Wiedouw Long-cut Organic Rooibos Tea is available exclusively at Chateau Rouge Luxury Teas. We sell the only true single estate long-cut Rooibos tea in the UK, and as far as we are aware are the only company importing and selling Rooibos direct from a tea farm in South Africa and not through brokers in Europe. Read the rest of this entry »
Memories of Darjeeling…
As I sit here on the train from London to St. Ives, winding my way through the beautiful Dorset countryside memories come flooding back to me of the times I have been aboard the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. This is quite simply the most mesmerising journey I have ever been on . Words can do little justice to the serene beauty on offer during this seven hour weave through the Himalayan Mountains.
Early morning - Temi Tea Estate, South Sikkim, India
Back again after a few weeks trying some fantastic first flushes from Darjeeling. We thought its a great opportunity to tell you about our little secret… Sikkim Temi 1st flush. Like with all our teas we go to great lengths to choose teas with a story, and the Sikkim Temi is a tea that is no different. It comes from the only tea estate in Sikkim, a government owned estate that has been producing fantastic teas since the 1960′s. Not only are teas from Temi as good as neighbouring Darjeeling, but what makes this tea even more special is the surroundings… Read the rest of this entry »
Chateau Rouge Photo of the week - Fiat 500 vs. Audi Q7 - Leaf tea vs. Tea Bag
This weeks photo of the week (without the tea)
Wondering through the streets surrounding Spitafields market in London the other day, we came across this fantastic picture. An old Fiat 500 taking on a mighty Audi Q7. And what struck us most about this picture, other than feeling it was David vs. Goliath (and hoping the Audi had its brakes on), but what the 2 vehicles symbolise. Read the rest of this entry »
We had a great time at the Bath Coffee Festival in Bath. It was our first trip out to that part of the country since launching in Harvey Nichols. It was a fantastic weekend, and always a pleasure to visit beautiful Bath! Through serving plenty of tea samples over the 2 days, running demonstration workshops and with having the opportunity to meet hundreds tea and coffee lovers alike; I thought it would be good to highlight the main questions asked about Speciality Leaf Tea. Tea popularity is definitely on the rise and a whole tea ‘re-education’ under way – a journey of tea discovery and hopefully discovering something remarkable along the way. After all it is a journey not a destination! Read the rest of this entry »
Jasmine green tea not only tastes great but it is proven to be a great health drink too. No wonder the well fed Chinese emperors loved jasmine.According to legend a Chinese emperor in the Song dynasty (960-1279AD) used several hundred pots of jasmine to perfume the palace grounds. Read the rest of this entry »
Tea is a work of art and needs a master hand to bring out its noblest qualities - Okakura Kakuzo, The Book of Tea
Many myths and recipes surround English Earl Grey black tea, whose distinctive flavour and aroma come from combining various black teas with oil extracted from bergamot rind.
Earl Grey is named after the British Prime Minister Charles, 2nd Earl Grey (1830-1834). Legend has it while on a diplomatic mission to China; a mandarin confided the recipe in gratitude for saving his son’s life. Read the rest of this entry »
Afternoon tea is back in fashion and hotels across London regularly have queues running down the street for afternoon tea. With prices ranging from £15 to as much as£ 80 at the Ritz Carlton, afternoon tea is not cheap. But then again, it never was intended for the working classes! So where did the tradition of afternoon tea first come from, and what does it mean? We have the 7th Duchess of Bedford to thank for creating the tradition of afternoon tea.
In the early nineteenth century tea was very popular and tea consumption in the UK was increasing dramatically, much like today tea was being discovered as not only a thirst quencher but as a way to get through the afternoon and avoid that sinking feeling mid-afternoon.
The Duchess of Bedford, Anna, is said to have complained of “having that sinking feeling” during the late afternoon. At that stage, in the early nineteenthcentury, it was then normal for people to have only two meals a day, breakfast and dinner in the evening. The Duchess decided a good solution was to have a pot of black tea with milk and a light snack late afternoon. She used to have afternoon tea privately in her boudoir, but soon friends were invited to join her in her in her rooms at Woburn Abbey for tea. This summer practice proved so popular that when she returned to London in the autumn, she continued to invite friends, sending them cards asking them to join her for “tea and a walking the fields.” Other social hostesses in London quickly picked up on the idea and the practice became respectable enough to move it into the drawing rooms across the country. Before long all of fashionable society was sipping tea and nibbling sandwiches in the middle of the afternoon.
