Es-sencha-lly Green and Grassy

There 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.

Sencha is a japanese green tea.  It is lighter in colour and in taste (apparently) than usual green tea.

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.

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.

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. 

Ok, so that last bit doesn't rhyme but saying the third is the bird wouldn't have made sense to anyone.

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.

The French

I 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mmm...can't wait til apricots are in season.  But until then the French Earl Grey will hit the spot!

Pretty blue cornflower - tastes so good!

Pastel and Perfect for Quirky Tea

I recently found these beautful tea cups by Maria Lintott Ceramics.

They are fine bone china and come in three types:  the Loving, the Twist and the Moustache.

As if the names aren't quirky enough....

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!

The Twist has a special scalloped pattern so that when you stir the tea it creates a pretty whirlpool effect.

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!

Whilst I have no plans to grow a moustache in the near future, I think these tea cups are just delightful.

Fast Coffee Tea

People 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.

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.

However, the genius that is Starbucks has invented a beverage to capture the tea-lover market:  the English Breakfast Tea Latte.

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.

I later discovered the secret: an actual english breakfast tea bag.  Genius!

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.

I dare you to take up the fast coffee challenge and try and EBT Latte for yourself.  Pure fast coffee heaven!

Besides, not matter how often one dines on fine food, sometimes only Macca's will hit the spot!