THE tea thread
- suffolksupplies
- Vendor
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- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:12 pm
- Location: Suffolk, UK
Ringtons Northern Choice is pretty good, not as strong but a nice flavour.
http://www.ringtons.co.uk/shop/tea/clas ... hoice.html
I've sampled quite a few Teas recently & High Teas Irish Breakfast is the best so far: http://www.highteas.co.uk/893-assam-ken ... blend.html
This is much more expensive than Taylor's though. I use about 3 lbs a month so I was hoping to find something a bit cheaper.
http://www.ringtons.co.uk/shop/tea/clas ... hoice.html
I've sampled quite a few Teas recently & High Teas Irish Breakfast is the best so far: http://www.highteas.co.uk/893-assam-ken ... blend.html
This is much more expensive than Taylor's though. I use about 3 lbs a month so I was hoping to find something a bit cheaper.
Best regards,
Paul
Quality shaving products & toiletries from Connaught Shaving http://connaughtshaving.com
Paul
Quality shaving products & toiletries from Connaught Shaving http://connaughtshaving.com
- rustyblade
- Shaving Paparazzo
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- Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:27 pm
- Location: Ontario
This came up some time ago and I don't get it. Are you telling me that there is so much loose tea used out there that the leftover "dust" is used by massive companies like Tetley, who by far sell way more bagged tea than loose? Sounds like something made up by tea elitists to justify themselves.Ouchmychin wrote:One knock on the tea bag is that most companies use finings to fill them. Finings are the leftovers of the tea world. They have been evaluated over the years by Consumer Reports and found to be inferior in flavor to the loose tea versions of the same company.
To be honest I find using loose tea is a pain in the ass.
Richard
So is wetshaving, in purely practical terms.rustyblade wrote: To be honest I find using loose tea is a pain in the ass.
I use loose tea because it's cheaper, less wasteful, and I prefer the experience (and taste).
Which is pretty much why I use a brush, soap, and blade.
But of course we're all drawing a line somewhere on most things. I don't think everybody needs to use loose tea. Or bake their own bread. Or whatever.
That said, I think the point isn't that Tetley sells only tea dust, but that loose tea purveyors can't get by with including any.
Regards,
Regards,
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
Oh it's quite true Richard, cut open a tea bag, dump it out, and you will find a lot of what can only be described as dust. It is the industrial by product of the millions of tons of tea processed yearly. That doesn't make it bad of course, it is the same thing albeit in much smaller form, but it is the least costly version.
I also bake my own bread as do some other members if I recall a former thread correctly.
I also bake my own bread as do some other members if I recall a former thread correctly.
Regards,
Squire
Squire
- Ouchmychin
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- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:03 pm
Paul, do you shop online. I have never heard of Taylors. But I only shop online and so only shop at the places that dropped out one time when I googled tea. The largest catalog that I get comes from uptontea.com. One of theirs might be OK. I'm not that experienced with Irish Breakfast teas. Usually go for estate teas from various areas. What distinguishes Irish breakfast tea and English Breakfast teas? Thanks.
Ouchmychin (Pete)
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- suffolksupplies
- Vendor
- Posts: 631
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:12 pm
- Location: Suffolk, UK
Yes, I buy most things online. I may try a few regular stores to see what they stock but most just stock the mass market, Twinings, Clipper etc.
Irish breakfast Teas vary but they are almost always stronger than English. Irish can be a blend of Assams, or a blend on 2nd flush Assam & February/August Kenyan which I prefer.
English breakfast normally includes Ceylon, & Scottish breakfast is even lighter.
I will blend my own teas if I can't find a suitable replacement
Irish breakfast Teas vary but they are almost always stronger than English. Irish can be a blend of Assams, or a blend on 2nd flush Assam & February/August Kenyan which I prefer.
English breakfast normally includes Ceylon, & Scottish breakfast is even lighter.
I will blend my own teas if I can't find a suitable replacement
Best regards,
Paul
Quality shaving products & toiletries from Connaught Shaving http://connaughtshaving.com
Paul
Quality shaving products & toiletries from Connaught Shaving http://connaughtshaving.com
I bake my own bread, too. And brew my own beer. I like things that are a pain in the ass ...but now we're just rubbing it in on Richard.
I just ordered some tea, guys. Fair trade organic Assam and Darjeeling from a purveyor I've never tried: Mountain Rose Herbs. Will report back after tasting.
