... AND GIVE THE NEW BATCH OF KOOKY CUPPAS A TASTE TEST
T2 CHOC BUNS £7.50 for 100g
This loose-leafed black tea contains cinnamon, ginger, raw cacao powder, orange peel, cardamon and cloves, and is a spicy delight. The currants give it a natural sweetness. During the five-minute brewing time, the kitchen smelt wonderful – like I was baking a fruit and cinnamon loaf.
BUBBLEOLOGY, BUBBLE TEA £3.75 for 700ml
Brightly coloured bubble tea started as a gimmick but has endured and is now beloved, particularly by teenagers. They can be milky (like a milkshake), tea-based or a fruit-infusion. This one was passionfruit with lychee and mango jellies and it felt like tea in name alone. Very addictive though.
BLUEBERRY MUFFIN TEA £7.50 for 100g
I had high hopes of this blueberry muffin tea, but it disappointed. It was so sweet, with an overwhelming taste of apple and cinnamon – but not a whiff of blueberry. Not quite sure where the muffin comes in either. An attempt to woo the Starbucks generation? Either way, it failed.
DAILY CULTURES £4 for 14 bags
The label on each teabag boasts ‘1 billion cultures in each cup’, referring to the friendly bacteria needed to maintain a healthy gut, which the makers claim is ten times more effective than those in dairy produce. I can’t vouch for the health claims, but can for its great taste – though it has a hefty price tag.
T2 CREME BRULEE £7 for 100g
Creme brulee is the dessert I always order when it’s on the menu, so theoretically I should like this tea. Small chunks of hazelnut praline have been added to a loose leaf black tea. The vanilla smell is quite overpowering and the tea tastes very sugary. One for the extremely sweet-toothed.
MULTEA LEMON AND PEACH GREEN TEA £3.69 for 15 bags This is a lovely floral drink without any of the bitterness associated with some green teas. It has the bonus of added goodness and contains Vitamin C, many of the B vitamins and folic acid – a bit like a tea version of the vitamin drink Berocca. POPCORN TEA £4.15 for 15 bags
It may sound like a modern gimmick, but this is a tea with heritage. Japanese peasants used to mix green tea with toasted rice to make it go further. Fans of green tea – its strong, bitter flavour is an acquired taste – will love this. I enjoyed its nuttiness and clear flavour and would drink it again.
CHAGA MUSHROOM TEA POWDER £17 for 100g
Made from a fungus said to be the king of medicinal mushrooms, which is claimed to boost the immune system and have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The downside? Its bland taste, which is more like a poorly flavoured broth. A resounding no.