Here is an idea that was quite unique to me, though having looked into I see there are other companies doing this as well! This company is blending tea with the water of a specific area in mind, but I suppose that anyone who uses tap water for tea in a hard water area would benefit from buying a special blend like this, especially in an office where it would hard to keep spring water around.
First, this is true British builder’s tea. It is a blend of teas from Assam, India, Kenya, and Rwanda. It is listed as broken orange pekoe and was very fine when I measured it into my strainer. I was worried that a lot of tea dust was going to pass right through the mesh and leave me with bitter tea, but when I lifted the basket to check for dust in the pot, there was none. Hooray!
Since it was so fine, I only steeped for two minutes even though it says you can go as long as three. At two minutes, this is plenty strong enough for me. In fact, it was so dark it was scary! It almost looked thick when I poured it, so I warned my guests that it might be a tad strong. When they sipped, they said they liked it and had no problem with it. Nice!
I did not have to add milk, but it could very easily have handled it. I did not use sugar, but again, if that is how you take your breakfast tea you could easily enjoy it with sugar.
If you live in a hard water area and find that you water is keeping your tea from tasting “up to snuff”, and you are a fan of good, old-fashioned British builder’s tea, here is one for you to try. Tingle to the tongue, boot to the derriere, and out the door with you! Face the day!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co.
Description
This blend of strong black teas has been mixed for your local tap water. Living in hard water areas can affect the taste of tea and the water, ensuring that you get a proper cup of tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Always a Classic: Earl Grey from Kent and Sussex
In some ways, it doesn’t get more traditional than Earl Grey tea. Next to English Breakfast black tea, it’s the flavor most people think of when brewing a cup of tea. Earl Grey from Kent and Sussex brews up strong and tart, a full-bodied black tea with a touch of tart bergamot citrus.
Earl Grey is one of those teas that you customize as much or as little as you want, a lot like coffee. Everyone had their preferred blend and balance. You can brew this Earl Grey black without any additives, or brew it with honey and lemon, or add your preferred mix of milk and sugar. Drink it hot, drink it iced, the smooth, crisp taste of Earl Grey works well with them all.
I brewed this tea hot, in my favorite teacup and saucer, and tired the brew black (no additives), and then with a splash of milk. On its own, this tea is a bit too bold for me, with a strong dry, tart mouthfeel that made me pucker. Sometimes I prefer Earl Grey to be tart, especially when the leaves are blended with extra strong bergamot orange flavors, or when you want to top off your cup with a wedge of lemon and sugar. This Earl Grey didn’t have as much citrus in the blend on its own, so I took the cup in a different direction, adding a swirl of milk to help boost the creaminess of the tea.
This is a solid standard to have in your tea cupboard, to brew up in whatever style suits your fancy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Kent and Sussex
Description:
Delicious Earl Grey! THE GREAT TASTE AWARDS 2007 Award winning Earl Grey. The History of Earl Grey Tea dates back to 1833 the then Earl Grey of Howick Hall the British Prime Minister suspended the price monopoly which the East India Company had until that point enjoyed with its Chinese trading. Originally pure chinese teas were flavoured with fine oils from the Bergamot fruit in an attempt to preserve the tea during the difficult clipper journeys by sea. It was thought that lengthy times at sea could result in tastes of mould and tar. That is how the tea was named and to this day Earl Grey is regarded as one of the very finest flavoured infusions.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Yerba Mate Matcha Tea from The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. . .
I haven’t had too many Yerba Mate Matcha’s to date so I always welcome them when the come along. Recently I sipped on Organic Yerba Mate Matcha Tea from The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. In short, it was a pleasant sipping experience.
But let’s expand on that a bit. I took 1 flat teaspoon of matcha to a tea bowl and mix with a couple of drops of water to make a smooth paste then whisked more water to fill my matcha cup. I followed the instructions on the company website. Personally – I could taste a strong Yerba Mate first and foremost. So it tasted like a green grass and green pea type taste to me. It was a little bitter but the bitterness was welcome. According to the company website it’s best for mornings which makes sense because Yerba Mate is a natural energy booster. (More on that below) It does have an intense flavor.
Next time I am thinking about adding a slight squeeze of lemon juice to it. Another way I can see myself drinking this is iced. This was a pleasant sipping experience. I look forward to experimenting more with this and sharing it with the other Sororitea Sisters!
Now let’s get to the additional information about Yerba/Yerba Mate and how it works in this Matcha Blend.
The caffeine found in Yerba is said to provide a coffee-like buzz but without the unpleasant jitters or the crash afterwards. It’s a myth that is does not contain caffeine and the stimulating effects come from a compound called Mateine, In actual fact the term Mateine is actually coffee and it said to have derived from the Mate plant. Yerba also contains theophylline and theobromine similar to cacao, which are natural vasodilators and helps relax blood vessels and is used to combat high blood pressure. Yerba is said to have over 90 per cent more antioxidants than green tea, with immune boosting capabilities, it can also slow aging, reduce stress and insomnia. Using Yerba as as Matcha is a fast, and efficient way of squeezing it in to your every day routine, whether you sprinkle it on your cereal, smoothies or soups or use it as an every day drink. Using the whole Mate leaf will put a spring in your step for the whole day!
