On a rainy and snowy late winter day, a date for afternoon tea and a meal at A Taste of Britain is the perfect way to spend a day. Or, really, any day if you ask me. While cities are known for having restaurants and shops that cater to all tastes, it’s actually Philadelphia‘s nearby suburb of Wayne where you’ll find this charming tea room. And be assured that A Taste of Britain is more than “just” a place for tea.
Over the past few years, matcha has become a popular trend and buzzword with tea enthusiasts, those who swear by healthy and clean living, and indie coffee shop customers. But I still frequently get a look of confusion when I say I’m having matcha. Who knew a type of tea could cause such problems?
Here are all the basics you need to know about matcha green tea — as well as a simple recipe for a refreshing matcha latte to get you hooked!
A day of culture. Art and afternoon tea. It’s difficult for me to think of a better way to spend a day. And Wilmington, Delaware, has just the answer. After my recent trip to the Brandywine River Museum of Art, I headed down to downtown Wilmington. Only a short drive away from the museum is the historic HOTEL DU PONT. The luxurious hotel serves up afternoon tea that will spoil and delight. It’s a day to savor and enjoy.
It doesn’t take long to become impressed by the HOTEL DU PONT. Even those unfamiliar with its legendary reputation for luxury will soon get the picture once they step inside the lobby.
For many, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, brings to mind farms on a gently rolling landscape, Amish driving along in horse and buggies, and small villages with entertaining names like Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. Think Harrison Ford in Witness. The Amish communities have made Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Lancaster County nearly synonymous.
But in the heart of the county is Lancaster City, a young, hip urban center that has experienced a rebirth and gentrification in recent years. Today, Lancaster City is offering a thoroughly modern lifestyle with a melding of sites of historical importance with trendy restaurants and shops. I recently made a visit to Lancaster to get to know this up and coming city a little better.
For fans of tea, travel and pastries, there’s no better item for your travel bucket list that I can think of than having afternoon tea in London. Maybe that’s just my love of tea and pastries talking. But afternoon tea is a creation, afterall, of the English. For this month’s Must See Travel Bucket List, I’m highlighting five locations in London whose afternoon tea I’d love to try: from the traditional to the not so traditional.
For me, the biggest draw of attending the Coffee and Tea Festival NYC was about trying new coffee and tea brews. But it is also about taking some of those samples home with me. I also enjoyed getting introductions to companies that are new to me. In addition to having great tasting products, many have positive background stories. You can have good tea and coffee and feel good about it.
Many of the vendors exhibiting at the festival offer premium quality products. So my “haul” is rather limited. I’m more in favor of quality over quantity! Let’s get to know Ippodo Tea Co. Kyoto, Ajiri Coffee, Four Sigmatic and Sugimoto America!
Tea and coffee seem to be more popular than ever! Everyone’s trying special artisan coffees and loose-leaf tea blends. After attending this year’s Coffee and Tea Festival in Brooklyn, I noticed some specific coffee and tea trends. We’re not talking about your grandma’s instant coffee and weak tea anymore. Oh, no! We’re way past that! Artisan, organic, and unconventional. There is something for everyone. Check out these four Coffee and Tea Trends that you’ll want to try!
What is better than a hot cup of coffee or tea on a snowy winter’s day? How about sampling dozens of different coffees and teas? This past weekend my husband and I took the ferry to NYC and trekked to Brooklyn. The annual Coffee and Tea Festival was being held in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. After attending the Philadelphia arm of the festival a year or two ago, I was looking forward to the NYC version.
When you think of a French press, your first thought is probably to think of coffee, right? It would make perfect sense as French pressed coffee seems more popular than ever. Everyone is looking to get that perfect cup of coffee without venturing out to pay someone else to do it. But have you ever considered brewing tea with a French press?
One of the reasons to opt for loose leaf tea over bagged tea is the way the leaves are processed. If you were to open a typical tea bag, you’d likely find finely chopped tea leaves. Loose tea is different. It is usually sold as large pieces of tea leaves even whole tea leaves. This can depend on the brand or even the style of tea. Because loose tea leaves are larger, when brewed they will expand. Having this extra room allows the leaves to release more flavor. In Asia it isn’t uncommon to put the tea leaves right into a pot. But this method, usually, doesn’t include any kind of mesh so leaves can get into your cup. Tea ball infusers, which is my normal brewing method, don’t give the leaves much room to unfurl. That brings us to brewing tea with a French press.
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Loose tea is all the rage these days. Recently, I explored five great loose teas that you should be brewing up. But what about the old standard: bagged tea! We can’t forget our old friend. You can’t argue with the on-the-go convenience of bagged tea. And these days, tea drinkers aren’t limited to bland bagged teas that taste like cardboard. The market has exploded and expanded. To celebrate the rebirth of bagged tea, here are five fantastic bagged tea that you should try!
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