In praise of cream teas!

Way back, when my tea world consisted of grocery store bags, I used to drink my black tea with milk, never sugar. Since discovering better quality teas, mostly loose but some bagged, the milk jug has remained in the fridge. I can't even imagine putting milk in some of my favorite teas but at one time, it had to go in. Even now, when I have a cup of tea at a restaurant or at an event, the milk will invariably go into a cup since most places still serve pretty low quality stuff. And that's what milk does - it takes some of the bitterness out of cheap tea and mellows it. Even though everyone rails against putting cream into tea, deep down, you have to admit, cream is pretty tasty - much more than milk - but for the most part, it is too overwhelming for your average cup of tea.
Well, for those who actually like the taste of cream in tea but who don't want the calories or for anyone to see them pouring cream into their cup, give the cream or vanilla flavored teas a try. For the most part, they're black teas with cream or vanilla flavoring added. All the taste without the calories - who could ask for anything more?
Two I would recommend are the Cream Flavored Black tea from Adagio and Metropolitan Tea's Irish Cream Black Tea. These two are absolutely delish - very satisfying for those days when you want your tea to be a little richer. For those who still prefer bags, give Bigelow's Eggnoggin' a try - it's only out for a month or two before Christmas in the US or all year round on their website. It has that creamy taste with a hint of cinnamon and is pretty good. Today, I'm drinking the Metropolitan Irish Cream. Of course, no one should ever add milk or cream to green tea but if you're looking for a guilt-free creamy green treat, try the Candy Cane Lane by Celestial Seasonings. Again, it's only out just before Christmas, but it's a decaffeinated green tea flavored with mint and it has a creamy, minty taste. Very nice for the end of the day.
For those who want cream in their Earl Grey, try Earl Grey Creme from Metropolitan Tea (loose) or the season's pick Earl Grey Creme from Upton Tea. If it sound hard to imagine a creamy Earl Grey, just imagine an Earl Grey that has been smoothed and mellowed - it's a surprisingly good cup.