tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53046010178006159372024-02-20T02:24:08.937+11:00Tea is for TherapyKathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-90650431354135652392011-09-21T14:29:00.000+10:002011-09-21T14:29:30.226+10:00Tea Revolution!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I kept this article from the Australian as I really liked the way it was written and I'm rather a fan of Bernard Salt. I can't say I feel quite so strongly against coffee drinkers (being an occasional imbiber myself) but I agree with the sentiment. I have even been to places that charge me more for a cup of tea than they charge for a fancy coffee! The nerve!<br />
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<b><i>Tea drinkers must rise up against the coffee-swilling elite</i></b><br />
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<i>Do you know what I can't stand?</i><br />
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<i>Coffee drinkers. You may scoff, but tea drinkers such as me are sick of being treated as second-class citizens by the coffee elite. There I am, waiting in line to be served at a Collins Street cafe and the person in front order coffee. How long does it take to make a cup of coffee?</i><br />
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<i>Coffee-making is a ritual that demands the attention of everyone within earshot. It's not so much the tedious ordering but the preparation. It starts with two thumping bangs on the bench rather like a judge hitting his gavel to signal the start of the proceedings. This is followed by swishing and swooshing. And it doesn't end until the barista carves what I am sure is a pagan design on the froth.</i><br />
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<i>All the while everyone in the queue must stand in reverential silence, watching and waiting. This is just the way coffee drinkers like it: They are at the centre of all this commotion. It's all done for them, to satisfy their need, their desire -- no, their shameless lust -- for coffee.</i><br />
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<i>For coffee drinkers, it's all about me. Look at me. I'm a coffee drinker and I'm ordering a coffee that takes a long time and a lot of noise to prepare. Did you know that coffee has mystical powers? If a coffee drinker drinks a "sophisticated coffee", then they think that coffee has the power to make them more sophisticated. It's a bit sad, really. All too often coffee drinkers think they're, you know, a bit lah-de-dah. Well, they're not.</i><br />
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<i>Do you know, coffee drinkers, that the only reason no one has ever told you this before is because we tea people are too polite. That's right. We are so well mannered that we don't want to create a scene. Well, not any more. I'm calling on tea drinkers everywhere to take their rightful place in the beverage hierarchy.</i><br />
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<i>Never heard of the beverage hierarchy? Well, that's probably because you're a coffee drinker. Only tea people know about the beverage hierarchy. At the pinnacle of this drinks pyramid is the red wine drinker. And as you've probably guessed, I also don't drink red wine. I am doubly damned. You want proof of the existence of a beverage hierarchy? There I am on a plane bumped into business, where the flight attendants offer wine with the meal. The attendants smile; the red wine drinkers smile; they have a cosy discussion about wine; they titter and they tatter in a red wine-colluding sort of way. I am on the outer; I can only observe from afar this beverage bonding between waiter and waited-upon.</i><br />
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<i>I am offered red wine but reject it. I am offered white wine but reject it. I am offered coffee but reject it. Finally I am offered tea. But by the time I am offered tea the red wine guy has been topped up. Here is the beverage hierarchy writ large. Red wine guy gets seconds before tea person gets firsts. Back at the Collins Street cafe and finally it's my turn to order. "Black tea, please." And as soon as the word "tea" falls from my lips I know what the barista is thinking. He's thinking, "what is a tea drinker doing sullying the tone of my coffee queue?" Not that he says that, but I know he's thinking exactly that.</i><br />
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<i>And when the barista gets my tea, he puts a tea bag beside a cup of hot water on a plate and says "$4, thanks". Four dollars? Four dollar! But you just charged that coffee drinker $4 for a hand-crafted froth-designed latte that took two minutes to prepare.</i><br />
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<i>Then it dawned on me. My tea-drinking simplicity, taking all of 30 seconds to prepare, is cross-subsidising the coffee elite's designer beverages: part of my $4 pays for the production costs of fancy-pants coffee.</i><br />
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<i>As you can imagine, this injustice rankles with tea drinkers everywhere. But not all tea drinkers share my outrage. Apparently there are some people who drink tea at home but coffee when out. This is very sad. Clearly so opposed are some tea drinkers that they feel compelled to live a double life. Come out, tea drinkers, and be proud of your beverage orientation.</i><br />
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<i>I have a dream. I dream of a time when tea drinkers get served before red wine drinkers get top-ups. I dream of a time when cafes charge for the time it takes to prepare hot drinks. And I dream of a time when coffee is prepared without thumping and swooshing. Because if coffee was prepared in silence, as for tea, then coffee would cease to have appeal to those who clearly like to be at the centre of attention.</i><br />
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The Australia, 18 November 2010<br />
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What are your thoughts?<br />
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Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-78573624902557811022011-09-19T11:13:00.001+10:002011-09-19T11:13:41.108+10:00I'm a little (shortbread) teapot!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I saw these little darling in T2 and I just couldn't help myself!</div>
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So on the weekend, I decided to put them to good use making shortbread! The recipe and how-to are <a href="http://chasseauxbonnesaffaires.blogspot.com/2011/09/mmmmshortbread.html">here</a>.<br />
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I used the middle sized one for most of them and did a couple of larger ones (see three from the top on the left) for my husband. They are just perfect!</div>
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Today's morning cuppa has never looked better!</div>
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Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-89421738979199198212011-09-05T12:11:00.000+10:002011-09-05T12:11:57.825+10:00Tea Revolution - it's brewing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I found this article in the Easter Weekend Sydney Morning Herald this year and I torn it out. I promptly stashed it somewhere and forgot about it until I was doing a little tidying on the weekend and up it popped!<br />
