New Arrivals

Tea hunting is a thoroughly fascinating process. While it is never easy, finding and meeting a new tea garden and infusions is the single most rewarding part of what we do. So when you find not one, but three startling teas it can feel a little bit like all of your Christmasses have arrived at once…

For several months we have been searching for exquisite teas specifically from Japan. While your usual Japanese teas – especially Sencha – can come from large commercial blends, we wanted to make contact with small, family run tea gardens that carefully pluck and process their own teas. Our journey has led us to two tea farms, one in Miyazaki on one of the southernmost islands of the Japanese archipelago, and the other in Mie, about an hour and a half outside of Nagoya. Both are pioneers in organic tea production, and when their samples arrived we were simply bowled over. We have managed to select three of their very best, we do hope you enjoy them as much as we have!

So (without further ado!) we are thrilled to introduce our three new Japanese teas.

SENCHA SUPERIOR – Miyazaki

A bright first flush Toku Jô (extra-superior) highest grade Sencha, harvested in late April in the season known as Ichibancha, or ‘first-picked-tea’. These fine, needle-like deep emerald leaves are gently steamed at a low temperature, and give a full bodied sweet, grassy infusion with notes of wilted greens and fresh citrus. The bright, sweet aroma and lingering grapefruit freshness are a real highlight.

KARIGANE KUKICHA – Mie

This remarkable tea is created using both the leaf and stalk of the tea plant picked during the shade grown organic Gyokuro harvest in early May. The cool climate of Mie, near Nagoya, and gentle steaming of the leaves produce a soft, balanced infusion that is deep, smooth and naturally low in caffeine. One of the first things that strikes you is the incredible aroma of fresh blackcurrants from the dry leaves, and this bright fruit sweetness continues through each exploratory infusion.

TOASTED HOJICHA – Mie

Organic toasted Bancha and tea stalks picked during the late summer season are gently roasted over charcoal in porcelain pots, giving an intense, deep amber infusion. This fascinating tea has subtle, baked nutty notes with hints of dark cocoa and makes a great accompaniment to a meal. Naturally low in caffeine.

The Gilded Teapot, 1 Tudor Arcade, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1BN

www.thegildedteapot.com

Earl Grey Collins

Gin and Earl Grey – finally a way to combine our two favorite things. All this sunshine typically has us with Pimms on the mind, but after experimenting with cold brew tea and other infusions, we thought it was time we’d turn our attention to something a little, ahem, stronger…

The Tom Collins is a classic long cocktail originating in late 1800s New York made mixing gin, lemon juice, sugar, soda and plenty of ice. So here’s a typically English spin on it – a Tom Collins with Earl Grey. The citrus and botanicals work beautifully with the aromatic bergamont and astringent nod from the tea leaves, making an excellent balmy summer evening concoction.

Earl Grey Collins

The Recipe

You’ll need:

• 1 shot of lemon juice
• 2 shots of Gin (Sipsmith is lovely)
• 1 heaped tablespoon of loose leaf Earl Grey – we used Golden Grey
• 2 tsp caster sugar (or a shot of sugar syrup)
• Wedges of lemon and orange to garnish
• Ice cubes
• A Collins or Highball glass

Step one: Add the loose leaf tea to the gin and leave to infuse at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours

Step two: Strain the gin and tea mixture and discard the leaves. Into the glass add the lemon juice, tea infused gin and sugar. Stir well.

Step three: Add a handful of ice cubes to the glass and stir again (or if you have a cocktail shaker, give everything a good shake) add more sugar or lemon juice to taste.

Step four: Add the lemon wedge, top off with soda and stir for a final time. Finish with an orange wheel.

A long, balanced and refreshing infusion.

(Always enjoy responsibly)

Matcha Tea Noodles

We love Matcha. This beautiful powdered green tea is a true gem created in Japan, and is traditionally drunk after being whisked into hot water. This is a bright, vibrant infusion in a world of its own, and Matcha also happens to be rather versatile… The powdered nature of this tea makes it incredibly handy to use in cooking, and can be a great introduction to the world of Japanese tea – and when we heard about Soba noodles infused with Matcha, we were chomping at the bit to try some.

Cooking Soba was an entirely new experience for us here in Dorset, and we couldn’t wait to get them in the pan. We cooked them up with a simple dipping sauce that’s incredibly easy to make (and very satisfying to eat!)

