There's so much guff talked about coffee these days - people who pour the stuff are called by special names as though they have qualifications rather than being a jumped-up kettle. And although I do like a good caffeine hit, I could do without the side-serving of pretentiousness and baseless disdain. So it's back to the basics of a good cuppa for me.
5 Favourite Teas:
- Ceylon black tea (of the P.G. Tips/ Tetley variety) - there are few problems in England that aren't ameliorated with a good brew
- Darjeeling - a delicate floral aroma and light muscat grapes notes, known as 'the champagne of teas'.
- Earl Grey - supposedly named after the Charles Grey, the second Earl Grey, and British Prime Minister between 1830 and 1834. The tea is flavoured with the oil from the bergamot orange rind.
- Lapsang Souchong - known in China as 'tea for Westerners'. The word 'souchong' refers to the fourth and fifth leaves of the tea plant, further from the prized bud (pekoe) and coarser than the more desirable leaves, so they are smoke-dried over pinewood fires to make them palatable.
- Chai - a warming, soothing style thanks to the addition of Indian spices including cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper.