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<i><b>Tea Revolution - it's brewing</b></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By Sue Bennett</span></i><br />
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<i>A cup of tea. In my grandma's day, it was such a simple thing - tea, boiling water, milk and sugar.</i><br />
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<i>Whatever happened? Today we have tea to pick you up, tea to bring you down, teas with a "bombshell" of health benefits, tea as a digestive and tea to send you to sleep.</i><br />
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<i>There's a Tetley tea especially for soy "milk" drinkers (a zingy high-grown Kenyan little number) and Twinings is bringing out an Australian Blend.</i><br />
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<i>Boutique producer T2 goes one better with teas that recognise state border: Brisbane Breakfast is happy, bright and tropical with a "teeny touch" of sunny mango; Melbourne Breakfast is worthy of a rich infusion; Sydney Breakfast is "lively and vivacious", a blend of orthodox leaf tea (let me read that again... orthodox leaf tea?). This cheeky little brew "captures the sunny optimism of a Sydney morning".</i><br />
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<i>Tea description are worthy of the finest wines. Teas can be full-bodied , earthy with a hint of mushroom, aromatic and fragrant with a lingering hint of honey.</i><br />
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<i>Some teas are so rare and expensive, buyers have their names on waiting lists for years and are prepared to pay astronomical prices. In 2002, 20 grams of Da Hong Pao, or Big Red Robe, from Wuyi in China sold for $23,000.</i><br />
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<i>Yet tea doesn't have any of the cachet of coffee in contemporary life. There are coffee carts and bars on every corner and an almost indecipherable language to non-drinkers, like double shot, skinny soy latter.</i><br />
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<i>Tea drinkers are reduced to an often paltry selection in restaurants and cafes. They all do English Breakfast - the adopted term for regular tea - but it can be hit and miss with other blends and flavours.</i><br />
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<i>And let's not talk about tea preparation.</i><br />
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<i>Textbooks are written about barista training. These masters of the coffee machine traverse the globe with their skills and compete for coveted awards. A tea maker in an Australian cafe or restaurant simple needs the ability to turn the kettle on.</i><br />
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<i>But take a walk down the supermarket tea aisle to see a vast, and ever expanding, array of brands, flavours and hinted health benefits.</i><br />
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<i>While we leave the house in search of a coffee, tea drinking is all about home. It's about snuggling down with a good book, giving healthy living a kick or sharing a brew with a friend. For those completely sucked in, those scenarios require teas to soothe, detox and invigorate. They are all there. But the beauty is the preparation. At home, it's down just how we like it in our own kitchen.</i><br />
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<i>Maybe not for much longer. New York has discovered the tea salon. It can't be long before it crosses the Pacific.</i><i> </i><br />
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A girl can wish!!<br />
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Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-14482907858690382632011-07-20T13:09:00.005+10:002011-07-20T13:09:00.290+10:00Raspberry RushI tried a new tea last weekend.<br />
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I have been really into raspberries lately. They are so tasty and pretty and they have the lovely tart but sweet flavour. Shame they are so expensive!<br />
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I am always on the look out for some on sale so I can snap them up and enjoy them straight from the box as a guilty pleasure.<br />
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Anyway, I was sniffing my way around the samples at my local T2 the other week and I came upon their Raspberry Rush tea.<br />
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It is a black tea with raspberry and it has such a divine smell!<br />
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I was due to visit the new T2 Tea House (see post of 13 July 2011) with one of my best friends so when we headed in, I ordered myself a pot.<br />
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The smell was like fresh baked raspberry muffins! It was strong, like it could permeate your kitchen if left for long enough.<br />
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The taste was different however. It tasted like fresh raspberries. Like the ones I sneak directly from the punnet. The taste was subtle. There was also an apple flavour. A bit like the apple and raspberry juice you can buy.<br />
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I tried it with and without milk and without was definitely better.<br />
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It would be fantastic as an iced tea with some fresh mint leaves and lots of ice cubes. Will have to pick some up when the warmer months roll in.<br />
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For now, I'm thinking some raspberry muffins are actually not a bad idea...<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-62006059517355333302011-07-13T12:59:00.001+10:002011-07-13T13:05:52.868+10:00T2 Tea HouseI discovered something very exciting a couple of months ago.<br />
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I recently moved up the north shore of Sydney and discovered that hidden in the outer suburbs at Hornsby Westfield and Macquarie Shopping Centre are two T2 Tea Houses!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of Iron Chef Shellie</span></td></tr>
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These little gems of quiet bustle and dimmed red lighting are a bastion of avid tea drinkers. They look like a cross between an opium den and a Victorian parlour. A mixture of comfy Victorian style chairs and black walls make for the perfect spot to slip away from the madness of the shopping crowds and into a cup of T2's finest.<br />
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My husband and I have been making it a regular date to pop in before we battle the grocery shopping for a constitution-hardening brew.<br />
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The other week I went with my husband and met up with a girlfriend for the high tea.<br />
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It isn't in the league of The Tea Room or The Victoria Room but at half the price that is to be expected.<br />