Recipe:

• A good handful of Matcha Soba noodles (sometimes known as Cha Soba, you can find them from online Japanese shops in the UK. Made with buckwheat, they are wheat free)
• 1 sachet of Dashi stock (again available online or larger supermarkets)
• 1 shot glass of dark soy sauce
• 1 shot glass of mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
• Sheet of sushi Nori (optional)

Place the noodles in a pan of boiling water and boil for approx. 7 minutes or until soft. As the noodles are cooking, in a smaller pan dissolve the dashi in 200ml of boiling water and add the soy sauce and mirin. Keep this mixture simmering until the noodles are done. Strain the noodles and rinse in cold water, and everything is ready to serve. We finished the noodles off by cutting some nori into thin slices and sprinkling them over the top, and enjoyed the whole lot with a pot of Genmaicha tea.

And hey presto! All that’s left is to tuck in. The light, grassy flavour of the noodles sits wonderfully with the simple dipping sauce – we’re determined to always keep some Soba in the cupboard from now on.

Wrap up with an Earl

There’s a chill in the breeze… We find ourselves reaching for a thicker pair of socks and putting that extra blanket on the bed. And what better now that autumnal days and nights have arrived than a warming cuppa? Joining us this autumn is a brand new tea that definitely hits the spot – Golden Grey.

Fans of Earl Grey, this is for you. And if Earl grey is something you would love to try, Golden Grey is a great place to start. The history of this bergamont scented infusion is steeped (sorry, couldn’t resist) in stories and tea myths surrounding its origin. Rumour has it this tea gets its name from Charles Grey (aka Viscount Howick) who was enjoying his tea with bergamont in the early 1800s, and went on to become Prime Minister. It has also been mused that, after teas had been wallowing in cargo holds of ships on their way to England, scent and flavour were added to the leaves to help take away any sea water salty tainting that had occurred in transit.

Other stories place its origin in China, after a man saved his friend’s life from drowning. The man doing the saving just happened to be Earl Grey’s son, and his Mandarin friend presented a bergamont and China tea blend to the Earl as a thank you. And who doesn’t love some bergamont tea as a thank you gift? Perhaps we can thank the Mandarin for the gift of Earl Grey that keeps on giving nearly 200 years later.

So wrap up and enjoy our new blend, simply a golden Ceylon black tea scented with Italian bergamont. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. And we wouldn’t say no to a couple of biscuits either…

You can find it here on our website

Happy tea drinking!

A Cooling Cuppa?

Well, we’ve leapt headlong into July, and so has the sun. We’ve all heard the ‘having a hot cup of tea cools you down’ advice from knarled relatives, but is it really true? How can a hot drink possibly cool you down?

Answer: in all science fact, it can’t. But somehow, it does.

The old wives’ science behind tea cooling down roughly follows this logic: raising your overall body temperature makes you sweat, and as the sweat evaporates it cools your skin, leaving you cooler overall. Now, this would be fine if it wasn’t pretty much impossible. On a hot, sticky, muggy day opening the pores in your skin with sweattyness won’t really cool you off at all – in fact, it may leave you feeling hotter than you did before if you don’t have a refreshing breeze to sit in.

If, however, you drink something warm rather than ice cold after, say, leaping around,  it can help with dehydration and cool you quicker – when you drink something ice cold, your body needs to burn calories to bring it down to body temperature. But when you drink something warmer, it doesn’t need to work as hard, resulting in a reduced metabolic rate and a shorter time to get you feeling better again at your regular temperature.

There is something beautifully relaxing about drinking tea, as opposed to the frantic reaching into the fridge for a can of something fizzy. I can’t help but feel that the act of making tea itself casts a restorative and calming spell over the ones brewing it, so this in itself may help explain why we simply feel better when we hold the cup in our hands. Also, tea contains a magic weapon which coffee does not: theanine. Theanine controls the caffeine release once you’ve drunk it so, rather than the crash and burn of coffee, tea will give you clarity of mind and an ultimately relaxed feeling. Aaaahhh.

So that’s how tea doesn’t cool you down, but still does.

Although, an ice cube and a touch of elderflower cordial to a first flush Darjeeling might help…

And our Strawberry Pepper tea makes for an excellent cold-brew iced tea. Simply infuse the tea leaves in cold water overnight in the fridge, and by the morning it’ll be done. Hey presto! Simply serve straight up, over crushed ice with slices of fresh strawberries (and a dash of Chambord or Vodka for an afternoon tipple).

Keep cool, everybody!

Afternoon Tea Treats

Gosh, there’s a fair bit of bunting around these days, isn’t there? Bunting can only mean one thing – it’s time for a proper afternoon tea. Jubilations or not, we’re just beginning the perfect time of year to dust off the tea tray and reach for the clotted cream. As Henry James so sagely wrote, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea”.

We all know and love the afternoon tea heroes and heroines – scones, jam, clotted cream, cucumber sandwiches, and wedges of Victoria sponge, but what tea to have with them? We believe this is just as important as selecting the perfect array of nibbles. But what to choose? We’d like to share our recommendations with you. We love afternoon tea.

