With none of those silly sweetenings like mild, honey, sugar, etc. *grins*

Russian Caravan-black and smoky. Best stuff there is.

I will drink an herbal tea when I am not feeling good or a mint tea when I need to clear my sinuses. I like a fruity tea when I am in the mood for it.

I like to fill my teacup with rice and tea and then eat it.

And why is it that I can never find the stuff at stores? I mean, the restaurants have to get it somewhere...

But I like ginger tea as well. And chai, can't forget the chair. We make the best chai where and I work and I always end up drinking gallons and gallons of it. It helps me not want to strangle my boss.

I like my tea to be proper tea. Camomile, cinnamon and mint do not count as tea. They are herbal infusions, and thus weird flavoured water.

I have been known to have the odd cup of white tea with strawberry, or green tea with blueberry, pomegranate and red grape, but this is because my friend Becky doesn't drink normal tea and so only has crappy red label in the house, which tends to taste of dishwater.

For preference I take my tea in a pint and a half mug. Which is never cleaned inside - I've been working on its innards since Christmas, and have got it to a lovely state of black-and-flaky (although my housemate has a tendency to stir it too vigorously and knock off flakes, and has even on one memorable occasion attempted to wash my mug).

A pint and a half mug takes a long time to brew, so I've got lazy of late. Teabag goes in first, then water, then a quick stir and then milk, and the bag's left in to brew. Takes about half an hour, by which time the tea is just cool enough to drink. Which also takes half an hour, by which point it's time to empty the bladder. Which involves passing the kettle, and getting another brew on the go.

Yes, I take my tea seriously. I'm a Yorkshirewoman, what do you expect?

In other people's houses it's a pint mug, brewed for the length of time it takes to smoke a cigarette. No sugar. Biscuits may be the ginger nut or the chocolate suggestive, though cake is an acceptable alternative. Ideal biscuit accompaniment is the fruit shortcake. Tailors are required for special occasions, but for day-to-day consumption, a hand-made cigarette is necessary with every cuppa.

Also, you can't beat a cuppa and a smoke in the bath.

Earl Grey is my preferred black tea, although I am a heretic who takes it with milk rather than lemon. (I can't stand lemon in tea.) English Breakfast is also good.

For herbal, chamomile is good for relaxing and mint is just generally awesome. I grow and dry my own mint for tea. It's awesome.

Always meant to try a few different kinds, though, just to see if I'm missing out.

I've never even tried other varieties. I do however like to think that I'd love "tea, Earl Grey, hot."

I now drink white tea with two sugars. I'm down from six sugars. :P

Builder's tea. :D Sainsbury's own brand stewed and forgotten for half an hour, blitzed in the microwave, with a splash of milk, and if it's a really bad day, as much sugar as the cup will hold.

Unless I'm at uni, when I don't buy dairy stuff (I'm a cheapskate), when it's Sainsbury's own brand strawberry [and two other yummy red berry] tea, or whatever other fruit tea is on offer and looks tasty.

And always copious amounts of Jasmine tea.

Well...my personal preference is green tea, though I like earl gray with breakfast. And lemon tea for singing. Makes you salivate and keeps your throat from drying out, doncha know? ;-)

Been experimenting with some berry teas, but I'm not too fond of them.

It depends, of course, upon the time of day, the amount of sleep I have had, the mood I am in, and what it is I am trying to achieve by drinking tea.

As a general rule, Chai is my favorite, with good cream (none of this 2% milk stuff) and lots of sugar. It is good on just about any occasion, particularly when I can get ahold of really good Chai. After one particularly horrendous night of finishing my portfolio for this passed quarter, my study partner introduced me to what is called a 'Dirty Chai', which is good Chai tea with a shot of espresso in it.

For other things, I am very much partial to mint as a rule, particularly chilled peppermint tea. Also, Yogi has a beautiful tea that is Egyptian Licorice and Peppermint, which is something akin to heaven for me. Instant calm and goodbye to any headaches.

Russian Caravan is one of my favorites when it comes to black tea. It's this lovely strong black tea with a very smoky flavor to it, and always makes me think of the description of Trader Tea out of Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic books, if any here know of them. It's wonderful when trying to stay awake for homework/being awake for class the next morning after a homework spree. I bought a pound of it this past year, and it served me well. I was brewing it by the gallon in strength so as to be nearly black. My friends called it Crack Tea....

A nice subtle Ocha (green tea- the kind you get in a sushi restaurant) is nice for being calm and writing surrealist stuff. It also wakes me up, but doesn't give me the Burst-o'-Caffeine that Caravan does. I used to get a cup of Ocha every morning while waiting for the bus when I had Karate at nine in the morning.

As an afternoon pick-me-up/cool-me-down, or as a nice comfort when sick, either Tazo Passion or Celestial Seasonings Cranberry-Apple Zinger are WONDERFUL. The first is Passion-fruit flavored, the second, well, that's rather obvious, isn't it?

*stares at what she wrote*

Okay, that was a lot of writing. I'll just post this now...

So, hello! :)

And I don't drink tea. Sorry if that scandalises anyone.

Hi and welcome, by the way. I don't think we've talked yet. {= )

Anyway, my preference depends on the day, the time, where I am, who I'm with, and a host of other things. There are a few teas that I will hardly ever refuse, though. One is chai. I'm a bit of a chai connoisseur in that I've had many kinds, and I can almost tell you what spices are in a particular one. The ones I know by taste or smell, anyway. Usually I like chai as a breakfast or after-dinner tea.

Another tea I will almost always drink is Earl Grey any way you care to make it. I like it straight black, and I like it with milk and a little sugar. It's good for waking up in the morning, with food, with dessert, and when I just need to smell bergamot to feel better about life.

Green tea is good with just about everything if I can't think of anything better.

As for black teas, I admit I don't really know the difference between most of the varieties, but I believe I like English Breakfast and Darjeeling.

I also like Oolong tea.

... I just plain like tea. I wrote an article about tea for a little publication at my college which I'd be happy to share, if people are interested.

~Neshomeh

That depends on mood, atmosphere, surrounding edibles, and weather.

For cold nights, you can't beat a hot mug of chai. For mildly chilly afternoons, green sweet tea is the best.

Or mint, for everything else. (Tazo has a blend called Zen which is most excellent.)

Or green at a pinch.

I'm not much of a tea person, but... I will drink that Lipton Green Tea citrus stuff.