You are probably thinking I am somewhere in the heart of France enjoying afternoon tea in a Château. I wish I was – I love tea and I love châteaux. In actual fact Chateau Rouge is the name of a luxury tea company based in London.

A few weeks back I received a parcel of teas from Chateau Rouge Tea and what magnificent teas they were. Each package beautifully wrapped, I almost didn’t want to open them.

But once I carefully unwrapped the crisp white tissue paper sealed together with an elegant Chateau Rouge sticker, I found three lovely silver packages staring back at me. As you can see each package is well labelled and the packaging is 100% biodegradable resealable foil pouches. They are available in sizes as little as 10 grams.

These packages here are 50 grams each. To find out more about Chateau Rouge’s luxury tea please do click on over to their wonderful website where they have detailed information on the different types of teas on offer as well as videos on how to make their teas.

Chateau Rouge’s Vanilla Rooibos Tea is part of their Tisane range, this means it’s part of their ‘herbal tea’ range.

Rooibos means ‘red bush’ in Afrikaans and it is only grown in the Western Cape province of South Africa. For hundreds of years the Africans have used rooibos tea both for medicinal reasons and because of its pleasant, slightly sweet and nutlike flavour. If you lived in South Africa ‘Rooibos’ would be very familiar to you but in recent years Rooibos tea is becoming increasing popular around the world due to its many benefits.  Rooibos tea contains no caffeine and very little tannin so it is an ideal substitute for coffee and conventional black teas.  Upon my research about rooibos tea I found that it has many health benefits, some of which are:

• Caffeine free
• Contains powerful antioxidants
• Prevents against some cancers
• High mineral content
• Improves circulation
• Relieves stomach complaints
• Aids absorption of iron
• Can relieve skin conditions
• Can protect against Parkinsons/Alzheimers disease
• Encourages restful sleep

I tried all three teas sent to me by Chateau Rouge Luxury Tea and each one has their own beautiful distinct characters but the first one I wanted to bake with was Vanilla Rooibos tea.

Vanilla Rooibos Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 80 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
• 250 grams sugar
• 240 grams plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 250 mL whole milk
• 3 tablespoons Chateau Rouge Vanilla Rooibos tea
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon loose Vanilla Rooibos tea

Method

• In a small saucepan bring half of the milk to the boil then place 3 tablespoons of the Rooibos tea leaves in the boiling milk to steep. If you have a tea strainer bag you can use one, this will save you from straining the loose tea leaves. An alternative is to microwave the milk till it is very hot then steep the tea in the hot milk. Steep for a few minutes then discard the tea. Pour in the rest of the milk, this will cool the hot steeped milk tea. Set aside.
• Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line your cupcake tin with cases.
• Start by mixing the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt with an electric mixer. The ingredients should be well combined and resemble fine breadcrumbs by the time you have finished.
• Next, lightly mix together the wet ingredients in a measuring jug – steeped milk, vanilla and eggs.
• Begin mixing the breadcrumb mixture again at a slow speed and then carefully pour in just over two-thirds of the milk mixture as you mix.
• Combine well and scrap down the sides if necessary. Finally add the rest of the milk mixture and beat until smooth.
• Stir in the 1 tablespoon of Rooibos tea.
• Fill the cupcake tin with batter to about two-thirds full and bake for approximately 18 – 20 minutes until lightly brown and springy to the touch.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool ever so slightly before removing them from the tin and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Rooibos Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 3 cups icing sugar sifted
• 1 tablespoon Chateau Rouge Vanilla Rooibos Tea
• 3 tablespoons hot milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

• Steep the hot milk with the tea. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Beat butter and icing sugar till well incorporated.
• Beat in the milk and vanilla essence till the frosting is at a consistency you are happy to pipe with.
• If you feel the frosting is too wet, beat in more sifted icing sugar. If you feel it is too dry, beat it a little more milk.

Chateau Rouge’s Vanilla Rooibos tea has a calming aroma and a very smooth pleasant flavour. Like normal tea, some prefer to drink it with a dash of milk and sugar whilst others prefer it on its own.

As for me you can see I prefer it on its own and in a cupcake so why not try some for yourself?

Review thanks to: The Charmed Cupcake - Dedicated cupcake blog where ‘cupcakes are an important part of a balanced diet’

I like to start my day with something dark and serious. A cup of tea that can grab me by the shoulders and give me a good shake. But recently, I’ve noticed that after lunch, I’ve got a hankerin’ for something a little more mellow. Still bold – I need to know it’s there – but slightly… less intense.

Lucky for me, a lovely package arrived in the mail just this week. A gift from my new friends at London-based Chateau Rouge Luxury Teas.

