Happy Tea Drinking
From all at Gently Stirred
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Just a short update on Early First Flush Teas. Obviously, due to current ‘lock-down’ and movement restrictions, work on all Indian tea farms and gardens was suspended.
However in Darjeeling, plucking has just been resumed but obviously with numbers of pickers limited. This will lead to a reduction in high quality Darjeeling First Flush teas.
We ordered our Early First Flush from the Bannockburn Tea Estate quite a while ago and we’ve been informed that it has already been plucked and withered and is ready for shipping. As soon as international flights from India are resumed our tea can be forwarded to us.
We do have five other Darjeeling teas in stock, plus are anticipating getting our organic Happy Valley Darjeeling back in the next couple of weeks
So for now, stay safe, drink tea and kind regards
Helen and Guy
]]>Another afternoon at Backlit so a flask full of Darjeeling Makaibari FTGFOP is my #teaoftheday. Traditionally Darjeelings are black (fully-fermented) but this is unfermented (green tea). Also uncommonly this tea is a result of organic production so it's doubly unusual. Hand rolled and sun dried leaves from the oldest estate in Darjeeling, brewed at 85°c for 3 minutes produced a bright amber liquor which managed to be earthy and zesty at the same time
Today is Qing Ming Jie in China. In English it's called Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day. This Lanxi Mao Feng green tea is only picked within a 45 day period before the festival so.I picked it for my#teaoftheday Only one bud and one leaf are plucked, then hand-rolled and 'baked' to prevent fermentation. Prepared at 80° and brewed for 2.5 mins, the wiry leaves produce a delicate yellow-green cup which is soft and grassy. Really delicate, but still with plenty of character.
Today's #teaoftheday was an English Breakfast tea courtesy of First Tuesday at Antenna. I love tea and drink gallons of the stuff, it was hot, wet, and hit the spot. If I had to be critical it was unremarkable and inoffensive but sometimes a teabag in a mug is exactly what's called for.
I'm lucky to have some lovely tea friends. As a result, today's tea of the day is one which was sent to me as a gift with a magazine called Global Tea Hut. It's called Temple Mist and is a Mao Feng green tea from Wu Liang mountain in Yunnan. The dry leaves smell super grassy. When brewed (I used 80°c) it's initially quite savoury but by the time I'd finished, it had developed a natural sweetness. Absolutely lovely.
Day 98 in my #yearoftea takes me to one of the most popular beverages in South America . Yerba Mate is made from crushed holly leaves and is an integral part of that continent's culture. Traditionally it's brewed in a hollowed gourd and bombilla(metal straw) and passed around the assembled friends. It tastes like charred wood: bitter and smokey and would definitely be described as an 'acquired taste'. I added honey and much preferred it that way. Although it's a herbal tea, it's caffeinated so not ideal for a night time drink.
At the end of what feels like quite a long week, I had a need for a 'normal' tea (for the benefit of non-UK readers, that"s one with milk) . This one's only just back in stock after an absence of a few of months. A Kenyan Broken Pekoe, robust and full of flavour - malty with a really rich aftertaste. I've yet to try a Kenyan tea that I don't love and this is no exception.
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As it's Hanami (花見) season (blossom viewing) I thought I'd get as close as possible with this gorgeous Japanese Sencha Sakura - a really good quality steamed tea flavoured with cherry oils and rose petals. The water I used was 80°c but I gave it a long (6 minute) steep-time. I then left it to cool down till it was tepid before I drank it. I always think that drinking it cool makes the flavour pop. This is one of my favourite flavoured green teas - if you fancy trying it, get in touch and I'll send you a free teabag sampler. Gentlystirreduk@gmail.com
Day 88 in my #yearoftea and I've spent all day drinking Earl Grey Rooibos.
Although I'm only a recent convert to them, I've become a bit obsessive about flavoured Rooibos. Under normal circumstances I'm not a huge fan of Earl Grey, but this is a good combination and doesn't have the 'soapy' aftertaste that some teas suffer from.
Today's #teaoftheday was taken 'on location ' at the always wonderful, Backlit Gallery. A herbal tisane of Stinging Nettle, Peppermint and Lemongrass (there's a free packet for whoever comes up with a better name for it...) makes a really delicious blend sipped against the backdrop of the new Simon Starling show in (probably) the loveliest exhibition space north of the Watford Gap!
Delicate and subtle (much like me?) this is one of my favourite tisanes
Guanxi Guiha Osmanthus is a Chinese green tea made in a similar way to Jasmine tea but with Osmanthus flowers. That's where the similarity ends. Where Jasmine is sweet, this is savoury. Where Jasmine is floral, Guanxi is more vegetal. I brewed it at 90°c for 3.5 minutes. Being honest, I binned the 1st infusion as it was way too strong for my taste. The 2nd infusion I only brewed for 2 minutes and what a difference! (you can easily tell them apart in the photo) It was still woody but with a really faint peachy aftertaste - absolutely lovely!
Day 91 of my.#yearoftea and I've gone for a flavoured green. It's a Vanilla Gunpowder to be precise. Gunpowder teas which originated in Zhejiang province, are when the leaf has been rolled into pellets. I made this at 80° and brewed for 2 minutes. The savoury, almost peppery taste of the tea combined with the vanilla tastes a little like a Creme Brulee - so I call that a #win #whatsnottolike
OK so there's this little Taiwanese grasshopper that feeds on the sap of the tea bush. While they're about it, they leave saliva deposits on the leaves which is sticky.and very similar to the residue you see after greenfly activity. This 'honeydew' is what gives this #teaoftheday it's particular taste. This sounds like a bit of an #Aprilfool but not only is it totally genuine, it's also absolutely delicious. It's a Formosa Honey Black and the natural sweetness delicately combines with the maltiness of this high quality tea. Most Formosan teas are oolongs (semi-fermented) but unusually this is a fully-fermented (black tea) so theoretically it could take milk...even I wouldn't do that.
