Tea-rrific

So I figured since I blogged about my love of coffee already and forgot to include his sidekick, tea, that maybe I shouldn't ignore the poor fella.

Although on most days I would choose coffee over tea, it definitely has its place. Most of that decision probably has to do with a lack of sleep anyways.

Tea, glorious tea. The many ways you present yourself keep me forever interested, which can be a hard thing to accomplish. Black tea with lemon? Sure. Earl Grey with cream? Bring it on. Chai tea? The more exotic the better.

Lately, I have had a "tea fetish" for somewhat out of the ordinary varieties. First came my affair with green tea, more particularly Matcha powder. This powder form of green tea is used in Japanese tea ceremonies and in about a thousand other things in Japan.

I love the versatility of Matcha. Not only does it make fabulous hot and cold tea and lattes, but it can be added to just about anything to give it a subtle green tea flavor and beautiful color.

I was first introduced to this delicious, and somewhat expensive variety of tea quite a few years ago, but somehow it faded out of my life until I recently rediscovered it. Now that we have been reunited, I will never let it out of my sight again. :)

My latest love affair, however, originates from another country entirely: Thailand. I fell quickly for the richly sweet, orange-colored, milk-laced tea called Cha yem. I first encountered the tea in a Thai restaurant and I just couldn't get enough.

Cha yem is extremely addicting, which is evident by the fact that people in Thailand actually walk around sipping this stuff out of a plastic bag: dialysis for tea addicts.

Seriously though, Thai tea is like the crack of non-alcoholic drinks. I am so in love with this stuff I find myself trying inhale the scent of the tea from the empty glass after I finish my drink. If you haven't tried it I definitely recommend you go down to the closest Thai restaurant and order the tea either hot or cold; both ways are satisfying. Be forewarned though, you might be visiting that restaurant a lot more often now.

I became so enamored with this stuff that I ended up ordering the real deal, straight from Thailand. Now I can brew my own Cha yem at home whenever I get the craving. Life is sweet: literally.

So, whether it is good old fashioned southern-style and sweet, or Oolong straight out of China, hot or cold, I am always up for a glass of tea.