The Story of Barry's Tea

Barry’s Tea has been one of hubby’s favorite teas. Now, it’s one of mine, too. The story of this tasty and remarkable tea from Ireland makes interesting reading on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Don’t miss the review by The Little Yellow Teapot. Very revealing, whether you drink bagged teas or not. For those of you into Lipton and others, you may never go back to them. [Note: This tea can be a bit difficult to find in local stores in the U.S. Online vendors seem to have a steadier supply.]

Tea-for-Two Sets

Get a little closer to that special “someone” by having a tea moment served up in a tea-for-two set. There are lots of designs to choose from. I examine some of them on the Taste of English Tea Blog.

Orange and Tea

Orange oil, made from orange rinds, is what is usually used to add orange flavor to tea. It’s not only healthy, but adds a wonderful taste in most cases and is a natural to go with chocolates. What’s not to love? Teas with this flavoring are becoming more popular.

 

Reviews on Little Yellow Teapot Tea Reviews:

• The Republic of Tea Orange Blossom White Tea
• Mighty Leaf Orange Dulce Black Tea
• The English Tea Store Florida Orange Rooibos
• Two Leaves and a Bud’s Orange Sencha Green Tea

Health Claims:
There are lots of health benefit claims, like these:

1. Weight loss through increased metabolism and liminoids that promote overall health.
2. Antioxidant (Vitamin C) that gets rid of harmful free radicals which damage cells in your body, assuming that your orange tea is flavored with real orange, not fake stuff.
3. Cancer prevention, again due to the antioxidants from stomach, skin, lung, mouth, colon, and breast cancers (not fully documented, so proceed with caution). From FamilyNutritionOnline.com.
4. Cardiovascular protection by reducing cholesterol and thus keeping the heart strong and healthy and unclogging veins and arteries to restore normal blood circulation.
5. Anti-inflammatory properties to relieve arthritis and stiff joints. From The World's Healthiest Foods.

[Note: This info is provided for entertainment purposes. Always confirm any such claims and consult with your doctor if you have any questions. The key to getting any of the above benefits is getting tea made with real orange or orange oil, not just orange flavoring.]

 

More teas with orange:
Try some of these to see which suits your taste.

• The English Tea Store Orange Spice Black Tea
• Chicago Tea Garden Pu-erh aged in real orange rind
• Blue Moon Tea Orange Oolong Loose Tea
• Orange Tea Company Grand Marnier

More reviews on Teaviews.com.

The Advantages of Blended Teas

What’s a tea blend? Why is it better than a “pure” (non-blended) tea? There are so many tea places out there right now selling their own blends, it’s hard for the tea newbie to know what’s going on. Get an insight into the mystery of blended teas on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Unsweetened Iced Tea — Bucking a Southern Tradition

In warmer weather, the restaurants in the Southeastern U.S. automatically fix up large batches of “sweet tea” to serve their customers dealing with heat and humidity. What is sweet tea and why do I avoid it like the plague? Find out on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Exploring the Boston Tea Company

As one who lives the “tea life,” where tea isn’t just a beverage but a way of life, I consider Boston pretty important in the world of tea. You’ve all heard about the Boston Tea Party, where colonists dressed up as American Indians, slipped aboard a ship anchored in the harbor, and tossed boxes of tea overboard. It was a protest against the actions of King George of England. He imposed one restriction, tax, or other annoyance after another on them. The tax on tea was the line in the sand, a sign that the colonists needed to act.

That historic event is one reason that Boston is a real tea town. The another reason is the Boston Tea Company, which focuses on bringing great tea to its customers, not wasting it in harbor water. In fact, the company started in 1773 when they salvaged some of that “protest tea” out of the brink (very enterprising of them). Since then, they have been carrying on the tradition of producing fine teas (over 2 centuries now).

You’ll see the name “Bentley’s Finest Teas” on some of their products. It’s a line of English-inspired teas, estate-grown and harvested in India, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), and China using the traditional English manner. These teas are found in top retailers as well as gourmet shops. I’ll be trying one of the white teas.

The size of the samples they sent are more than ample for a good tasting, but the clear plastic bags aren’t ideal for storing tea. I’ll have to keep the teas in a box out of the light, which can degrade them. (Your teas should be stored in cool, dry places in containers that block out light and air. Also, keep them away from strong smelling substances such as cleaners and spices.) [Note: The vendor informed me that these aren't their normal pouches. They use ones that block out light so your teas are protected.]

