Rooibos cultivation is limited to a very small area in the Cederberg Mountains near the Western Cape. Little Spoon was lucky enough to visit during a time in his life when he still ironed his shirts. In the picture above you can see him harvesting a bush with a very sharp sickle.
And it's not red! This change in appearance takes place during the processing stages when the redbush is oxidised and dried. It's very much like the process involved in making black tea.
Rooibos became more popular in 1990s as the favoured drink of Precious Ramotswe, female private eye in Alexander McCall Smith's "No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency." She drank her rooibos tea with honey and Big Spoon can vouch it is a delicious combination.
So if you haven't tried Redbush tea before, give it a go. It has a sweet taste, with hints of vanilla and sometimes smoke. It is most commonly drunk without milk although it actually takes it quite well.
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And ginger...did anyone else’s granny used to give them ginger biscuits if they felt car sick???
]]>Lemongrass and Ginger Tea is a herbal infusion that uses ingredients with two of my favourite botanical names. Ginger is zingiber officinale – and it is zing-y!!! Lemongrass is from the Cymbopogon family...the "pogon" bit means beard because of the appearance of the seed pods. So as someone who is trying to cultivate one, I'm a big fan!
Lemongrass and ginger tea is a classic, a great drink to have at this time of the year. Both ingredients give you a warm sensation, so ideal to beat off the cold weather. They are naturally caffeine free which means it makes the perfect drink for later in the day.
What are the health benefits of Lemongrass and Ginger Tea? Both ingredients have been used in traditional medicine for a long time. They have been used for their anti-inflammatory properties. Lemongrass has also been used as a digestive.
And ginger...did anyone else’s granny used to give them ginger biscuits if they felt car sick???
So why am I telling you about this? We’ve been supplying cafés with our Lemongrass and Ginger tea catering packs for some time now and we had such a lot of enquiries from their customers about where they could some for home? So we’ve now made Lemongrass and Ginger available on our website. Here’s the link!
]]>Get some great quality green tea!
As the old planter’s saying goes, “You can’t make good tea out of bad leaf.” So, of course we need to start with great ingredients. In the UK, we’ve been used to some fairly average tea on the supermarket shelves and that has become the norm. But there is so much more out there to try that will deliver a more satisfying cup. Our green tea won 2 stars at the Great Taste awards which indicates it is “outstanding”.
Water, water everywhere!
The water is so important. Make sure it is freshly drawn and because we live in a hard water area we filter ours.
Green tea doesn’t like being scolded, boiling water can lead to a bitter taste because more tannin is dissolved. So after boiling your kettle leave it for 2-3 minutes, then pour on the water.
Time
If you are wondering how long to brew the green tea for, try around 2 minutes. This will ensure you get the right amount of flavour out without making it bitter.
Between this and letting the kettle cool, Kermit’s got 5 minutes to practise the banjo.
We hope this helps to enhance your green tea experience, there really is so much to explore...so get the kettle on!
]]>And why shouldn't they!?!
Tea is a personal ritual
Our tea moments are precious, they aren't just fulfilling a basic need, it's not just rehydration. A cup of tea is so often a personal ritual and it has to be done just right! I grew up in a house where, it had to be made in a pot, it had to be loose leaf, it had to be semi skimmed milk, it had to be milk first, it had to be left for at least 3 minutes, and it had made in a fine china mug. I know you're reading this mum...it's true isn't it!
There are people out there who take it as a personal insult if they are given tea made not quite to their liking.
Tea abroad
We want the tea to taste the same when we go abroad. But the fact of the matter is, people who live abroad don't drink tea the same way we do. As result, tea is blended and then prepared differently. And we should celebrate this...Vive la difference!
For example in Europe, there is a general preference for tea without milk. So a lighter cup, with less tea in the bag is preferred. Sadly this is a tragedy for those wanting a good old traditional British-style cuppa.
In some parts of The United States, the blends are developed for Iced Tea brewing. That just doesn't cut it, if you want something big and bold to wash down your waffles and breakfast burrito.
The Tea Tin or "Pillow Case"
We've been humbled by the number of people who have sent us pictures of Two Spoons tea being drunk on holiday. We thought it would be helpful if we came up with something to put our tea pillows in. A tea tin that's versatile, durable and airtight. Well what do you put a pillow in?
It can accommodate at least 8 pillows, (I managed 15 Bucks Blend...I packed them neatly...)
So if you like to bring a little bit of home comfort with you on hols, put a tin in your basket and select the blend that you love the most.
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Here's a quote from an ex-planter in Assam that we came across when researching the estates in our blends. It explains the first tradition.
