Flight Savor Fare

Back in the day, if you were a server, that’s all you had to ask your guests at the end of a fine meal. Then, decaf became popular. Now? Everyone is a coffee and tea connoisseur. At Flight, we serve Little River Roasting Company’s coffee. In our (Executive Chef Rob Keener and my) opinion, it’s the best coffee available, bar none. The fact that it is a regional company — it’s located in Spartanburg, SC — is simply froth on the coffee.

So, we feel as if we have the coffee situation wrapped up. But tea? That’s so much harder. We offer Tazo at Flight. I first encountered Tazo on a trip to San Francisco several years ago and, still in my mind, Tazo is associated with all things cool. I bought a years’ supply. When I ran out and tried to buy it online, the internet not being the comprehensive world it is now, offered me no hope. So, imagine my delight when I happened upon Tazo at the food co-op two years or so later. (Now Tazo’s website is amazing! As close to drinking a cup without actually) Of course, that’s what we would serve in the restaurant even though Sam, Southern boy that he is, drinks only Luisianne, only iced. (As a testament to its ubiquitousness, Luisianne doesn’t have a web site.)

But, as someone once said, I can’t remember who and if you can, please educate me – “Love is fleeting.” I’ve fallen for another tea to the point I carry it in my bag at all times. It’s the Republic of Tea’s African Sunset red rooibos tea. It’s not really tea, but some sort of herb that offers similar health properties of green tea without the caffeine. But I don’t really care about that. As a coffee drinker mainly, I want some flavor, I want some substance. I want my taste buds to sing in exaltation! Now I see that Tazo also has red rooibos which I haven’t tasted yet – that flavor doesn’t come with the package they send to Flight.

I’d love to hear from some tea drinkers out there. What’s your preference?