Although my tea collection is quite extensive, I have a few old standbys that I just have to keep in my pantry.  When I’m out of these, I make a sudden dash to the tea shop/online site and make a purchase so I can quickly restock! The guys I consistently support are Franklin Tea, Teavana and Adagio.  Teavana and Adagio are huge companies. Franklin Tea is the local tea shop close to where I live.  Teavana has crazy blends…some so covered in fruits and spices that you can’t taste the beauty of the leaf.  Tea is very complex.  White, green, oolong, black…all have distinct flavors that can be covered up and easily subdued when mixed with too much other “stuff.”  Blends are great, as long as they don’t obscure the real flavor of the tea.

Here are a few of my all time favorites:

Hojicha Tea from Japan

Hojicha – This is a roasted green tea from Japan.  I hoarded this tea after the awful Tsunami that destroyed parts of Japan earlier this year.  I was so afraid of nuclear radiation leaking from the plant and into the soil of the tea farms that I bought this tea in bulk.  (I have so much of it that I will never use all of it in my lifetime).  All that aside, hojicha is a wonderful green tea that works well with sushi!  SAVORY — that’s the best word that I can use to describe it.  It’s roasty and malty also. This is a tea that only works well when sipped hot.  I also prefer it stronger rather than milder.  I’ve experimented with this tea and I brew it completely different from the norm.  Ideally, you would use one teaspoon for an 8 ounce cup.  I double it for this tea.

Genmacha Tea from Japan

Genmacha – Another green tea from Japan. This one is tossed with roasted brown rice and like hojicha, it’s a savory tea.  The roasted brown rice adds a nutty flavor that pairs nicely with the vegetal flavor of the green tea.  It works well with sushi and asian style dishes as well.  I bought this one in bulk too after the Tsunami.  I can’t be without it.  This one is a bit more delicate than hojicha.  When steeping, pay attention to the thermometer and the clock.  Don’t steep too hot for too long or you’ll have a bitter brew that you will not enjoy.

Smoky Lapsang Souchang

Lapsang Souchang – This is a black tea.  It’s dried over pine and the result is an extremely dark, smoky brew.  This one is not for the faint of heart.  If you are a beginner to loose leaf tea – don’t try this one.  This tea was once called a “gentleman’s tea” because it was way too strong for the ladies.  If you are reading this and are from the South, then you have probably caught a whiff of dark fired tobacco curing in the barn in the Fall.  This tea smells just like that!  That’s the only way I can describe it!  I absolutely love this tea in the Fall and Winter!  This is another savory tea; consequently, it pairs wonderfully with pork and beef dishes.  I once concocted a marinade using olive oil, salt, pepper, and this tea (not in liquid form…but the actual leaves). I drowned some pork in it and let it hang out for an hour or so, then threw it on the grill.  So good!

Ti Quan Yin Oolong Tea

Ti Quan Yin – An oolong tea that is more on the green side of the oolong spectrum versus the black side.  Oolongs come in two types: green and black. This is due to the level of oxidation of the leaves during the fermentation process.  The green oolongs are less oxidized.  Ti Quan Yin will surprise you when you brew it.  In the tea tin, you’ll see small  bits of tea.  In the infuser you will see huge leaves unfurled.  This is a mild, mellow oolong that is always a staple in my tea pantry. Ti Quan Yin is also a great base in which to mix and mingle other teas.  Many really good blends use Ti Quan Yin as a foundation.