All of this info is also mentioned on the company website! I found the additional info wonderful! I LOVE learning!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate/Matcha
Where to Buy: The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co.
Description
Yerba does contain caffeine! However, the caffeine in Yerba is said to provide a coffee- like buzz but without the unpleasant jitters or the crash afterwards. It is a myth that is does not contain caffeine and the stimulating effects come from a compound called Mateine, In actual fact the term Mateine is actually coffee and it said to have derived from the Mate plant. It also contains theophylline and theobromine similar to cacao, which are natural vasodilators and helps relax blood vessels and is used to combat high blood pressure. Yerba is said to have over 90 per cent more antioxidants then green tea, with immune boosting capabilities, it can also slow ageing, reduce stress and insomnia. Using Yerba as as Matcha is a fast, and efficient way of squeezing it in to your every day routine, whether you sprinkle it on your cereal, smoothies or soups or use it as an every day drink. Using the whole Mate leaf will put a spring in your step for the whole day!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Travel the World with #SirStuartBlackAndGreen from #Kent&Sussex Tea Co.
Sometimes I try out unflavored teas with one kind of leaf, and a flavor that all about the purity of the process. And sometimes I try out teas that are exactly the opposite– just like today’s blend, Sir Stuart Black and Green.
This tea has both black and green tea leaves, three types of flower petals, and rich spices like cardamom, fennel and ginger. Visually, this blend is full of diverse colors and shapes, and the smell of the dry leaf is luscious and complex. It smells like someone lit floral incense in a kitchen, where other smells like fennel or orange peel are being mixed together as someone starts cooking.
The flowers are most prominent in the scent of the tea, with bergamot and sweet orange dominating the taste. The flavors of the tea leaves themselves are minimal: no grassy greens and no bitter blacks. Instead, the varied ingredients list really dominates the flavor spotlight.
As I drank the tea, more of the unexpected herbs like fennel or cardamom popped up in the taste and smell, though the ginger was slow in arriving. I finally got some of my favorite buzzy, spicy mouthful from the ginger after I let the teabag steep beyond the recommending steep time. Overall the blend is sweet without being cloying, and the bright citrus lingers on the tongue without being to tart.
According to Tea & Coffee, this blend is named after the well-travel Sir Stuart Cleary of Cranbrookshire. With all the varied treasures and eye-catching beauties hidden within this tea blend, it feels like a bounty gathered from exploring the reaches of the world.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy: Kent & Sussex Tea Co.
Description:
Sir Stuart a fine Black Tea and Green Tea. A flavoured Tea with hints of Bergamot and Orange. Named after the explorer Sir Stuart Cleary of Cranbrookshire following a trip to the Orient. A beautiful looking loose leaf tea with magical flavours when brewed. A Fruity aroma combined with Spicy Ginger and Fennel create something special and fresh tasting. Ingredients Black Tea, Green Tea, Ginger pieces, Fennel, Cardamom seeds, Natural flavouring, Rose petals and Cornflower blossoms.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Cookies Tea from Kent & Sussex Tea Co.
A few quick questions for you guys:
1. Is there anything more delightful than cookies dunked in tea? I think not.
2. Is there anything more delightful than tea that tastes like cookies-dunked-in-tea? NOPE.
3. Am I boring you with my incessant questioning? Wait. Don’t answer that.
If you could tell from my aforementioned poll-taking, this tea is delightful. Truly. The dry leaf smells like a confection straight from The Great British Baking Show (can you tell what I’ve been Netflix-bingeing lately?), and brewed, it’s even more delightful. This tea reminds me of a citrus chai, but with a warm, buttery-cookie element that really takes it to the next level. Often citrus and spice can be fairly one-note, lacking that depth of flavor that really heightens the tea drinking experience, but not this cuppa.
With a little milk and maple syrup, it’s the perfect level of decadence that levels up a traditional breakfast tea without overdoing it on the saccharine-sweet. I’d pair this one with some orange spiced scones. Or a cinnamon tea cake. Or some orange-glazed shortbread. Mmm. Either way, the dunkability on this tea is unmatched.
Get Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood over here, I think we’ve got a showstopper!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co.
Description
Orange Cookies Flavoured Black Tea! A super new spicy loose leaf Tea. Combining pieces of Sweet Cinnamon Spicy Cardamoms Cloves and Fruity Pepper with lovely chunks of Sweet Apple pieces. A wonderful concoction with the scent of juicy Spanish Oranges. Orange Cookies Black Tea Ingredients: Black Tea, Apple pieces, Cinnamon bits, Coriander, Flavouring, Cardamom pods, Orange slices, Pink Pepper and Cloves.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
