Favorites on Friday---Teas and Other Hot Beverages.

I have decided to make my Friday posts about my favorite things.  This weeks is Teas and Other Hot Beverages.


I have not always been a tea drinker. I used to only drink it as a special treat, usally on a cold day.  I was recently told that I have borderline high blood pressure and one of the things suggested to me was to quit drinking coffee.  So, I have made a real effort to replace the 1/2 pot-of-coffee-a-day habit with teas and other hot beverages.  Here are a few of my current favorites.


Chai Maté by Café Maté (a local Grand Rapids company)
They make many flavors but my favorite is their Chai.  I also like their Mint.

Mate is an infusion of yerba mate a species of holly and has origins in Argentina among people of all ages, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, eastern Bolivia and southern and western Brazil.  It also has many health benefits. For more information on this, please see their website via the link above. This is sold in many different speciality store in GR.  I recently purchased it at Global Infusions, which is an awesome local fair-trade store.  They have a whole wall of bulk teas and spices. 

I am drinking this one this morning mixed with Oolong.

Flowering Jasmine Tea, so pretty when it opens up.

Ginger with Orange and Vanilla.  I recently fell in love with fresh ginger and have been using it all the time. This "tea" is made by simmering about an inch section of ginger sliced very thin, a clementine orange sliced, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract (or 1/2 half of a vanilla bean split and scraped). 










What are your favorite teas?