I love how each package is wrapped crisply and neatly in white tissue paper within the shipping box. The luxe experience begins upon its arrival on your doorstep!

To keep me company this afternoon, I’m enjoying their Himalayan Oolong. The description makes me that much more eager to taste it:

A very special tea from probably one of the most beatiful tea gardens up high in the Nepalese Himalayas. This Darjeeling styled rich oolong is made entirely by hand from only the tenderest autumnal leaves, producing long, twisted dark brown spicy fragrant leaves with golden tips. A must have for any tea connoisseur!

I don’t know if it’s just my repressed romanticism rearing its timid head, but I am completely captivated by reading the words, “one of the most beautiful tea gardens…”

On opening the tea, I’m met with a rich, earthy scent with a very, very faint touch of spice. I brew for the recommended 3 (ish) minutes, and it’s time for that first sip.

Bold, smooth, with a touch of the floral bouquet I associate with oolongs, but it is balanced with an almost woodsy note. I could see the two of us spending many a productive afternoon together.

Chateau Rouge is a very new acquaintance, but I’m really enjoying their tea as well as their approach to tea. I don’t know that I’ve ever done this before, but I encourage you to visit their web site. Their vision is helping us – the regular Joe’s of the world – “discover remarkable teas.” I like it.

Jen has a tea and a mystery novel obsession, and loves sharing her best tea moments on her blog: International Tea Moments

Like many bloggers, a steaming hot cup of tea is a necessary part of my daily routine. In fact, my housemate and I don’t just have the odd box of tea. We have an entire cupboard crammed full of the stuff: Earl Grey, Lady Grey, English Breakfast, builders’, peppermint, lemon and ginger, rooibos, chamomile, Darjeeling straight from India, chai, green tea, Dorchester anniversary blend. You name it, we’ve probably got it. What’s more, over the years my tastes have become more refined.While a hot cup of Clipper and milk is one of my staples, increasingly I’ve been branching out, adding lemon and honey, a few crushed cardamom pods, or boiling a piece of ginger and using the water to brew my tea for example.

So when Chateau Rouge contacted me on Twitter and asked whether I’d like to sample some of their luxury teas, I jumped at the chance. I would never claim to be a tea connoisseur, and it was only recently that I realised that the art of tea was as refined and complex as that of wine, but I’d never tried this brand before and am always looking out for new teas to add to my repertoire. They kindly sent me two packets of their loose leaf tea: Ferguson’s Ceylon and Wiedouw Rooibos, both of which won gold in the 2012 Great Taste Awards. A good start. They came well packaged in easy to open, resealable bags. These were beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and sealed with a branded sticker.

I love small touches like this, which instantly make you feel like you’re buying a quality product. Here are the teas – the rooibos (redbush) tea is on the left. It’s naturally caffeine free, which is perfect for evening drinking when I don’t want to be kept up at night. A quick look at the website reassured me that this tea is 100% organic. The tea is entirely handpicked in South Africa and cured naturally in the sun. On the right is the ceylon. These lovely, long dark strands come from Sri Lanka, where Chateau Rouge claim to scour the country for only the finest ceylon tea. It’s completely up to you how you prefer to take your tea. Rooibos for example, can be drunk with or without milk, and the same goes for ceylon. I opted for a splash of milk in the ceylon and drinking the rooibos black (or more accurately, red).

Ferguson’s Ceylon

One of my favourite reasons for using loose leaf tea, apart from the satisfaction of doing things properly, is that it can be brewed to taste. I prefer a lighter infusion, as I find a longer brew to be a little bitter. I’ve also found it quite hard to find a black tea that I enjoy drinking without milk, and I’m pleased to say Ferguson’s Ceylon hit the perfect balance for me, both with and without milk. This tea has medium body without being either flavourless or too tangy. It’s a perfectly smooth, delicate cup of tea, which would be perfect alongside a slab of homemade carrot cake.

Wiedouw Rooibos

In the past, rooibos hasn’t hit the right note with me. I love the idea of it almost being halfway between proper tea and a herbal infusion, but I find the strange, sweet taste a little too much for my palate. One sip of this luxury version told me instantly that I’d simply been relying on the wrong, mass-marketed brands. This rooibos has a gorgeous, fresh aroma. I loved its rich, reddish-brown colour and its slightly grassy taste. There was no bitterness, and its sweetness was just the right level for me. I could definitely picture myself drinking this tea all-year round, it was so refreshing.

In short, both of these teas were clear winners in my book and I’d wholeheartedly recommend giving them a try. I always write reviews honestly, and will always raise concerns or disappointments with the products I review, but I had nothing I could fault these teas on, and I’ll definitely be going back for more!

