My Vintage Tea Party
Ramblings and Reviews From a Lover of Tea and All Things Vintage
My apologies for it being so long since I've updated (again...), life continues to be busy, frustrating, and sometimes difficult. I won't bother going into too much detail but just know that my free time has been limited for one reason or another, but I am not abandoning this blog because I really enjoy updating when I can. This post will cover one of my most enjoyed Christmas gifts: a three month tea of the month subscription from the British department store, Fortnum and Mason. You've never heard of Fortnum and Mason, you say? Well, let's just say that it is, without a doubt, the classiest department store I have ever seen (not in person, but virtually). Founded in 1707, they have the finest teas, groceries, clothing, etc. and I believe I read that it is where Buckingham Palace acquires grocery items. They are famous for their wicker baskets (hampers, as they call them) stamped with their F&M logo, which are stocked with grocery items of your choice. Needless to say, I had to try some of their teas, and what better way to try a selection of them than to sign up to receive 2 samples a month? My subscription covered December, January, and February and I have only tried 3 of them so far. December included Royal Blend (Assam and Ceylon blend) and Jasmine Dragon Pearls (a Chinese green), January included Ceylon Orange Pekoe, Dong Ding (a Taiwanese Oolong), and February included Countess Grey (a blend from China and Ceylon) and Peony King (a Chinese white tea). Each delivery comes with a lovely little envelope with an overview of the teas that are included. Details include the origin of the tea, its strength, what time of day is best to enjoy it, what it pairs well with, and a short description of each tea. Here is the January envelope as an example: So far, I have tried the Royal Blend, Ceylon Orange Pekoe, and Jasmine Dragon Pearls. My favorite has been the Royal Blend-- the strongest bodied of all the teas I received. According to the description, it was first blended for King Edward VII in 1902 and was known as King's Blend until the 1920s. It's no surprise that it is my favorite, as Assam and Ceylon blends are what I tend to prefer.
For those who are not familiar with tea blends, it is important to note that Orange Pekoe tea actually has nothing to do with oranges and does not have an orange flavor. The name refers to the tea's grade; it's leaves are large, dark and even in size. Some say that the name is a reference to the House of Orange, the Dutch royal family in the 1600s, as Holland was the first European country to obtain tea. I enjoyed this tea as well, although it was not quite as strong as the Royal Blend and therefore not on my "ohmygosh this is my favorite!" list. Although I enjoy black teas the most, I still enjoy green tea and Jasmine scented greens are my top choice. The leaves have been rolled into little "pearls", which unfurl as you brew them. I love the subtle, floral flavor, and it is one that I drink when I just need to relax. I'm looking forward to trying the others; I have not tried too many Oolongs (pronounced either wu-long or oo-long) which are slightly stronger bodied than greens and lighter than blacks. I am curious to try the Countess Grey to see how it differs from Earl Grey, and unfortunately I don't think I am going to like the Peony King. I have an appreciation for white teas and have tasted one or two that I liked, but they just tend to be too light for me. But of course I will still give it a try and let you all know what I think! I am a bit sad that I received my final box of tea, but in reality it is for the best since now I can focus on trying what I have and not end up with a cupboard full of little packets that I never will get around to opening. Few things in life are sadder than wasted high quality tea. I hope you enjoyed the update, and feel free to post any questions or comments!
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About Me
Greetings, readers! My name is Jordie, and I am a tea obsessed, history loving young lady who just happened to be born about 60 years too late. Archives
February 2017
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