My boss might be concerned that I drink something called "Sleepytime" on the job, but "Tension Tamer" helps me to not care. Those are my favorite hot tea flavors from Celestial Seasonings. When drinking one of those, I have tried to remember what the other was like. That's why I made them the subjects of my latest side-by-side comparison. Btw, for my fellow Atkins dieters, these are great, because they contain zero carbs, and they help take your mind off food.

After steeping the teas in their cups, they looked identical. I put the Sleepytime under my nose. Flowery, I thought. In defense of my he-man reputation, no I don't go around sniffing flowers. It reminded me of the times my wife or daughter asked me to smell flowers. Got it?! Okay. Next, the Tension Tamer aroma test. Ah, sweet. No, really, I mean like sweet, you know? Smelled like honey.

Now it's time for the taste test. Sleepytime: like you expect a cup of hot tea to taste, but even more enjoyable, thanks to the wizards at Celestial Seasonings. Tension Tamer: like hot tea, but with a kick. A most enjoyable kick in the taste buds, throat and sinuses. It was like an old cough syrup commercial used to say: "A moment of 'Ooh!'... hours of 'Aaaahhh'".

So I finally decided to check the ingredients...
Sleepytime:
Chamomile flowers, spearmint leaves, lemon grass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, orange blossoms, hawthorne berries, rosebuds. That explains the smell.
Tension Tamer:
Eleuthero root, peppermint leaves, cinnamon, ginger root, chamomile flowers, lemon grass, licorice root, catnip leaves, tilia flowers, natural lemon flavor, with other natural flavors, hops, and vitamins B6 and B12.

Which is best? It depends. Do you want rest, or rest with a twist? If you insist that your tea should taste like tea, but you want to get mellow, Sleepytime is for you. But if you're the adventurous type who needs to wind down after a day of fighting the dragons, tip a cup of Tension Tamer. I really look forward to them in the evenings.

I also recommend Wild Berry Zinger.

Oh, "Sleepy Time" is gooooood!

Haven't had it in awhile, gotta go look for the green box with the lil' bears on it...

All those CC teas are pretty good!

ever try crasanthamum tea (the flower?) That's some GOOD stuff. sweet and light.

My friends once brought back some tea from China - it was AMAZING stuff....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm so smooth. Hard to explain just how good that stuff was. It's like 100 bucks a pound if you bought it over here in the States...

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Before anyone reads further, here's a disclaimer: All the above named beverages are not tea. Tea is a berwed beverage made exclusively of the genus camilia senensis, which is, as history gives, native to China. The plants have been successfully transplanted to regions of Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan. They can also be found in varying qualities in Nigeria, South America, the former Soviet republic of Georgia, Nepal and others.

True tea also has no carbs, is an excellent anti-oxidant, and contains from half the caffeine of coffe to virtually none, depending on how it is processed.

To wit, a poem I wrote years ago;

A rose by any other name
Might still smell as sweet;
But tea made of rose or hibiscus
Just plain tastes like ****.

The preceding unsolicited opinion does not reflect my considerable respect for fellow Fiero owners who drink steeped flowers and spices.

I didn't know that, _Dad. Thanks.

When I was in Boy Scouts (late 60's, early 70's), my troop did a LOT of camping, and we got pretty good at making "tea" out of many different things.

But then again, so do prisoners, I hear.

'sOK, Cheever. My wife calls me a tea snob.

It's either that or Fieros. Oh, yeah... Fieros, too!

I noticed that Bigalows Mint tea says something like "A soothing minty blend..." on the front

and on the back its says:

"Contents: 100% mint leaves"

how can something be 100% of anything, and be called a 'blend' ?!

quote Originally posted by Cheever3000: After steeping the teas in their cups, they looked identical. I put the Sleepytime under my nose. Flowery, I thought. In defense of my he-man reputation, no I don't go around sniffing flowers. It reminded me of the times my wife or daughter asked me to smell flowers. Got it?! Okay. Next, the Tension Tamer aroma test. Ah, sweet. No, really, I mean like sweet, you know? Smelled like honey.

You are posting about your favorite Celestial Seasonings teas and you are worried about your he-man reputation?

quote Originally posted by Patrick's Dad: Before anyone reads further, here's a disclaimer: All the above named beverages are not tea. Tea is a berwed beverage made exclusively of the genus camilia senensis, which is, as history gives, native to China. The plants have been successfully transplanted to regions of Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan. They can also be found in varying qualities in Nigeria, South America, the former Soviet republic of Georgia, Nepal and others.

Much like the stuff you get to celebrate a wedding is not champagne. Champagne comes from the Champagen region of France. Everything else is sparkling white wine.

PS. Does anyone else use The Continental's pronounciation when they need to spell champagne?

quote Originally posted by Ken Wittlief: I noticed that Bigalows Mint tea says something like "A soothing minty blend..." on the front and on the back its says: "Contents: 100% mint leaves" how can something be 100% of anything, and be called a 'blend' ?!

It could be a blend of different mint leaves.

BTW, I drink tea, Earl Grey, hot.

Yeah, Wild Berry Zinger rocks.

Um... so I've heard. ::whistling innocently, but in a manly way::

quote Originally posted by Steve Normington: BTW, I drink tea, Earl Grey, hot.

Make it so #1.

the correct phrase is:

Make it! Sew Number one.

quote Originally posted by Ken Wittlief: the correct phrase is: Make it! Sew Number one.

That's sew he doesn't have to keep pulling down his uniform top using "The Picard Manuever".