Coffee vs Tea vs ?

[Minerette]

I buy chai tea powder at Trader Joe's.  They used to sell decaff but now it's just regular.  So, I buy decaff chai tea powder at Harris Teeter supermarkets.  I love the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and drink it once in a while with some Half & Half in it.  But coffee doesn't seem to like me so I'm mostly an iced tea w/ lemon drinker (love Zero Coke too :>)

Trader Joe's still has the Ruby Red Chai, which is completely caffeine-free and never gets bitter. 

[smiley13]

I do not touch coffee with a ten foot pole.  And the only way to drink tea is good Southern Sweet Iced Tea.

[smittykins]

Hello, my name is smittykins, and I am a Diet Pepsi addict.

I'm also in the "love the smell of coffee but can't drink it" club, and can only stand plain water if it's super cold.(I'm a real trip if I have to fast for bloodwork.)I've been trying to drink more Crystal Light and flavored fizzy waters. I don't drink alcohol for personal reasons.

Oh, and 2% milk. :)

[WendyCR72]

Hello, my name is smittykins, and I am a Diet Pepsi addict.

I'm also in the "love the smell of coffee but can't drink it" club, and can only stand plain water if it's super cold.(I'm a real trip if I have to fast for bloodwork.)I've been trying to drink more Crystal Light and flavored fizzy waters. I don't drink alcohol for personal reasons.

Oh, and 2% milk. :)

 

I could have written this very post except switch out Diet Pepsi for Regular. I know, more calories, but Diet always tasted weird to me. And I KNOW water is good for you, but like you, I can really only drink it if I am DYING of thirst or it is cold, as you stated. Plain water is a true challenge.

 

And the smell of coffee is good, but I hate its taste - unless it is one of the fancy flavored drinks... Plain coffee (even with milk/sugar) is nasty.

[Quof]

My first thought every morning is "Damn, I don't want to get up."

 

And my second thought is "Goody, I get to have coffee now."

[DeLurker]

I bought a Keurig coffee maker a few months ago, primarily for when I have company.  Most days I use my Aero-press to make my coffee and that is really my preferred method, especially since there is no waste since I compost the filter and grounds.

 

It makes me batty how much waste there is with the k-cups so I wanted to get a reusable K cup.  Does anyone have any recommendations with them?  I'd like to hear both the pros and cons that you've discovered.  My Keurig is a v 2.0 so it needs the type of lid that has the special ink on the top.  From my initial research, it looks like most reusable cups come with a set of stickers/labels you can apply to the reusable pod cannister.

 

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

[callie lee 29]

I have a reusable k-cup. I like it. I have it, but I also have the paper cups. Yo put the paper (non-reusable) in the littler holder that you would put the reusable one in. I love both of them. Seriously, I can't state that enough. I don't like particularly strong coffee. I also have favorite coffees (Don Fransisco Vanilla and Colombian coffee straight from Columbia) that you can't get in k-cups.  The re-usable was one of the best things I bought for the Keurig.

[annzeepark914]

Goddamn, I miss my breakfast Diet Coke.

However, my ulcer doesn't miss it nearly as much....

I don't have an ulcer...I have acid reflux and recently had to give up Zero Coke (loved my Zero Cokes all day long).  I have no idea what to replace it with (since I'm not supposed to have carbonated beverages or lots of sugar or anything with acid in it...gimme a break!)  Lately I've been making Tangerine decaff zinger herbal teal...it's just ok.  Good thing I was never a coffee lover (only w/ French toast for breakfast).

[bosawks]

I don't have an ulcer...I have acid reflux and recently had to give up Zero Coke (loved my Zero Cokes all day long). I have no idea what to replace it with (since I'm not supposed to have carbonated beverages or lots of sugar or anything with acid in it...gimme a break!) Lately I've been making Tangerine decaff zinger herbal teal...it's just ok. Good thing I was never a coffee lover (only w/ French toast for breakfast).

I replaced it with the fruit flavored Poland Spring and Trader Joe's flavored sparkling waters.