Review thanks to: Queenie and the Dew - Lifestyle and Fashion Blog

Drinking: Chateau Rouge Organic Oolong Tea

“Sorry, Oo-what?”  Yes I’m sorry to say I’d previously been dragging my heels when it came to trying Oolong Teas.  Having just got to grips with the many different types of black, green and white teas, I just didn’t know if I was ready to venture into this new tea world that people raved about!

For newcomers like me, it’s worth noting that Oolong means the tea leaves are semi-oxidised after picking, compared to Green or Black Teas, which are either unoxidised or fully oxidised (world of extremes).   Therefore, the claims that Oolong is a compromise between Black Tea and Green Tea are probably quite fair.  A tea like this can balance the rich flavour found in a Black Tea with the freshness and some of the antioxidants found in a Green Tea.  With my previous resistance in mind, this might have actually been a great start to the world of Tea!

Notebook: As with all adventures, I’m glad I persevered.  Most Oolong Teas come from China or Taiwan, so this Chateau Rouge Nepalese version is out of the ordinary and described as ‘Darjeeling-styled’ because of its origins in the high peaks of the Himalayas.  Tea connoisseurs might like to know this tea is made entirely by hand and you can appreciate loose leaves that are large and twisted.

With all that in mind, I still wasn’t prepared for how much like Darjeeling Tea this would taste, with its smooth texture and naturally sweet, floral flavour.  However, I’d say this Himalayan Oolong had a fuller, earthier taste, compared to a lighter first-flush Darjeeling Tea I’d tried before.  I can only wonder if this is to do with these rich Autumnal leaves or because of the vegetal taste a less oxidised Oolong tea might bring?  I certainly would like to explore this further.

Chateau Rouge, as usual, manage to mix Fairtrade with luxury and recommend afternoon tea cakes, cream cheese or chocolate with this particular Tea.  Not one to argue with any of those suggestions, I’m happy to sit and enjoy this lovely version of Oolong Tea for a while…

- Sam Selwood is a tea enthusiast who likes to connect real people with real tea through her Tea Street blog.  She enjoys quality tea that is healthy and fair for everyone, making us mindful of the planet and our own drinking experience.  As well as writing, Sam loves to demonstrate her passion for tea and travel through photography but can otherwise be found buried in a good book!

We have partnered with Prestat luxury chocolates for a great chance to win a specially made HUGE 454g truffle filled Easter egg. PLUS we have selected two of our favourite Chateau Rouge Teas that best go with the milk chocolate egg, worth £100 in total. All you need to do is LIKE/SHARE the post on the Chateau Rouge Facebook page to have a chance to win. Remember you must be in it to win it!

Note: Only one entry per person. The winning prize includes: a specially made 454g (1lb) Prestat luxury Easter egg (www.prestat.co.uk), White Monkey green tea, Fikkal Ilam black tea and Swissgold tea infuser value £100. Winner chosen at random from Facebook entrants. Competition closes Tuesday 26 March 2013 24h00 GMT, to give us time to make sure you get your prize in time for Easter Sunday.

We will be donating all online profits today & tomorrow (15 and 16 March 2013) to Comic Relief for Red Nose Day – please share this update! Shop today and really make a difference…

Update: A special thank you to everyone who helped support us this year, and helped make a difference in the lives of so many who need it!

The winning prize includes:
Imperial Earl Grey – 100g ‘Classique’ Tin
Organic Honeybush – 100g ‘Classique’ Tin
Small Glass Teapot with Infuser – 400ml

]]> http://www.chateaurougetea.com/blog/mothers-day-facebook-competition/feed/ 0 http://www.chateaurougetea.com/blog/finding-the-perfect-teapot/ http://www.chateaurougetea.com/blog/finding-the-perfect-teapot/#comments Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:55:47 +0000 Sean Farrell http://www.chateaurougetea.com/blog/?p=1043 The enjoyment of tea drinking is shared by many around the world whether as a connoisseur of tea, delighting in delicate infusions, or preferring more humble brews with hug-a-mug comfort. I’ve come across tea lovers who have elevated preparation and imbibing to the point of ritual; all well and good if you have the time for such practices. For others an appreciation of tea exists in the choice of tea bags available on the supermarket shelf.

I indulge in both aspects of tea drinking, the fine and the functional, which I would argue can be enjoyed in equal measure if your expectations are managed in direct proportion to the ingredients you use. Personally, I prefer to drink the stuff rather than enter into debate about the subject. For me, the telling difference between a good cup of tea and a great cup of tea depends on how it’s brewed. There’s no doubt in my mind that the method of brewing contributes to taste, which is why I try, when I have the time, to make tea in a teapot rather than a mug.

