Res Ipsa Loquitur

"I tell you, it's hard to be a hot tea drinker in the South."

I with you on that one! While you can't get cold sweet tea in the North, they fantastic with their variety and presentation of hot tea just about everywhere up here.

I'm not a tea afficionado, but I see what you mean.

Incidentally, I'm using Luisianne tea to make your sweet tea by the gallon. Seems to be working wonderfully.

Damn you.

I feel your pain. And then some. I prefer to make my tea, both hot and iced, using loose tea leaves. Nothing fancy, just a box of Lipton's. Unfortunately, it's getting more and more challenging to find. Two major local grocery chains here in greater St. Louis recently dropped it from their inventory (was I the only customer buying it?). When I discovered the mom & pop store nearby still carried loose tea I was tempted to stock up, lest they also decide it's more profitable to use the shelf space for yet another variety/flavor of tea in bags. And speaking of which, where do those "gift set" tea bags come from? Tasteless. Bland.

I'm pretty ecclectic on my tea tastes as well. I stick with irish, plain jane Earl grey, or Prince of Wales Black.

But your right, hot tea and down here is hard, and as a good irishmen i like my hot tea ;)

when I go to Starbucks and order tea, I get the Earl Grey. I ask for the bag to be handed to me with the cup of water....not steeped as THEY want to do it.

Yaya, when my son was in boot camp outside of Chicago, he wrote that 'those people up North are crazy. They don't put sugar in their iced tea, but they put it in cornbread'. lol

Hehe, I told you it was addictive Keith. And Luisianne is my dad's favorite for iced tea.

Mona, I have the same problem, especially in the summer. I use tea bags if I just want one cup, but loose leaf makes much better tea.

BloodSpite, I haven't tried the Prince of Wales Black, I'll have to look for that. The biggest problem I have is when we travel....I've learned to carry my own supply. I'm very grumpy if I don't get my morning cuppa or three.

Goddess, I like Earl Grey ok, but I can't drink it first thing in the morning. Too strong. Sometimes Starbucks has a Breakfast Blend that isn't too bad, kinda like the Milwaukee's Best of tea. lol And you're right, I make them give me the bag so I can steep it myself.

Speaking of which, my morning pot o' tea is calling my name. ;-)

BTW, if you ever order hot tea in Jamaica, be warned. They drink it white, like the British. Now I like a little cream but not that much. The first morning we were there, I asked the waitress for some cream. And damned if she didn't pour half my cup full....with me yelling "NO! STOP! STOP IT!" Twice.

I drank it black the rest of the time I was there.

My only experience down that with tea was I ordered a cup, and ended up with a cup of about 3/4 Rum, the rest water and tea.

I confess I wasn't looking when they made it. SO I didn't know what they had made

And I ended up spitting about 98% of the first sip all over my date out of shock....