ThisNext Blog

Di Overton

In Britain we have a saying if your feeling low and it’s that you need ‘tea and sympathy’. Well until quite recently you needed a lot of sympathy when drinking our tea as it was mainly tea bags with dust in them. Fear not though, there has been a tea revolution and I won’t mention the Boston Tea Party here.

A lot of confusion abounds as to how we like our tea well let me put you right. We like it with milk and some even like it with sugar. Some don’t even like it and prefer coffee. But one thing we do like is sitting down to afternoon tea.

Here are some examples of the types of tea we like to slurp:

POSH TEAS

The Ritz

Everyone has heard of the Ritz and to take afternoon tea there is a never to be forgotten experience. I once was thrown out of the Ritz because I had the audacity to enter iwearing a pair of jeans, for Sunday Lunch. My jeans cost more than the lunch would have and that’s saying something. Still I’m not bitter.

Harrods

Even though the owner is out of favour with the Queen he still pulls a crowd.

Fortnum & Mason

Quintessentially English and a wonderful place to buy or sip your tea. There is almost always someone famous in there. Well when I go there is.

THE NATION’S FAVOURITES

PG Tips

Disregard all that talk about speciality teas being drunk on a massive scale in Britain. PG Tips is the nation’s favourite and it tastes like tea I used to have when I was a kid – just tea!

Betty’s

A national institution. Betty’s is a Yorkshire based company now owned by Taylor’s. Betty was the original owner and it’s a great place to go for afternoon tea. Old fashioned uniformed ladies serve you from big old fashioned cake stands and it is like stepping back in time.

MY FAVOURITE

Tetley’s Assam

I hate flavoured teas and teas, where I can see the bits floating about. Give me a tea bag anyday with something in it that tastes like the tea from my childhood. No sugar thanks I take that in coffee, which if I am honest I prefer.

WORLD FAMOUS

Earl Grey

The man himself, hailed from Newcastle upon Tyne where I have a house and where most of my family live. His monument is at the top of a street that was voted the best street in the UK – Grey Street. I actually hate the taste of this tea it’s like licking your wrists just after applying perfume. Twinings made the very first Earl Grey Tea – not a lot of people know that.

I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of British Teas and we do forgive you for the Boston Tea Party.