Tea News

(Not) Just Peachy…

Peach Garden, not a tea but a fruit infusion with (clue is in the title) a soft peach flavour. Close your eyes and drift away with this tropical tasting gold star recommendation from theuklooseleafteacompany. Blended peach flavouring along with; hibiscus, apple, rosehip peel, apricot, marigold petals, rooibos, almond, rose petal, and last but not least, a gentle hint of cinnamon – phew; a lot goes into this wonderfully refreshing imbibe. A fruit infusion is a good way to relax after a strenuous workout (or just sat at your desk swiveling on you chair wondering whether to pop the kettle on) a Peach Garden can be drunk hot or cold (ice cold is delicious) whilst making the most of this Indian(ish) summer, fruity tea always seems more appropriate in the summertime, however, cheer yourself up at anytime with the fruit infusion feel good taste. theuklooseleafteacompany however, does not endorse the following: Swiveling on your chair (the boss may think you do not have enough work to do! Oh and of course not forgetting Health & Safety) or, drifting away (this also could result in a higher expectation of daily output and again Health & Safety rules apply) if we can be of any further use in the workplace imbibe and handy tip department here at theuklooseleafteacompany, please do not hesitate to peruse our website (where the best flavours and customer service is paramount) for the tastiest of tea's and bite size recommendations.

Superfruit(y) Baobab

This is not a tea, goodness, I hear you gasp! Not a tea from theuklooseleafteacompany; nope; it's a product we discovered on our fact finding mission. We are amazed that only now are we aware of the Baobab fruit tree and it's by-products. Grown in Africa’s poorest countries, the Baobab tree produces a fruit rich in vitamin C, Potassium, Calcium and Iron. The Baobab powder is extremely versatile with a taste reminiscent of strawberry sherbet, it can be added to breakfast cereals (mix it in your porridge) make ice cream with it, or a refreshing smoothie, there are virtually no limits to what you can achieve with this versatile Baobab powder (recipes can be found on-line) and it's GOOD for you. Supporting trade from villagers taking the fruit and leaves to market, boosting the household incomes for families who do not have enough to eat for up to six months every year. We here at theuklooseleafteacompany give the Baobab tree a big thumbs up all round; but don't take our word for it, try it for yourself, I bet you'll love it. Foods rich in vitamin C are a cornerstone of the anti wrinkle diet. Vitamin C, whether derived from foods or dietary supplements, assists the body to form collagen and elastin, two structural proteins that give the skin support and elasticity, the Baobab fruit has also been shown to possess strong antioxidant properties, antioxidants neutralize free radicals that can cause damage at the bodies cellular level, increasing degenerative diseases and other signs of ageing, for example; wrinkles and finelines on the skin. Below is some research we found (not ours,we're not that scientific) into the integral oxidant capacity (IAC) of pulp from more well known fruits compared to the Baobab.

Baobab: 11.11 Kiwifruit: 0.34 Orange: 0.10 Strawberry: 0.91 Apple: 0.16

Adding vitamin C rich foods such as Baobab fruit powder (or fresh Baobab fruits if you can get them, good luck with that one!) to your diet might also enhance your body's fat burning capabilities during a workout – especially if your current diet does not contain enough vitamin C. A team of scientists from Arizona State University discovered that people with low blood concentrations of vitamin C burned 25 percent less fat during a 60-minute walk on a treadmill, compared with those who had adequate levels of vitamin C in their blood. The potential weight loss effects of vitamin C may be linked to the fact that it is needed for the production of carnitine, a compound that encourages your body to turn fat into fuel, rather than to store it as body fat. Who knew? theuklooseleafteacompany now stock this product in 100g bags.

Duke of Earl – Grey Special:

This Earl Grey Special is a blend of fine black teas, sweet and full bodied with a light but full aroma and fragrant flavour of Bergamot (if that makes sense). It can be drunk with or without milk, sugar or lemon I prefer without my husband prefers with, (I say black, he says white, nothing new there then). It really is delicious either way, very refined, and definitely special. This is a tea to sip and savour in those quiet moments (good luck with that one). I had taken Earl Grey before, in a well known T-Bag brand, but the real thing is quite an eye opener. I had some make your own blend (empty DIY) tea bags from theuklooseleafteacompany (also excellent for ground coffee) and tried it with those and with an infuser tea pot, also from theuklooseleafteacompany (perks of the tea tasting job). The tea bags are very handy for taking your favourite leaf tea with you to work, or even, visiting anyone that has yet to discover the art of fine teas (if you know what I mean). Earl Grey tea is used as a flavouring for many types of cakes and confectionery, such as Chocolates as well as savoury sauces. For sauces, the flavour is normally created by adding tea bags to the basic stock, boiling for a few minutes and then discarding the bags. For sweet recipes, loose tea is often added to melted butter or hot cream and strained after the flavour is infused. There is a considerable history of Earl Grey tea being used as a drinks mixer particularly for Gin. One history of the origins of Earl Grey explains that a Chinese mandarin tea master blended the first Earl Grey tea as a gift for Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl of Grey and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. According to the Grey family, the tea master used bergamot as a flavouring to offset the lime flavour in the well water on Earl Grey’s estate, Howick Hall, near Newcastle, England. Earl Grey’s wife, Lady Grey, loved the tea so much that she entertained with it exclusively. It proved so popular with London society, she asked tea merchants in London to recreate it. Exactly which English tea merchant marketed the first Earl Grey tea blend is somewhat of a debate in the world of tea. But one thing is for sure: While the 2nd Earl of Grey abolished slavery and reformed child labour laws in England during his political leadership, he will be most famously remembered for the beloved tea he helped introduce to the world.

Oo Dung It: theuklooseleafteacompany is here again with another top tea; Oolong Ti Dung Organic; believe me, it tastes better than it sounds. Hailing from Taiwan and only mildly fermented, (And for the over 40's - At the risk of sounding like the green tea version of wine connoisseurs Jilly Goolden and Oz Clarke; (other connoisseurs are available) personally my palate was impervious to the rose petals, woodland forests or a beach paradise in anything I was drinking) actually giving it a surprisingly soft grassy undertones and fine nutty character with a pale green, almost yellowish hue, it's light, sweetish and refreshing and not too long to wait, with a brewing time of 2-3 minutes or longer according to taste, this wonderful green tea is a definite Oo with us.

Lets get fruitea!

Well here we are in theuklooseleafteacompany top ten tea of the moment, well it's a fruit infusion to be precise; made from Elderberry, Hibiscus, Sultana, Blackcurrant and Blueberries, it's refreshing hot or cold and totally delicious. Brewed for 5- 8 minutes, the aroma itself has your taste buds tingling with anticipation, well that maybe a slight exaggeration, but only slight; the infusion itself is a taste explosion (again a slight exaggeration for effect) every element of the listed ingredients permeate through in the flavour (the colour is pretty too) which is a pleasant surprise, as I have yet to experience the bouquet and flavours attached to the descriptions of other well known beverages! We here at theuklooseleafteacompany have found it to be a particularly good morning wake up – and it's caffeine free. My friend stated “You would say all your teas are lush” (and yes, she did say lush) it's your business” seriously, she soon changed her mind after a tasting session. She now drinks this tea/infusion, and yes, we make her pay for it! (although a discount is applied). After all there's no such thing as a free lunch – especially when tea tasting........Lets get fruitea! with "Red Fruit Pudding"...