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Sencha Spring Melody seemed an appropriate choice today.(First day of Spring an' all that) It was particularly nice to sit and sip it in the blazing sunshine this afternoon. Wild strawberry pieces and orange peel blended with a really good Japanese sencha gives a light, bright and refreshing cup. It also contains Cat's Foot (the herb not like..y'know the thing) I'm not sure whether it adds anything to the flavour or not but according to herbalists it has a really wide range of medicinal uses. Happy Vernal Equinox! It's not just me that liked it either - Russteas gave it a lovely review.which you can read here.
Day 81 of #yearoftea is an oriental spice black tea. A really good blend flavoured with cinnamon, ginger, clove, vanilla and orange. It's a little bit of an acquired taste, mainly due to the cloves. In fact I wasn't best pleased with the first cup, but the second (and third) really hit the spot. I think now I'm a bit obsessed with tea latte, it's simply a matter of time before I try it with this one.
Really enjoyed this Vietnam OP black tea.
Nothing special, just a good, stout and reliable brew. Plenty of tannin and plenty of character. This tea comes from the far north of the country close to Yunnan in China, so has a good heritage. Not bad. Not bad at all.
An Indian tea today: Nilgiri Thiashola Estate SFTGFOP 1. These beautiful leaves of varying colour make a surprisingly strong brew. I only steeped it for 3 minutes and to be honest I think I would've preferred it at 2 and a half. Very rich, very malty, and quite fruity. This is one of the highest grade Indian teas you can get and if you like a tea with some welly, you should give it a go.
An unfermented herbal tisane with well-documented health benefits is Day 84 in my #yearoftea. Green Rooibos (so surely that's Greenbush?) has even more anti-oxidants and super-duper stuff than it's better known Red counterpart. Taste-wise it's totally different - where Redbush tastes rich and almost syrupy, the green version is much lighter. It's still has that lovely woody taste but is much less challenging if you're new to herbal tea. As with traditional Rooibos, it's apparently impossible to spoil it by overbrewing.
Considering I hate the smell of bonfires and tarmac, this Lapsang Souchong tea was never going to be a winner with me. The leaves are withered over fires of pine needles which is what gives it that distinctive smoky aroma. I decided to use it for washing down a particularly good Stilton. It worked so well with the cheese that I found myself enjoying it (sort of) it has a much more subtle taste than smell. I still had to pinch my nose in order to drink it...
]]>A full 5 minutes and 100°c gives a really outstanding tisane. It's full of all kinds of wonderful. As well as the Chocolate (cocoa peel) & Strawberry (dried pieces) of the title, there's rosehip peel, orange peel, apple pieces, and marigold petals. It tastes divine and so full of flavour. I'm seriously considering using it for icecream or maybe for making an Almond Milk Latte.
I have plans for a House of Cards binge tonight so decided on this Lung Ching No 1 Dragon Well. Apparently it's particularly good for keeping you awake and alert, so I'll get back to you on that. I gave it quite a long (4 mins) steep-time at 80°c. This wasn't deliberate - I put the infuser mug down and couldn't remember where. As a result it was a little chewier than I'd usually like - lovely flavour though. A fairly typical Chinese green tea; earthy with a slight cashew taste.
Day 75 in my #yearoftea and it's a Formosa Choicest Fancy Oolong. Another semi-fermented and 90°c with a steep of 4 mins made quite a dark amber liquor. Quite 'grapey' and an almost toasted flavour. Really distinctive.
Stinging Nettle is one of my favourite herbs, it makes a delicious tea and if you pick the bright fresh leaves in the Spring you can make a lovely pesto too. According to Culpeper, today's #teaoftheday is an effective treatment for gangrene, manginess, and the bites of mad dogs. I've been drinking this tisane all day and can safely report that I'm showing no symptoms at all. #phew
With a nod to St Pat's I've been channeling Mrs Doyle for today's#teaoftheday it's an Irish Breakfast Blend. Made up of a selection of Assam teas it's malty, robust and is fantastic with milk.
Very fragrant (in fact it makes me sneeze when it's a freshly opened packet.) delicately floral with the slight cashew nut taste you find in certain other white teas. It's scented by making six layers of high quality tea leaves and open Jasmine flowers then leaving them to suffuse overnight. The leaves are then hand rolled into pearls. I used 80°c water and then got completely distracted watching them open. It's called jasmine dragon phoenix pearl because apparently the leaves resemble fire breathing dragons and flame-licked phoenixes as they unfurl in the hot water.
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The Chinese collector Li Yiqian purchased one of the rare cups at an auction in Hong Kong in 2014 by bidding the unbelievable record amount of 36 million US dollars for porcelain. Moreover, he paid with his credit card. Li Yiqian has led a colourful life, from taxi driver to businessman, and is renowned as an eccentric art lover. In 2012 he opened a museum in the Chinese city of Pudong, where he exhibits the treasures he has accumulated.
(courtesy of D&B)
]]>This is another of those instances where I wish I could make this post 'Scratch & Sniff'. You're just going to have to take my word for how gloriously scented no. 66 in my #yearoftea is. It's Sweet Cherry Rooibos and it tastes as good as it smells. Not only that, it's super-healthy and choc full of anti-oxidants; I started out this morning with a mini-lurgy and after drinking this all day I genuinely feel loads better (and my throat isn't sore anymore.)
Think I may've spoken too soon on the lurgy-busting front...so decided on the 'big guns' of Kombucha Sencha. To be fair there is little scientific evidence to support any health claims so it's a good job it tastes nice innit? Kombucha is also known as a SCOBY (a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) That sounds quite ropey whereas it's actually really tasty - sweet and fruity mixed with the fresh grassy taste of the sencha.
#teaoftheday 68 is Chrysanthemum Tea . It's widely used in Chinese Medicine for it's health benefits such as alleviating cold symptoms. It tastes very similar to Chamomile - unfortunately... Maybe if I added a shedload of sugar it might be a little more palatable but that kind of defeats the object of a healthy tea. I may be in a minority as here at Gently Towers it's quite a popular tisane. It's a bit like me: quite fragrant and a little bitter.
I don't know why but I expected this Georgian tea to be proper hefty. It's actually remarkably delicate with a lovely aromatic woody aftertaste. Brewed at 100°c it needed a good 5.5 minutes mashing so if you like tea you can stand your spoon up in, this one's not for you.