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The scones and jam are delicious. The sandwiches a little dry and rather average but there is a good selection of cakes, including pear tart and little square of Turkish delight.<br />
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A cup of tea comes with the high tea and you can choose from almost anything on their vast menu.<br />
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All in all it was an enormously enjoyable experience!<br />
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I truly believe that one day tea salons will outstrip coffee houses in Sydney. There is a change in the air and Sydney siders, who pride themselves on being connoisseurs of almost everything are sure to hop into the latest trend.<br />
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Now, dear T2, you really need to open one of these in the CBD near my work!<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-40818260250122913792011-02-25T17:32:00.001+11:002011-02-25T17:34:31.845+11:00Melbourne Breakfast<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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The geniuses at T2 have very smartly designed a range of blended teas for several of the Australia State capitals!</div>
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Since I am off to Melbourne next weekend, I thought to get into the spirit, that I would try the Melbourne Breakfast tea.</div>
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The bag describes it as full-bodied with a touch of vanilla. I do love vanilla in tea.<br />
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I decided to brew it nice and long and add milk. Vanilla tea with milk is almost as good as dessert. Actually…sometimes it’s better.<br />
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The aroma is milky and nutty. It is like rice pudding with vanilla. Smooth and tasty and reminds me of being a kid. My Mum used to make rice pudding for dessert sometimes.<br />
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It tastes delicious. Very vanilla-ery, full-bodied and comforting. It was not as sweet as some of the vanilla teas you get, which made me like it even more. The finish was almost a little spicy although I couldn’t put my finger on the taste. Maybe a little like nutmeg.<br />
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It was make a perfect after dinner tea in place of dessert or on a cloudy morning as a comfort. Or even when you are feeling down and just want to hug a teddy bear. I think I feel like this because the tea really reminded me of the taste of childhood.<br />
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I can’t say I think it tasted like Melbourne but I suppose since I went to boarding school in Melbourne maybe it is a bit reminiscent of my childhood in that way. Regardless, it was absolutely delicious and I’m looking forward to regressing back there with my next cup!Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-23979192913319032912010-12-20T17:47:00.000+11:002010-12-20T17:47:11.350+11:00Comfy ChaiLast week was its usual mad rush leading up to Christmas. It just doesn't seem possible that everything will get done before disappearing off for the break.<br />
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To help get me through I love the smells and taste of Christmas such as cinnamon, mixed citrus peel, cloves and mixed spices. So, on Friday I did something I haven’t done for a long time. I bought a chai latte.<br />
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Now, as much as I occasionally begrudgingly accept the sugary confection that forms most chai lattes today (which incidentally don’t actually have any tea in them – just sugar and flavours), I infinitely prefer something that has some basis in tea. This one was made with chai tea from T2.<br />
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I have, in the distant past, when I was a huge fan of chai, attempted on many occasions (working through about two boxes of chai) to make a good tasty chai latte. Unfortunately this skill continues to evade me to this day. It is always too strong (and bitter) or too weak or too watery or too milky. I just can’t get the right balance. So I decided some things are best left to the professionals.<br />
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Downstairs at my local work café I noticed they had the T2 chai available as a latte. I felt like a comforting blast from the past.<br />
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It was perfect. Sweet but not sickly like many of today’s chai lattes. Spicy but not too spicy like may of the leaf-based chais. It had the perfect amount of milk so that it was flavoursome but still milky. Yum!<br />
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So bravo to anyone out there that has perfected the elusive chai latte! But if, like me, you haven’t, when you can find somewhere that does a good leaf-based chai, don’t let them get away!Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-43503633293373846132010-12-02T17:26:00.000+11:002010-12-02T17:26:46.391+11:00Super SpearoleTea blends come in all tastes and remedies.<br />
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Dr Red's Spearole Tea falls into the remedy category.<br />
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Apparently scientific tests have been done on this tea which proves that provided you drink enough of it, you can eat whatever you want and not get fat! Now wouldn't that be super!</div>
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Somehow I imagine that you would have to drink so much that you wouldn't actually ever be hungry and that's how the effect would work...just a theory.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ef52eQONtRIoIvfyEVoHNJslthmf1JBSKisn6gLTsx5v-2s_cEY3lelZHesttiFEym4t9qW3pOhmvonsusfi0UIunM9MPAaf5iPBkBhdMVzi4W1JqLCX_SfSqGbdYcTTwazP7z7gj8s/s1600/spearole_infusers01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ef52eQONtRIoIvfyEVoHNJslthmf1JBSKisn6gLTsx5v-2s_cEY3lelZHesttiFEym4t9qW3pOhmvonsusfi0UIunM9MPAaf5iPBkBhdMVzi4W1JqLCX_SfSqGbdYcTTwazP7z7gj8s/s1600/spearole_infusers01.jpg" /></a>Anyway, on my mother's recommendation I picked up a packet of this new miracle tea.</div>
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For tea, it is actually pretty expensive. At my local health food emporium, 150gm sets you back almost $30.</div>
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I open the foil bag and take a huge whiff - smells like chewing gum. The spearmint kind.<br />
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It is actually a blend of gunpowder green tea, olive leaf, spearmint oil, olive skins, grape seeds and spearmint spouts.<br />
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I pop a teaspoon full into my infuser after letting my boiling water cool a bit. After a minute, I whip out the infuser and inhale deeply. It smells, nose-clearingly like spearmint. Yum!<br />
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The taste is quite strong and quite astringent. It is a darker colour green tea. It has the lovely minty finish which is rather nice. Maybe suitable for a little after dinner tipple for those of a healthier disposition.</div>