I realized I needed fizzy to stay on the soda free wagon.

[BooksRule]

I have to have my coffee in the morning (splash of fat-free half and half and one Splenda).  I take what's left in the pot to work with me in a travel mug and sip on it throughout the morning.  I used to drink more coffee at work when my office was on the first floor next door to the staff lounge.  I kept a little coffee pot in there to make coffee in the afternoon.  Now I'm upstairs and it's a pain to go downstairs to get coffee (we aren't allowed to keep coffee pots, Keurigs, etc. in our offices,  boo hiss!).  Santa brought me a Keurig a couple of years ago, but I use it mainly on weekend afternoons, when I just want one cup of coffee (and to try different flavors). 

 

I used to drink hot tea a lot (just plain Lipton's with lemon and sugar), and I kept a pitcher of iced tea in the fridge most of the time.  Now, I hardly ever drink ice tea unless I'm at a restaurant and I get unsweetened.  I'm the rare southerner who thinks sweet tea is too sweet, so I usually get unsweetened or ask for 'half sweet half unsweet'--then it's just right.  I have dozens of different flavored teas, but I don't have hot tea much anymore.  I need to get back in the habit.

 

As for milk, I never thought I would get used to drinking 'Civil War' milk (because it's blue/gray you know), but now I'm so used to skim milk that anything else is too rich for me. 

 

I usually only get a Coke when I have fast food (once a month or so), but the only diet soda I can tolerate is diet ginger ale (or maybe Barq's root beer).

[bmasters9]

I'm very definitely a coffee person.

[BW Manilowe]

Apologies. Somehow I posted here in the midst of writing. My complete post is below.

Edited June 24, 2015 by BW Manilowe

[BW Manilowe]

Southerner by birth & for about my 1st 3 years of life, when we moved North. So I prefer Coke brand drinks--Coke, then Cherry Coke when I discovered flavored colas were even better than plain (I also LOVED Coke Lime, which really was available for far too short a time); now my preferred soda pop is Coke Cherry Zero (family's on my case about needing to lose some weight & drinking too many regular sodas, though I know drinking diet sodas doesn't mean you'll lose weight. But Cherry Zero's the ONLY "diet" drink that, to me, doesn't have that icky "diet" aftertaste; I think it tastes like the "fat" version & it's the only "diet" thing I'll drink). I started drinking Coke when I was pretty little.

I also drink Pepsi (when Coke products aren't available at a restaurant/venue), & I really loved their briefly available lemon & lime flavors, but haven't yet tried Cherry Pepsi; Root Beer, 7-Up/Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Mr. Pibb, & Orange & Grape Sodas. Also regular & strawberry lemonades, Kool-Aid, & some fruit juices, milkshakes, white milk, & chocolate & strawberry milk--even though I'm an adult--& Hot Chocolate. But I prefer "fizzy" drinks to "flat/still" drinks & always have.

However I prefer the smell of coffee to the taste (I don't even buy the lattes with barely any coffee in them at Starbucks; I prefer their "glorified milkshake" Creme Blended Frappuccinos) & I don't do any kind of tea. The only time I tried iced tea, I thought it tasted exactly like what it really was: water pressed through & flavored by leaves. Gross!

In more recent months, I've started trying to drink more bottled water, which I prefer over tap (Evian's my preferred brand because it tastes the least "mineral-y" to me), because I really do need to drink more water; but I also have a problem with plain/still bottled water being *too* plain since I'm so used to the flavor, fizz, & sweetness of sodas.

So, in recent weeks, I've started drinking the fruit flavored fizzy/sparkling/seltzer waters at least 1 poster upthread referred to. That way I figure I'm still getting the (bottled) water my body should have more of, but I'm also hopefully sort of "tricking" my brain into thinking I'm still drinking my usual amount of daily sodas--albeit more fruit flavored ones than cola/root beer/Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb types--because of the flavor & the fizz in the water.

