A Tour of My Tea Cupboard

What could be a better way than starting off this website than a tour of my tea cupboard? As the name of the website suggests – I love a good cup of tea! There is something so satisfying about hearing the sound of a kettle boiling away, adding your teabag to a cup, topping it up with boiled water and watching the tea come to life. In Asia there is a huge tea culture where tea ceremonies are held, and people come together to socialise. Whilst tea culture is big in the UK, it is not quite up to the same standard as Asia, but nonetheless tea is a huge part of the British culture. My tea cupboard is constantly changing with new additions frequently being added to my collection. Here is what is currently on show:

M&S Empress Grey: Empress Grey (also known as Lady Grey) is very similar to an Earl Grey. The difference being that Empress Grey has lemon and orange peel added into the blend. I love the citrus notes that are intertwined with the oil of bergamot and it makes a great refreshing afternoon beverage.

Raspberry infused Earl Grey: You can see a running theme here – another variation of the traditional Earl Grey! This tea is from the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range and was a limited-edition product. I love the hint of raspberry that gives this tea a slightly sweet flavour!

Twinings Dark Grey: This tea is part of the Twinings ‘Dark’ collection. This is a really unique flavoured tea as it has hints of smoke, giving it an earthy, woody flavour that I had never tried before. At first I was slightly hesitant about giving it a go as I wasn’t true if I would enjoy the taste of it, but I can confirm it is actually a very good tea and the taste of smoke really does pull through! If you close your eyes it almost feels as if you’re sat next to a wood burner.

Twinings No.22 Dark Carmel: You can’t go wrong with tea from Twinings! This is another tea from their ‘Dark’ collection and has tasting notes of toffee and golden syrup, making this the perfect tea to satisfy your sweet cravings! As a black tea, I recommend adding milk to it as it tastes like your sucking on a sweet and it has a sweet and creamy aftertaste.

Assam: Assam tea is a black tea named after Assam, the region in India where it is produced. This packet of tea was bought in Lidl and is part of their ‘Deluxe’ range. Assam is described as having a malty, strong flavour that is bright in colour. I would consider this as an everyday cup of tea and a staple in my tea cupboard.

Lemon and Ginger Herbal Tea: Although I love tea, I prefer a black tea to a herbal tea. Lemon and ginger tea is another staple in my household. I love the warmth of the ginger at the back of your throat and the slight sourness of the lemon. This is a great tea to have if you’re feeling under the weather or if you want a hot drink before bed as it doesn’t contain any caffeine.

Vanilla Chai: This is a take on the traditional chai as it has vanilla added to it. I love chai as it can be consumed both hot and cold, making it a great drink to consume all year round! Chai originates from India and is particularly popular in South Asia. Some people like to add sugar to it to make it sweet, but I prefer to drink it with a splash of milk. Chai can be made by brewing black tea in milk and water and adding spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and allspice) to it.

Chai Matcha, Tea Pigs: Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder, that is slightly bitter. Matcha can be an acquired taste, but one that I love! Matcha is high in caffeine and has a lot of health benefits, such as being high in antioxidants, boosting cognitive function, and improving cardiovascular health. This particular matcha has the addition of chai flavour to it and comes in individual sachets. I love to enjoy matcha lattes either hot or cold, and use my milk frother to make my drink nice and creamy.

Tetley Cold Infusions, Raspberry and Cranberry: This is a drink I like to enjoy during the warmer months, as the name suggests ‘cold infusions.’ This is great to bring with you on the go, as all you have to do is add an infuser bag to cold water, and let it infuse!

Miscellaneous tea: To end the tour of my tea cupboard I have a few miscellaneous tea bags from different brands: Apple and elderflower green tea from Twinings, Organic Night Time tea from Heath & Heather, and Cacao Breakfast Tea from Hotel Chocolat.

As you can see I have an eclectic mix of teas in the cupboard – there’s something for everyone! The cupboard is constantly changing with new editions being regularly added throughout the year. If you have any recommendations do let me know and perhaps we can pay another visit to the tea cupboard later on in the year!

Twitter: @teawithtahlia

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