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I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was a little strong for my liking and I imagine if you left the leaves in for longer than a minute, the astringency would deck you. I don't know if it is really endowed with magical waist-whittling powers but it is a good one if you like a strong green.</div>
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Dr Red also does another tea blend called Purple Carrot Tea. I think I'll have to work my way up to that one.</div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-22343324132712823912010-11-16T18:16:00.000+11:002010-11-16T18:16:29.698+11:00The Tea Bag Tea Pot<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9YSzP1b6g9gD2x998LDa6KlRvpkofTMB5pypvE3GzJL-9b-7gEevix52LPIDr1SKV2y8cAZb-UsyJmMiOEA-cfqO8TIn5I2hyphenhyphencPZo3u9WTSQrcB8H3sLaxFVHewBGSx3-fDJiaLXz0o/s1600/ForLifeTBagTeapot_Main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9YSzP1b6g9gD2x998LDa6KlRvpkofTMB5pypvE3GzJL-9b-7gEevix52LPIDr1SKV2y8cAZb-UsyJmMiOEA-cfqO8TIn5I2hyphenhyphencPZo3u9WTSQrcB8H3sLaxFVHewBGSx3-fDJiaLXz0o/s200/ForLifeTBagTeapot_Main.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Now this was a genius idea!</div>
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A tea pot that allows you to use a teabag but has a special little shelf to prevent the teabag from over brewing.</div>
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So how does it work?</div>
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The tea pot has a little rubber slit for the string to poke out the side. You put the teabag into the tea pot and when the tea is sufficiently brewed, you pull the string and it pulls the teabag out of the water and up onto a little shelf in the top!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4dHrMwiazCEBlo_ZvCAZOHCZf2UN3h8qGWbjzD4raLicwq2fkDmvfbEg1TVmItULELvmz7AbXU4XPIbpCx6Ir9pFCPiWa-IZJFaqWbBuw4CxFVv6yuVxol_9KH4JsauJm7GivvE0FUs/s1600/ForLifeTbagTeapot_inst_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4dHrMwiazCEBlo_ZvCAZOHCZf2UN3h8qGWbjzD4raLicwq2fkDmvfbEg1TVmItULELvmz7AbXU4XPIbpCx6Ir9pFCPiWa-IZJFaqWbBuw4CxFVv6yuVxol_9KH4JsauJm7GivvE0FUs/s400/ForLifeTbagTeapot_inst_l.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqop-QmkgyP1VPoNSYQW4ez29A3kMB5bgVesXk3Ls9Phq5J2xBi8byuD5UwL9edhrgsskNB9q9Vk_fV8nTqrLbxw6-haxEH0rjT8C_1aQcIm7q-PIWauQgiYVxKDtbrFE-Nw_gC0k31E/s1600/ForLifeTbagTeapot_turquoise_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqop-QmkgyP1VPoNSYQW4ez29A3kMB5bgVesXk3Ls9Phq5J2xBi8byuD5UwL9edhrgsskNB9q9Vk_fV8nTqrLbxw6-haxEH0rjT8C_1aQcIm7q-PIWauQgiYVxKDtbrFE-Nw_gC0k31E/s200/ForLifeTbagTeapot_turquoise_l.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I found this little wonder at TeaGschwendner at Rockefeller Centre on my recent trip to New York. It is made by the company, Forlife. I bought it in the turquoise colour (left) since it reminded me of Tiffany's (where I spent half my trip!)</div>
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So if, like me, you are constantly bothered by having to yank hot wet teabags out of your cup or pot and find a rubbish bin at short notice, invest in this lovely little tea pot by Forlife and you'll never be bothered again!</div>
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<br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-67890283169677578652010-10-22T17:47:00.000+11:002010-10-22T17:47:36.584+11:00High Tea at the PlazaI recently came back from a trip to New York with my husband. I have always heard stories and seen movies depicting the high teas of New York and I immediately booked in for high tea in the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel.<br />
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The hotel is absolutely palatial! It feels like stepping back in time to the era when women were women and men were men. When tea was a national sport!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJnp37mQkjBmFgmvc6E3YXk2pA-9aFEeN-eJY0e5VTmEUPTuWFJmzdWn637uaAORGVIx3LSLlZ4_AUNu2zLmouJABS7uQWN9Iibdmi5MnkeM2glHHobr-ej_Qi9KWqm8HGWDSQ4cJE08/s1600/palmcourtatplaza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJnp37mQkjBmFgmvc6E3YXk2pA-9aFEeN-eJY0e5VTmEUPTuWFJmzdWn637uaAORGVIx3LSLlZ4_AUNu2zLmouJABS7uQWN9Iibdmi5MnkeM2glHHobr-ej_Qi9KWqm8HGWDSQ4cJE08/s320/palmcourtatplaza.jpg" width="320" /></a>The Palm Court itself was a open large area just behind the lobby with an enormous stained glass skylight featuring rose motifs covering the entire ceiling. The back wall of the space was set with windows inlaid with mirrored panels that made the grandeaur of the space even more apparent.</div>
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We were seated at a lovely little table complete with white linen and silver accessories.</div>
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We both chose the New Yorker High Tea which featured the usual little sandwiches, scones with a divine peach jam and an array of New York themed mini desserts, including cannoli, chocolate cupcakes and New York cheesecakes.</div>
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We both ordered the signature Afternoon Tea blend. It was a black tea, not unlike English Breakfast. Whilst I was keen to record the wonders of its flavour and smell, I was a little overwhelmed by the event and instead chose to merely bask in the sights, sounds and flavours of the experience as a whole.</div>
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For all its magic there were a few flaws: the maitre d' was not the friendliest of sorts (mind you we were there on the Labor Day holiday and I expect she would have much preferred to be home) and they provided sugar sticks on the tables rather than sugar cubes which rather irked me for some reason. I suppose I had expected the high tea at such a revered institution to maintain as much tradition as possible in the setting and accessories.</div>
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Overall, it was a delightful experience. I think next time I travel to the Big Apple I'm going to try the high tea at the Waldorf-Astoria as I've heard it's also quite magic.Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-47632093954060128922010-10-12T18:05:00.000+11:002010-10-12T18:05:00.166+11:00Queen of TeasI went to lunch with a former colleague a while ago and he sent me a couple of his favourite teas he picked up in Singapore.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbWOosCCP_zNazD-uFUH3Huu8hqG-or2IjxyP7_RMBs7yy07DHJO88bw8Ca4qpiVht7gkmWCwoI_v5YYpyDuayIgsWAouXSEmfhT9tUbPy_K6p1pNlKeP4Hs_ehvHtzRXnlsFzQYHPpA/s1600/TWG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbWOosCCP_zNazD-uFUH3Huu8hqG-or2IjxyP7_RMBs7yy07DHJO88bw8Ca4qpiVht7gkmWCwoI_v5YYpyDuayIgsWAouXSEmfhT9tUbPy_K6p1pNlKeP4Hs_ehvHtzRXnlsFzQYHPpA/s320/TWG.jpg" width="320" /></a>The tea was from TWG Teas. Established in 1837, TWG has stores in Singapore, Japan, UK and USA.</div>
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I received a green and a black tea from my friend and decided I would sample the green tea first.</div>
