A ton of “stuff” that smothers the tea taste. (Photo source: A.C. Cargill, all rights reserved)

My taste for flavored teas has for the most part faded like a cheap rug in the sunlight. The reason is pretty simple but takes a bit of explaining and some examples.

Once upon a time, Earl Grey was my favorite tea. I was gaga over it. Wouldn’t drink anything else. Then, I started branching out into other flavored teas. A spiced tea that folks in the U.S. call “chai” but that is more correctly called “masala chai” or “spiced tea” was the next one to grab my interest. It all started at an Indian restaurant. My love for curries, chutneys, and other Indian foods is by now well-known to everyone around me. A nice cup of masala chai seemed a natural beverage to have, therefore, with that spicy lamb vindaloo. Normally…