It's time to get back to the things that are beautiful, inspiring, and worthwhile

 It's time to get back to the things that are beautiful, inspiring, and worthwhile. So say I. A while back I promised to write about some of the things I like, and to invite you to join in. Join me, comment, and let me know what you think. Let's have a little time apart from the madness in today's world.

 

Here goes. 

 

From time to time I like to look for and purchase new varieties of tea. I like black teas. Oolongs are good, too, but I've never been crazy about green or white teas. Flavored teas are not me, either. So recently these new varieties arrived from Teadog. I've begun to test them. 

Hopefully you can click on and enlarge the photo. 

I'm using a scant tea measure for the loose teas, and one bag for the bagged teas. I like my tea sweetened a little, and I use a white Fiestaware teacup and saucer. I like it a little too hot to drink when I begin the cup, but I usually don't preheat the pot. I use spring water for the most part, and sometimes RO filtered water. I pour only enough water to make a single cup and make a brief brew usually of about one minute. Many teas can be brewed more than once, but any caffeine usually comes out in one minute's brewing time. Experiment with brewing times and brewing more than once. Above all, decide what you like. No one else knows that as well as you do.

So far, I've tasted three of them.

First was the Williamson English Breakfast. Having had good experiences with teas from India and Ceylon in the past, I tend to prefer those. This tea, however, is from Kenya. I was attracted to the tin and the taste summary, so I ordered it. It's a loose tea and it's really excellent. It's very smooth, with no astringency, the way I like it. It has the deep, malty flavor I like. The tin will keep it fresh for a very long time. Very little came through the strainer. It's a keeper.

Second was the PG Tips decaf. I have a rule that I don't drink anything caffeinated after about 2 PM, so this is an afternoon tea for me. On cold weekends in January, it's a terrific warmup after working on the woodpile or in an unheated shop. This decaf didn't disappoint. Many decaf teas are weak and on the astringent side, but this one was full and malty as a good cuppa should be. With just a level teaspoon of sugar and a slight splash of half and half, it kept me going for the rest of Saturday afternoon. My favorite decaf tea is Ty-phoo decaf, but I've run out and have had trouble finding it recently. This is very nearly as good.

This morning I decided to try the Glengettie. The photo on the box looks like Scotland, but this is a Welsh tea, and although I have avoided products from Wales ever since I learned it was the home of David Lloyd George (one of the first British prime ministers I learned to detest), I thought it worth a try. After all, the weather is usually cool and damp there, so they should know something about making a decent cup. Indeed they do. This is a loose tea that makes a warm and fuzzy morning brew. I'm always looking for the perfect combination of flavors that one finds in a cup found most anywhere in England. This has it. It's rich and malty and very satisfying. Usually a strainer collects all the tea leaves as I pour from the teapot, but the Glengettie had fines in it along with the larger pieces of tea leaves. There was quite a collection of fines in the bottom of this cup. I'd bet it would brew again with a little longer steep time. 

I'll review some other teas I've enjoyed recently in the days ahead.