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Called Jasmine Queen Tea, it arrived in a small yellow foil bag bearing the elegant TWG Tea logo. The tea bag itself is beautiful - delicately woven from cotton like a fine piece of lingere. An overlocked string leads to a little yellow tag bearing brewing instructions.</div>
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The bag smells like fresh hay. The jasmine is a delicate note in the background. I am almost loathe to put it in the water instead preferring to inhale the smell of the fresh leaves.</div>
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Once brewed, the jasmine comes to the fore. Sweetly and earthily scented like the fresh flower, it was divine. I got so caught up in the fragrance, I lost track of time. I quickly rescued the the cotton pillow from the water before it could overbrew.</div>
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It was the colour of a second flush green tea. Straw yellow and clear. The taste was smooth with very little bitterness. It had the classic grassy aftertaste and post-drink astringency; that fussy mouth-feel. On further tasting, the flavours of passionfruit and guava become evident.</div>
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It was extra exciting to imagine the trip the tea had taken to arrive in my cup.<br />
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Well, all good things must come to an end, so back to work for me. Mmm...next time I'm going to try the Earl Grey!</div>
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<br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-22424672498010041162010-06-29T18:31:00.002+10:002010-06-29T18:31:00.322+10:00Spring Ching ClassicI had the pleasure of attending a girlfriend's bridal shower recently. Being a fellow tea lover, she included in her game prizes little tins of T2 teas.<br />
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I managed to score myself a tin of Lung Ching Classic! I was quite stoked as it was a tea I was yet to sample.<br />
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The next day, I was at work and decided to indulge in a much needed break and try my new tea. I filled a glass teapot with an infuser with boiling water and waited until it had cooled to about 80 degrees celcius. I plopped in a teaspoon of the spear-shaped green leaves and watched them unfurl and dance for about 2 minutes before removing the infuser to prevent the tea over-brewing.<br />
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The smell was subtle, but strong. You could barely catch a whiff of it but when you managed to inhale a few molecules the actual smell was divine. The tea leaves barely coloured the water.<br />
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I decided to jump straight in and taste it. The flavours were deceptively strong for such a light green tea. It was an interesting mix of citrus-y lime and woodsmoke. Both fresh and old. Strange, but true! It didn't taste astringent in flavour but it did leave a dryness in my mouth.<br />
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It tasted just like the weather that day. It was raining but you could see pockets of sunshine between the rain clouds creating a strange dichotomy, just like the flavours in the tea. I imagine in being a great summer/spring tea. Both cooling and warming all at once.<br />
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Ah, what a beautiful break. Now back to work!Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-34053118132934130632010-06-22T18:29:00.001+10:002010-06-22T18:46:29.613+10:00Darjeeling MaikaibariRecently I had the time to make a visit to one of my favourite tea places, The Tea Centre in Sydney's Glasshouse.<br />
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I decided on the devonshire tea which features a tea of your choice from their huge range of teas plus a divine fresh scone (a very large fresh scone too!), strawberry jam and double cream...YUM!<br />
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I chose to try their Darjeeling Makaibari FTGFOP (Organic). Makaibari is a tea plantation in the hills of India and it makes some delicious teas. The letters in the name of the tea indicate the grade; in this case Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe! There's a mouthful. This is the finest grade of tea and I am reliably informed by wikipedia that it also stands for "Far Too Good For Ordinary People". I can't say I agree.<br />
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Anyway, before diving into my delicious scone I took a deep whiff of the liquid gold. It smelled smoky. It also smelled strongly of cooked tomatos with a hint of fresh bread. Perfect for a cool winters day!<br />
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I took a quick slurp to increase the flavour and it exploded in delicious savoury tomato and pepper flavours. <br />
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I am always partial to tea with milk and sugar so I added a little of both. The tomato flavour remained but now it had a soft sweetness. The peppery flavours were dampened by the milk becoming a smooth woody taste.<br />
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It was like the taste of a lounge fireplace, with a beautiful roaring wood fire, a good book and a mohair blanket. I daydreamed awhile before remembering my scone was getting cold.<br />
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Mmm....now to get lost in the creamy, crumbly scone...<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-27539340231716222572010-01-21T09:32:00.003+11:002010-01-21T10:02:32.895+11:00Tingly Mint TisaneOne of my favourite tea empires (or is it empiresses), Madame Flavour has released some delicious organic tisanes. For the uninitiated, a tisane is a herbal tea. Since herbal teas don't actually include tea leaves in the brew, they aren't strictly tea at all. Hence, tisanes.<br />
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I had the pleasure of trying the new Organic Mint Tisane. Unlike many teas, even the organic mint tea bags are tasty looking. Bright green mint leaves and tiny blue flower petals (cornflower petals I expect) jumble randomly in the cute cornsilk bag. Even the smell is quite amazing. I opened the packet to be greeted by the most intense scent. Like inhaling a packet of Mint Slice biscuits. Yum!<br />
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The brewed tisane looks like liquid gold. It is a beautiful yellow with a less intense minty smell. More like a vintage mint, but still fresh enough for a big sniff to clear the nose.<br />
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The taste is really beautiful. It starts in the mouth as a slight minty taste almost like mint on a green tea base but without any of the astringency that marks green tea. Then it develops after swallowed into a tingly minty taste all over your mouth. I've very invigorating without being overpowering. Each sip is a little warm zing of freshness!<br />
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Such a lovely way to start a summer's day or even for an afternoon pep up!<br />
<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-55930160630238510192010-01-12T15:59:00.003+11:002010-01-12T16:59:45.775+11:00Madame Flavour does PearGreen tea now comes in so many flavours it can be a minefield to work out what you like.<br />