I've tried Kroger store brand Mandarin Orange Seltzer Water, which was good; but my favorites, so far, have been the Sparkling Ice brand Classic Lemonade & Kiwi Strawberry, & Glacéau Fruitwater's Sparkling Strawberry Kiwi (which, so far, are all I've tried). Sparkling Ice Kiwi Strawberry is greenish, & more with the Kiwi than Strawberry; the Fruitwater is pinkish, & more with the Strawberry than Kiwi.

Besides the fizzy fruit water, I'm still drinking the Evian when we have that but not the fizzy fruit stuff, & also the Coke Cherry Zero but that's not necessarily in the same daily quantities as before (which were only 3 12-ounce cans a day, so not really that much all things considered).

Apologies for the novel-length response. I wanted to be thorough, for some reason.

Edited June 24, 2015 by BW Manilowe

[theredhead77]

To paraphrase Picard "coffee, black, hot" and "tea, unsweetened, iced (or hot)

[bmasters9]

To be more specific: I drink three cups of black coffee every morning, Earl Grey tea in the afternoon, and evening tea that varies with lemon, blueberry and mint herbal teas, among others. 

Edited June 24, 2015 by bmasters9

[Sandman87]

Happy Coffee Day! In observance of the day, I plan to ingest large amounts of caffeine. Preferably with cream & sweetener, or in latte form.

[Mellowyellow]

Tea x 1000000000

Can't drink coffee! Too bitter! Twice a year I make a fancy Tia Maria cake and that's all I have to do with coffee.

[annzeepark914]

I've discovered a good decaff coffee while staying at the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn in NYS: it's Royal Cup Coffee and the coffee is in the lobby so you can grab a cup whenever you're in the mood (or have it with breakfast).  I couldn't get over how good it tasted so I asked at the desk how to get in touch with whoever produces the coffee and they gave me the Royal Cup Coffee company website.  Now I call and order two bags of the decaff several times a year and make it in my single cup coffeemaker.  It reminds me of the coffee we used to drink back in the 60's & 70's, and it's unlike the Starbucks-type coffees that I find so bitter.

Also, I like iced tea w/ lemon (weaned myself off the sugar several years ago) and a sprig of mint.  I've been using Tetley decaff teabags but may switch to Luzianne decaff just for a change in taste.

[Nysha]

I love coffee, but it hates me with a passion. I can drink white coffee lattes, but my college coffee shop stopped carrying white coffee. I have found that Chai Tea makes a great coffee substitute for Pumpkin Spice Lattes, though.

[vavera4ka]

On ‎1‎/‎9‎/‎2015 at 10:37 PM, forumfish said:

I sometimes take a cup of decaf Earl Grey to bed with me, to unwind with while reading. Lately, though, I've been making a type of ginger tea -- cup of hot water, a dollop of honey and generous sprinkling of ground ginger -- as a preventative measure for my acid reflux. Yum.

Might I suggest using real ginger? My friend made a "tea" for me when I was visiting her and we got caught in a sudden cool weather that we didn't dress for. 2-3 paper thin slices of ginger root, 1 paper thin slice of lemon and hot water. I don't like sweet drinks, but I guess honey or maple syrup could be added to taste :)

But I swear that "tea" gets me through cold winter times like a charm now. Best thing: you can just keep adding hot water and sipping it for hours!

 

As for the question of the thread: coffee. black. no sugar.

 

ONCE in a while when I feel like a "fancy" coffee drink, I'd go for Starbucks mocha with an extra espresso (tastes like melted dark chocolate)

I used to drink black tea, but not any more. Just don't like the taste or smell of it. Most green teas don't agree with me. They make me nauseous. Too bad, cause I like the taste. Especially pearl jasmine tea...

I'll drink any other tea and say "thank you very much". Love herbal, fruity, minty, spicy, you name it, teas.

Edited April 28, 2017 by vavera4ka

[Anela]

Tea, please. Or hot chocolate. 

I also like just plain water, coke, certain types of juice, or smoothies. 

Edited May 6, 2017 by Anela

[Cherry Bomb]

I do drink both Coffee and Tea, but I do prefer Tea. Mostly Green Tea is my favorite.