" In the 60's and earlier many Estates in Assam had a custom of making "Bungalow Tea" This was done during the second flush. The Garden Assistants made sure that only two leaves and a bud were plucked and the Factory Assistant made sure that all machinery had been scrupulously cleaned and if CTC there were newly sharpened rollers fitted. Wither, Fermentation, Drying and Sorting were given special attention. The resulting first class leaf tea was packed in a Dust Size chest for the Assistants and a full size chest for the Managers plus a large number of mini special ! or 2 kg Gift Chests for friends"
As trainees buyers, we were tasked with making a "Bungalow" -style tea from the samples in the tasting room. This was meant for the tea tasters to drink throughout the day. It was a great way of learning which teas blended well together...and you certainly got feedback if they didn't!
This tradition moved up a notch when we got to Christmas and, more importantly, competition time. Tea buyers and blenders would pit their skills against each other to produce the best blend, to be judged by the head of the company. Mark (Little Spoon), and the uncanny knack of producing a winner. He used classic ingredients from Kenya, Assam and Ceylon (clearly squirreling away the best samples so no-one else could use them!!!). So what better combination of teas to use than his award winning recipe.
]]>When we were out and about at the markets of Buckinghamshire, we had so many requests for a Lapsang Souchong, we could no longer ignore the voice of the people. Twinings had apparently stopped selling it and people kept saying, "I can't find Lapsang anymore" or "Where can I get a good Lapsang?"
What is Lapsang?
Lapsang is an iconic tea with a very distinctive flavour. It is a smokey tea. Think Islay malt or smoked salmon.
How Lapsang is made?
The process involves leaf being exposed to pinewood smoke at various stage of manufacture. The story goes, it began almost as a mistake. Villagers in 19th century China, under threat of attack, hurriedly dried their green leaf with whatever was available to avoid losing their precious crop. The fuel they used resulted in that heavily smoked flavour and it proved a popular innovation. It's no wonder cigar-wielding Winston Churchill was a fan.
Lapsang for cooking.
We've even sold Lapsang to local pubs who use it to infuse a smokey flavour to their dishes. The Stag at Mentmore do a wonderful smoked carrot canape. Delicious!
]]>We were thrilled for the producer too because the team at Phoobsering have, yet again, done a brilliant job and this recognition is no less than they deserve.
Here's what the judges said...
"A true connoisseur's delight, this Darjeeling tea encapsulates the essence of sophistication and elevates the tea-drinking ritual to a captivating journey of taste."
If you haven't tried it already, we'd recommend giving it a go. Its amber liquor has tropical fruit notes, one we'd drink without milk. It's best to make sure you use water just off the boil.
So come on, put the kettle on!
]]>In our early days in the tea trade we spent a lot of time in Kenya because it was, and still is, a really important origin for the UK market. The reason Kenya is so important is that what is grown is turned into CTC (cut, tear, curl) tea, a style that delivers a fast infusing cuppa. With it’s bright, golden appearance and brisk, refreshing liquor, it has become the backbone of many English Breakfast Blends – including ours! It has also become popular with UK buyers because unlike tea from Assam, China or Malawi, Kenyan tea can grow all year round - it’s on the equator. Buyers don’t need to purchase seasonal stocks that to last the whole year.
Of course this would also mean we could visit the estates whenever we wanted and still see tea manufacture. I didn’t always time it right, it could get quite chilly – I remember staying in a bungalow in Kericho and having a roaring log fire in my bedroom!
Whilst Little Spoon (far older and wiser), cut his teeth buying in the London tea auction, I started out a year after it closed down in 1998. Mombasa was a great place to learn the ins and outs of tasting, buying and blending in an auction environment. And there was nothing quite like finishing a long day in the office with an iced cold lager - the one and only Tusker!
So, we will always have a soft spot for Kenya, its people and its tea which is why we wanted to feature it in our range.
Our single estate Kenyan tea is from a factory called Imenti owned by smallholders. It is situated east of the Great Rift Valley an area known for its quality. If you fancy a slurp, head to the shop and use code JAMBO15 at check out for 15% off!
]]>We reached the finals!
]]>And we got to the finals!!! We were so thrilled that our efforts to bring great tea to Buckinghamshire has been recognised.
We had a fantastic night hosted by The Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury and discovered some truly inspirational businesses, just on our door step. We didn't win but we didn't go away empty handed. We got a very smart certificate that now hangs on the wall in Two Spoons HQ. Not just that, we were also given an advertising slot on Bucks Radio. We are just practising our slurping now!
We love that Buckinghamshire holds these awards and recognises the great work being done by businesses throughout the county. So a big shout out to the sponsors too!
