Coffee or Tea?

So what is your preferred cuppa? You know that moment when one needs to shut out the world and wrap your hands around something warm? What would be your go to beverage?

For decades my go to cuppa has been black coffee. The sun coming up, the sound of the motorway in the background sitting on a garden chair, hands wrapped around a large mug of coffee. Invariably at that hour, it would be a red earthenware mug with a handle large enough to accommodate the fingers of one hand. As I lifted the nug up the aroma of the coffee would tickle my sense of smell. Then there would be the anticipation of the taste. Finally followed by that first taste. Pure nectar.

Friends and family knew my addiction to coffee and over the years I have been given coffee grown in so many different parts of the world. Each coffee was so unique. Ethiopian coffee: strong and robust. Ugandan: strong but not bitter. Malawi coffee: soft, gentle but with a taste which lingered. Years ago in fact decades ago I used to get coffee from a small farmers cooperative in Columbia and that coffee smell I can still remember that smell today not to mention the taste which was mild but with a great warmth and a long taste.

You might think I was a coffee snob talking about the various coffees but no, I still enjoyed instant coffee but only one or two brands. 

As for the national drink Tea. Well I must say it is not my favourite. Drinking tea black it is very difficult to get a nice cup of tea. Generally tea is made pretty strong here as most people milk their tea and if you don’t want to be a nuisance asking for hot water to dilute, it actually becomes a very unpleasant ordeal. Green teas are an acquired taste and they have grown on me as an alternative especially in the heat of the summer. 

Now, I have been told that the only way to really enjoy tea is to use tea leaves. Perhaps now is the time to investigate it. Due to some medication I had to give up coffee. Three weeks and only two cups of coffee. I am missing the ritual but especially the aroma. The other thing I am missing is that coffee is a heavy liquid. Each and every time I have a cup of tea now I am looking for something to eat with it. The tea feels “thin”. Weird I know.

I used to enjoy a jasmine green tea when we visited our favourite Chinese restaurant. So I purchased some good quality green jasmine tea. The first cup brought back wonderful memories however gradually the jasmine perfume took over. I have been brewing green tea and it is fine or a cup of Barry’s tea is fine. Yes the tea is fine but it certainly has no depth..

So, do you have any tips on how I can enjoy a cup of tea? Please do not suggest fruit or flower infusions. I cannot stand the smell  and I cannot stand the taste of them. Some have made me ill and the smell from them in fact turns me off. Any suggestions are definitely welcome. Oh and if you have an alternative to tea but not chocolate or chicory I would be delighted to hear.

Enjoy your cuppa.