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One I tried some time ago now is the Green, Jasmine and Pear from that divine teahouse, Madame Flavour.<br />
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I first got into Madame Flavour teas about a year ago. I was wandering along George Street near Martin Place in Sydney when I had thrust into my hands by some marketing people three tiny boxes. Each contained a beautifully presented cornsilk teabag with each of English Breakfast, Sultry Chai and Green, Jasmine and Pear. I headed back to work and immediately tried out the tea. It was lovely! The taste aided by the beautiful presentation: each in a tiny cardboard box with a silver lining and containing a little note explaining how to enjoy the tea. It was so beautiful, I immediately hunted down Madame Flavour online (<a href="http://www.madameflavour.com.au/">http://www.madameflavour.com.au/</a>) and ordered a box of the English Breakfast. A few days later it arrived with a handwritten note from Madame Flavour herself thanking me for my kind words and including a huge box of all different types of individually boxed teas!!!<br />
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The combination of the quality of the tea, the presentation and the generousity of the owner mean that I simply cannot say how much a love Madame Flavour!<br />
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Anyway, she does a mean Green, Jasmine and Pear.<br />
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It smells fruity and very strongly of jasmine.<br />
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The taste is of a traditional jasmine green tea however it has a mellow sweetness which introduces the pear. It is more an aftertaste than the main fanfare but I rather like it.<br />
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It is a strong tea so those that find green teas a little too strong or astringent would probably prefer a lighter green tea flavour.<br />
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I, for one, am a fan. So Green, Jasmine and Pear has been featuring as the green of choice in my tea box for the last twelve months and it has been very well received by my tea guests.<br />
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I would highly recommend checking out Madame Flavour's website. Even if you don't particularly care for tea, you will still enjoy the beautiful graphics and words. For the standard tea lover, I highly recommend the English Breakfast. For the herbal tea lover, I recommend the White Tea with Rose (I know it is still a real tea but it is so light and sweet that you would never know). She has also recently introduced some real tisanes to the mix. I have not yet tried them but I be sure to report once I have!<br />
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</div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-48770887144840122602010-01-06T17:56:00.001+11:002010-01-06T17:58:15.612+11:00Oooooo-long!I have only recently been treated to my first cup of oolong tea.<br />
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I have to admit, I wasn't even sure what oolong tea was but I now regret the many years I spent bypassing it in favour of other teas.<br />
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Oolong is not a mix of green and black tea or something else altogether. It is in fact somewhere between green and black tea. Confused?<br />
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What makes the difference between green, black and oolong teas is purely oxidisation. Green tea is only oxidised very slightly whereas black tea is left to oxidise for a long time, hence it ends up black. So all tea starts off green and then it is how long it oxidises that determines its type. Oolong tea is oxidised longer than green tea but not as long as black tea.<br />
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So that's the science bit, now for the taste and smell.<br />
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I tried the Formosa Dung Ti Oolong from The Tea Centre. It smelled smokey and chocolatey, rich and deep.<br />
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The taste was very different to the smell. It was soft and tasted subtly of fruit and grass.<br />
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The smell was reminiscent of black tea but the taste more like green tea. It was perfectly balanced and deliciously different.<br />
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The look of the tea was also different. Each tiny tea leaf was carefully rolled up so that it unfurled in the hot water. Not just a delicious taste, but also a relaxing sight to watch as it brews.<br />
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In future I won't wait s-oolong to try out new teas!<br />
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Formosa Dung Ti:<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-51986778938180255542010-01-06T15:24:00.002+11:002010-01-06T15:36:30.425+11:00Silver NeedlesDo you want all the fantastic health benefits of a cup of tea but find black tea too strong and green tea to bitter?<br />
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China Silver Needles Yin Zhen from The Tea Centre ("Silver Needles"), is an extremely delicate white tea. It is the tiny ends of the new tea leaves very gently plucked off the plants (usually by women as they have a softer touch). It is a rather exclusive tea but for an even more exclusive version, try the China Silver Needles Jun Shan from The Tea Centre. It is the finest quality and most delicate white tea on the planet. Only picked on two days each year, it is often called the Emperor's Tea.<br />
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As I'm too poor to justify the China Silver Needles Jun Shan, I have tried the Yin Zhen version. <br />
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Silver Needles barely colours the water but the smell is beautifully fresh and very subtle. Rather like the fresh smell after rain when the earth steps, thoroughly washed clean, out of the shower.<br />
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It tastes very slightly of green tea but is exceptionally smooth. Not a hint of bitterness or acid. It is extremely refreshing and I imagine it would be a fantasic drink for summer, either hot or iced. Everything about this tea is calming but bright.<br />
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I highly recommend a good quality white tea. It is so different from black, green and oolong teas that even those that don't care for the taste of tea will find it to their liking. My own mother who would like to drink tea for the health benefits but cannot stand the taste of traditional teas, loves white tea, particularly when it is flavoured with fruit.<br />
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China Silver Needles Yin Zhen:<br />