[Colorado David]

I am one of these rare people whom the smell of coffee gives me a headache. So I'm a herbal tea person, hot caffeinated tea in the wintertime.  I'll do ginger ale occasionally when I want to be 'fancy'.

[Nysha]

A friend introduced me to American Breakfast Tea with extra caffeine. I put cream, stevia, and vanilla in it and it tastes pretty good.

[Scatterbrained]

I used to be a traveling teacher.  I had a caseload instead of a classroom and would drive all over town, from school to school.  One year my route passed by several Starbucks.  I wondered if the universe was trying to tell me something.  The winter was very cold and I finally gave in.  I am a coffee drinker that doesn’t really like coffee.  We joke that I like the flavor of it, just a hint.  That started my Cinnamon Dolce Latte phase.

Then I had two kids in less than two years.  Then I NEEDED coffee!!!  I was too tired to make the drive, so I started making coffee at home.  Trung Nguyen coffee with too much heavy cream and too much sugar.  Heavenly!

Then I needed to loose some weight.  I calculated the calories of my daily coffee (EEK!) and made some changes.  In the AM: 2 teabags of Earl Grey with a little bit of sugar and some NutPods creamer.  In the PM: 2 Sleepytime tea bags with a little bit of sugar and some NutPods creamer.  I like to vigorously shake the NutPods creamer so it pours out frothy.  BAM! Instant tea latte!  :)

I take comfort in my daily rituals.  Not sure who said that.  Starbucks?  Aveda?  Somebody.

[backformore]

I need coffee.  I have a Keurig at home, and now one for my office.  

SO here's an interesting thing -   I fill up my office Keurig with bottled water.  The reservoir is too big to fit under the only sink I have, so the gallon bottles work well.   NOt long after I got the coffeemaker, a strange thing happened.  when I turned it on, not pulling down the lever or anything, just hit power to turn it on -  all the water would just start pouring out.  Not heated, just water coming out where the coffee usually would.  this would happen whether the lever was up or down. and it would continue until I turned the power off again.   

I called Keurig, they said it was a defect, they sent me a new machine.   All was good for a few days, until the exact same thing happened to the new machine.  I called back, spent a lot of time explaining it (how hard is this to understand?  I turn it on, it's like a faucet, the water pours out).  they want to send me another replacement.  I said wait - maybe it's a defect in the manufacturing, I don't want a third machine that does the same thing.   they connect me to corporate office.   So, I talk to a woman who asks me about the water I use, I said, gallon bottles of water, whatever is cheapest. I got the bottle out, told her it was distilled water.   she said, let the machine empty, then fill it up with tap water.  I did that, and the machine worked fine.     she explained that the machine reacts to the electromagnetic charge of the water, to see if there is water in the machine.  Distilled water has no charge, because there are no minerals.  (I had wrongly thought that with no minerals, I wouldn't have to worry about the scale accumulation that clogs up coffee machines)  she said tap water is fine, SPRING water is best, because it's purified, but still has minerals in it.  

The thing has worked fine since then.   the customer service people were willing to send me a new machine, rather than this easy troubleshooting solution.   So I assume the first machine, which they replaced, is fine, too.   because the corporate office  and the customer service people don't have good communication, they are probably just replacing machines for customers instead of figuring out the simple reason this is happening.  

Bottomline - if your Keurig machine is acting weird - stop using distilled water.  

And I now have an extra replacement Keurig for when one of  mine conks out for good. 

[JTMacc99]

Fascinating. I did know that distilled water is not really for drinking. I put it in my iron, and I think I filled an aquarium with it once.

That's really interesting that the machine reacts to the electromagnetic charge in the water.

[Giselle]

Sumatra in a French press. Black. I'm old school. The first cup will be black, then 1 or  2 cups will be half milk half coffee to get some nutrients and the rest after will be enjoyed black.

I've been drinking coffee since I was 3, granted it was "coffee milk" with a lot of sugar back then and my parents had to explain to the waitress when I ordered coffee when we went out. 

