what are your cupboard essentials and semi-essentials?

Della Terra – s’mores, lemon chiffon, and blueberry crumble
Red Leaf Tea – some flavor of MATCHAccino
Rishi – White Tea Rose Mélange, Serene Dream and China Breakfast
TeaVivre – Nonpareil Anxi Qing Xiang TieGuanYin
Twinings – Pure Peppermint (for when I’m sick)
Several EG and EGC
a rootbeer tea (for my toddler)
a variety of green and oolong teas

I tend to have a variety of seasonal teas as well. Fruit teas in the spring, things that cold steep well for summer, spice teas for fall, and holiday blends for winter.

Must haves:
PG Tips…the monkey knows BEST:)
Sinharaja by Golden Moon
Plum oolong
Peppermint tea for when I am sick
Candy Cane Lane

Can live without for a bit:
Green teas
Honeybush-52 Teas…Frank has a way with honeybush!

I find my essentials are more types than specific teas

-A jasmine pearl tea
-An Earl Grey (or Earl Greay Cream)
-A rose tea
-A lychee tea
-A nutty tea
-At least two single estate second flush Darjeelings
-A variety of green oolongs (flavored and non)
-A milk oolong
-At least two types of Chinese green
-A black pearl
-A Yunnan
-A Gyokuro or Shincha
-A creamy or nutty herbal for evenings

Season Specifics:

Spring
-Several varieties of green tea

Summer
-Several fruity greens/blacks/whites for icing
-A tea with bamboo

Fall
-At least one pumpkin tea
-A cinnamon tea

Winter
-A spice tea
-A chocolate orange tea

No real brands yet….
Assam or Irish Breakfest for Morning
Oolong for Lunch
Russian Caravan or Darjeeling for Dinner
India Greens for other times.
from the Tisanes…Spearmint, Chamomile, Blackcurrant.

I also have types rather than brands, but when I need a tea it usually ends up coming from DavidsTea, because there’s one around the corner.
A straight oolong. This is where I will splurge a bit.
Something with ginger
Straight black tea (right now, Davids’ second flush darjeeling, and this lovely black tea my friend brought me from London.)
A green tea (right now, Lebanese Orange Blossom from Terre d’Oc)
Aaan this is my steepster confession: I always have Stash Earl Grey in my cupboard. I’m lazy, and it’s easy in the mornings, and I can bring boxes of it to school without having to worry about it spilling… It’s also really strong, which I kind of like.
Oh, and I always have straight rooibos. For the past year or so it’s been adagio, i think.