For a light afternoon infusion – Casterbridge Afternoon

Our hand blended brew of fine Assam and Darjeeling. Excellent with a slice of lemon, a dash of milk and finger sandwiches.

The very best of Darjeelings – Makaibari Darjeeling Second Flush Grand Reserve

The savior of High Tea from the almighty Makaibari tea garden. Full yet light, and the perfect companion to cucumber sandwiches from an outstanding biodynamic estate.

Something a little stronger – Dorset Farmer’s Brew

A rich, malty and full flavoured blend ideal with lashings of scones, clotted cream and jam.

Something sweet – LaKyrsiew

A hidden treasure from one of the world’s finest unsung tea gardens in northern India. Sweet, toffee notes with a smooth caramel finish make it the ideal companion for cakes and pastries.

Something refreshing – English Peppermint

Indulged in rather a lot of cakes and sandwiches? This calming, zesty infusion from the south of England is just what you need.

And if you’re feeling particularly indulgent (as well you should!) some Earl Grey Supreme with proper butter shortbread really is a match made in heaven.

So What’s the Deal with Green Tea?

You may have noticed a lot of hubbub about green tea lately… numerous studies coming to light, not to mention all manner of endorsements and health benefits. Right now is a rather exciting time for the green tea leaf.

We’re talking about big, beautiful juicy green and white loose leaves packed full of the things that are so good for us. How often is it that we find out that something we love actually does us good… hoorah!

These stunning large leaved beauties naturally contain substances that are rather helpful for us – numerous studies are now finding links between green tea helping us with all kinds of things:

• Improving our complexion, especially white tea
• Can help boost our ability to burn fat
• Can help strengthen tooth enamel and fight decay
• Loose leaf green and white teas naturally contain high amounts of antioxidants (and taste wonderful)

Loose leaf green and white teas naturally contain high amounts of antioxidants (and taste wonderful). When brewed for about three minutes, you’ll meet the perfect combination of flavour and goodness. Whereas, if you were to brew a green teabag for that time, it would taste downright awful and not have anywhere near as much of the good stuff. What’s most important to us is that you can drink high quality teas that suit your tastes and are absolutely delicious.

How do They Work?

What sets green and white tea apart from other teas is that they are unfermented. This means that the leaves have little time to oxidise – or break down – before being dried. (think of it as when you slice a fresh apple – the colour is fresh and vibrant to begin, then slowly turns darker as it reacts with the air around it). This preserves our new best friends known as the plant-based catechin polyphenols and flavanoids, the antioxidants that can help combat free radicals. They are anti-carcinogenic, help boost our ability to burn fat, and not only that – they’re also excellent for your complexion, may help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease and can lower cholesterol. Two or more cups a day should help, and because you can re-infuse loose tea leaves several times, one teaspoonful will last all day.

But what about caffeine? Is it in green tea? It sure is. But what about white tea? Its in there, too.  All teas made from the tea plant will naturally contain some caffeine in varying degrees – but cup for cup it is a lot lower than coffee, and thanks to a substance called Theanine, the caffeine is released slowly over time giving you sustained energy with a calm clarity, rather than the buzziness of coffee.

And we can take it one step further – there is a tea from Japan that you may have heard of… the fabled Matcha. This is how Matcha is made:

The rare high grade Matchas come from Gyokuro grown leaves. This means that the tea plants are shaded with bamboo mats before the leaves are picked. Because its shielded from the sun, the plant works double-time to get up to the light, encouraging the production of the elements that we talked about earlier. These fresh tender leaves are then steamed, and the purest part from between the vein and the stalk is removed. Bear with me! So now we have only the finest part of the leaf without any stalk. This is then placed between granite blocks and ground for hours until our pieces of leaf are now an incredibly fine powder.

So when you drink Matcha, you’re drinking everything that the leaf can provide. This gives it over 100 times more antioxidants than your usual loose green tea, and is rich in vitamins E, A and C. Its wonderful for lifting your mood and is said to give a helpful boost to your metabolism!

The traditional way to drink Matcha in the Japanese Tea Ceremony is to whisk it into hot (but not boiling) water using a bamboo tea whisk – beautiful. Another way we love to drink Matcha is in a Matcha Manuka Latte. Wholesome and utterly divine!

So there we have it, a crash course in green tea and health. Until next time, tea lovers!

Our Green Teas

A Legend

The British and Tea. Like a horse and carriage, yes? We love it, we really do. However… I can’t help but feel that the general tea drinker has been losing touch with their roots. We never used to drink dust in a teabag with milk, no sir. We were used to the finer things… it was Oolongs and green teas that first graced our teapots – a far cry from the usual brew we’re used to today, rather than a cup from the exotic misty hills of the Far East.