You don't need to be particularly eagle-eyed to spot that I took this with milk; I think next time I'll do it without.
90°c and 5 minutes steeping was the method for #teaoftheday 70 'Red Rosepetal' Absolutely gorgeous IF you like Turkish Delight (which I do because I'm normal...) It's obviously a perfumed tea but doesn't taste 'soapy'. It has the added advantage of being super high in both Vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Apparently it does something with free radicals too but in truth I stopped reading as I got distracted (really?) If you have a yearning to know, Google is your friend. I was just concentrating on how delicious it was and how I'm looking forward to using it for an iced latte. (ooh yes it's also really economical too )
Oh my, this is a bit spesh. Day 71 comes from Jeju Island a self-governing province of South Korea. A green tea 'Seogwang Woojeon 1st Flush FOP',the 'sparrow tongue' leaves only needed a steep-time of a minute and a half at 60°c to produce five infusions of an aromatic greeny-yellow brew. No astringency but a slightly grassy, and pronounced umami flavour. The particular production methods are specific to Jeju and the Japanese island of Kyushu.
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Day 58 in #yearoftea is a Maghrebi Tea which is a blend of Moroccan Spearmint and Chinese Gunpowder (rolled green tea). Usually taken for it's calming effect and it's improvement on digestion, although I know people who have it as a 'go to ' tea. I think it could be good with a white rum in the manner of a Mojito. **trundles off to do some research**
A fabulously fragrant Formosa Orange Blossom Oolong is the 59th#teaoftheday Oolongs are semi-fermented and this one is flavoured with orange peel and flowers. I've spent most of the afternoon guzzling this - it's really refreshing and the orange flavour combined with the bit of sunshine was proper summery.
Okey Dokey - so following from my previous success: this one is a Coconut Tea Latte made with coconut milk!!! So it's not only DELISH it's also vegan☺I'm really looking forward to summer when I can have a bash at some iced latte. If you pop over here, I've noted my method (you can't really call it a recipe..)
Day 61 in #yearoftea and I've popped over to the Northeast of India (where it borders Burma/Myanmar). Green tea from India is far less usual than from China or Japan. This one is an Assam Jonktoollee TFGOP Grade 1 - it's rich with loads of flavour. It's slightly floral at first with a toasty honeyed aftertaste. This was brewed for 2.5mins at 80°c and if you struggle to like green teas, I can recommend this one as it's not even slightly challenging.
Technically it's just cold and wet but it's a bit grim so I thought Stormy Weather would be a great choice for #teaoftheday 62. A really warming blend of loads of different leaves, herbs and flowers. It's got a really nice woody taste (think that's the blackberry leaves) and the peppermint is subtle but there's enough there to give it a 'lift'. I'm not sure what (if anything) are the properties of sunflower and peony petals but they make for a very pretty tisane.
When I embarked on this daily tea post malarkey, I promised myself that I'd say if I didn't like one. Well, up to now I haven't needed to keep to the promise. Enter: Earl Grey Sencha Decaffeinated ...really not my cup of tea as it were - to me the grassy Sencha taste combined with the orange of the Earl Grey really wasn't favourite. I drank an entire cup, then realised I hadn't taken a picture so made a second infusion. I'm really glad I did. I frequently have a preference for the second infusion but I've never known it as marked as this. So the moral of the story is: If in doubt, always have a second cup.
Day 64 in #yearoftea and I'm all over this GORGEOUS Java Sunda Purwa Pekoe Souchong. If you want the run down on that terminology you can read about it here All you really need to know is that it's almost buttery to start and then with a lingering rich and oaky aftertaste. Ooh and check out me lovely infuser- thanks Estelle !
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Day 50 I've been way too buzzy the last couple of days so a decaff was the way to go. This is a Decaffeinated Chinese Sencha. In the Japanese-style, these leaves are steamed before drying which keeps more of the goodness in. It makes a bright and tangy brew with very little astringency. Because of the High Pressure Extraction process used for decaffeination, there's no 'orrible aftertaste either. ?
I'm a very lucky girl. Today's #teaoftheday is a gift from the lovely Estelle Liu. It's a black tea from her home town of Ya'an in Sichuan, China. It's really long and twisted black leaves brewed at 100°c for 4 mins made a delightful dark amber cup which tasted like toasted apricots. With a slightly caramel finish, this is a really 'gentle' tea but with tons of character, I can see me getting through this bag in no time! Thanks Estelle!
Although it's technically tomorrow so therefore I drank it yesterday it's still #teaoftheday Number 52. It's a Chinese -
a Yunnan Special White Leaf. The leaves are really attractive downy curls which with water at 80°c and a steep of 2.5 minutes produce a pale golden cup with surprising strength. It's a really refined, delicate walnut taste with quite a hefty earthy finish.
Ok if you don't like aniseed you may as well stop reading here.#teaoftheday 53 is a Rooibos and Green Honeybush blend with fennel and aniseed. There's also chamomile in there but fortunately you can't taste it (ewww really not looking forward to the day I do chamomile) you do however get the properties of it - it really is an amazingly calming brew. The taste is obviously a bit of a marmite thing - personally I love aniseed and fennel and with a nicely 'cooked' Rooibos it's perfect. In short - a woody and fragrant cup of chill.
In the interests of full disclosure, other than a few notable exceptions, I'm not fond of flavoured black teas. This position may now have changed - I made Chocolate Tea Latte - and it was GREAT!
I also made an astonishing amount of mess in the process - but it really was GREAT. It tastes exactly as one would expect. I added honey and nutmeg to it, that probably wasn't necessary but I was clearly giddy with the excitement...so much so that I even got round to blogging it.
Day 55 Kenya Kaproret is an orthodox black tea. It has a rich and aromatic taste. To say it's full-bodied is an understatement - lots of layers. Typically malty like most Kenyans, with or without milk it's a strong and bright cuppa.
