Like many tea lovers, I begin each day with a pot of tea, usually with my breakfast (or brunch) but sometimes on its own. While I am a great enthusiast of typical British breakfast blends as well as hearty Assam and African black teas in the morning, all of which do an excellent job of perking me up and washing down eggs and bacon, there are times that I yearn for something different. On those days, I brew up one of these teas:

• Pai Mu Tan (also called Pai Mu Dan and White Peony):Yes, Virginia, white peony can work very nicely first thing in the morning. Now I don’t actually drink Pai Mu Dan with breakfast food (the tea is too light and subtle to stand up to edibles), but there are mornings when I want to wake up slowly, and this tea is just the thing. Even though it is light, it also has a lovely, fruity, juicy quality that helps me ease into the day. Give it a try one morning!

  

• Ceylon: Ceylon teas are sometimes used in breakfast blends, but I must say that I really enjoy unblended Ceylons at breakfast time as well, particularly in the Summer when their citrus-y notes are so welcome. Another option is Golden Moon’s Sinharaja, a decidedly darker, richer Ceylon than most; it is excellent on its own or with food.
• Autumn Flush Darjeeling: I’m not hugely fond of Darjeeling in the morning, as I normally need a bit more energy to fully appreciate its flavors. But Golden Moon’s Darjeeling is utterly scrumptious and well-suited to a morning meal.
• Keemun: I’ve heard it said that the original English breakfast tea was made up of Keemun before it became more cost efficient to use Indian teas. Regardless, Keemun in the morning is a very fine thing, particularly when served with my beloved peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. Nothing else matches quite as well.