I drink quite a bit of tea, and yes I consider plants other than "leaves from a tea tree" to be real tea. I particularly like Chamomile, and I am also a fan on Rooiboos and both are "other" plants. I drink plenty of black tea, plain, some spiced like constant comment or chai. I also like green tea and mint tea as well. I don't have a ritual or special time to drink it, sometimes its with a meal, sometimes when I am cold and yes sometimes with cookies :-)