Day 56 Today's #teaoftheday was a gorgeous. Da Hong Pao Oolong from August Moon Tea. The leaves are beautifully aromatic - almost like pipe tobacco! Fabulous flavour from each infusion - rich and floral with hints of vanilla.
Day 57 and we have another old favourite: it's a Chinese Chun Mee Moon Palace. It's known as 'Precious Eyebrow' because that's what the furled leaves resemble (allegedly) It's quite a strong tea with a pronounced fruitiness and only a little astringency. It's always been a good seller but it's become even more popular recently as it's apparently being used for weightloss in some circles...
]]>1/ Fill one half of a standard tea ball with the tea of your choice. I put mine in a measuring jug so I could gauge how much water I was adding.
2/ Bring your water to a full boil,I did 100°C as I was using a chocolate black tea.(I didn't dare use a flavoured green but now I'm feeling a whole heap braver)
3/ Add 1/4 pint (150ml) of boiling water to the tea. Set your timer for a full 5 minute brew.
4/ Whilst waiting for the tea to steep, put 1/4 pint (150ml) of milk onto heat. I waited till it was just simmering then took it off the heat and whizzed it with me zhuzzher (I think we've all got one of those haven't we?) till it was super fluffy.Then put it back on to the heat for another 30 seconds while I took the teaball out and poured the tea into a latte glass (I genuinely have no idea how or why that ended up in my kitchen...)
5/ I gave the milk one last zhuzh then gently introduced it to the tea.
6/ I finished it off with a dribble of honey and a few swipes of fresh nutmeg.
7/ Drink it while it's hot.
8/ While sitting back enjoying it, I made sure I wasn't facing the unholy mess that I'd created - must remember to switch off the whisker thing BEFORE taking it from the milk.#protip
9/ Remembered that our high-falutin coffee maker has a milk steamer/frother and I could've used that.
10/ Smiled that my faltering Bambi steps into domesticity resulted in a win. Maybe I am a grown-up after all...
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Because I've been very good and because it's Friday and because quite frankly, I'm worth it; Day 43 in my #yearoftea is a cracker. A Choicest Fancy Silver Tip Oolong. The picture is of a 2nd infusion though I actually had 4 Infusions (greedy or stingy?) I love oolongs anyway but this one is exceptional. Aromatic and naturally sweet, it manages to be simultaneously fruity and nutty - a lovely elegant cuppa.
Day 44 and I'm drinking a Kekecha Golden Dragon Yellow Tea. A rarity which is apparently reserved for monks, emperors and me! It's a slightly fermented white tea so similar to an oolong but more subtle. It's fresh tasting -very slightly grassy with an aftertaste which is a little like cashews.
Day 45 and I chose this one purely on the name: it's a Ceylon BlackTea called Lovers Leap. It tastes loads better without milk but even then I have to admit that it's not really my taste.
I'm obviously in the minority as this is a popular choice with customers but it's just too strong for me.
Today's #teaoftheday 46 is a Vietnam Che Xanh. Not commonly available in the UK, it's a full-bodied tea that has a bit of grassiness but still tastes quite earthy. In the 15th century, Vietnamese scholar and all-round brainpox Nguyen Trai renounced the outside world for a life of 'tea, poetry and the moon'. Think he might've been on to something...
Day 47 I love this gently flavoured tea. Because the basis is a high quality Keemun, the end result is really good. With the delicate violet scent infusing the slightly bitter leaves, it tastes like Violet Creams (which I ADORE)
Due to the success of yesterday's scented tea, I thought I'd do another. I chose this Black Tea with Ginger for my #teaoftheday48 specifically to warm me up because today has been sooooo cold. Yet again, because the basic tea is a really good quality blend, the resulting drink is also very good. The Ceylon in the mix gives it a slightly bitter taste which works perfectly with the hot and sweet from the whole pieces of dried ginger. My cockles are now toasty.
Day 49 in # yearoftea coincides with #drinkwineday so it made perfect sense to drink one of the 'Champagne of Teas' a Darjeeling 1st Flush Nagri Estate FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) Although it's quite mellow, it's also light with a floral scent and a mild astringency. All Darjeelings tend to be hailed as 'complex' and 'sophisticated' but don't let that intimidate you - just think of it as a really good cup of tea.
So Day 36 is Azores Encosta de Bruma Premium Organic Green Tea. Because of the geography (in the middle of the Atlantic) this is a bit of ararity. In terms of taste, it's very like an oolong - delicate but with lots of 'layers'. Initially biscuity with a really floral finish.
No.37 is an organic Keemun Imperial. A sturdy black tea from Anhui province. All Keemuns have quite a distinctive flavour - very malty with a slight floral taste. They always put me in mind of bitter chocolate (which is probably why I like them). I actually prefer this one with milk #controversial
I never usually consider Fruit Infusions but somebody ordered some of this earlier so I thought I'd give it a go. Rough cut chunks of Apple, Lemon Peel and Rosehip steeped for a full 5 minutes in 100°c makes a lovely bittersweet combination for #teaoftheday 38 I drank the first one hot and the second one cold (not intentionally, got sidetracked and forgot about it) and it tastes great either way. Many years ago, I was put off Fruit Teas by those bags of red dust which were the staple of every student cupboard. This is NOTHING like those - you can actually taste the fruit rather than just 'fruit flavour'. It's also caffeine-free so I may have a mug to go to bed with...
Today is 39 in my #yearoftea and I fancied a Japanese. This one is a huge seller due to a) it's health benefits (claims?) being shouted from every corner and b) it tastes great. It's a Gen Mai Cha Matcha Iri. So a 'Popcorn' tea with added Matcha. As with other Sencha, hot (80°c) not boiling water otherwise it'll be really bitter. I always think of this as tasting petrichoral (like the smell of fresh rain) or maybe that's just an excuse to use a smartarse word...
