Whole leaf loose tea lovers: quality English blends, sencha, oolong, puerh etc.

terra_ferma

cshermen2000 wrote: »

Hi all,

Well I placed orders with both Suzi teas and All About Tea on Wednesday morning.

The Suzi tea order was fine and arrived this morning. (Sat) I ordered their Belfast Brew and their citrus spice (their version of Christmas tea). I have to say I really am impressed with the quality of the tea, thanks Threemuttleys, GreenFairy and Little busy bee.

Terra_ferma All about tea were very fast. Theirs arrived yesterday (Fri) but I did get an E-Mail from them on Thursday saying that their Winter Tea was not in stock. I had ordered 125g of the winter tea and they offered to replace that with 500g of their autumn tea or put the winter one on back order. I chose to have the winter one put on back order. So just their Irish Breakfast arrived yesterday. It was very nice, but I really think the Suzi tea was nicer this morning.

Also I'm stupid and put in this forum last week what I would be ordering and when I would be ordering it, so don't know how much that had to do with the speed of my order from both companies. I see that All About Tea have options for both first and second class delivery on their site. I chose first class. It was only a few pence more. Their is a contact Tel number on their website too. Right at the bottom of the page in the small fine print.

I had a look at the Wilkinsons website. Much too scary and advanced for me. I'll be sticking to Adagio and Suzi in future I think.

For anyone who wants a good chai latte recipe I tried this one the other night and it was great http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chai-Tea-Latte I used coffee mate in place of the dairy creamer.

And for iced tea http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/perfecticedtea.htm


Thanks

thank you for reporting back, very useful!

Wilkinsons scary? never! :eek:
Maybe because they are mainly wholesalers and their website is more basic? Very little information about the teas they sell.
Interestingly enough, I've placed another order, and didn't get it as fast as the first one. I'm getting addicted to their Royale (classic English blend, excellent) and Russian Caravan (a blend with a bit of oolong in it, lovely!). And their Orange spice and winter blends are very good value (£2.90-£3.15 for 125g).
(they supply posh tea rooms in Norwich)

Glad to hear you had a good service from AAT, might give them another go. I like the fact that you can buy samples, great as xmas presents.

The suzi tea you mention, was it Suki?
I noticed they sell the same strainer I use, highly recommended!
http://www.suki-tea.com/teaware/tea-strainer-with-drip-tray.htm

cshermen2000

Yeah sorry suki tea.

I treated myself to these in lots of colours when I gave up the coke to start drinking tea. I had a terrible job finding a UK supplier though.

http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12_5&products_id=11

The reviews for it are here

http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Curve-45-Ounce-Teapot-Infuser/dp/B0017NKE8C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348983216&sr=8-3&keywords=forlife+teapot

And they do strainers similar to yours
http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_9

I won't mention the 1 and only uk company I found supplying the range unless anyone really wants some of the range, as I had terrible delivery problems with them and I placed a huge order with them too.

terra_ferma

cshermen2000 wrote: »

Yeah sorry suki tea.

I treated myself to these in lots of colours when I gave up the coke to start drinking tea. I had a terrible job finding a UK supplier though.

http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12_5&products_id=11

The reviews for it are here

http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Curve-45-Ounce-Teapot-Infuser/dp/B0017NKE8C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348983216&sr=8-3&keywords=forlife+teapot

And they do strainers similar to yours
http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_9

I won't mention the 1 and only uk company I found supplying the range unless anyone really wants some of the range, as I had terrible delivery problems with them and I placed a huge order with them too.

sooooooooo cute!
(she wonders quietly why one would need more than one of these pots )

When I need a new pot I'd probably go for one of these. I don't have an excuse now as my old pot with the infuser work really well...
right now I don't have room for more stuff in my kitchen, my tea collection is taking over, and I've got even more coming...

right now I'm after a clear glass mug, because I tend to brew my tea in a mug, and I'd like to be able to watch the leaves unfold (gunpowder is particularly good for this, and for flowering teas witch I find just a pretty gimmick, not proper tea, though)
I found a couple but haven't decided which size I want, 250 or 260ml.


PS can you share which company you had problems with? I've found a couple googling, and it would be good to hear which one you wouldn't recommend.

cshermen2000

http://www.sympathyteas.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=smallcurvewhite

These ones are the ones I had the problem with, but (at least 6 months ago) they are the only ones selling the forlife curve teapot. The one in my original link.

Lots of companies over here do the forlife stump teapot but personally I think it's ugly
http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_8

Only thing in the stumps favour is it's supposed to be stackable though.....

Sympathy teas actually state on their website that delivery may be delayed due to childcare commitments!! When I read that I ordered just 1 small curve teapot. I waited 3 weeks then called. Was told it was already dispatched. Nothing arrived. Called again a week later. They said they would dispatch another, nothing arrived. Called back again and really started shouting. Teapot arrived next day by 24hr parcel force.