The Boston Tea Company’s site is full of great features, including a bunch of recipes, from iced teas to soups to entrees to desserts, and a tea info section called Tea 101.

Reviews of their teas have appeared on Teaviews.com and Steepster. Soon, reviews of the 6 samples they sent will be posted on Little Yellow Teapot Tea Reviews, unquestionably the cutest little teapot on the Internet and in Twitterland.

Putting the Squeeze on Tea Bags

Trying to make your tea dollars go far by squeezing every last drop out of your teabags? You can switch to loose leaf tea made of larger tea pieces or just avoid squeezing the teabags. Get the scoop on this issue on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Missed some of my articles on The Taste of English Tea Blog? Catch up on my author’s archive page.

Lavender Teas

The Floral/Fruity Extravaganza is underway at Little Yellow Teapot Tea Reviews.

Latest: 2 lavender teas

• Earl Grey Lavender Tea (Revolution)
• Lavender Butterfly Green Tea (The English Tea Store)

Lavender is a wonderful plant that’s fairly easy to grow and has a variety of uses. The book in the photo shows lavender fields in Provence in France. The fields in full bloom are astounding in their visual beauty. Hubby and I had thought of growing some lavender, since we owned a few acres lying idle at the time (have since sold and moved), but that thought didn’t manifest itself into action.

Lavender in tea is quite intriguing. You get the floral aroma and the health benefits. Blending lavender into Earl Grey tea (made with oil of bergamot) seems to be more and more common. Green tea with lavender helps curb hunger, so if you are watching caloric intake, keep some of this tea handy. This flower is also soothing and can help you relax and sleep. (More lavender info.)

Check out the reviews to see if either of these teas is good for your foray into lavender teas.

Summer Solstice Tea

The first day of Summer is June 21st. It’s also known as Summer Solstice. For tea lovers, it’s another excuse to through a cool tea party. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Tea with Author Curtiss Ann Matlock

The title of this article might be a little misleading. After all, Ms. Matlock was not physically present at my teatime. However, since a good author puts a lot of him/herself into their work, having her book present was as good (well, almost) as having her here.

I must say that I won this book through a contest on RomConInc.com. All I did was comment on how both Ms. Matlock and I both seemed to put a lot of ourselves into our writing. Mine is about tea, while hers are full-blown works of fiction. Not an exact comparison, but what the heck.

Anyway, when I found out I’d won, I got very happy; and then when the book itself arrived, I was jumping up and down with excitement, which was pretty difficult since I was in the passenger seat of the car at the time (we have a P.O. box and were picking up our mail from it). Needless to say, there are indentations on the car roof interior and on my noggin.

Anticipation is half the pleasure. Atmosphere, that is, having the right setting when reading, is about half of the half that’s left. The remaining quarter is the actual reading. Well, I have my atmosphere set with tea, a treat, and tissues next to my comfy chair. The tea is Scottish Breakfast tea from one of my favorite tea vendors (The English Tea Store) with milk and sweetener and served in one of my very special bone china cups (this one was a Christmas present a few years ago from hubby). The treat is a Walker’s Shortbread cookie. The tissues are Puffs Plus Aloe (for my sensitive nose).

The scene is set. Let the reading commence. My review will be posted when I finish. Hope you’ll check back to read it!

Meanwhile, you can check out Ms. Matlock’s other books on her Website.

Stocked Up for Another Cream Tea

Hubby and I had a totally yummy cream tea a few days ago that was as close as we could get to an authentic Devon Cream Tea. It was so enjoyable, that we decided to have another. Unfortunately, the clotted cream was all gone. Time to stock up!

Sometimes you can’t get what you want at the store and so have to go with what they have. Thus, hubby and I are resigned to having the clotted cream brand we can get at the local market (also available online through such sites as The English Tea Store). It’s only a small slipping from our usual teatime standards, since the brand of clotted cream, Devon Luxury Clotted Cream, is truly scrumptious. Since they were on special at half price, we didn’t blow our monthly grocery budget by purchasing 3 one-ounce jars.