As it's #pancakeday this is the natural choice for #teaoftheday No 40. Saint Clement's is made with Pai Mu Tan flavoured with 'oranges & lemons' (obv) via Bergamot oil and Verbena Leaf. Marigold and Hibiscus add the finishing touch giving it a natural sweetness that combines perfectly with the citrus. All that against a backdrop of organic white tea. Personally I prefer the second infusion (I usually do)
Day 41: So today's offering is a herb blend call Sweet Melissa. Combining Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, and Lemon Myrtle unsurprisingly it's quite lemony...fortunately it also uses apple and carrot pieces, orange peel and bramble leaves which balances it out. Due to the intensity of the citrus (which makes it quite sharp) this is another one of those that I think needs making as cold infusion and adding to gin. For my taste I'm thinking of altering the blend with the addition of Stinging Nettle. or maybe some Rooibos to add some earthier notes.
Day 42: I'm tatered. After spending the day at the NEC Spring Fair and the tea I had there wasn't what I'd hoped for...so home now and enjoying the richness which you kind of expect from a Ceylon Black. Steeped for only 2.5 minutes otherwise it's super chewy, it has a crisp and spicey finish. Obviously the addition of milk detracts a little from the nuances, but it's my cuppa and I'll drink it how I like!
Edit...it's a Ceylon Dimbula BOP (thanks Vicky!)
Day 29 As it's Friday, I thought I'd treat myself to one of my favourites..Bangladesh Phulbari. With or without milk it's a winner with so many layers of taste. Really rich and biscuity,this is the top grade available from Moulvibazar to the Northeast of Dhaka and is a traditional English breakfast, morning cup of strong British Tea.
Day 30:I know I'm being a little previous but couldn't wait any longer to sup some Sweetheart Tea - it's a blend of scented and flavoured black teas - the chocolate's the first thing that hits, rapidly followed by rose and last but not least the violets. I suppose it's like an update on the old 'flowers and chocolates' gift...
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Day 31: Despite having way too much to sleep last night, felt a big snooze coming on so opted for a caffeine-fest in the form of a Brazilian Yerba Mate flavoured with Sweet Orange. The citrus flavour works really well with the woodiness and I'm now wide-awake and suspect I will be for some days...
So the 32nd #teaoftheday is a Ceylon Melfort Estate Green. Big loosely rolled leaves steeped for 3 minutes in 80°c produced a really 'bright' cup with a slghtly floral initial taste which rolled out to a spicy, earthy finish. The tea of Sri Lanka is still referred to by the 'old' (ie colonial) name. Ceylon tea was, for many years considered to be the finest in the world. After independence the government pragmatically decided to keep the old name and therefore keep one of the world's strongest brands intact.
It's Day 33 and it's a well known but not often seen Chinese #teaofthedaycalled Young Hyson Green. If you're local to Nottingham, it'll be a familiar name...
The tea is earthy and robust with a very slightly harsh aftertaste (a bit like walnuts) not unpleasant but definitely temperature sensitive. If you use water which is too hot, that harshness becomes bitter (true of all unfermented teas)
: A Herbal Tisane for Day 34. Couch Grass is that 'orrible weed that's a right pain. Fortunately it's choc full of Vitamin A & B and also Potassium. It's used for treatment of Cystitis and other UTI but don't wait for that to try it! Drink it because of the lovely earthy, savoury taste which is equally tasty cold as hot.
I woke this morning to a news article about the Rhubarb Triangle which is the 9 square miles of West Yorkshire which is world famous for production of that most divisive of food stuffs. So, as we stock a Sparkling Rhubarb Sencha it seemed apt to be my #teaoftheday Number 35. While I'm happy to eat rhubarb as a savoury, it makes for a rubbish pud as it's just not sweet enough for me. The blenders of this Japanese green tea have dealt with this by adding not only flowers of Peony, rose and marigold but also lychee fruit. The combination is a total winner - the lychee gives it a fragrant (almost vanilla) taste while the rhubarb gives it a very particular aftertaste which is a bit like celery. All in all a really pleasant tea which I think I'll be drinking iced on some lazy sunny afternoon.
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Day 22: It's my 22nd #teaoftheday in my #yearoftea and what a beauty! It's a Nepal Antu Valley SFTGFOP1 AKA Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Grade1 it's a rarity because this is a green tea and usually you only get black tea from Nepal. It's got a brisk grassy taste without too much astringency. Nice...
Day 23: I LOVE tea and I LOVE Liquorice so drinking Liquorice Tea for my#teaoftheday No.23 seemed like a fine idea. Now I'm not a big fan of flavoured teas so maybe I'm not the best judge...maybe I should've asked Sam in Carlisle (who buys a pack every 3 or 4 weeks) for his thoughts! Don't get me wrong it's not horrible, it's just a bit weird. If I can be bothered, at some point I think I'll see how it works as a latte...watch this space...
Day 24: Forget yesterday's thinly veiled sneer at flavoured black tea; I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this Scottish Moorland Tea. It tastes great (think hot ribena and Victory V's) plus the addition of heather flowers is a nod to a traditional Pict drink.
Day 25: Don't be fooled by the milky complexion of #teaoftheday No.25 it's PROPER sturdy. Chosen as it's Burns Night, it's an organic Scottish Breakfast Blend. Combining African and Indian leaves, it's so hefty I can feel the hairs sprouting on my chest.
Day 26: Today I've been on a Yunnan Pu Erh. These are some of the most widely known Chinese teas - their popularity in the UK started to grow about 15 years ago when Victoria Beckham was allegedly drinking it as part of a weightloss program. Apparently if you drink a cup half an hour after your meal it helps to metabolise fats. I don't know what happens if you spend all day drinking it like I've done...It really is 'my kind of tea' - I like earthy flavours and it's a very complex taste. There is an entire group of people (mostly in Canada and the US) who only drink Pu Erh because there is such a wide variety - not just 'Sheng' or 'Shou' (AKA Green or Black) but the various vintages too. I'm going to return to this one in a future post as it deserves more depth.
Day 27: It's a slightly different #teaoftheday today inasmuch as it's not one of 'mine' but courtesy of a very pleasant lunch with me sibs at The Parlour at West Bridgford. It's a Darjeeling Late Harvest (sometimes called a Monsoon Harvest) and it has all the top-notes you expect from a Darjeeling. I intended to try a second infusion but didn't remember till I was in the carpark. No matter I'll definitely be returning to The Parlour so I'll try it then! Great tea (and a really very good Full Breakfast)
Day 28: Hurtling towards the end of the month, thought I'd slow it down a bit with a flavoured green tea. Brewed for 3 minutes at 80°c this Wild Cherry Gunpowder is an absolute pleasure. Conveniently for me as I'm always wandering off and losing my tea, this tastes best when it's become tepid.
