Tea is for the subtle palate and mild impact. If you are comparing hot tea to hot chocolate and cider, yeah, it's not for you. I take it your one of those that prefers chocolate to vanilla. Go figure that most Asians, who prefer tea, also tend toward vanilla over chocolate unlike their European coffee/cacao based counterparts. I find tea is more for the contemplative introspective experience where coffee is geared towards 'amping' you up on caffeine. You can reflect on the steam, the shape of the leaves (like a jasmine blossom) and purity of the ingredients. That's why you'll never find Geishas performing a one hour coffee ceremony built around a Dunkin Donuts styrofoam cup filled with black sludge. I almost look at premium gourmet coffee as an exercise in Anax modding coffee to make it palatable. Most coffee that's consumed seems to be of the Beats by Dre variety IME.
No mention of Tarik? One of the most pleasant warm drinks when eating a spicy meal...
Like most Indians, I can't do without a decent morning chai.
I'll take homemade chai over any other kind of tea if its available.
That being said Chai is an indian blend with tea, herbs and spices, often drank with creme and sweetened.