[HunterHunted]

17 hours ago, Giselle said:

I've been drinking coffee since I was 3, granted it was "coffee milk" with a lot of sugar back then and my parents had to explain to the waitress when I ordered coffee when we went out. 

My brother and his family were at a hotel that had a breakfast bar of some sort. There was kid in front of him who was probably 6 or 7 at the coffee dispenser. The kid turns to my brother and says "I'm no good in the morning without my coffee." The kid's father was close by when my brother inquired, "You let him drink coffee?" The dad responds, "By the time he's finished adding sugar and creamer, it's barely coffee."

I'm much more of a tea person. I've also recently discovered that tea is a very good cheat if you are making a solid mocktail. The tannins in tea are very good at reproducing the mouth feel of wine.

[Giselle]

1 hour ago, HunterHunted said:

My brother and his family were at a hotel that had a breakfast bar of some sort. There was kid in front of him who was probably 6 or 7 at the coffee dispenser. The kid turns to my brother and says "I'm no good in the morning without my coffee." The kid's father was close by when my brother inquired, "You let him drink coffee?" The dad responds, "By the time he's finished adding sugar and creamer, it's barely coffee."

I'm much more of a tea person. I've also recently discovered that tea is a very good cheat if you are making a solid mocktail. The tannins in tea are very good at reproducing the mouth feel of wine.

I love teas too but some tannin levels in tea bother me more than heavy tannins in wine. Don't know why.

On a family reunion camp out one cold evening they ran out of hot cocoa, I wasn't crazy about chocolate anyways but wanted something warm. My aunt's sister in law introduced me to coffee milk and I've never stopped.

Mine was about 1/3 coffee 2/3 hot milk and 2-3 spoons of sugar. 

I still will drink it that way occasionally. Good memories and good flavor.

[larapu2000]

Currently obsessed with the Cold Foam Cold Brew from Starbucks.  I usually need sweetener and some cream, but this does not make me miss those!  So good.

[DeLurker]

I picked up some Vietnamese coffee - Trung Nguyen Gourmet Blend - at the Asian market this weekend.  I had tripped across an article that mentioned it and it intrigued me.

I liked the flavor, but the grind is very fine and does not work that well with my pour over set-up.  I'll try it with my AeroPress after I get a new gasket for it.

So I went poking around the internet and found they have something called a Vietnamese Coffee Filter that is a pour over (but a different style than what I have).  More intriguing was how to make a proper Vietnamese coffee which involves the maker sitting on top of a glass cup that has some sweetened condensed milk already in it.  Apparently, if done right, you end up with a distinct layer of the milk at the bottom with coffee on top which you then stir.

 

Fun Fact:  Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world (oil is first) and Vietnam is the second largest producer (Brazil is first).  Things I did not know until yesterday.

[biakbiak]

5 hours ago, DeLurker said:

pparently, if done right, you end up with a distinct layer of the milk at the bottom with coffee on top which you then stir.

It’s one of my favorite things about going out for Vietnamese, though fewer and fewer places are doing it at the table anymore and bring it already finished and mixed which is wrong! I love stirring it a little at a time to incorporate it so that the taste changes. 

[DeLurker]

I’m going to go to a Vietnamese restaurant to try it soI hope they do it old school.  After reading about it, I’d be super disappointed if it came out pre-stirred!

[Bastet]

I don't drink coffee, but whenever I see it done at the table at a Vietnamese restaurant, I think it's so interesting (and pretty).  If you check the online reviews of where you're planning to go, I bet you'll see reference to whether they do it right or not.

[El maestro]

Coffee.

 

i spent hours arguing with my Spanish friends about it.... stronger doesn’t mean better.

[annzeepark914]

I love Starbuck's chai tea latte. Trader Joe's spicy chai tea mix is good too.  Yesterday I ordered a chai tea latte while at Wegmans--it was not very good. One of the spices needs to be cut back but I'm not sure which one. 

[Anela]

Tea. Yorkshire Gold, hot, with half and half and xylitol or sugar.