]]>Day 16: Pai Mu Tan Organic White Peony - this is hands down our best selling tea. I'd forgotten just how much I like it - it's incredibly clean with an almost buttery aftertaste. Because I'm stingy I also rate the value for money - this is the 5th infusion!!!
No.17 in my #yearoftea is Blood Orange Rooibos. Also known as Redbush it's a traditional drink in South Africa. The chunks of freeze-dried citrus give this herbal a wonderful scent and an added dimension to the earthy flavour. As well as having a good rich taste, being caffeine-free and really high in antioxidants makes it good for me too! #winwin
Day 18: Apparently, this is the most depressing day of the year.So for my 18th #teaoftheday in my #yearoftea I've opted for an Earl Grey Blue Lady Citrus Special. Because Bergamot is used to lift the spirits.
It's a black tea so you could theoretically put milk in it...if you were raised by wolves.
Day 19: Today's #teaoftheday is a decaffeinated Assam - strong and malty with a lovely chocolatey finish. Decaff teas always used to have a really weird aftertaste but the High Pressure CO2 method of decaffeination has made that a thing of the past.
For Day 20 in my #yearoftea I've chosen to share one of my favourites It's a Thailand Choui Fong Green Tea really fresh tasting with a little bit of hazelnut at the front and a lively aftertaste. Water at 80°c and steep-time of 3 mins gives you a lovely bronze liquor.
Day 21: Woke up feeling a bit 'meh' so figured a good antidote would be a Moroccan Nanamint tisane.Whereas I don't exactly feel like I'm sipping the golden stuff in--a-little-alley-cafe-a-stone's-throw-from-the-bazaar, it is really nice and I think I'll be using it later in the year to make a sorbet....#yearoftea
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Day 9: Well better late than never here's No 9 in #yearoftea it's a White Monkey Green Tea. One story goes that it's so named because it's picked by monkeys because the trees are inaccessible. It's a good story but I'm a little sceptical - I prefer the story that it gets it's name from the fact that the downy white leaves look like monkey's paws. Either way it's a very good tipple.
Day 10: Thanks to August Moon Tea for reminding me that 10 days into my #yearoftea and I haven't had an oolong #teaoftheday ! This is Dong Ding and I've brewed it at 90° for 2.5mins
Day 11 takes us to Japan and a Genmaicha. Also known as Popcorn or Brown Rice Tea. Originally this tea was for the peasants as the rice was a filler to keep the price down. Apparently it was also used when people were fasting or to keep people going between meals. I love the mixture of 'grassiness' (is that a word...?) and nuttiness.
So Day 12 brings something completely different in my #yearoftea It's another Japanese tea called Kukicha or 'Twig Tea' and it's made from only the twigs and stems. Seriously no leaves were harmed in the making of this tea! It's a roasted one so it's got a nut-like taste but it's also got a creamy aftertaste an a natural sweetness too. This is thr first time I've tried this and I LOVE it!
Day 13: #teaoftheday is a Java Ciater Orange Pekoe
It's a fermented, or black tea, that's extremely 'sturdy'. If you like your tea with a bit of welly this should hit the spot. BTW Orange Pekoe doesn't mean flavoured, it's merely a leaf-grade.
Day 14: #teaoftheday is Malawi Thyolo. I've spent all day drinking this and still can't decide whether I like it or not. It manages to be simultaneously strong and weak (streak?) It's got the maltiness I love but for me it's missing something. I'm going to come back to it later and maybe mash it a little longer...It ticks all the other boxes: Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ but I'm reserving judgement!
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A Golden Rule of social media is regular posts and original content. This is surprisingly difficult, because despite being very noisy IRL, I'm actually really quiet on my networks preferring to sit back and watch it all unfold around me. Therefore I needed a reason. What better excuse for a daily post than a different tea every day? As I read these back it becomes apparent that some of them have been 'sold short' with a cursory "yeah I drank that and liked it" - I've decided that I will revisit before the year is out.
So Day 2 of my #yearoftea has had me glugging a Rooibos with Cherry and Moringa. I'm probably the last person who needs a super healthy#detox tea but it tastes aMAZing anyway.
Keeping me calm while stocktaking is #Day3 's choice - a delightful Rose Gunpowder. #yearoftea
Absolutely loving #teaoftheday Number 4! Really rich and malty, you can read about it here It's a Rwandan Rukeri Pekoe Organic Fair Trade
So it's Day 5 in the year of tea house (yes I did the accent...badly) and I'm on a cracking tisane: Moringa Leaf- it's very delicate but really tasty. It's also one of those superfoods that'll soon be touted by hipsters everywhere- you heard it here first....
Day 6: sees one of my favourites - a white tea that's actually purple.Malawi Bvumbwe Red Peony - it's bleddy lovely...really clean with almost a buttery finish.
Day 7: of my #yearoftea sees me popping out of me comfort-zone with a whacky flavour... Cucumber and Marmalade and it's really rather tasty! As soon as the warm and languid afternoons get here I shall be making iced tea out of this. I reckon it would be BRILL with gin
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Extract from Armstrong’s Self-Educator. From 1906
Mr. Barlow:- “Now, Harry, I want you to write down, in plain English, all that you know about Tea, which your recent lessons have treated of, and show me how you have profited by my instructions.”
HARRY’S ESSAY ON TEA.
Tea was first invented in Ceylon by Sir. T. Lipton, who brought it over from America to this country in his yatch, called “The Mayflower,” which sailed from Boston after great difficulties created by the crew refusing to do their duties and throwing many of the chests of tea overboard. The crew came to be known as “The Pilgrim Fathers,” because John Bunnion wrote an account of their voyage under that title.