In fact I’d go as far as to say that in my experience different teapots can create unique flavours; my excuse for having more than a few, china, pottery and several made of various metals. Such is my teapot collection that I’ve had to steel myself to be hard-hearted towards those that haven’t been favoured in a while. Every now and then I donate one or two teapots to our local charity shop, telling myself they will be probably be better used by a new owner. These charity donations also help free up valuable space in my cupboards. Of course, as you probably know yourself, it’s difficult to drop off unwanted stuff at a charity shop without discovering at least one item you “can’t leave without”. In my case this is especially true if I spot a teapot which looks like it could brew the ultimate tea experience, or, more typically, I just find particularly attractive.

So which teapot is the best teapot? I’ve test-brewed many over the years and for me it’s a metal one, given to me by by husband as an anniversary present (read on before you scoff). Last year, as we wandered around a lovely antique centre near Oxford, hand in hand of course, I turned down the offer of the expensive decorative item my husband wanted to buy me. Instead my present of choice was a teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl and tray with which, when first my eyes fell upon it, I instantly fell in love. (OK, scoff now if you like)

I lovingly brought my anniversary present home, not forgetting husband, and set the kettle to boil before I’d taken off my coat. I proudly arranged my new collection, filled the milk jug and poured the boiling water onto the tea in the pot. I waited with excited anticipation! The long drive home had no doubt sharpened my appreciation of the resulting cuppa. To my taste buds the combination of tea and pot delivered a flavour that was simply … Mmm, heavenly cup of tea.

Was my experience more fanciful than factual? How much does a particular teapot influence the flavour of the tea? What’s your experience?

By Susan Collini – tea lover and passionate teapot collector. www.websitewings.co.uk

Having already enjoyed Chateau Rouge’s Rooibos teas, I just had to try their Ferguson’s Ceylon black tea when I heard it received the ‘Great Taste’ Gold Award 2012!  So on went my explorer’s hat and off I went to find out where on earth Ceylon was and what I thought of this award winning tea…

So first off was an imaginary trip to the Indian Ocean (don’t mind if I do!) to the British Colony of Ceylon, which we all now know as the beautiful Sri Lanka!  You may notice this tea is called ‘Ferguson’s Ceylon’ which is inspired by ‘Ferguson’s Ceylon Directory’, a documented history of the country originally published in 1859.

By combining the rich history described in this directory, with Sri Lanka’s stunning scenery, you can see why so many people are exploring these lands for luxury holidays.  Most people are drawn to discover the golden sand beaches, timeless ruins and impressive wildlife but us tea types would probably make a beeline for their tea estates given half the chance!

Ceylon Tea can be found on a variety of Sri Lanka’s tea estates and it’s therefore thought of as one of their specialities. You may therefore be forgiven for thinking you’ve tried Ceylon before – but not so fast because Ceylon tea actually varies in taste between estates!  As with all tea-growing areas, this is down to the geography of the estates and the altitude in particular.

I’ve got to say, the altitude from the Low lying Ratnapura District has definitely affected the taste of Chateau Rouge’s loose leaf Ceylon tea – but in a totally brilliant way of course!  So good in fact, that they haven’t confused the delicate flavour with another by mixing it into a tea blend by the time it reaches us!

I personally like the richness of a black tea in these colder months (not tropical here, is it darlings!) and find that loose leaf tea is the best way of infusing a balanced brew.  Ferguson’s Ceylon can be brewed to taste and I preferred a delicate lighter infusion with a warm copper appearance, although a longer brew will become delightfully dark and tangy.

Either way, this has a medium body just perfect for me as I’m always on the lookout for black teas that taste good without milk.  Some of us are yet to be convinced that tea without milk isn’t a horribly bitter experience (you know who you are!) but Ferguson’s Ceylon is smooth and soothing and I dare you to try it straight up with a twist, in the form of a pretty French pastry during your Chateau Rouge Afternoon tea!

Luxury tea, it’s worth noting, can be an ethical tea for everyone and I was pleased to see the Fair-trade, Rainforest Alliance and ethical tea partnership stamps of approval.

Does all of this sound tempting? Well, Chateau Rouge is offering 20% off of your orders this January in celebration of their new shiny Gold award!  Just enter TASTEGOLD at the checkout!

- Sam Selwood is a tea enthusiast who likes to connect real people with real tea through her Tea Street blog.  She enjoys quality tea that is healthy and fair for everyone, making us mindful of the planet and our own drinking experience.  As well as writing, Sam loves to demonstrate her passion for tea and travel through photography but can otherwise be found buried in a good book!