Tea

[rarcke.livejournal.com]

So I've always been interested in tea amd a new Teavana store just opened in the mall near me so I'm getting inspired. Does anyone know of a web page or book that talks about formulating your own tea blends? I'm looking for information that would look something like this:

"Morning teas:
Morning tea blends are tradionally blah blah tea or suchandsuch.
Here are some good additions to morning tea blends:
orange peel- citrus-y and warm
ginger root- wakes you up, calms the stomach from all that rich buttery breakfast foods
hibiscus flowers- Warming and a nice red color
...
"

That's the kind of information I'm going for.
Has anyone every seen anything like this?
Do I have to go out and write it myself?
Thanks!

EDIT: I totaly forgot, I was gonna include my recipe for Chai tea in this entry, it's here below this cut!

The one tea I DO know how to make well is Chai so here's my blend:

Black loose leaf tea bought form the Indian grocery store down the street
Any of the bellow depending on what you have in the closet:
Cinnamon sticks
green cardamon pods
black cardamon pods
allspice berries
bay leaves
black pepper
nutmeg
cloves
star anise (if you have any and like licorice flavor)
ginger

Put water in a pot, measure onto a clean square of cotton cloth twice as much of the black tea as recommended by the instructions on the box. Measure out to spices are you see fit and either put them in a mortar and pestle and crack (but do not grind) them or toss them in a plastic bag and hit them with a soup can until they are all broken. Pour the spices on top of the tea and mix. Tie or sew the cloth shut and toss in the water. Let steep for 15 minutes or until tea is very dark, then take the bag out and thorw away or put in a ziplock in the freezer for weaker tea next time. Add sugar until it is too sweet. Pour the cups about 1/3 full of milk and then add the hot tea until full.

Enjoy!

You can also mix the tea and spices and store in an airtight container to make more as needed, use a tea ball or strainer with about a teaspoon of the tea/spices per person. Once again, brew in a separate container, over sweeten and mix 2 parts tea to 1 part milk.
I have also been known to make the tea ahead of time and then keep in the fridge in a bottle heating and mixing with milk in the morning.

P.S. IF all you have is ground spices that's OK, but they won't all strain out so don't drink the last few sips

P.P.S All the ingredients I use can be purchased at the Indian grocery store for less than $30 for about a year's supply. Don't by whole spices at the regular grocery store, you are getting ripped off!