Tea is a brown liquid and is made or confused in tea-pots by women. Its taste is not nice unless a lot of shugar is added to it and it is mostly drunk with milk also, to keep it from getting on peoples nerves.
The Rushins drink their tea in caravans, which they get from China.
People that like their tea little and often are called tea totlers to distinguish them from people that don’t take tea at all, who are called totle abstainers.
Tea is full of black things that float about in it, and you can tell your fortune by them, and whether you are going to marry a lady or a gentleman, and how many, and whether they are fat or tall, and whether it is to be this year, next year, sometime never, and a lot more things.
The different kinds of tea are Black tea, Green tea, Mazawat tea, D tea and other sorts. That is all what I know about tea.
Harry Sandford
]]>Anyway because I'm a bit of a Chocolate Teapot in the 'Media-Savvy' department it didn't until now occur to me to post them here - I know !
So because we're on Day 34 already, and as none of the posts are terribly large or in-depth it may be better as a weekly round-up rather than a daily post
So watch this space.....
]]>So to all our potential customers from around the world: you can buy off our site, where ever you are…
It goes without saying that if I have somehow managed to get it wrong again please email me and I will employ professional help…
Whoever is our first non UK customer to purchase from us will get a free sample of tea or coffee. Hope to hear from you soon.
Regards Guy
]]>‘Kuki’ are the leaf stalks or petioles left over from the production of Sencha, Matcha or Bancha teas. They are nearly free of caffeine but rich in trace elements. This Japanese green tea speciality is roasted the same way as Hoji Cha, and it produces a strong tea but with sweetish notes and a mild coffee flavour with possibly a hint of chocolate, how very Jilly Goolden of me…
Organic teas are not common from Japan despite most of the production being made using very traditional ways. I suspect that traditional growing is more important to Japanese tea drinkers than a label telling them it is organic and as such they choose not to join an ‘Organic Certification Organisation’.
In Japan this tea is often combined with juice and given to children, it is most likely the least caffeinated natural tea produced. Use hot 70oC to 75oC water and only steep for a short length of time, one minute or less. I must admit this really is quite a special tea, flavoursome and yet gentle and definitely incredibly ‘moreish’. The second infusion only got 45 seconds, and the third infusion just half a minute.
]]>Moringa oleifera is a marvellous tree, due to the high level of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that this tree holds it has also been called the “Tree of Life” or “Miracle Tree”. Originating from the southern foothills of the Himalayas it is now found cultivated in several countries where the young seed pods and leaves are used as vegetables, the flowers are edible when cooked and are said to taste like mushrooms.
Moringa has significant nutritional potency and contains all the nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce, specifically in the correct ratio for humans. As well as improving your body’s natural resistance to infection and disease, Moringa is also well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. As well as being good for the skin and promoting cell structure, Moringa tea gives the drinker a natural feeling of ‘well-ness’ and boosts your energy levels.
You can make Moringa Tea by using hot water at 90oC and brewing a large teaspoon of leaves for between 5 and 10 minutes. Honey can be used if you have a sweet tooth. Alternatively you can add 500ml of cold water to a large spoonful of Moringa, and for taste mix with a little honey, fresh ginger and orange juice and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Helen and I thought the taste was lovely and thoroughly enjoyable without the need to add anything else, but as we always say: "it's all personal taste". </
]]>Moringa oleifera is a marvellous tree, due to the high level of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that this tree holds it has also been called the “Tree of Life” or “Miracle Tree”. Originating from the southern foothills of the Himalayas it is now found cultivated in several countries where the young seed pods and leaves are used as vegetables, the flowers are edible when cooked and are said to taste like mushrooms.
Moringa has significant nutritional potency and contains all the nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce, specifically in the correct ratio for humans. As well as improving your body’s natural resistance to infection and disease, Moringa is also well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. As well as being good for the skin and promoting cell structure, Moringa tea gives the drinker a natural feeling of ‘well-ness’ and boosts your energy levels.
You can make Moringa Tea by using hot water at 90oC and brewing a large teaspoon of leaves for between 5 and 10 minutes. Honey can be used if you have a sweet tooth. Alternatively you can add 500ml of cold water to a large spoonful of Moringa, and for taste mix with a little honey, fresh ginger and orange juice and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Helen and I thought the taste was lovely and thoroughly enjoyable without the need to add anything else, but as we always say, "it is always personal taste".
]]>Moringa oleifera is a marvellous tree, due to the high level of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that this tree holds it has also been called the “Tree of Life” or “Miracle Tree”. Originating from the southern foothills of the Himalayas it is now found cultivated in several countries where the young seed pods and leaves are used as vegetables, the flowers are edible when cooked and are said to taste like mushrooms.
Moringa has significant nutritional potency and contains all the nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce, specifically in the correct ratio for humans. As well as improving your body’s natural resistance to infection and disease, Moringa is also well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. As well as being good for the skin and promoting cell structure, Moringa tea gives the drinker a natural feeling of ‘well-ness’ and boosts your energy levels.
You can make Moringa Tea by using hot water at 90oC and brewing a large teaspoon of leaves for between 5 and 10 minutes. Honey can be used if you have a sweet tooth. Alternatively you can add 500ml of cold water to a large spoonful of Moringa, and for taste mix with a little honey, fresh ginger and orange juice and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Helen and I thought the taste was lovely and thoroughly enjoyable without the need to add anything else, but as we always say, "it is always personal taste".
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We recently attended a coffee cupping attended by a major specialist coffee importer, and got conversing with Licensed Q Grade, Coffee Trader, Priscilla, about tea… Obviously it was a conversation about Coffee Blossom Tea, something I knew a little about but wondered if she knew anything herself, not only did she know about it but had some… It transpired that Café Granja La Esperanza , one of our favourite Colombian Coffee Growers and Exporters, has been gathering the petals as they fall from the coffee bushes, (as simple as clean white sheets laid on the ground) and then carefully drying them. La Esperanza is famous in coffee circles for its dedicated research into different varieties, clones and cultivars and their growth and quality relative to the terroir. They have collected petals from seven different varieties; Red Bourbon, Sudan Rume, Geisha, Red Bourbon Tekisic, Yellow Bourbon, Laurina and Pacamara, and Priscilla was able to send a small quantity of the Red Bourbon and the Sudan Rume.
