in a tin for the course of several apartment moves." :D

But it suggests the possibility that the normal English tea I grew up with was a degenerate (simplified) masala chai in the first place. :thinking: Weird!

:namaste:
Kim
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zavk
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Re: Tea?

Post by zavk »

cooran wrote:Queen of all Teas, I have been trying to find a ''real Masala Chai'' since my last trip to India - no luck so far:

Masala Chai
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/11/c ... -chai.html

craving, craving, craving :cry:

with metta
Chris
Hi Chris

It's quite extraordinary isn't it? I'm looking forward to the day when I get it off the street hawker in India. Apparently, there is no one recipe, it all comes down to the preferred mix. I've tried approximating it, based on what I've observed in real life and on TV. I find that tea dust gives it the necessary oomph. I get it from the Indian grocer/dry goods store. Then the mix of spices is really up to you, but what I do is grind them roughly in a mortar and pestle - doing spices in this manner seems to bring out the aroma more; cracking the cardamon pods really brings out the flavour. Apparently traditionalist would insist that it is made ONLY with milk. What I do is use equal parts milk and water, and quite a bit of tea dust (the tea needs to be thick and strong; I'd suggest you use a lot more than what is typically consumed). So I first cook the tea on the stove in a small amount of water, then, add the spices, bring it to a low boil, then add milk. Then I let it simmer fo a bit. I think the milk ought to be cooked down slightly, thickened. Then I add honey to taste.
With metta,
zavk
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cooran
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Re: Tea?

Post by cooran »

Ohhh YUM!!!!!!!!!

When I had it in India - the restaurant would only make it if there were four to six people wanting it -and then, it took over half and hour to boil all the ingredients together and get the right texture and concentration.
I would go back to India just for a 'proper cup of Masala Chai Tea' - maybe I'm a ''one hit and you're an addict'' person??

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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