As for Irish Breakfast tea, I appreciate the breakdown of its constituents you've given, Paul. I may blend my own if I can't get some more Taylor's from a local store that should have some surviving stock on hand. This thread got me going on tea some time back, and then after Chris got me to buy an Adagio Ingenui-Tea (yeah, Chris, I'm blaming you ) I really started getting into the loose teas. Cheaper than whiskey, coffee, or beer, and better for me, so no worries.
I make a gallon of green tea on Sundays and drink it over the course of the week as iced tea. Two cups of Assam or Irish Breakfast in the mornings. Some Darjeeling, Earl Grey, or a good black tea blend sometimes in the afternoon. I still can't get into Lapsong Souchong, but not from lack of trying (and I love Islay whisky...go figure).
Not to bring a Gentlemen's Parlor thread back to shaving, but Nancy Boy sells some very nice teas along with their shave creams and bath soaps. One can make a very expensive and varied shopping list out of those items and a bit of their shampoo.
Regards,
I just ordered some tea, guys. Fair trade organic Assam and Darjeeling from a purveyor I've never tried: Mountain Rose Herbs. Will report back after tasting.
As for Irish Breakfast tea, I appreciate the breakdown of its constituents you've given, Paul. I may blend my own if I can't get some more Taylor's from a local store that should have some surviving stock on hand. This thread got me going on tea some time back, and then after Chris got me to buy an Adagio Ingenui-Tea (yeah, Chris, I'm blaming you ) I really started getting into the loose teas. Cheaper than whiskey, coffee, or beer, and better for me, so no worries.
I make a gallon of green tea on Sundays and drink it over the course of the week as iced tea. Two cups of Assam or Irish Breakfast in the mornings. Some Darjeeling, Earl Grey, or a good black tea blend sometimes in the afternoon. I still can't get into Lapsong Souchong, but not from lack of trying (and I love Islay whisky...go figure).
Not to bring a Gentlemen's Parlor thread back to shaving, but Nancy Boy sells some very nice teas along with their shave creams and bath soaps. One can make a very expensive and varied shopping list out of those items and a bit of their shampoo.
Regards,
Regards,
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
Sipping my first cup of Pu'erh tea right now. What a gorgeous red liquor this stuff makes. The flavor is very distinctive, obviously aged and with sort of sherry-ish note to it, accentuated by what I perceive to be a salty character. I'm not an expert taster at all, so my impressions may be off. Anyway, I don't see this becoming a regular drink for me. On the other hand, I said the same thing about IPA and Laphroaig once upon a time...
Regards,
Regards,
Regards,
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
- Sam
- M'Learned Friend
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Tim suggested the infuser at Nancy Boy but other suggestions for small amounts of tea, say in the morning and at night? I can boil water, lol. I do have some sort of cheap tea maker, looks like a cheap Mr. Coffee, but I never liked how the tea tasted. Teavana had some sort of cast iron pot with the strainer for $69, and Id like to keep it much less than that until I wean off Diet Coke and start with more tea in the morning.
As far as the tea I make, I use a dinner glass, and use one sweet and low packet. I also have three or four glasses at dinner. I think that is too much sweetner.
As far as the tea I make, I use a dinner glass, and use one sweet and low packet. I also have three or four glasses at dinner. I think that is too much sweetner.
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Sam, I have the infuser and it is great. You can also get it from Adagio (the manufacturer). You pour in the amount of water you want, stick it in the microwave (or just add hot water) and when the water is hot, add the tea and steep.
Best,
Chris
“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Chris
“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Sam
- M'Learned Friend
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Well, decided to at least order some teas to sample, from Adagio, since free shipping today and well, sometimes that is $5 which is about half the price of my order!
irish breakfast sample
sample $2.00 $2.00
assam melody sample
sample $2.00 $2.00
darjeeling puttabong summer sample
sample $3.00 $3.00
keemun rhapsody sample
sample $5.00 $5.00
Wanted to get the black teas. W ill keep the Irish at home and maybe half the other stuff. I am going to go to Macys, Bed Bath and Beyond or Walmart (what with % off coupons and all) to find a tea kettle to boil water, to get a double walled mug (I have a thermos Starbucks for carrying tea to go in the car) and some sort of infuser (tea ball). I may pop for the Intellitea but I am thinking that a tea ball and a nice mug would be easier and cheaper perhaps. Some say they cant tell the difference between tea using the infuser or a tea ball.
irish breakfast sample
sample $2.00 $2.00
assam melody sample
sample $2.00 $2.00
darjeeling puttabong summer sample
sample $3.00 $3.00
keemun rhapsody sample
sample $5.00 $5.00
Wanted to get the black teas. W ill keep the Irish at home and maybe half the other stuff. I am going to go to Macys, Bed Bath and Beyond or Walmart (what with % off coupons and all) to find a tea kettle to boil water, to get a double walled mug (I have a thermos Starbucks for carrying tea to go in the car) and some sort of infuser (tea ball). I may pop for the Intellitea but I am thinking that a tea ball and a nice mug would be easier and cheaper perhaps. Some say they cant tell the difference between tea using the infuser or a tea ball.
