Black tea, and to be specific Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire tea, proper black tea is in more Aussie cups than any other.  I can drink black tea all day. What is in your cup? Do you prefer a loose-leaf or ground product? 

When I was younger my palette was after much sweeter and carbonated drinks for misguided refreshment. The value of tea via placebo or actual medicinal benefits has become clear as I have slowed down to savour the flavours. Do you have a go-to tea that calms you to the core?

Chamomile wipes me out like eating it on the Gold Coast, nearly guaranteeing a nap will be needed. 

• While on a brief stay in South Korea, boricha or barley tea presented such a soft, nearly mystical flavour as though it was conjured from multiple ingredients only in my mouth at that moment. Oolong seems to work the same way.

• I was skeptical of hibiscus tea, thinking it would taste like a tree, and pleasantly shocked to find it so sweet.

• Green tea is in leaf form and matcha powder. That’s how I differentiate them. Green tea can carry some strong tannins and I usually steep it lightly. With matcha, I want matcha matcha more, but usually cold and 25% milk.

• We can order every tea, including, aniseed tea online at Tea Vision. Aniseed is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory assistant. If you have blood sugar or ulcer issues, this tea will have you asking; Why wasn’t this recommended before? 

• White, yellow, green, brown, and black tea differ in their oxidation. From there we add names like Assam to further break down the black tea family. Asam is what I consider real breakfast tea. 

• When I see yellow tea, I automatically think this person is a new tea drinker but it is a slowly cured green tea and has many uses for mixing cocktails. 

• Rooibos is a caffeine-free tea from South Africa. Jasmine white tea has a low level of caffeine. No need to wind yourself up when calming down.

• Chai tea holds a place in my heart during cold seasons when I need to thaw.

I mentioned the placebo effect of tea. I tested this by replacing a morning cup with only hot water; no tea, no coffee. Our minds are complex because I could swear, I had the same effects as if I had consumed my normal strong cup. What we put in will be filtered. Drink with purpose. Cheers.