Cold: iced chai from Starbucks. 

 

[RealHousewife]

I love how so many of you got detailed!

My folks were tea drinkers growing up. As a child, coffee was something I imagined the sophisticated grownups drank. 😂I pictured fancy people with important jobs drinking coffee. They needed something stronger than tea as far as I was concerned. Coffee drinkers got up extra early, had meetings, places to be, people to see. I romanticized coffee shops. I thought smart people not only read books, but drank coffee, hence places like Barnes & Noble, and that love stories even began in coffee shops, just like in the movies. The single people I'd see with their coffees were always intently reading something, so it seemed to be the intelligent, ambitious person's hangout. Each time I'd walk past a coffee shop, I'd wonder why tea didn't smell so good. When I started drinking coffee, I had to have sugar. I drank it either that way or sugar-laden cappuccinos for years. I then started drinking coffee with creamer instead. Finally, black coffee, no sugar, no cream, it's just the way I like it. 😉 Despite my age, it's one of the few things that make me feel like such a grownup. :)

So after my childhood of wanting to be the cool adult who drank coffee and the journey of developing a taste for it au natural, there's something about a cup of plain old black coffee in the morning. It still feels special. To this day I find the aroma intoxicating, and it's so comforting, especially so on a cold rainy day. 

[callie lee 29]

So maybe someone here can help me. I'm not a big coffee drinker however I love (Traverse City) Michigan cherry coffee. Friend of mine used to get it for me when they went home to Michigan (I'm in Florida) but that's been awhile ago and I never really paid attention to what brand(s) they got. I was looking on Amazon to order some and there's are so many brands!! Can anyone recommend ones to avoid, ones to get?? Any help is appreciated. 

[Gramto6]

On 4/25/2022 at 6:19 PM, callie lee 29 said:

So maybe someone here can help me. I'm not a big coffee drinker however I love (Traverse City) Michigan cherry coffee. Friend of mine used to get it for me when they went home to Michigan (I'm in Florida) but that's been awhile ago and I never really paid attention to what brand(s) they got. I was looking on Amazon to order some and there's are so many brands!! Can anyone recommend ones to avoid, ones to get?? Any help is appreciated. 

Personally I have totally lost my taste  for coffee. I drink various teas in the morning most are caffeinated but some are not. I sun  brew it in the window each morning over the day. I like a variety each day, green tea, matcha tea,  black tea, English tea, ginger lemon... and more...

 

 

[Boston]

On 4/27/2022 at 1:45 AM, Gramto6 said:

Personally I have totally lost my taste  for coffee. I drink various teas in the morning most are caffeinated but some are not. I sun  brew it in the window each morning over the day. I like a variety each day, green tea, matcha tea,  black tea, English tea, ginger lemon... and more...

 

 

I don't make coffee at home anymore.  I'll just go to Dunkin's if i'm out and get an iced coffee.  I'm drinking more tea in the morning lately - the Lipton with milk and sugar.. don't judge me..lol.  I found that if I drink chamomile tea at night it DOES help me get to sleep.

[isalicat]

9 hours ago, Boston said:

I don't make coffee at home anymore.  I'll just go to Dunkin's if i'm out and get an iced coffee.  I'm drinking more tea in the morning lately - the Lipton with milk and sugar.. don't judge me..lol.  I found that if I drink chamomile tea at night it DOES help me get to sleep.

If you want to have a really great cup of tea in the morning (I can't drink coffee first thing so make a pot of tea to start my day), get yourself some Lipton's Darjeeling from India (you can get it on eBay and elsewhere) - no relation to the American Lipton's and so, so much better. It is expensive but worth every single penny.

[Gramto6]

18 hours ago, Boston said:

I don't make coffee at home anymore.  I'll just go to Dunkin's if i'm out and get an iced coffee.  I'm drinking more tea in the morning lately - the Lipton with milk and sugar.. don't judge me..lol.  I found that if I drink chamomile tea at night it DOES help me get to sleep.

