I drink coffee every morning and my mom drinks hot tea. For me, hot tea is something I prefer in the evening, and it’s not something I drink every day. When the weather cools down, though, I love having a cup of steaming hot tea to sip, especially when I cuddle under a blanket to watch a good movie.
Eight O’Clock Coffee
So, let’s start off this review like I start my days, with coffee. There are so many brands to choose from when brewing your own coffee at home, but today we’re going to look at Eight O’Clock coffee. Eight O’Clock coffee has been around for over 100 years, and you can find it in just about any grocery store. Unlike some brands, you can still get Eight O’Clock coffee in whole bean form, if you like grinding it yourself. For coffee lovers, there’s nothing quite like that fresh ground coffee smell.
I’ve found Eight O’Clock coffee to be a good quality coffee. I prefer medium to dark roast, and theirs has a nice robust flavor. Honestly, I don’t buy it as often as I’d like to, because it’s not the cheapest. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the most expensive either, not by a long shot. Considering its higher quality, it’s worth the extra four to five dollars a pound. In my local store, I can get a 24 oz bag for around $11.00.
With the holidays fast approaching, Eight O’Clock coffee is the kind of gift I’d really enjoy. Hint, hint! You can get it in a variety of flavors, and if you can’t find just the right one in the store, you can always buy from their website. On their site, they have Dark Italian Espresso, other typical dark roasts, and flavors that include French Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Caramel Macchiato. They even have holiday flavors such as Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Mint. As I mentioned previously, they offer their coffee in whole bean or ground. They also have K-cups and Infusions. The Infusions include hi-caffeine, a special decaf, and a super spice blend.
And now for the tea… I like just about any kind of hot tea. Which one I choose really depends on my mood or needs. Sometimes I want a simple unflavored tea. Other times I enjoy a flavored or spiced tea. Still other times, I drink a specific tea to help with digestion, fatigue, or boosting my immunity. With this in mind, let’s look at a couple of tea brands to help meet those needs.
Good Earth Teas
Good Earth has a nice holiday selection of flavored herbal teas. They come in loose leaf form packed in decorative tins, which makes for a nice gift for any tea lover who enjoys steeping loose-leaf tea. Their winter blends include Peppermint Treat, Nutty Cranberry Delight, and Puerh Indulgence. The Peppermint Treat includes white chocolate and pink peppercorn for a nice sweet and spicy flavor. The Nutty Cranberry Delight has cocoa nibs, almonds, and elderberry (all organic). The Puerh Indulgence also includes cocoa nibs, but ups the chocolate flavor with chocolate powder. Cinnamon and raspberry flavors round out the Puerh Indulgence for a simply sweet taste.
Good Earth also offers herbal teas that are specifically designed for relaxation, which makes them good for an evening treat. Specifically, they have a Sweet & Spicy Good Night Tea made with chamomile. The sweet and spicy flavors come from the inclusion of dragon fruit and cinnamon.
Although Good Earth teas can be found in local grocery stores, you’re probably better off shopping on their website to get these specific flavors.
Tetley Tea
If you’re looking for health-related teas, Tetley’s Super Herbal Teas are some that you might want to try out. Their blends range from teas designed to be calming to energizing to immunity-boosting. One example is the extra-caffeinated Super Black Tea with vanilla. It’s supposed to help improve your focus. The other super teas include Super Herbal Teas and Super Green Teas.
The Super Herbal Tea comes in three varieties. Super Herbal Tea Glow is designed to maintain healthy skin and improve hair growth. It includes Vitamin B7 as well as pineapple and citrus fruits. Super Herbal Tea Immunity is made with Vitamin C and fruit flavors that include peaches and oranges. Super Herbal Tea Metabolism is designed to increase your energy level naturally with Vitamin B6 and antioxidants from blueberries and raspberries.
Tetley Super Green Tea comes in two blends, Metabolism and Immunity. Super Green Tea Metabolism comes enhanced with Vitamin B6 and various tropical fruits. Super Green Tea Immunity Includes Vitamin C, honey, and lemon.
Check out the Tetley Teas website for other varieties they offer.