Monday TeaDay 4/5/10 Do me a flavor and try favored?

[Chip]

Welcome to TeaDay. Remember to stop by and share what is in your cup throughout the day. Be sure to see what is in everyone else's cup as well.

Yesterday we discussion a concept TeaCar. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic is regarding flavors in tea. This is a rather controversial subject I have found. So, of course express your opinion/sentiment, but please be sensitive to the opinions of others.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone on TeaDay.

[Ebtoulson]

Think you need the option:
"Yes, I like it and drink flavored tea occasionally"

Also, who else thinks that a hojicha or genmai would be considered a flavored tea?

Just finished off my last bit of ceylon sonata. Thinking about waiting a little while to order some from adagio to see if it comes in one of the new packages .

[debunix]

Used to drink a lot of jasmine, but now that I can coax more flavor with less bitterness from my green tea, I drink it much less, because I don't need it to cover up the undesireable flavors. When I do drink it, I drink it more diluted with other teas, so the flavor is less strong.

OTOH, I do enjoy some osmanthus blossoms in my black tea, and occasionally oolong, and enjoyed the results of an experiment with home-made citrus-flower-scented white tea.

But I've never been much interested in fruit flavored teas, sweetened teas, spiced teas. When I want to play with flavors that way I make herbal tea.

[Seeker]

Artificially flavored - HELL NO!

All natural Genmaicha or Jasmine, why yes, of course.

[omegapd]

I enjoy it to an extent. Jasmine and other scented teas are a favorite and I also enjoy things like Harney's Cinnamon Spice once in a full moon.

I started with artificially flavored teas when I got into this hobby- and those have basically fell out of favor now.

[dooble]

When I started drinking tea as a child it was all flavored black teabags with milk or sugar... So no, no more flavored teas please (expect genmaicha etc ).

[LauraW]

Think you need the option:
"Yes, I like it and drink flavored tea occasionally"

Agreed. Some aren't great, but there are a few I like and I'm more likely to cook with the flavored ones. One of the better ones so far has been Adagio's Oriental Spice in with a batch of chocolate chip muffins. Very tasty! Have ground up Earl Grey in cookies, cooked shrimp in chai-laden heavy cream, etc.

No tea yet, I'm out the door about to head to work on the start of a very hectic day.

[Skippyandjif]

I absolutely love teas with flower petals mixed in-- osmanthus, rose, jasmine, chrysanthemum, violet, magnolia, etc.-- as well as genmaicha and roasted/smoked teas. I'm not much for any other flavors, though, even natural fruit or mint flavors. I have no idea why... (I can't even eat fruit and drink tea at the same time. Yes, I'm odd. )

Started out with just one cup of chrysanthemum pu-erh (an appropriate tea for the topic, huh? )-- I'm going back to school today and don't have an hour and a half to spare, oh well. No idea as to any later teas; I'll have to raid my tea box and see what I've missed the most during the vacation.

[depravitea]

I will try ANY tea. Flavored or not. Typically what I drink is not flavored, but how can I continue my tea education if I completely disregard an entire category??

[Victoria]

No to flavors but yes to flowers. Especially rose. But I prefer even that done lightly, so I'd rather add my own.

Adagio Darjeeling #1 in my cup this morning.

[geeber1]

Is there a difference between flavored and blends?

I like some teas that are blended with "real" ingredients, like tea/peppermint leaves/rosehips, Masala chai, or Osmanthus Oolong.

The teas I consider flavored, that use flavoring oils, tend to upset my stomach. I even tried a Cinnamon tea last week to see if it still bothered me, and it did. Bummer, because I was wanting a change of pace and it did taste good!

Tippy South Cloud Yunnan from ToT at home this morning, and more of it here at work. At first I thought it was Nilgiri Blue, but it has the distinctive Yunnan peppery-ness that is so good!

[Chip]

I am thinking flavored as in an additive such as an oil or chemically made flavor is used in flavoring teas ... versus a blend of natural ingredients such as peppermint leaves added to green tea ...

I enjoy it to an extent. Jasmine and other scented teas are a favorite and I also enjoy things like Harney's Cinnamon Spice once in a full moon.

I started with artificially flavored teas when I got into this hobby- and those have basically fell out of favor now.

Yes to scented, naturally ... traditionally such as Jasmine. I have noticed that I have a hard time stomaching hot flavored teas as in flavored with oils, etc.

I also started mostly with flavored teas, bought lots of them, then suddenly my interests/tastes changed and I had all this flavored tea. Managed to use some of it in iced tea blends.

Began the TD with mystery sencha from Ryu Mei.

[iannon]

I dont normally drink flavored tea or flavor my "normal" tea.. bit i DO add mint and/or honey to my iced green tea in the summer!

[artmom]

Only one or two flavored teas have found lasting favor with me. A couple that come to mind are MF Marco Polo, Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice, some good Earl Grey; I know there are a couple more but CRS has struck!

Another large, wonderful cup of Adagio Black Pearls today so far. May try Sakura Sencha from Den's later today in my little kyushu teapot from there that has the cherry blossoms on it.

May you have a bountiful TeaDay!

[Geekgirl]

Naturally flavored. Yes, I like. Drink occasionally, so... "other."