Traditionally, the upper classes would serve a ‘low’ or ‘afternoon’ tea around four o’clock, just before the fashionable promenade in Hyde Park. The middle and lower classes would have a more substantial ‘high’ tea later in the day, at five or six o’clock, in place of a late dinner. The names derive from the height of the tables on which the meals are served, high tea being served at the dinner table.
And that is the story of how afternoon tea came into fashion and how it has shaped over 200 years of English tradition. So if you one of an estimated 2 billion people watching the Royal wedding, between Prince William and Kate Middleton on the 29 April 2011, to celebrate why not partake in a very British tradition, celebrate withafternoon tea or high tea (it’s a special occasion). To make it even more special why not treat yourself with a Sikkim Temi from India, a colonial gem and tea fit for a king and queen.
Château Rouge Teas, purveyors of fine, premium, specialist and luxury leaf teas that are sourced from around the world. Chateau Rouge Luxury Teas Ltd, Coppergate House, 16 Brune St, London E1 7NJ, England. Company No.5489120
Green Teas | Oolong Tea | Black Teas | Tisane Teas | Jasmine Green Tea | White Monkey Green Tea | Formosa Pouchong Oolong Tea | Sikkim Temi Black Teas | Fikkal Lam Black Teas | Imperial Earl Grey Teas | Wiedouw Organic Rooibos Tea Tisane | Wild Harvest Honeybush Tea Tisane | London Aafternon Tea
A brief history of the tea bag… In 1908, Thomas Sullivan, an American tea merchant, began distributing samples of his tea in small bags of Chinese silk with a drawstring. Consumers noticed that they could simply leave the tea in the bag and re-use it. It was not however till the 1950’s that Tetley’s commercialised the tea bag and launched it in the UK.
It proved an immediate success, as it was easy and convenient, making tea bags popular for many people today. Tea bags are normally made using fannings or “dust” – a by-product from the sorting of higher grade loose leaf tea. Fannings are useful in bagged teas because the greater surface area of the many particles allows for a very fast, complete diffusion of the tea into the water – producing a stronger, harsh flavour when brewed. It is not always possible to fit larger tea leaves into small tea bags without breaking the leaves in the production process.
Dried tea can lose its flavour quickly on exposure to air. Tea bags that contain leaves broken into small pieces have a greater surface area to volume ratio of the leaves that exposes them to more air, and therefore causes them to go stale faster. Loose tea leaves are likely to be in larger pieces, or to be entirely intact which means they remain fresher for longer.
With loose leaf tea there is no problem of ‘tasting the teabag’. Using a good quality infuser or teapot ensures you don’t have the residual taste left by a paper tea bag.
Whole leaf tea retains most of the natural oils in the tea leaf. Breaking up the leaves for bags loses many of the natural flavoured oils in the leaf that give the tea its unique taste.
The tea leaves have enough room to open up and release their full flavour. The small size of the bag does not allow leaves to diffuse and steep properly.
With leaf tea there is no temptation to squeeze the tea bag against the side of the mug, which will release more tannins and makes a very bitter cup.
There are no tea bags to recycle, and no risk of being exposed to the carcinogenic glues or coatings used on some tea bags.
Lastly, as you can see the tea leaves unfurl in your teapot or cup, you know exactly what tea you drinking. You can even experiment by mixing your own teas, for example green tea and spearmint or Rooibos and Honeybush, make a fantastic blend.
Château Rouge are purveyors of fine, premium, specialist and luxury leaf teas that are sourced from around the world. Chateau Rouge Luxury Teas Ltd, Coppergate House, 16 Brune St, London E1 7NJ, England. Company No.5489120
Green Teas | Oolong Tea | Black Teas | Tisane Teas | Jasmine Green Tea | White Monkey Green Tea | Formosa Pouchong Oolong Tea | Sikkim Temi Black Teas | Fikkal Lam Black Teas | Imperial Earl Grey Teas | Wiedouw Organic Rooibos Tea Tisane | Wild Harvest Honeybush Tisane
