Hello fellow tea addicts!

[MASALACHAAAAIIIIII]

Hello everybody! I am obsessed with tea, specifically masala chai. 'nuff said. But here is where it all began...........

It all started with a good Bengali friend of mine more than a year ago. He wanted me to try a new indian restaurant. We would circle it and stare inside, then run!! Ahhhh! it was always empty, and no one was ever in the parking lot. Then we finally put on our big boy boots after 3 months of anticipation.

As we walked inside, the owner smiled as if we were the first people he had seen in years. He sat us down and handed us some menus. After scanning through through the common Indian dishes for awhile, my friend peered up from his menu and said " you should try some masala chai".

I sorta enjoyed green tea at the time, yet I DESPISED sweet tea (still do!). If the taste of sweet tea lingered in this "masala chai", I would most certainly have a nervous breakdown, and be sent to live among the looneys.

The owner walked back up to take our orders. I asked for my favorite, chicken tikka. My friend made his order, and asked if I would try some masala chai. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I looked at my friend, he looked at me, then I looked at the owner, then he looked at my friend, then my friend looked at the owner, then the cook walked out of the kitchen and looked at all of us.

After a long period of silence and many exchanged looks, I ordered a cuppa. Butterflies flapped around in my belly. Then the butterflies transformed into a feeling like maggots crawling around...uh oh!

The owner slowly walked up. A white porcelain cup with a saucer was placed in front of me. I looked at the brownish liquid inside...maybe this was not such a good idea... I grasped the cup with both hands, reflected on the good ol' days, and said "Bismillah" . The first drops met my lips.........

BAMMMMMM!!!!! KA POW!! *Toccata and Fugue in D minor-J.S. Bach Plays* очень хорошо! Bueno!!!!! DING DONG DIGGITY DOO!

The owner and my friend seemed a bit startled, but I continued going sort of crazy.

No words can express how amazing this drink tasted to me though. Then began my masala chai addiction. I have had soooooo many different combinations and prepared masala chai many different ways. But that just pushed me into finding the correct black teas. Then I found this site, searched around in the forms for suggestions on teaware, tea, brewing, you name it. I bought nearly every sampler from adagio, and have not tasted a tea yet which I can honestly say I dislike (sweet tea dosen't count!). And have slowly become more "sophisticated" I make noises like ahem' ahem' now. Not really...well maybe.

On a side note, I am currently attending the University of Mississippi as an undergraduate in Geological Engineering with a minor in Russian. I am obsessed with other things besides tea, such as rocks. j/k. Thank you all for creating such an enormous tea community where I don't get stared at for having tea parties haha!

[Victoria]

Welcome!! Yeah we understand.

[Herb_Master]

On a side note, I am currently attending the University of Mississippi as an undergraduate in Geological Engineering with a minor in Russian. I am obsessed with other things besides tea, such as rocks. j/k. Thank you all for creating such an enormous tea community where I don't get stared at for having tea parties haha!

You are going to have to start drinking Wuyi YanCha a.k.a. Rock Tea

[Proinsias]

Welcome, and a plus one for wuyi rock tea.

I make noises like ahem' ahem' now

They sound like rather polite noises to be making. Mine are of the slurping variety.

[olivierco]

Welcome!

[emeraldrobot]

Welcome! I happen to have graduated with a degree in geology and one in Japanese! woohoo to geology!

[Trey Winston]

Welcome

[cherylopal]

Welcome

[MASALACHAAAAIIIIII]

thanks for the welcome guys!

Herb_master and Proinsias, now i have to try some rock tea! I am open to any suggestions.

Emeraldrobot gneiss schist! party like a rockstar, party like a rockstar...! (geology humor...)