"There is nothing new to say about tea."

So I was having a difficult time deciding what to write about this week.  I decided to Google, "There is nothing new to say about tea" and refute what I found.  To my surprise, Google found nothing.  Perhaps I have coined a phrase?  It is quite exciting to discover you may have said something that has never been said before.  For now, I am claiming it as mine:

"There is nothing new to say about tea."

Kate Stiffler

Having found no reference to this phrase through Google, I must accept that it is not true.  There is something new to say about tea.  Unfortunately, It is not rumbling through my brain today.  But I do have a few thoughts on tea that I will share.  The statements are undocumented opinion.

• Ten different people may say they enjoy the same brand and type of tea, but each person will have a different description/explanation of why.
• People who have no preference of tea or coffee are a minority.
• No caffeine or low caffeine teas are more satisfying than decaffeinated coffee.
• Flavored teas are more enjoyable than flavored coffee.

When I listen to or read what others say about tea, the explanations for liking or not liking a particular tea, while finding the right words, appears to be a challenge.  Some people have a more discerning sense of taste and are able to single out flavors or spices.  Others settle for less description.

I am equally happy with tea or coffee, but I tend to drink tea at home.  In my experience there are few people who feel this way.  Most adults have a clear preference for one over the other, and many of my friends prefer a caffeinated soda when they need caffeine.

There are so many herbal teas, which are not really tea but called tea as a simplification.  These teas are naturally caffeine free.  Coffee must be processed to remove the caffeine and still has trace amounts of caffeine.  When I drink coffee, I am drinking it because I want the buzz.  I do not enjoy drinking decaf coffee.

I prefer unflavored coffee.  Fruit flavored coffee?  No.  I do enjoy some flavors such as chocolate, caramel, or pumpkin when they are created by adding syrup to the coffee.  However, I find the preflavored coffee beans to have an artificial aftertaste that I do not notice with flavored teas.

And those are my personal beliefs; I wish I had some research to back up these opinions.

Here's to another week of happy tea drinking.