It has been about a year since I stop drinking diet coke. I used to drink one in the morning (instead of coffee, it was diet coke for me). I just decided it was time to stop. After that I drank a lot more water. I also started making ginger beer. I was already drinking a cup or two of green tea each day, now I have added loose tea back into the daily routing.
Loose tea
I have added some loose teas to the cupboard including;
- Pure Ceylon
- Earl Grey
- Irish Breakfast
- English Breakfast
- Orange Pekoe
I have drank many different types of tea over the years, mostly in individual tea bags. I am trying to get away from buying the tea bags in an effort to reduce the amount of packaging that comes through our door. I know the box the tea comes in can be recycled and the tea bags always go into the compost pile. By buying loose tea I can also control where the tea came from and how fresh it is.
re-using empty tea contains from the 70's
I am re-using some loose tea tins that my mom used when I was growing up. I have had them for a number of years and now they are going back to being used for loose tea again.
I like keeping glass jars around for storing different herbs and foods.Ā The glass jars I use to store the Earl Grey and Pure Ceylon tea (in the first photo) originally had olives in them.
Great jars!
Those jars are the perfect size for storing so many things – herbs, spices, seeds.
I am also experimenting with herbal tea. It is neat to be able to use dried herbs and make interesting combinations for herbal tea. By combining peppermint, rosemary and chamomile I get a refreshing blend.Ā Lemon balm on its own create a nice fresh tea. Over at Sense of Home you can read about Lemon Balm and how to make a Lemon Balm Tea for sore throat relief. What about a Ginger & Turmeric Tea mentioned over at Towards Sustainability. I haven’t tried this one yet, but the Thyme, Sage, and Peppermint Tea mentioned over at Pollinators on the Brain sounds quite nice.
Herbal tea are so easy to make. You can use fresh picked herb or dried herbs. The combinations are endless.
Sources for tea (and other things)
- Mountain Rose Herbs in Eugene, Oregon
- Texas Natural Supply in Austin, Texas
Sincerely, Emily
Sincerely, Emily 
I love tea too. I wish there was a way to grow a tea tree here. I only like black tea and just can not get into herb tea. Love your vintage tins.
Thanks. I love the vintage tins too. SO glad I hung on to them allll these years!
My favorite place for tea is Harney and Sons. I think their tea is over all the best I’ve found. And the variety is amazing. When I was in NY last fall I was able to go to their store and stare in awe at the giant wall of tea bins. Bliss.
My current favorite is Hunan Black Buds. I also particularly love Hao Ya “B”, their mango tea, and their decaf orange pekoe. For Irish Breakfast I actually like Twinings better than Harney and Sons. And Rishi makes an incredible Jasmine Pearl.
My husband loves white tea as well as Bushman’s Brew (an herbal) and a mix of liquorish and peppermint tea. Aveda sells a tea like that but it’s super expensive so I bought the herbs in bulk and he says he can’t tell the difference. Hey! I’ll send you some… when I finally get to the post office to mail your package š
Have your tried brew baskets for loose tea? Republic of Tea sells them. There is a plastic one and a metal one. I just love them.
I will have to check out Harney & sons website. Thanks for your source. Licorice & peppermint sounds like an interesting combo.
Congrats on ditching the diet coke habit. Couldn’t have been easy…
I drink a tea called Rooibos. It is grown in South Africa, and is tannin / caffeine free. It is said to be an excellent antioxidant, will help reduce colic in babies and contains Vitamin C and minerals (for more info http://www.learn-about-tea.com/rooibos.html)
Hi Dani – Rooibos sounds like a great tea and local to you. I hope to find sources more local to me for tea. That includes trying to grow some of my own chamomile and other herbs to make my own blends.
Speaking of local tea… Bigelow bought and preserved the only domestic tea plantation, the Charleston Tea Plantation, which is on a South Carolina island. http://www.charlestonteaplantation.com/
They sell a few varieties of flavored tea as well as one plain tea all actually grown in the US š I’ve had it, and while I prefer mostly certain estate Chinese teas, it’s not too bad.
Annie, THANKS for the link to the plantation in SC! What a neat looking place! And there is a place near me (25miles away) that sells it. I will definitely check it out!