A few months down the road, now that I've tried several varieties of teas, I've used them all completely up, and the only one I now drink is the old standby Earl Gray black tea, at home, made in the Bunn. At work, I drink the free stuff, the Lipton tea bags. I pretty much drink one cup of coffee per day (in the morning) and one cup of tea per day, maybe two, one in the afternoon and one in the evening, when the mood strikes me.
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
- KAV
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- Location: California, just above L.A. between the Reagan Library and Barbra Streisand's beach house
There was a wonderfull place in London called the Brahma Tea Museum, sadly closed @ 4years past on the owner's death.
I learned proper tea drinking there. If you drink a british tea the SADLER Brown Betty is a must. And none of his current Malaysia made stuff either! Go on EBAY and find one properly marked on the base. The older ones aside from value do have the potential danger of lead content and should be tested. An inexpensive kit is available in many stores. You can use bags- first invented to ship samples or a teaball. I like to brew my leaves loose and employ a strainer that fits over the cup. lovely steel ones are on EBAY or brit import shoppes once the sticker shock of sterling hallmarked pieces passes. One would think Maggie Smith used one of them in a period piece.
Samovars are a neat decorating piece. You can get modern electrical ( sometimes you need to convert the plug) steel units from Russia online or in persian import shops.
There are even pressed blocks of black and green from China. The vendors in reenacting goods have them. This was the method of shipping tea circa 17th century. The user would scrape the amount needed with a knife.
Finally, tea bags make good poultices for puffy eyes and shaving nicks.
I learned proper tea drinking there. If you drink a british tea the SADLER Brown Betty is a must. And none of his current Malaysia made stuff either! Go on EBAY and find one properly marked on the base. The older ones aside from value do have the potential danger of lead content and should be tested. An inexpensive kit is available in many stores. You can use bags- first invented to ship samples or a teaball. I like to brew my leaves loose and employ a strainer that fits over the cup. lovely steel ones are on EBAY or brit import shoppes once the sticker shock of sterling hallmarked pieces passes. One would think Maggie Smith used one of them in a period piece.
Samovars are a neat decorating piece. You can get modern electrical ( sometimes you need to convert the plug) steel units from Russia online or in persian import shops.
There are even pressed blocks of black and green from China. The vendors in reenacting goods have them. This was the method of shipping tea circa 17th century. The user would scrape the amount needed with a knife.
Finally, tea bags make good poultices for puffy eyes and shaving nicks.
-
- Duke of Silvertip!
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- Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:02 pm
Well, nothing has changed for me in this area since Sept. except; I discovered that the local Williams Sonoma stores now stock a little F&M loose tea so I've indulged twice in 1/4lb tins of their Breakfast Blend. This, like the original version from Drysdales, is a straight broken leaf Assam and while not as good as their 'Tippy' version is still a very nice morning tea. Williams Sonoma charges an arm and a leg for it so I'll be sticking mainly with the Taylors of Harrogate, but at least it is available locally when I want to splurge ( Gareth also thoughtfully included a bit of the F&M Tippy Assam in the package when he sent me the Harris's Rose shave cream....it didn't last long...sigh ). Also around the Holidays I hit a mother lode at T J Maxx. In addition to about a dozen jars of Partridge's Thick Cut Marmalade, I found one box of their Afternoon tea bags. These are straight Dimbuyla region Ceylons and are exceptional for a bagged tea. Also a whole bunch of Darvilles of Windsor Royalty blend bags. These are mostly Assam and are a cut above most bagged 'breakfast' teas. BTW, I disagree with Paul above regarding 'Scottish Breakfast' blends; the ones I've drank ( mainly Taylors and Brodies ) I find to be more punchy and generally better than the 'English Breakfast' blends from the same or similiar firms. Generally they seem to have a higher percentage of Assam teas in them. Thanks for the link to Rington's, I was not aware of this outfit. For me, their '1907' blend would likely be the best bet.
Regards,
Gordon
Regards,
Gordon