]]>Last night we spoke to the newest group in Buckinghamshire, the self-styled Wavendon Belles. We were their first ever speakers and so we were all as nervous as each other. We gave our talk, “Tea, the story from bush to cup” and rather fittingly we sampled our First Flush Darjeeling. Newly grown and of extremely high quality, we could just as easily have been talking about The Wavendon Belles!
The WI has a long-standing association with tea. The first group in the UK met in 1915 to provide women in rural communities with education and support, and from the beginning, tea played an important role in its activities. Tea was a staple of social gatherings and meetings, and it quickly became a symbol of the WI's ethos of community and friendship. We’ve really got a sense of that community from all of the groups we’ve visited. The audiences are always engaged, always engaging, and extremely persistent in handing out generous portions of homemade cake.
Through our talks to the WI we have been able to support our local charity, Lindengate, to whom we donate our speaker’s fees. Our aim? To speak to every one of the WI groups in Buckinghamshire!
]]>Traditionally Lapsang is infused with smoke from pine wood fires. It is a common ingredient in Russian caravan tea. This is a blend whose origins began with the transport of tea from China to Moscow. On the 6000 mile journey, the caravans of camels and mules would set up camp and light fires to keep them warm. The smoke from these fires would infuse into the cargo of tea giving it a distinctive aroma. On arrival, people buying this tea got used to the smoky flavour picked up along the way.
But enough of the history and on to the cocktail!
For the syrup:
250g Castor sugar
250ml Water
1 heaped teaspoon Lapsang Souchong loose leaf tea
Heat all ingredients until the sugar has dissolved, set aside to cool for 2.5 hours. Strain the mixture to filter out the tea and store in an air tight sterilised bottle in the fridge.
To make:
50ml Lapsang Souchong tea syrup
50ml Campfire London Dry Gin
30ml Fresh lemon juice
15ml Crème de Cassis
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake for 20 seconds. Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice. Strain the cocktail over the crushed ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
]]>Fast forward three quarters of a century and the family connection with tea continues. At Two Spoons we love this time of year because we get to taste the first flush production from this unique region.
Yesterday we tasted a range from The Chamong Group, including Phoobsering estate where great uncle Freddie used to work. Chamong is known for producing high quality, much of it also organic. Their teas lived up to expectation. We tasted floral notes, coupled with tropical fruits emanating from the delicate, greenish brown twists of leaf. We are in the process of choosing one for the coming year...we think we've found exactly what we're looking for!
The map comes courtesy of friend, ex-colleague and world-renowned author, Will Battle. Look carefully and you can see Phoobsering on the map.
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In case you were concerned we weren't allowed to judge in the tea category because Two Spoons had a couple of entries..fingers crossed!
So how do teas get judged? In tables of two or three, there is an initial tasting. A grade from 0 to 3 stars is registered. A second table give judgement. If there is disparity of grading, the product is sent off to another table.
We tasted lots of herbal products over two days. In between tastings, we would drink water or use palate cleansers like apple or crackers. Some of the flavours could be quite strong! We don't just give a rating, we also provide feedback we hope can be helpful. For example, where certain flavours are overpowering or if brewing instructions could be refined.
3 star products are extremely rare, only around 2% of products get a 3 star. It is marked with the sounding of a bell and everyone gets very excited.
Last year our Green Tea was awarded 2 stars which means it is "outstanding". We drink it by the gallon!
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At one of the many tea trade events during the off season, I got chatting to one of our new acquaintances who asked where we lived. I described the area and then joked about the nickname we had given to our neighbour's house. I thought nothing more of it until a week or so later when we were visiting the office of a prospective supplier. He owned some of the most exquisite tea gardens in Assam and so I wanted to make a good impression.
“We haven’t met before, Giles Oakley, how do you do!”.
“Good afternoon Giles, how do you do. We are neighbours actually…I live in the Underpant House”.
]]>...4 hours earlier, I had been woken up by the factory manager to witness manufacture of probably one of the most important and highly prized teas he would make all year.
Every batch of tea produced is given a unique lot number and “DJ01” indicates the very first of the season. Because First Flush is considered the best quality in Darjeeling, it fetches a premium, but DJ01 is worth even more. It is highly sought by tea connoisseurs around the world.
Not only did I get to watch the event unfold, but I was also allowed to help (albeit with enormous amounts of “adult” supervision). It was a fascinating, yet nerve jangling experience. The production team were constantly on the alert, checking temperature readings, squeezing leaf, tweaking and adjusting settings on driers. It was vital to get each step of the process right to ensure the highest quality and therefore maintain the reputation of the estate. No pressure!
The result was exquisite! The aroma, not just of cup itself, but the dry leaf too, was pungent, floral and full of zest. The liquor, was a light orange colour, bright and clear. And for that moment, as the team silently acknowledged what they had just made, all was right with the world.
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