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A question that I get a lot through many of my friends and blog visitors is regarding the subject of how they can make their teas more flavorful on their own. I personally have been flavoring my teas on my own for a few years now and have found some very neat tricks to add that extra spice, or that extra dose of sweetness to you're tea. So I'll do the best I can to help out those who seek new and fun ways to flavor they're daily tea!

First off, you need to know what kind of teas to use if you want to draw the most flavor out of them. While there are many different kinds of teas, these three seem to be the best for flavoring:

- Black tea…yep you heard me right, black tea while might seem plain is actually full of flavor that can be brought out of its natural state. Simple loose black tea is best for flavor testing and trying out new ingredients and spices. I recommend this tea above all others because there are no strong or powerful flavors that are already involved or mixed into the blend. It's because of this that you can add just about anything you want to make the brewed tea much more aromatic and flavorful.

- Orange tea is another excellent choice, and this is simply because the citrus flavors it already posses really help to increase the potency of many other spices or sweeteners that can be added. While some spices don't go to well with this combination, many of them do, so I would give this blend a try for sure!

- The very famous green tea is also a top three pick! Green tea already has a wonderful aroma and flavor on its own, so this is definitely a great pick! All you have to do with this tea is increase its flavor, but this tea does not do too well with sharp spices, so watch out for that. A more subtle spice or flavor that has more of an after taste then initial shock is best for this wonderful blend of tea.

Okay, so now that we know the three basic kinds of teas that we should use, what about the spices and flavorings? I would recommend these the most:

- Cinnamon! This one's my favorite because this spice goes well with just about any blend of tea, especially orange or other citrus flavored teas. I would however stay away from green tea with this spice. This spice is also great for the holiday season and winter time, giving that added smell and feel of the holidays!

- Nutmeg! While this spice might seem a bit extreme for tea, don't judge it before you try it! A bit of a sprinkle stirred up with you're tea and you'll be in tea heaven. This is a wonder spice to add to tea, and actually helps bring out the more subtle tastes and aromas in the tea. Just don't go too overboard with this spice…too much will make it almost undrinkable.

- Vanilla Extract is another excellent choice and probably my favorite addition to black tea blends. It really tends to smooth out the flavor of the black teas and has a very subtle sent and taste all on its own. It also leaves a wonderful and very pleasant after taste in your mouth. Just make sure you don't go overboard on this one, or you'll over power the true taste of the tea itself.

In the end, it's all up to you, and while these tips can serve as a foundation for the flavors you want to bring out from your tea, don't let it be a rule book. The most important thing that you should remember is it's all up to you! Mix and match all the spices and flavors that you want, and don't be scared to try new things and experiment, it really is your ball game!

Tea is by far the most popular drink the world has ever known, but where does it come from and how did we as people come about using it to make what we drink today? This alone can be a very lengthy discussion, but since this more of a quick glance into where tea comes from and what it's all about, I'll do my best to keep this short! If you want to find out more information I recommend that you seek it out of course, just make sure that you get the correct and truthful information, so choose you're sources wisely.

It all began long ago, and while we don't know a specific date, evidence points to the discovery of tea at around 2737 B.C in the region where India, China & Myanmar meet. It was in the hot wet mountain jungles of this eastern Himalaya region. It first started being eaten and then drunk by local tribal groups in that area. It was not however limited to drinking or eating alone however, and was used in many medicinal practices of the day. Today tea is still used in certain kinds of medicine and has proven to be beneficial to our health.

It wasn't until 879 however that tea was brought into the western European world by Arab travelers. Tea really took off in Europe as a very popular drink around 1285, and the western world hasn't missed a drop yet. If you haven't already guessed, the British took to tea faster and with more passion then any other culture, so far as tea even set a time of day aside for "tea time"! No one really knows why the British love this drink so much, but most believe it has much to do with the fact they started the tea trade.

Tea was then spread to the United States when it was brought over during the colonial period by the British. Tea was a staple drink even in the early US and was extremely popular. A good example of early American passion for tea is the Boston Tea Party where Americans protested Britain's tax on tea by dumping much of it in the ocean.

Today tea has become the world most popular drink and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I personally am a huge fan of tea and know many, many others who are as well. The wonderful thing about tea is the ability to infuse just about any flavor one might want, leaving very little room for boredom among tea drinking palates. From its beginning to now, tea has a deep rooted place in out cultures and tastes, and it looks like it will only become more and more popular as time goes one….

This is only a good thing!