Three Unforgettable Cups of Tea

As I finish up the book I'm currently reading, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin, and as the days start to get crisp and cold, I can't stop thinking of, and consuming, tea.  I think I've been averaging at least three cups a day, and it's not even November yet.

Now, I think I'll save my reflections on the book for another day.  For today, let's talk tea.

I'm pretty sure I've sampled hundreds of types/brands of tea throughout my life and across the countries I've visited and lived in.  Of all of those varieties, there are exactly three specific teas that stand out in my mind as the perfect cuppa.  Interestingly, none of these teas are expensive; they average about $3.50 per box of 20 teabags, but in general, they're unfortunately only available in certain places.  That's why I stockpile these favorites, buying as many boxes as possible when I get the chance, and then gradually using up my supply until my next trip.  It also makes me appreciate and savor each and every tea bag.

I tend to drink all three of these teas plain, with no sweeteners, although a bit of milk & sugar tastes particularly good in the morning, and lemon & honey are essential when I'm sick.  Here they are, in no particular order:

1.)  Ten Ren White Tea: http://www.tenren.com/whiteteabags.html or at 75 Mott Street in New York City's Chinatown.  White tea has less caffeine than green tea, and a very subtle, smooth flavor.  It's supposed to be extra anti-cancer-y, too: bonus.

2.)  Rwandan Black Tea:  http://www.rwandatea.com/spip.php?article3.  Granted, I'm biased.  When my Mom & brother came to visit me in Rwanda in 2007, we took a tour of the Shagasha plantation, near Cyangugu, not far from the source of the Nile and near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Despite the fact that we watched a woman sweep the leaves off of the "clean" concrete floor and put those leaves right back onto the conveyor belt, I stock up on boxes of Rwandan Tea every time I go back.  In Kigali, at our favorite restaurants, we're always served a big thermos of Rwandan tea, along with heaping bowls full of cane sugar and powdered milk.  There are a few different brands of Rwandan Tea, but the one pictured in my link is definitely my favorite.  (Just an FYI: Rwandan coffee is also among the best in the world.)   

3.)  Rooibos Tea:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos.  I don't have a particular favorite brand, although I have mostly bought "Five Seasons" Rooibos.  Since "discovering" Rooibos while living in Namibia last year, I've started to see it available throughout Europe and the U.S.  An Irish colleague of mine who has lived in Namibia for most of his adult life swears that this is not tea, but I beg to differ.  This "red bush" tea is naturally decaffeinated, so it's perfect to drink in the late evenings.  I feel a connection to this tea, too, since it kept me warm on Namibia's cold, desert evenings (in June-August), as I layered on sweatshirts and blankets in my apartment that had no heat.  Those evenings were all about hot decaf beverages and early bedtimes, in order to maximize the sun's heat early the next morning.  Regardless, Rooibos is delicious, and has been used for medicinal purposes in South Africa for centuries.