Tetley British Blend

When I first moved to England, I enjoyed discovering the different items in the grocery store that were so common place there and so unusual here in the States. The first important difference that I noticed was that Tetley tea came in round pouches rather than tea bags (now we call the sachets). Of course, I bought and drank that in England, so that when I saw Tetley British Blend in the grocery store here in April, I had to buy it. That's what we've been drinking in the parlor the past 6 weeks, a strong, sensible, no-nonsense cup of tea. But then, we're not tea snobs; we think you can find a good cup of tea in unlikely places, and Tetley British Blend is a strong, caffeinated way to start the day.

Tea Cookies

There are probably hundreds of cookies and biscuits that are sold as perfect for tea. Here's one easily available in many grocery stores. While it's very sweet, we don't mind one bit because they're called English Tea cookies.

Tea on the Go, Part 2

Last month we attended a local humane society event at an upscale mall, and as we were leaving, our friend brought over some herbal iced tea she'd purchased at Savaya Coffee Market. It was delicious, and while we can't remember what fruit it was, we remember enjoying it immesely. So kudos to them for offering the tea drinkers out there a delicious iced option on a hot day.

Tea on the Go

Tea from coffee shops can be hit or miss. Sometimes you stumble across a shop where the owners care that their tea-drinking minority consumers get a good cup, while many times, it's hiss or miss (yes, national  chain, I'm looking at you: if someone specifically orders English breakfast, which your menu says you carry, and gets Earl Gray instead, tsk, tsk, tsk). My coworker kindly picked up a tea for me today from Caffe Luce, and I was happy to discover they carry Republic of Tea. British Breakfast--strong, hot, sturdy. Well done, Caffe Luce!

China Mist Iced Tea

We've had a very mild winter in the desert this year. We've already taken tea several times on the patio. It's no surprise that we have already served iced tea on these spring-like days, when it really feels like April and not January. China Mist  iced tea appeared in the grocery store this fall, and we love it.

It's a very strong, brisk tea, with a rich body, perfect for every dish we've served with it. It required brewing and mixing with cold water, but that takes no time and is very much worth the effort. Today, we ate a tuna salad under a very bright winter noontime sun with the China Mist iced tea, and enjoyed every delicious sip.

Tea Trivia

The first recorded mention in Western history of taking a cup of tea is in Samuel Pepys' diary from 1660.

"At Home: A Short History of Private Life" by Bill Bryson (Anchor Press, 2011)

Tea in the Parlor Shawl

Look, we have a shawl named after us. Well, all right, probably not named after us per se, but a shawl named Tea in the Parlor will definitely be knitted by us as we drink tea in our parlor this winter.