What is your favorite tea(s)? What do you like to put in it (lemon, sugar, gin, cream...etc.)?

I was not a tea drinker until I spent a rainy day in a London hotel room where I discovered the very flavorful Earl Grey ~ mmmm. My favorites are that and Constant Comment taken plain.

(this is a sneaky way to get instruction from you Asians, Brits and Aussies)

NOTE: I am American and I hope my terms are not insults. If so, please correct me as to what you prefer to be called.

I like most teas, from the basic Lipton tea bags, to various flavours and herbal concoctions. Probably my favorite is hibiscus - this is the red flavour in so many 'zinger' herbal blends. Rooibois (spelling?) from Africa is also good.

I put honey in herbal teas, and anything from sugar to honey to lemon to milk (not cream) in 'real' tea, depending on mood.

I seldom have hot drinks but on a really cold day if I've been outside I love to have a hot cup of sweet tea, just a good old lipton tea bag will do, the fancy stuff would be lost on me (oh the story of my life!) no milk.

Personally, you can call me anything, Prof, just don't call me late for dinner.

I started out as a child with plain Lipton, as it was the only tea my parents knew anything about. As a teenager I discovered Constant Comment and Bigalow's Lemon Tea. Constant Comment doesn't really taste right with honey in it, as it was formulated to be used with cane sugar. Jasmine, on the other hand, always tastes better with a dollop of light honey. Odd how different teas require such varied preparation.

For years I was hooked on the Bigalow teas until I discovered Jasmine and Earl Grey,[ which I must be in the mood for] Nowadays I tend to vascilate between Jasmine and this strange Indian stuff I discovered about a year ago. It's strong and extremely spicy...like drinking Christmas in a cup on a summer morning. I've tried probably a hundred different teas over the years but keep coming back to my five favourites.

Don't care what brand as long as its unsweeted and on ice.

Earl Grey is my favourite but I usually just drink plain old Lipton's. I take it weak, with a lot of milk and 1/2 tsp sugar.

I used to work with a delightful English lady who drank very strong tea. So when it was my turn to make the tea, I would put a tea bag in her mug, take a second tea bag and dunk it a few times in my mug, then toss it in her mug, so she ended up with two tea bags.

When I served it, she'd look at mine and say "that's gnat's pee, that is". It always used to make me giggle because it sounded so funny coming out of her mouth. She had a really posh accent, like the Queen.

Liptons seems to be the most worldwide available tea, though I find it rather insipid compared with other teas generally available in the UK. Earl Grey is definitely not on my favourites list, rather like drinking rosewater I feel - no offence to anyone above, just 'each to his own'! Ny personal favourite is Brooke Bond PG Tips, a strong tea made famous by its adverts which showed chimpanzees wearing various outfits, drinking tea and indulging in humorous conversation. These ad's, after running for many years, were eventually dropped due to protests from animal rights organisations.
Tea strength, with or without milk and/or sugar, is an emotive subject in the UK, where preferences vary from 'not much stronger than hot water' to 'something that looks like black treacle'. I am somewhere in the middle, and if using tea bags, usually leave the bag in the cup for several minutes, using a spoon to squeeze every bit of flavour out of it! Occasionally I also drink green tea or herbal tea, and am quite partial to Red Bush tea, also called Rebush, or Rooibus, which is a delicious tea originating from South Africa. This tea claims many heathy attributes and contains anti-oxidants and little caffeine, but is not nearly as widely available as normal teas.
A couple of years ago, I was fortunate to spend a week in Tokyo, and got used to drinking unsweetened green tea, which is served to you immediately on entering any cafe or restaurant, and replenished throughout your meal. This is also a very healthy drink, and I keep meaning to have it more often, but am probably too lazy - maybe this thread will inspire me!

You tea drinkers are a weird mob.
I was once caught in the middle of a large Australian lake when a severe storm hit, the boat I was in was only 12 feet long and open, a Tinny is the name used here, the water was so rough that I was taking in more than I was happy with so I headed off to the nearest land. I made it and beached the boat and waited for the storm to pass. Sitting on the beach in a fairly miserable mood I noticed a smallish figure approaching me from a small grove of trees, wind howling and torrential rain beating down the person was doing it hard to be out in such weather. When the little old lady was close enough for me to see who it was I was curious as to what she was carrying, as she got nearer I made out that it was a tray. This little old lady came up to me and said, "Hello young man, I saw you land and thought you might like some nice tea and biscuits". I was bemused and after drinking the tea very grateful, I can`t recall which brand it was but it`s probably the only cuppa tea I`ve had, very nice too.

I used to drink Earl Grey, plain, no milk (only had powdered, so was NOT going there!), no sugar but since I've been diagnosed with three digestive diseases I've taken to drinking green tea (when I drink it at all) and mix it with any herbal tea that's going, my fave at the mo' is cranberry . . .

I used to have what's called English tea, very strong with 2 sugars and milk. I would no more drink that now than fly. I only ever have green tea, or jasmine, no milk, no sugar, and have done for about 8 years.At night I sometimes have camomile. I am sure it is what keeps me fit, as I am never ill, and have not been to a doctor for years.

Tetley and Only Tetley. I will take tea bags with me when I go on holidays.Or to local restraunts.
I adore the Tetley Tea Folks and my Sister has a tea canister that when you open it plays the Tetley Tea Dance Theme.One day I shall visit her and when I leave it will come with me.LOL LOL.
PF

I normally buy Typhoo too but will drink any 'ordinary' tea, cannot be doing with fancy stuff.

I like it strong and with very little milk, puts hairs on your chest.

I'm a Tetley Girl, and I do cringe when I see someone offer to make me tea with hot milk----yes, it has been known to happen. Strong, yes, Sue, but I kinda like my chest to be smooth and silky, so maybe I may tone it down a bit from now on, eh?

