I'm more of a coffee man, myself. French Roast, or Mocha Java are the coffees of choice. And they gotta be freshly ground, I mean within the time span it takes to boil 24 ounces of distilled water on the range. But another comes to mind, when I out camping, I like to roast green coffee right over the fire, or camp stove, gind it right there, and brew it loose in the pot, sort of cowboy coffee. I found one of those hand crank grinders that really works.

But as for tea, Asam, or Darjeeling, loose (those tea bags are an abomination) are good with Indian curries, chutneys, etc. Jasmine or green tea, or oolong with Chinese cuisine is the only way to go. And Lapsang Souchang makes my wife barf. I guess some one fixed her a cup about an hour before she came down with a violent attack of the stomach flu. She never did get over it. Earl Grey is for desert. Tea should be brewed 1 heaping teaspoon per six ounces of water, add 1 very heaping teaspoon of sugar, and that's a pretty good "cuppa" as I've seen it referred to. As for putting milk or cream in it, why bother? Just make your tea weaker, that's alll.

As to brands, I have no loyalties. I just buy the stuff in bulk at the local independent grocery store. Who knows where it came from after it left India?