There are two types of people: those for whom “tea” implies traditional black tea and those with a wider definition.

I am liberal in what I call “tea”: black, white, green, rooibos, and herbal. Once I was very embarrassed to offer tea to a British friend only to realize that I didn’t have any English Breakfast, Earl Grey, or the like. She was very confused when I served chamomile. “I only drink this when I’m sick,” she informed me. Whoops.

I enjoy sampling wide varieties of teas. Tazo Calm is an herbal infusion of hibiscus, chamomile, spearmint, lemon grass, rose petals, blackberry leaves, safflowers, peppermint, sarsaparilla, lemon balm, and licorice. It’s caffeine free and especially soothing later in the evening, I find.

There are two types of people: those who drink coffee and those who don’t.

This is perhaps one of the most decisive splits out there.  Each side is baffled by the other.  “How could you NOT drink it?” versus “How can you DRINK that stuff?”

For me, coffee is so wonderful. The ritual, the warmth, the steam.

Oddly I do not have to have coffee. I can drink it 9 days in a row and on the 10th, forget or get distracted. No pounding head, for which I am thankful.

But… I like it, and am so happy to enjoy it.  So most days I drink it despite lack of caffeine addiction.

This photo is from my cousin’s house in New Paltz, NY. I do not have a french press myself but I enjoy his when I visit.