Sorry folks, it’s that time again. Midterms. (Welcome to the quarter system, freshmen). Luckily, while you’re studying hard to ace those exams (and take some stress off of grade-changing finals later on), we’ve got you covered in the realm of tea. Try these four delicious, warm treats while you study.
Stash Spice Dragon Red Chai
If you’re a spicy chai lover, look no further! This tea has found the perfect spicy blend of cinnamon, ginger and cloves to give it the perfect kick. If you tend to like your chais on the sweeter side, you might find this one to be a little too bold. Another big difference between this and other chai teas I’ve tried is that this one is a red tea (or rooibos). My mom, who is a self-proclaimed tea snob, will tell you that this means it’s not a “true tea.” This means that unlike black, green and white teas which all come from the Camellia sinesis bush, this tea is derived from a bush native to South Africa. Sorry Mom, but this tea is one of my new favorites.Mighty Leaf Ginger Twist
I hate to ruin the new quarter bliss: but eventually, everyone is going to start getting sick again. Whether its the girl in the communal bathroom, the guy next to you in lecture, or maybe yourself, once midterms hit, the stress-induced quarter system plague will be upon us. But cheer up! I found the perfect “uh-oh, I’m starting to feel sick” tea. This herbal tea is the ultimate sore throat destroyer. And delicious too! It’s a warm, soothing blend of lemongrass, mint and ginger with some fruity notes that’s sure to make you feel better in no time. Do what I did when I lived in the dorms: invite that kid who seems to always be sniffling over for some tea and make friends (hey Daniel!).
Wangderm Authentic Thai Iced Tea
I like to think of myself as a self-titled expert on places to get the best and worst Thai iced teas around SLO (aka how I justified getting Thai food out almost every week freshman year). And while you might think a place like Thai Classic on Higuera or the vendor at the farmers market tops the list, surprisingly, one of the best has been right at home! I’m a sucker for packaging so I picked up a box of Wangderm Thai iced tea from World Market on a whim over the winter break. I was fully expecting a watered down, cheap imitation of Thai iced tea but it was surprisingly delicious and tasted like restaurant quality. You can pretty much use whatever milk or milk substitute you have on hand- I usually go for something like half & half for a richer taste. The only downside to this tea is that, if you are impatient like me, you’ll hate waiting for the tea to cool down in the fridge before you can serve it up.Harney & Sons Green Tea with Coconut
Anytime a box of tea costs over $5 and it’s not from a specialty store (Like Teavana, Lupicia or David’s Tea) I am usually a little skeptical about whether or not it’s going to be worth the extra cash. So when I picked up an $8 tin of a seemingly simple flavor of tea, I was a little nervous I had wasted my money. However it turned out to be a nice surprise. Green teas, to me, are all about quality, and that’s where this one excels. It’s an incredibly smooth green tea with no hint of bitterness and a subtle coconut flavor. It’s great with raw honey or on it’s own. And it comes in fancy pyramid-shaped tea bags, which I’m convinced makes tea taste a thousand times better. All around a great tea, and it comes in a cute reusable tin.
*A special thanks to the teams at Stash and Mighty Leaf for so graciously providing Her Campus Cal Poly with samples!