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China Silver Needles Jun Shan:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mYT8uCeEkD8hZhd8WTgJwBhbjxbnP60aR_zPG5PCzbWyARs6tL4_lHwm902Dht_O546uI9jIyi8bYYojtLqDIu7SmnqDUwcdB9IciwQZ9DEKLokqGaYZGlpE87dPBovoK0xGQ8HZltE/s1600-h/zun_cha__20463_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mYT8uCeEkD8hZhd8WTgJwBhbjxbnP60aR_zPG5PCzbWyARs6tL4_lHwm902Dht_O546uI9jIyi8bYYojtLqDIu7SmnqDUwcdB9IciwQZ9DEKLokqGaYZGlpE87dPBovoK0xGQ8HZltE/s400/zun_cha__20463_thumb.jpg" /></a><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-7607069374215330472009-10-30T13:50:00.003+11:002009-10-30T14:06:18.200+11:00I want KandyBlack tea has always been my favourite tea! Regardless of all the new-fangled types and blends that come along, a plain whole leaf black tea is the classic.<br />
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The Tea Centre has a lovely, relatively inexpensive black tea that is just lovely: Ceylon Kandy OP.<br />
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So what's in a name?<br />
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Ceylon: obviously, the tea is from Sri Lanka;<br />
Kandy: no idea, but is sounds tasty; and<br />
OP: this stands for "Orange Pekoe". Yes, I know that Orange Pekoe is a tea type in its own right but orange pekoe actually refers to a tea made using the full unbroken black tea leaf. Blended teas like English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast are not made using full tea leaves, rather broken leaves, so they are not orange pekoe tea.<br />
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So, in front of me is a lovely cup of Kandy. It is without sugar or milk. It smells very strong. Like rich tomato bolognase, like chocolate and hot chips. It's a whole meal in one small cup and yet the smells seem fitting and right together.<br />
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The taste is slightly smoky but full-bodied. Like a red wine. The flavour is like tomatos and rich lasagne. It is delicious but not sweet. It is a heavenly savoury taste, unexpected in a cup of tea.<br />
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There is no bitterness, bite or acid. It is smooth and aromatic.<br />
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I don't think I need dinner now. Or maybe some lasagne would hit the spot....<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-29059618365297368512009-10-08T10:50:00.002+11:002009-10-08T11:51:20.029+11:00Floral MagicI had seen those balls of woven tea leaves many times but never tried one. Today I did.<br />
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It was a Jasmine Peach Buddha Ball from The Tea Centre. The shop assistant had regaled me with tales of the ball opening to a beautiful flower in the heat of the water and I was quite excited.<br />
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I filled my glass teapot with hot filtered water and let it cool a little. The ball was made of green tea leaves with a pink section on the top. As green teas should be brewed using water about 70 degress celcius, I let the pot sit for a little to cool.<br />
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I then popped in my ball and sat back to watch the show. First the little pink section perked up and became spiky. It became clear that this was in fact a little pick flower blooming atop the ball, brought to life by the water. Gorgeous!<br />
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Then the ball began to expand and each little tea leaf swelled and detach from the underside of the ball. The tiny hairs on each tea leaf looked very soft and downy under the water. So it looked rather like a tarantula with a pink floral hair piece than a giant tea flower but it was rather beautiful anyway and quite fun to watch unfurl.<br />
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The tea itself became slightly peach-coloured. It smelled very soft and delicate. The flavour had only the most subtle hint of peach. If you didn't know it was supposed to taste of peach this may have been lost altogether. Otherwise it was a lovely, very smooth, green tea. More subtle than a straight green tea with a delicate and refined taste.<br />
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While I can't say it tasted more amazing than a beautiful green tea with a hint of peach, the ritual of brewing it and the visual beauty of the flower and the tea leaves coming to life made the overall experience very enjoyable and more than just the usual cuppa.<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-43411889948203015742009-10-02T16:03:00.000+10:002009-10-02T16:03:39.839+10:00Grass of a Different KindI had the flu a few weeks ago (not the swine flu, thank goodness) and I decided that I wanted a tea that would be healing. Meet T2's Lemongrass and Ginger Tea.<br />
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Of course it is strictly at tisane rather than a tea but it still has the same warming and healing feeling you get from a good cup of tea. Rather like your Mum popping round with chicken soup and butter menthols.<br />
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It smells fresh and warm. The taste is surprisingly mild. Not bitey like some ginger teas. The lemongrass doesn't actually taste like lemon or grass. More a very mild hint of lemon but in no way bitter or acidic. Like a lemon soother rather than an actual lemon. It tastes refreshing and healing. Like it could almost stop the flu in its tracks and send it packing.<br />
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Plus, those lovely pyramid tea bags that are common nowadays, mean that you have the pleasure of watching each tiny dried cuts of lemongrass swell up in the warm water and swirl around. Watching this just adds to the relaxing feeling brought on by drinking the tea itself. Like watching a goldfish meander around a bowl.<br />
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Whilst I am feeling much better now, I can still feel a warm glow of safety just thinking about a cup of Lemongrass and Ginger Tea. I rather feel like chicken soup now too, come to think of it.<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-17259349911311063962009-09-30T14:24:00.002+10:002009-10-02T15:18:15.741+10:00Es-sencha-lly Green and GrassyThere is something healthy and ever so self-righteous about tucking into a cup of green tea. I decided to take it one step further and be frankly pretentious. Rather than just trying green tea, I decided to try Sencha from T2.<br />
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Sencha is a japanese green tea. It is lighter in colour and in taste (apparently) than usual green tea.<br />
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I have to admit I was disappointed with Sencha. I sometimes find green tea a bit too astringent and strong and was hoping this would be all the things I loved about green tea without that. It was not to be.<br />
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It smells like grass and tastes like grass. Lovely healthy tasty grass, but still grass. It was mildly astringent but not as much as a straight green tea. It was also a quite strong taste which I wasn't expecting.<br />
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I have held onto the tea bag as I am hopeful that the second brewing will be a bit more mellow and enjoyable. They do say with tea that the first is the worst, the second is the best and the third is the second best. <br />