My first experience with a Cream Tea was in the air over an ocean. Years ago I flew on British Airways where they served tea with scones, strawberry jam, and clotted cream. Both the jam and cream were in one-ounce single-serving jars. I was in teatime heaven. Unfortunately, my allergy for strawberries kicked in so that by the time we landed in Heathrow Airport in London, my face was inflamed with a burning rash. But what a way to go! Now, though, I settle for blackberry or other fruit jams (not as authentic but saves me from that rash).

Our box of Devonshire Tea is getting low. Amazing how quickly we can go through 40 bags. I think an emergency order is called for. Thanks goodness this tea is now available in the U.S. (also through The English Tea Store). We still have enough for another Cream Tea, though, so time to put the kettle on, bake up the scones, and pop open one of those little jars of Devon Clotted Cream. Yippee!

Tea Moments — Watching an Airplane Fly By

One of my favorite past-times as a kid was watching prop planes fly across the sky. As an adult, I’m still fascinated by them. See why on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Teas Perfect for the 4th of July

Our country was built on a foundation of liberty. People had the courage of their convictions and acted on them. The nation that resulted may not be perfect, but it’s certainly been a beacon of liberty to throngs from all parts of the globe. Celebrate that with a glass of chilled tea. Get a few options on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Torturing Your Tea Leaves

One of the classic campy sci-fi films of the 1950s-1960s was “The Fly,” later remade as a total gross-out movie with Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. What does all this have to do with torturing your tea? Are you going to turn into a fly and then buzz around those tea leaves? Not quite. Get the details on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

A Contest with “Kick!” from Kalahari

If you like futbol (known in the U.S. as soccer) and have some awareness that there is a big tournament going on called the World Cup, or even if you don’t, check out this contest from Kalahari to win some of their products or discounts on orders.

Also, check out these reviews of their products on Little Yellow Teapot Tea Reviews:

Kalahari’s ChocoLatté Raspberry Truffle
Kalahari’s ChocoLatté Cherry Vanilla
Kalahari’s Highlands Honey
Kalahari’s Kalahari Reserve
Kalahari’s Zambezi Red Chai

A Yank's Cream Tea

This Yank spent some time in the British Isles and got, well, a wee bit spoiled by experiencing British-style teatimes. I’ve been spending effort since returning to the U.S. trying either to find a tearoom that serves an authentic tea or do my own at home. That search has gone on for quite some time now, with little success. Sigh!

Recently, a series of events have served to steer me in the right direction. First, I got to try some tea from a company in Devon, a county in the UK that specializes in teatimes of a particular nature that they call “cream teas.” Next, I saw clotted cream in a local market and decided to buy a jar (a tiny 1-ounce jar — sigh!). Then, a lightbulb clicked on over my head — no, not literally, but the kind symbolizing that an idea has been born. I’ll put that tea and some scones and that little jar of clotted cream along with some preserves all together for a Yank-style cream tea. Yippee!

Actually, I should be more specific. This is a Yank’s version of the Devon Cream Tea, which consists of tea, scones, clotted cream (preferably the kind made in Devon), and preserves (usually strawberry).

Hubby baked the scones. I guarded a couple of them to photograph (hubby loves scones). We steeped a pot of Devonshire Tea, opened the tiny jar of clotted cream and stirred its contents (a little separation occurs), and prepared our scenario for the photos. We worked fast, not because we were worried about the food or tea degrading, but because it was all so tempting. Click! Click! Ok, we’re done. Time to enjoy! (Actually, I was going to take a photo or two of the scones showing bites out of them, but they didn’t last long enough!)

All I can say here is that the inner “tea princess” in me is totally satisfied!

Melanie Pruitt wrote that U.S. tearooms serve either whipped cream or a combo of “sour cream with cream or mascarpone with whipped cream.” After tasting this clotted cream, admittedly not a true Devon Clotted Cream, I would find both of these to be pathetic substitutes. Some say that clotted cream tastes about halfway between butter and ice cream, but I have to disagree with this, too. It’s more of a taste halfway between butter and cream. Totally delicious!

By the way, there is a movement afoot to get “Devon Cream Tea” declared a protected name. I applaud this as one who thinks terminology matters. I don’t want to buy something labeled “tea” only to find that it contains no part of the Camellia Sinensis plant. Similarly, I don’t want to sit down in a tearoom for a Devon Cream Tea and get served scones with whipped cream or biscuits with honey.