China has the ‘big ten’, the key ten teas that it is famed for, and all of these teas have a beautiful legend or two behind them. So, I thought I’d share one of my favorites with you. Are you sitting comfortably?

This is the story of Iron Goddess tea, or Tie Guan Yin, a Chinese Oolong. The Iron Goddess is also known as the goddess of Mercy or Compassion. Bear that in mind, there’ll be a test later*. There are two different stories surrounding the creation of this tea, the Wei and the Wang, and today I’m going to share the Wei with you:

Tucked away in the Fujian province of China, there was a crumbling temple to the Iron Goddess, which housed an Iron Statue in her honour. Every day, on his way to and from work in the fields, a Mr. Wei would remark to himself on the state of temple, shaking his head thinking how something simply must be done.

Now, Mr. Wei was by no means a rich man so couldn’t afford to rebuild the temple himself, so instead, twice a month he decided to bring some incense and sweep the temple clean with his broom. He repeated these tasks month after month after month until eventually, the Iron Goddess appeared to him in a dream. In this dream she told him that there was a cave behind the temple, and in this cave lay some treasure that he would share with other people.

So the next morning, leaping out of bed, Mr. Wei explored behind the temple and there, just as the Goddess had told him, was the cave. As he entered he saw, pushing up through the ground, a single tea shoot. He gently cultivated the plant until it grew into a great tea bush which produced some of the finest tea that China had ever seen. He gave cuttings from the plant to all of his friends and neighbours who sold the tea as Tie Guan Yin, the Iron Goddess of Compassion. Soon Mr. Wei and all those around him were prospering wonderfully, and fixed the temple which soon became a pillar of the community and, as one teller puts perfectly, a beacon for the region. So, for every day after that, Mr. Wei would feel joy in his heart when he walked to his fields, admiring the beautiful temple.

I can just smell those tea leaves now… lovely. I’ve been enamoured with the story of this tea for a few years now, and I’m thrilled after three years of looking to finally find it! Now to sit back with my cup of Oolong and unearth some more stories.

* Please note there will not be a test later. That would be mean.

Tea Thrills and Spills

So, it’s Valentines Day, the yearly excuse for roses and smooching. I must admit, here at the Gilded Teapot we’re a little more Texas Chainsaw and curry than RomComs and bubbly, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t hopeless romantics at heart… in fact, there’s a new love in our life. I’m all giddy… allow me to introduce you to the newest member of The Gilded Teapot being unleashed this summer…

Hold onto your hats! It’s the Travelling Tea & Coffee House. Tired of going to festivals and having to put up with a teabag in a plastic cup? Well, no more tea hum-drummery! We are here for you, serving all manner delicious delights from proper loose leaf teas, top notch coffees, Matcha Lattes, traditional milky sweet Chai, and anything else your tea and coffee heart so desires.

Follow our blog and Twitter to find out where we’ll be! We’re very, very excited.

(and if you’d like us to come to your event, you can email us info@thegildedteapot.com)

The Year of the Dragon

Another new year! Brilliant. We’ve now entered the Chinese year of the Dragon, so to celebrate here at the Gilded Teapot, we had a free tea tasting (with fortune cookies) in the shop. Yum yum yum

We tasted some of China’s famous teas – Silver Needle, Dragon Well, beautiful black tea and the fabled Oriental Beauty – one of the world’s rarest Oolongs. What makes Oriental Beauty special and so darn delicious is something rather unusual. This tea comes from Taiwan and can only be produced every few years, because it needs a visitor – the Tea Jassid to be precise. These little aphids come to live on the tea plants, and to defend itself against these guests, the plant produces an enzyme to defend itself. At this point the leaf and the bud are picked and it this that makes the tea. The end result is a beautiful citrus muscatel brew the colour of Golden Syrup. Sublime.

So what else has been going on? Well, to brew our China teas we had a brand new piece of tea brewing equipment to play with!

These lovely fellas are the end result of a brilliant collaboration between potter extraordinaire Linda Bloomfield and two professional tea tasters and artisan importers. They’re a modern twist on the traditional Chinese Gaiwan, a lidded cup used for tea brewing, but these are much larger with a pouring lip and rounded top to give maximum perfume from the leaves after they’ve been brewed. So, a big hello to our new Gaiwans! I wonder how we ever managed without them.

And it hasn’t just been Chinese New Year – last week was the first official Farmhouse Breakfast Week, so we went down to Washingpool Farm just outside of Bridport, Gaiwans in hand, to brew some tasty breakfast teas. We were right next door to the tasty folks of Denhay bacon, so we were trying to find which was the best tea to have with a bacon sarnie – we had two winners! The LaKyrsiew tea from northern India and Ceylon Kenilworth.

So, to China and back again. It’s been a fun week!