Tea and Me

Hi everyone, I know it’s been a little while since I last posted but with the unbearably hot weather we’ve been having in good old Blighty (which does not suit me at all), and with getting home from work too late to do anything much but slump in a chair and moan about the temperature in my (33 degrees) sitting room, I haven’t really been drinking much tea, and where I have it’s tended to be an Oolong (usually Milk Caramel as I’m jealously hoarding my minuscule remaining stock of the China Milky for a day when I really need it). Yes, I know ice tea is a big trend at the moment, but to be honest, it’s not one I’ve ever really got into as I remember the pre-made stuff like Liptons Ice Tea and Snapple, which I tried and hated in the 1980s, and it was enough to put me off trying it again. Having said that, with all my favourite tea sellers now pushing their ice tea selections, and with warm weather no doubt set to continue for the foreseeable future, it is probably time for me to r...

It’s a lovely summer's afternoon with blue skies, the odd fluffy white cloud and a gentle breeze rustling through the trees and I am drinking Strawberries and Cream Tea by T2 , the company with the funky orange boxes, (okay, so really it’s 30 odd degrees out there and absolutely bloody baking so I’m hiding indoors, but I can see the blue sky and clouds out of the window). Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus, rosehip, strawberry granules (glucose syrup, strawberries, fructose, modified starch: E1414, thickener: E401), sweet blackberry leaves, yoghurt crispies (skimmed milk* yoghurt, sugar, maltodextrin, modified starch E1412, acidifier: E330), flavouring *contains milk. They describe it thus: “Strawberry fields are forever with this beautiful red brew and sweet aroma.” You may remember a while back when I went to afternoon tea at the Horseguards Hotel that I tried someone else’s Strawberries and Cream Tea and I quite liked it. Therefore, when I saw...

Yes, I know I said I was going to review some teas from another brand, and I will, soon, but today’s tea is Blue Spring Oolong by the Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. (yes, it's another Oolong). Ingredients- Chinese Oolong and Mallow Petals They describe it thus: “Blue Spring Oolong is a very fine and rare Ti Kuan Yin Special grade tea from the Chinese tea growing province of Fujian. Blue Mallow flowers were added to this tea to represent the freshwater spring that was created by Guan Yin, The Iron Goddess of Mercy to rescue villagers from drought. This semi fermented tea is still traditionally hand crafted in small batches.” This is a delicate tea but is extremely drinkable. It has a light flavour, slightly floral, with that quintessential Oolong coming through strongly.  Of all the Oolongs I’ve tried, I would say this is the smoothest yet and one that you could easily drink a lot of without feeling that you’ve overdone it. Kent ...

Before anyone mentions it, I am aware that this is my third review in a row from the Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. but I bought a lot of samples from them and have been in the mood to try them, so this is what is currently being drunk and reviewed. Reviews from other companies will be coming along soon, I promise, as I have plenty of other tea to drink — I just need be in the right mood to drink and review them. Anyway, today’s tea is the extremely drinkable Apricot Tea , which I mentioned in passing yesterday because I had just bought some more of it. As its name suggests it is a black tea flavoured with apricot. Ingredients: Black Leaf Tea, Natural Apricot flavour and Sunflower Petals. They describe it thus: “A China Black Tea scented with the delicate flavour of Apricots. A good looking even leaf with a strong aroma. An excellent refreshing afternoon tea giving you a fruity sweet sensation.” The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. are what...

I have found a new favourite relaxing afternoon tea blend and I am extremely pleased to be able to share it with you. The tea is Garden of England Afternoon Tea from the Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. Ingredients: Black Teas from India and Ceylon, Green Tea from China, Natural flavouring, Cornflowers and Safflowers. I was having a relaxing day today after all the stress and excitement of the election (yes, of course I stayed up all night to watch the drama unfold) and decided that I would give this pretty-looking tea a try as I wasn’t feeling in the mood for any of my usual teas and wanted something that wasn’t going to be too heavy on flavour or caffeine. They describe it thus: “Using a blend of teas from all over Asia, it creates a complex blend of sweet, floral and malty notes. The mixture of the delicate addition of blackcurrant softens the otherwise slightly astringent blend, to a sweet, well-rounded tea that would complement Afternoon Tea or Cream ...

Evening all :) On a day when I really need to relax I am trying Milk Oolong Caramel tea by the Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. and very interesting it is too. Ingredients: white tea, green tea, half fermented tea and natural flavouring They describe it thus: "Milky Oolong Caramel Tea is a new variation on our most popular Milk Oolong. This tea is based on a premium blend of white green and semi fermented loose leaf teas. This is a very special tea with a soft milky aroma and taste. Natural caramel flavour is added to make this a creamy temptation!" So, as I’m sure you’re all aware by now I’m very partial to Oolong tea and particularly Milk Oolong. I have to admit that Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co.’s Milk Oolong isn’t my favourite version as it has a very subtle flavour, which is rather too mild for me. I much prefer something with a stronger milkier flavour and this is where the addition of the caramel makes this tea a winner. ...

Today’s tea is Chocolate Tea sold by Camellia’s Tea House . This tea was one of the black tea options on offer when I went for afternoon tea at the Corinthia Hotel a couple of months ago. Although I didn’t try it at the time, I did get the opportunity to smell the tea when we went through the sample box and I thought it had an absolutely divine aroma — just like rich, dark chocolate. Sadly, Camellia’s don’t regularly do sample sizes which make it a bit difficult to buy a tea just to try it, but as I’m sure you’re all aware by now I really love chocolate and was so convinced I was going to love it that I had no qualms about buying a full-size packet of the tea and didn’t even bother to stop and read the ingredients list first (which, as it turned out was a big mistake). Ingredients: Chinese and Ceylon black teas, chocolate chips, coconut. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered this tea really isn’t to my taste despite the wonderful chocolate aroma, which is every bit ...

Today’s tea is the truly delightful  Oolong Formosa by the  Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. Ingredients: Formosa Oolong tea They describe it thus: "Oolong Formosa is a Speciality Tea which originates from the mountains of Taiwan. After plucking the loose leaf teas are fermented to approximately 50% and then wilted in the sun. Frequent turning of the tea in bamboo baskets during the drying process allows the Oolong to develop a mild aroma and large wild curly leaves. This Loose Leaf Tea is a real treasure." This tea is quite unlike any other Oolong I have tried so far.  It is far darker than the Milky, Fleur d’ Orient or Vietnamese Oolongs, being brown rather than yellow in colour and the flavour, whilst extremely pleasant, is far more substantial than the traditional Oolong taste and reminds me more of a Yunnan tea. That quintessential tea flavour which can be found in abundance in black teas is really picked up in this on...

How I love Fridays! Of course, I love them because they’re the end of a long work week and it’s nice to know a couple of days off are coming along (sadly too few, but that’s for a different blog). But this week I love Friday because it’s the day I got all my new tea. First, there was a box crammed full of sealed packages from the Kent and Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. , with so many different flavours of tea to try, I don’t even know where to start (that’s a lie, obviously, I went straight for the Milk Oolong , then followed it up with apricot black tea). Lots of lovely tea just waiting for me to try it  Then, the T2 shipment arrived and it was like a little celebration. Without a shadow of a doubt, T2 have won the prize for best packaging and they’ve given me a lovely box to keep my teas in (yes, I know I’ve got a cupboard but still . . .) So, the 3 teas (a largish box containing a selection of 5 fruit teas) and the 2 small chai cubes were lov...