There is also quite a controversy out there about the proper order for slathering on the jam and clotted cream. Apparently, in Cornwall, jam under the clotted cream is the accepted way. In Devon, though, it’s jam on top of the clotted cream, the method I chose for my teatime. However, I’m not going anywhere near the controversy over how to pronounce “scone” (use the “o” sound in “gone” or in “cone”). You can all duke it out between yourselves. (Ever seen the movie “A Storm in a Teacup”? How about “Gulliver’s Travels” where a war was being waged over whether to open a soft-boiled egg at the small or large end? People can argue over some of the most seemingly inane things.)

I also want to add that Devonshire Tea showed itself to be the perfect tea for this Yank’s cream tea. Yum!

Interesting fact: “The Hound of the Baskervilles” (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) takes place in Devon.

Tea Showdown — Devonshire Tea vs. PG Tips

Yes, sometimes I use bagged teas. Mainly, it’s just so darned hard to get a good breakfast blend that’s not bagged. Sigh! With that in mind, though, I’m determined to get the best bagged breakfast blend tea I can. PG Tips has been one of those teas for several years now. However, the new kid, Devonshire Tea, is showing itself to be a strong contender. See why in my blow-by-blow comparison on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

The Tea Pillow of My Dreams

My tea pillow sample took a few months to arrive. Once here, it was quite an eye-opener, from the shocking pink fabric to the wonderful tea scent that emanated from it. Did it give me a restful night’s sleep? Find out on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Check out more tea pillow options on the teaGW Website!

Enjoying a Winter Tea in Summer

Have some tea left in your tea pantry from last year’s Winter Holiday Season? Never fear. They go great with your Summer time favorites. An example is Holiday Spice Black Tea. See how I set the scene to enjoy this typically Winter tea in Summer on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Teatime with Dad on Father’s Day

Fathers are pretty important in our lives. So, we need to show a bit of appreciation to them on Father’s Day. Lots of possibilities, but my choice is a Father’s Day Tea. Get a few ideas for your special tea time with dad on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Online Tea Shopping, A Primer

Frustrated at not being able to find some of the better teas in local stores? Or have you just tried them all and want something new? Maybe you are trying to expand your tea knowledge. Online tea stores to the rescue. Be careful, though. There are pitfalls. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Special Teatime Treats

Teatime, at least for me, is a chance to enjoy some really cute treats. My vivid imagination is up to the task of coming up with some on my own. However, there is a vast ocean of talent out there far more knowledgeable than I where food is concerned. They have come up with some treats that really push the “cuteness envelope.” Check out these options on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Tea and Herbs and Hay Fever — Oh, My!

It’s hay fever season. Oh, my! Thank goodness there are teas and herbal infusions that can help relieve your symptoms. Check out these options on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Stocking Up Your Teatime Picnic Basket

’Tis the season to go picnicking. For all you tea drinkers out there, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some great tea and a few special picnic treats. Examine your options on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Making a French im-Press-ion on Tea

Doing laundry may be a great tea moment, but that has nothing to do with a French Press. So, what is a French Press? Coffee drinkers know. Now, it’s time for tea drinkers to learn how they can use it for preparing their fine teas. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Devine Devonshire Tea

A new tea out of Britain? Big yawn, right? Wrong! Gavin Sheppard and Debbie Kay did their homework, researching teas around the world. They settled on ones that have a smooth taste, worthy of going with the scones, Devon cream, and jams that people in Devon County, UK, tend to enjoy. The Devonshire Tea Company was born. Get the full story on the Taste of English Tea Blog.

Sadly, Gavin and Debbie tend to focus on such politically correct issues as Fair Trade, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance. I chose not to include these in the article since they have no bearing on the taste and quality of the product, despite claims to the contrary. There is enough irrefutable evidence against it. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying this amazingly mild yet flavorful tea.

Tea Kettle Philosophy — Something and Nothing

Science, philosophy, and tea can result in some interesting and provocative thoughts while waiting for the tea kettle to boil. The whole concept of “nothing” and “something” is one such topic that’s been rolling around in my brain lately. I’ve finally solidified those thoughts into a somewhat cohesive text — not too long, not too boring. Check it out on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Fathers Need Tea Gifts, Too!

Tea gifts aren’t just for Mothers. Fathers can appreciate them, too. Ever since Father’s Day was established as “official” children have been buying gifts for them. Tea has enough manly appeal to rank among the top tea gifts and is certainly a nice alternative to such cliché gift items as ties. Get more info on The Taste of English Tea Blog.