Definitely Chamomile is great for relaxing and helping go to sleep. One of my favorites for upset stomach is Celestial Seasons Sleepytime Tea. Also helps with sleep.

[oliviabenson]

Coffee coffee coffee addict here 

Can’t leave my house in the am without coffee 

[Gramto6]

Going to try that Darjeeling tea, sounds good.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Gramto6
added on to post

[ams1001]

I usually drink hot chocolate with a little espresso powder* added first thing (while I'm getting ready for work if I'm not rushing, or else I take it to drink in the car), but once I'm at work I usually have 2-3 cups of tea. (I'm known at work for being a tea drinker, but oddly enough I don't drink it that much at home, even though I have a ton of it.) My favorites for caffeine are a few flavored black (loose) teas from Adagio but if I'm being lazy it's Twinings Irish Breakfast. After lunch I mostly drink water or herbal tea; lately it's Tazo's mint tea or Twinings lemon ginger.

*I hate coffee; but I can drink coffee-flavored hot chocolate. Go figure. My hot chocolate mix of choice is Target's Good & Gather brand, double chocolate flavor.

[JTMacc99]

I drink coffee every morning, and that's it. My mom used to drink coffee during the day as well, and my dad used to save the extra morning coffee and save it for iced coffee later in the day.  So I haven't followed their example. When I'm working from home, I will drink tea during the day. (The water in my office has an off taste to it. Something going on with the well water and the softener treatment we have set up. So both coffee and tea made on site suffer, and I don't care enough to bring in my own.)

For tea, I'm currently working with a rotation of English Breakfast and mixing in the occasional Chai and Green teas. I hit the teas with honey.

For coffee, I always have standard Dunkin Donuts beans on hand. If you buy three pounds at a Dunkin, it's $19.99 which is a pretty decent price per pound if you like it. And then I've got a second container with an ever rotating variety of whatever catches my eye at the store. At the moment it is one of the Starbucks coffees, but it could be anything. It's almost always a medium to dark roast something.

A few years ago I moved to using a French Press to make coffee. I have a nice electric kettle that has heat settings (so boiling for black tea, 170 degrees for green tea, 200 for coffee and so on.) I wish that it could connect into the Wi-Fi so I could remote start it from my bed, but maybe that'll be more readily available as an option when this one wears out.

And earlier this year for my birthday I bought myself the Oxo brand burr grinder. It works beautifully. I've got the exact grind size and time set up for one pot of coffee. If you enjoy coffee, and make it literally every day, I recommend telling somebody that a burr grinder would be a good gift for you. As the population of people who buy me gifts is extremely limited, I convinced myself that it was a good gift to buy myself.

[Anela]

I've cut back the amount of sweetener I have in my tea, since I had covid in July. It was already tasting odd to me, just not good, and I was preferring to just drink an iced chai. Once I got used to drinking my tea, and not being able to really taste it, it was easier to cut back on the xylitol. 

I love hot chocolate, too, but I have to drink it when I'm home, or when it's cold/snowing. Not too much, I can't just keep drinking anything, because of my messed up stomach. Last night, I bought raspberry hot chocolate. I have some spray whipped cream to go on the top, if I want it, and I also add a bit of heavy cream to my tea.

I also like to make a milkshake out of ovaltine, milk, and a bit of flax seed oil. I've done that for years. Sometimes, I'll add molasses, because they're supposed to be good for you, but I have to be in the mood for it. 

I wish I liked coffee. 

[isalicat]

Anela: Just out of curiosity, why are you using xylitol or any artificial sweetener when you are using molasses (which is just a form of natural sugar) and usually chai involves real sugar as well...?? Whatever their other benefits, artificial sweeteners never really taste like real sugar and there are some new studies about how they are especially bad for heart health. (I use Splenda sparingly, but I use it, so I'm a total hypocrite here..but I don't use any other sweetener - no honey, molasses, nothing...). Anyways I was just curious if you might have some reason to favor xylitol.

Raspberry hot chocolate with whipped cream sounds great!