Oh, and Sue, this is me making a post....aren't you proud? (Sue knows what I mean, so she can delete that bit after she's read it. )

Well done Peasy.

I haven't had tea with hot milk, heavens forbid, but I have to say that I have yet to find a 'decent' cup of tea outside the UK, unless it is made by a Brit.

Generally speaking one is offered hot water and a tea bag, hot water? Ewk. Tea can only be made by tipping boiling water onto the tea, don't even let it go off the boil. Purists will heat the teapot or if making in a mug, will heat the mug before making the tea.

If you need to be in hospital may I recommend The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Cardiac Care Unit, in Sheffield, they make a superb drop of tea, and oceans of it. Yorkshire is reknown for an excellent cup of tea, with good reason.

Mmm. Tea. For sun tea, I use plain ol' Lipton, but that's the only time I do. In general, if I had to pick my favorite tea by frequency, it'd be the old standard, Earl Grey. But I am not sure it's my favorite flavor-wise. On snowy winter nights I'm known to prefer Constant Comment over hot chocolate, and on hot summer days, a cup of Plantation Mint, brewed hot and then chilled, is delightful. If I want to spoil myself with a tea for desert, it's Chai, which I drink "properly" with milk and spices. If I happen to be eating breakfast on my mother's awesome scottish oat scones, then it's darjeeling, which is the only tea besides chai that I drink with milk. (And no sugar ever touches my tea! Although, sometimes a slice of orange goes with the Earl Grey.) Green tea with chinese, japanese or thai food, becuase if I'm eating in a restaurant it is available, and I really like the flavor combinations. Only rarely (usually when I'm sick) do I drink any herbal tea, but if I do it is either an herbal mint tea or a chamomile, which often is accompanied by honey. And last but not least, when I was in Amsterdam in high school, I first tasted a tea which has become possibly one of my all-time favorites, but it is so hard to find in my neck of the US that I rarely get to drink it. Lapsang Souchong. It is rich, smokey, something I'm sure is either a love it or hate it kind of flavor. It tastes a little like you're standing outside a smokehouse drinking tea... and really, it's wonderful.

You may be the only other person I've run into who has actually ingested Souchong. I was about twenty when I found it at the old Coffee Store in Eureka Springs. I was so unprepared for the taste I never decided if I liked it back then...it's a bit like smoking that handmixed burly 'dirt and twigs' tobacco my husband used.[ his favourite cabernet tasted that way, too] As you say, it's virtually impossible to find so I guess that won't be a problem. I would have loved to give it another try now that my taste buds are fully developed.

Kstew, wood smoke is one of my all-time favorite scents, so it is really no surprise that I like this tea so well. Even if I didn't want to drink it, just having a steaming cup of it sitting next to me would be enchanting. But what a waste of good tea that would be. You can get it from Twinings, and every once in a while one of the local "specialty" grocers gets a few boxes in, and if I happen to stop by at that time, I always pick one up. Next time I find it, I could sent you a bag. Wouldn't want you to waste your money (or a box of Souchong) on a box if you end up not liking it. Heehee

LOL. The funny thing is, back during that time I smoked unfiltered Camels, and as I've said somewhere - was raised in a wood heated house [ which I sorely miss] so...smoke and I aren't exactly strangers or anything...but I just remember I was unprepared for that taste in my tea!
What a cordial offer, Loth, and you are kind to think of it.

While I do enjoy Earl Grey and many flavoured teas, for everyday use I drink Tetley without milk or sugar. Because I drink it plain, I don't like it to be too strong!

Edited for a typo!

Decaffeinated with one silver spoon sweetener please!

I am one of those 'weird' types that do not like tea OR coffee. When I visit friends, they have no idea what to offer me- depending on the time of day, it is either water or a beer.

I agree, I am not a big tea drinker. I drink coffee at work though. I am also the king of person that friends have learned to offer water (chilled) in the summer or a a nice cold beer.

A Chinese friend came round for a BBQ the other day . She brought a really nice gift of teas. It is a little round red pair of baskets ' in the top one is a little cup with a lid (to make the tea in , ) and two tiny cups (to drink from.) In the bottom are 6 exquisite little red packets of various tea leaves, rose, oolong, sweet tea (fruit) and some others. You heat the cups with hot water (which also serves to clean them. You don;t dry them) Then you pour very fast boiling water onto a little of the tea in the big cup
Put the lid on, wait 5 minutes and wow , delicious!. I am really enjoying the little ' tea ceremonies.' that I am doing. For me it certainly beats the 'stand the spoon up in it' type, that I can no longer drink.

I drink Rooibos (Redbush) tea, weak, black and no sugar. Rooibos is an acquired taste and people either love it or hate it. It is close in taste to Red Zinger which is available in the USA. I hear Rooibos is available in a lot of the Tea Shops in the USA. My brother buys it in the UK.
I will drink regular tea if I have no choice - also weak, black and no sugar.

I used to drink flavoured tea but dont anymore - not sure why. Once in a while I like a cup of Earl Grey or Darjeeling. Cant stand Chai - its far too milky for me, and try not to drink coffee (but love cappachino).

I stopped buying Lipton tea (for hubby) because the price kept going up and the tea seemed to be getting weaker with every price increase. Now he drinks 5 Roses (not sure if you get it outside of South Africa), with milk and sweetners. (Ugh)

My daughter only drinks Jasmin tea, black with sweetners. She has a sugar problem and an allergy so is very limited to what she can drink.

Ren what a wonderful gift! My eldest daughter once attended a Tea Ceremony and said it was amazing.

I'm not normally a tea drinker, but when I do I'll have either Earl Grey or my favorite in the winter is Blackberry Sage made by The Republic of Tea out of California. Even the smell is divine!