But by then I was in love. :) On the same day it arrived I took a chance and ordered 2 other small ones and 1 big one. That order arrived within a few days.

I only have 1 big pot but I have 3 small ones. I figured it would be like mugs and thought if ! was dirty I'd have another 2 spare.... By the way the curve comes in 2 sizes, small and large. The small one holds exactly 2 mugs, and the big one holds 4 and a bit mugs.

Just saw this too. But good luck finding it over here!! http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12_2&products_id=63

terra_ferma

There are a few places to buy them from now, they probably started selling it recently, although not sure what size (I remember a while back I looked at pots, and I liked the stomp, and it was not easy to find in UK either). Looking at the quality of the website and prices, not spoilt for choice I would say.

Here's where they sell the mug, I love it!
I like the fact that the infuser is in metal, most have a glass one, but the holes are too big, and people say that leaves can go through or get stuck in them.
Unfortunately they are very expensive at £19 + £4.5 postage:
http://www.mightyleafteas.co.uk/product/5181/curve-tall-tea-mug?category=25

cshermen2000

For money like that for a mug i'd just get a teapot.

Also I bought this a few weeks ago. Because it's dome shaped it's brilliant at cleaning inside the teapots. I know some people say you shouldn't, but I hate the tea stains inside the pots.
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/23376/Tough-Scrub-Washing-Up-Brush

terra_ferma

cshermen2000 wrote: »

For money like that for a mug i'd just get a teapot.

Also I bought this a few weeks ago. Because it's dome shaped it's brilliant at cleaning inside the teapots. I know some people say you shouldn't, but I hate the tea stains inside the pots.
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/23376/Tough-Scrub-Washing-Up-Brush

I just realised the mug I saw is not clear glass, can't find one I like at all...

I brew mainly in a mug, unless it's for two, but my OH is a hardcore coffee drinker (like only specially imported espresso blend from a proper espresso Machine...), so it's mainly T41 here isn the T_f household
I have a lovely chinese teapot I got from a chinese supermarket, not big but enough for two, and the strainer I have fits beautifully.

the big mug hunt continues...
I don't like cleaning my pot either, but it's white so it stains quite badly, I give it a good scrub every now and again. Same with the mugs.
That brush looks handy.

cshermen2000

Well I live alone myself and use the small teapot all the time. I got used to drinking 2 mugs one after the other very quickly.

At the moment I'm doing a silly starvation/crash diet. I decided that skimmed milk and splenda really ruin the taste of the teas as oppose to whole milk/sugar, so rather than my good quality tea tasting rubbish, I bought a big box of yorkshire gold teabags, and using them while I'm dieting.

1 mug of tea with whole milk and 2 sugars is 75 cals. 1 mug of tea with skimmed milk and splenda is 11 cals

It's funny, I actually miss the second mug of tea now with the teabags

Also if you're in London great coffee here http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk

little_busy_bee

terra_ferma wrote: »

Here's where they sell the mug, I love it!
I like the fact that the infuser is in metal, most have a glass one, but the holes are too big, and people say that leaves can go through or get stuck in them.
Unfortunately they are very expensive at £19 + £4.5 postage:
http://www.mightyleafteas.co.uk/product/5181/curve-tall-tea-mug?category=25

got a very similiar clear glass mug with glass strainer and glass lid from muji, i love it, and from memory i think it was about £7.

terra_ferma

cshermen2000 wrote: »

Well I live alone myself and use the small teapot all the time. I got used to drinking 2 mugs one after the other very quickly.

At the moment I'm doing a silly starvation/crash diet. I decided that skimmed milk and splenda really ruin the taste of the teas as oppose to whole milk/sugar, so rather than my good quality tea tasting rubbish, I bought a big box of yorkshire gold teabags, and using them while I'm dieting.

1 mug of tea with whole milk and 2 sugars is 75 cals. 1 mug of tea with skimmed milk and splenda is 11 cals

It's funny, I actually miss the second mug of tea now with the teabags

Also if you're in London great coffee here http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk

I used to drink tea with milk and sugar, but found that good quality tea tastes better without adding anything, as it covers the taste. Every now and again I have a nice cup of Yorkshire gold too, with milk and sugar, the old fashion way

Sounds like you buy good quality tea, and not enjoying it because of your diet. What a pity.:(
You could try green, white and oolong teas, the less oxidised teas are nicer without milk anyway.
jing tea shop do some fantastic chinese green teas, they are so green that they look like grass, and taste a bit grassy too.
Or japanese roasted teas, Hojicha and Kukicha (got one H. from all about tea, lovely!).
There's a whole world out there to explore, delicious no cals drinks, without the need to add milk and sugar