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Ok, so that last bit doesn't rhyme but saying the third is the bird wouldn't have made sense to anyone.<br />
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So sorry if you are a sencha lover but I found it only slightly more enjoyable than popping down the park and making like a cow.<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-4619278737656864442009-09-29T10:27:00.001+10:002009-09-29T10:33:39.263+10:00The FrenchI went to a tea talk on the weekend and discovered that despite tea being a traditionally English drink, the French were into tea before the English. I suppose now the French are more for coffee but I expect with cuppas like French Earl Grey there would still be a lot of tea drinkers in France.<br />
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T2's French Earl Grey is like the more elegant cousin of the traditional Earl Grey. Early Grey is a blended black tea flavoured with bergamot oil to give it that subtle, almost lavender-like flavour.<br />
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French Earl Grey takes it one step further with the addition of cornflowers. Tiny blue flowers that change the traditional taste of Earl Grey into something even more refined but also more playful.<br />
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French Earl Grey smells stongly of apricots. Like an apricot tart hot from the oven. The bergamot is much more subtle but I'm not sure whether this is the highlight the cornflowers or merely that T2's traditional Earl Grey only has a subtle bergamot taste and the French version has been built on that base.<br />
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Having it with milk takes the edge off the taste and makes it smoothy and creamy still with that divine apricot taste and smell. Like dessert in a cup.<br />
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Mmm...can't wait til apricots are in season. But until then the French Earl Grey will hit the spot!<br />
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Pretty blue cornflower - tastes so good!<br />
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<a href="http://www.gardensablaze.com/Annuals/BachelorButton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" iq="true" src="http://www.gardensablaze.com/Annuals/BachelorButton.jpg" width="195" /></a><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-35756043571136571342009-09-28T09:46:00.000+10:002009-09-28T09:46:39.073+10:00Pastel and Perfect for Quirky TeaI recently found these beautful tea cups by Maria Lintott Ceramics.<br />
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They are fine bone china and come in three types: the Loving, the Twist and the Moustache.<br />
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As if the names aren't quirky enough....<br />
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The Loving is a two-handled cup to aide the passing of a hot cup of tea between tea lovers. It creates a much happier atmosphere for a cuppa than burnt fingers!<br />
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The Twist has a special scalloped pattern so that when you stir the tea it creates a pretty whirlpool effect.<br />
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The Moustache has a little moustache cover built into the teacup so that you don't get your nose neighbour wet when you are sipping your tea. Quite a bright idea! Might make a lovely Movember gift!<br />
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Whilst I have no plans to grow a moustache in the near future, I think these tea cups are just delightful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFQbXbsaFCIq_E7XS3Q07JCqTckr977nWor9I9BNTLM6aLFN0Z5E1yZ3fuOzEYk9tkvdelY2WnvjY5ivbtkXS5a0deR1F0GCuw4Jiy8lSz_DdTpvaD9mP1T6BALjxvuPMyb3h_tSBvK4/s1600-h/LmT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFQbXbsaFCIq_E7XS3Q07JCqTckr977nWor9I9BNTLM6aLFN0Z5E1yZ3fuOzEYk9tkvdelY2WnvjY5ivbtkXS5a0deR1F0GCuw4Jiy8lSz_DdTpvaD9mP1T6BALjxvuPMyb3h_tSBvK4/s320/LmT.jpg" /></a><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-29829789900421837272009-09-23T18:20:00.000+10:002009-09-23T18:20:31.176+10:00Fast Coffee TeaPeople generally fall into two categories: those that would never consider purchasing tea or coffee at a fast coffee outlet (e.g. Starbucks, Gloria Jeans) and those that never purchase theirs anywhere else.<br />
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I have varied over the years in which of the two categories I fall into but since giving up coffee, I would rarely have cause to frequent a fast coffee outlet.<br />
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However, the genius that is Starbucks has invented a beverage to capture the tea-lover market: the English Breakfast Tea Latte.<br />
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I recall my first EBT Latte. I purchased it at Darling Harbour with my fiance and we were both so surprised that it actually tasted like english breakfast tea.<br />
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I later discovered the secret: an actual english breakfast tea bag. Genius!<br />
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They wack in some hot water, a genuine Tazo tea bag, some steamed milk and a shot of the classic syrup and there you have it - a delicious, sweet, creamy cup of tea. And it doesn't taste half bad. In fact it is one of my staple favourites.<br />
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I dare you to take up the fast coffee challenge and try and EBT Latte for yourself. Pure fast coffee heaven!<br />
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Besides, not matter how often one dines on fine food, sometimes only Macca's will hit the spot!<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304601017800615937.post-26927077899212018272009-09-22T10:24:00.001+10:002009-09-22T11:56:23.457+10:00Stockholm SyndromeOk, so I know that Stockholm Syndrome traditionally relates to a person becoming enamoured of their captor due to lengthy captivity but I don't see why the same thing doesn't relate to the fantastic Stockholm Blend at The Tea Centre.<br />
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It was Friday afternoon and after a heavy week, my boss had allowed the team to head off home at 3pm. My problem: I had left my keys at home so I had to wait until my fiance arrived home to let me in.<br />
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Anyway, I decided to spend the afternoon at The Tea Centre with a pot of Stockholm Blend. It is a blend of black tea, orange peel, safflower, calendula blossom, rose petals, vanilla pieces and apricot. It smells spicy and strongly of vanilla and apricots.<br />
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It tastes smooth, without a hint of bitterness despite the orange peel. It is fruity, the same way you might describe in a red wine.<br />
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Yes, I did fall for my captor, if you count a divine black tea blend. Well, it was rather captivating!<br />
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<br />Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05785608049473932246noreply@blogger.com0