Green Tea

I drink a cup of green tea almost every morning, except the rare times I eat out for breakfast or make a four-cup pot of coffee (or single-cup espresso). Since I brew the tea in a travel mug, what I drink is actually equivalent to a cup and a half.

I began this habit late in 2000, after a co-worker gave me a tin of green tea leaves for Christmas. This co-worker is a native of China, and has given me loose-leaf green tea almost every Christmas.

Prior to 2000, the only time I drank green tea was when I ate at a Chinese restaurant. The tea seemed border-line tasteless, or weak.

Now that I brew my own, using leaves and a tea ball, I can make it as strong as I like.

The afore-mentioned co-worker recently returned from a month-long visit to China, and brought back a tin of authentic Chinese green tea, pictured above. Using my customary measurement (a rounded spoonfull), and standard brewing time (3 minutes), it makes a strong tea.

“Pile-driver on the tongue,” as I sometimes say. It's a fine way to start the day.