I remember reading a blog post with pride. Sadly, you can’t read it now. It’s been removed. It was by @jackie of Tea Trade, and was a great rant about poor tea and poorer service. It dripped with sarcasm. Naturally, I felt that it was my influence rubbing off on our normally mild-mannered Tea Trade […]
I’ve seen a lot of tea lately. Nothing unusual there. Much of it has been in lovely china or fine glassware. I can’t see that as a bad thing. I’ve also nibbled on quite a few tasty and delicate savouries, mini sandwiches, petite cakes, scones and other confections: even a massively over-decorated cupcake. Yes, I’ve […]
“Terroir” is not only a French loan word; it’s also a term that has come to the tea world via the world of the wine enthusiast. Since I have often expressed both my contempt for every wine enthusiast since the thirteenth century and the fact that the last person to do something useful in France […]
After six days in Las Vegas, there were many firsts to assimilate into our brains. Sights, sounds, colours and people. Day one we did not much after such a long flight. There was sleep to catch up on. Day two we shopped. And then launched THE INFUSIAST. This involved meeting this list in person for the […]
Panel over. Walking Back. Breakfast. The coffee is bad, but Michael Coffey turns up with his lovely partner. Have a good flight! Let’s go. Walking back again. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s very hot. It’s… cool. Peach water. Peachy. Nice. New Zealand Water, why? Drink made from oats. Why? Whoops- this is the Healthy Beverage […]
A first class ticket from Australia to anywhere interesting is about 25% of the average national average wage. Whilst you’d expect grateful sippers everywhere to dip into their own pockets to ensure that Lady Devotea and I travel in the fashion that we should so easily be accustomed to, this happens less often than you […]
Series Note: At long last, the final installment in my self-indulgent series that covers all our blends and what inspired them. If you’ve got this far, your torment is almost over. This is Part VII. Who doesn’t love a good chai. Well, a few people , but we can dismiss them out of hand. In […]
Series Note: the penultimate installment in my self-indulgent series that covers all our blends and what inspired them. If you’ve got this far, well done you. This is Part VI. I read a lot of tea books, and the origins of Earl Grey tea are a bit unclear. And not really within the scope of […]
Series Note: Yet another installment in my self-indulgent series that covers all our blends and what inspired them. Never mind, I’ll be back to ranting in week or so. This is Part V. To recap, I’ve covered our white teas, our teas named after historical figures, our mint teas and our teas with flowers in […]
This post is a bit of a re-run. But a special one. Since 2009, I have written over 200 tea blog posts. I virtually stopped all of my other blogging, though I do write books and get a few magazine assignments here and there. Some of you may know that my tea blog did not […]