Bourbon Coffee Trees, depending on cultivar, can produce equally as well as the typical Red Cherry also Yellow and Orange. The trees all originated from the island of Bourbon, now Réunion, and they were planted around 1708 by the French from stock given to them by the Dutch. Sudan Rume is a rarely found variety that originated in south-eastern Sudan near to the Ethiopian border.
All these seven aromatic Tisanes differ, producing complex and flavourful aromatic teas. We have no prices for the teas but they will not be cheap, the petals weigh very little and are collected by simple collection methods but at the obvious vagaries of winds and breezes sweeping the dried petals off the sheets.
]]>It is quite unusual to find a Timor Island coffee being offered especially one as good as this. The Island has been politically divided in two parts for centuries. The Portuguese settled in the east of the island, (Timur is Malay for East) at the end of the 16th Century. The Dutch settled in the mid-17th Century and based themselves in Kupang, in the West, this side of the island was called Dutch Timor right up until 1949 when it became Indonesian Timor. The Portuguese and the Dutch fought for control of the whole island up until it was divided by treaty in 1859.
Timor coffee is unusual in that it comes from an interspecific hybrid of Coffea canephora var, Robusta and Coffea arabica that occurred naturally on this island in the mid 1940’s. We suspect that this coffee may well be grown either close to the East Timor border or even across the border and then shipped to West Timor to be sold onto the international market.
This ‘Indonesian type’ coffee is unquestionably one of our favourite kinds; strong, with full body, a fantastic aroma, not particularly bitter but definitely a characteristically ‘Italian espresso style’ flavour. Would work well with a cafetiere or in an espresso.
]]>After only five years of tea production, The New York Times July 27th 1879 wrote “The first outcome of the tea-growing in the Azores is shown in a sample recently received at the Kew Museum from Senor Jose Do Canto. The sample is of good appearance, the smell is also good; and the flavour of the infusion by no means to be despised.” The tea soon found favour throughout the European Houses of Royalty and heads of state as well as Japanese Royalty.
The growing and production techniques have remained unchanged for over 140 years, after plucking, which occurs between April and September, the fresh leaves are sorted and cleaned. Leaves destined to become green tea are then steamed and then all the leaves undergo a drying stage with the pure Atlantic Ocean air adding a unique fragrance.
The Gorreana Estate was one of the earliest green and black tea producers and has been in continuous production since 1883. These mineral rich Azores Mountains bathed in pure ocean breezes provide the ideal growing conditions for tea production. The unaltered method of growing has meant continuous Organic cultivation before organic even became a ‘thing’.
In 1662, Catherine Braganza of Portugal married King Charles II and brought with her tea to the Royal Court of England, this started a trend, initially taken up by the aristocracy, which has never diminished. The fashion soon spread beyond the elite to the middle classes and was taken up in London Coffee Houses. Although the tea drunk then would be considered undrinkable now, between 1660 and 1689 tea was taxed in liquid form, the whole of the day’s tea would be brewed in the early morning, taxed by a visiting excise officer, and then kept in barrels and reheated as necessary throughout the day. Luckily after 1689 tea was taxed by leaf rather than liquid.
Founded by the Gago da Camara family, Gorreana’s tea estate is the only remaining estate of an original fourteen tea producing estates and has remained family owned and run for five generations, They still use the original ancient techniques passed down generation to generation initiated by the founder of the Promotional Society of Micaelense Agriculture, Jose do Canto, back in 1874. Production of tea in the Azores reached its greatest level in the 1930’s producing well over 700 tons annually, however high costs for labour and electricity saw the eventual diversification into other agricultural products. Luckily in the 1920’s, Gorreana’s Jamie Hintze utilised the stream flowing through the estate to produce electricity, so when electricity prices rocketed throughout Europe, the Gorreana Estate was able to continue by using its very own eco-friendly green energy.
We have selected the Gorreana Orange Pekoe, premium grade black tea, which only uses the first leaf plucking method where only the bud is taken. These hand selected buds have been harvested this way for five generations, a perfect selection for the connoisseur tea drinker who only wants the best. Helen thinks this is a wonderfully delicate, clean tea that is really distinctive, no astringency, pronounced tannins but not even slightly chewy. Helen likes it with milk but I felt it was perfect without. I prepared it with boiling water and steeped for five minutes.
Our other selection is the Encosta de Bruma premium Organic green tea. Encosta de Bruma translates from the Portuguese as ‘Hillside Mist’, and it is these mists that are responsible for the fine growing conditions found on these verdant mountains. Hand plucked these first leaf or more accurately, buds are carefully cleaned and then steamed to stop fermentation. These buds are from the first flush of growth in the spring and are only collected in April or May.
I used hot water at 80o C and steeped for three and a half minutes. A very tantalising aroma and delicate taste. I could happily drink this as an afternoon tea and I feel this is one of the finest quality green teas we have had for a while.
]]>Apparently my love for Caribbean Coffee is known not just to my gentle readers but fellow roasters too, who couldn’t wait to casually drop in the conversation that they had a new Dominican Coffee, and did I want to try some? Is water wet? Is the sky blue? Is snow white? Do bears….. you get the picture.
So basically a Co-operative made up of family small-hold farmers who get to grow and produce their own coffee which the co-operative ‘coffee processing machine’ processes and then the co-operative pays back the families accordingly. Admittedly no Fair Trade certification but to be honest that would probably just be an additional expense that comes off their bottom line, but we know that it is as good as.
Does it live up to my Caribbean expectations, you bet your Dominican Peso it does. Rich, full of flavour, no bitterness, smooth, it pretty much has everything any coffee drinker wants. The Italian roast is perfect for this bean or rather blend of 90% Typica 10% Caturra beans. The mix is perfect combining old school beans with a smattering of new; simple and unpretentious.
Also this coffee has the added advantage it comes from a Caribbean Island that America and ‘the largest online payment system’ company don’t view as illegal. Enjoy, enjoy and enjoy.
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