One thing tea has in common with all other agricultural products is that each season produces a crop that is subtly different from all others. In most agricultural settings, variance is to be avoided. Supermarkets demand tomatoes or apples that are a certain size and shape, unblemished, and that will sit in a cold store […]
The storm before the storm: The internet has been losing it’s mind. Well, my version of it, anyway. Over the last 20 hours my feeds in Twitter and Facebook, as well as my inbox, have been full of messages about a product called “No More Tea Bags”. Now, while “No More Tea Bags” sounds like […]
As a blogger, I get contacted a lot by tea vendors. “Please review our tea” they say. “We’ll send you some, and you can write lovely things about it”. This is often a very bad idea. If you’re a tea vendor, there are some really good reasons why you shouldn’t do it. However, I am […]
Every so often, I find in response to a picture that I or someone else posts there is criticism of the drinker or the server in relation to the drinking vessel. Opinions as to what type of cups one should, or more likely should not, sup from are a mainstay on Facebook. Well, I have to […]
Last week, Lady Devotea and I found ourselves at an afternoon tea. Not a big surprise, it’s somewhat of an occupational hazard for us. We were surrounded by members of The Bonnet Squad. Now, it is traditional to describe people who are so incredibly lost in the world of Jane Austen as “Janeites”, but quite frankly, […]
When you have been involved in tea for any length of time, you’ll see the same old quotes come up time and time again. And they are usually from authors. Have you ever wondered: Who ARE these people? In what way are they qualified to make pronouncements about tea? Is there a dark, sinister undertone? […]
I have, at times, consented to share my wisdom with the world. This is one of those times. Young Geoffrey, of Portland, USA, writes: Dear Lord Devotea, why do people buy and consume terrible tea? In bags? What’s wrong with them? Dear Geoffrey Full marks for realising straight away is the big problem here is […]
Regular readers will be familiar with my complete hatred of teab*gs, and usually, I mention that it’s the things they add: paper, plastic (usually described as ‘silken’ or silky to fool you into thinking it’s silk) string, tags, staples, glue, sneaky unlabeled sugar etc that have no place in my cup of tea. I even […]
Having a delightful afternoon tea with friends is of course, the ultimate way of enjoying a Sunday. Of course, some people might say “But Lord Devotea, my idea of enjoying a Sunday is on a motorbike driving like an idiot on dirt roads / attending some sports / visiting a leper colony / being chained […]
I drink my black tea black. Often, I drink my black tea with others, and some of them drink their black tea white. In fact, afternoon tea opens up myriad possibilities. Sometimes, I might try a particular black tea white. Sometimes, my friends who normally drink their black tea white might try one black. Of […]