Fancy a cuppa and a chance to win a Brown Betty teapot?

Although I’ve lived away from the UK for twenty years now (and these past 11 months in Portland, Oregon) I still stick rigidly to my four 0'clock teatime ritual. 

On Facebook recently, author Elizabeth Duncan asked her friends and followers the question, “What is your favorite brand of tea?”

I used to adore Yorkshire Gold but now I find it too strong.  I enjoy PG Tips but that could be because of “Cooeee Mr. Shifter” – a commercial from 1971. Hilarious. 

I love Twinings (especially Lady Grey), I don’t mind Tetley, I loathe Liptons (is that really tea? Seriously?) but my all-time favorite is … French Breakfast Tea by Mariage Freres. 

Quelle horreur! I hear my fellow countrymen and anglophiles cry. But it’s true. I love it. Perhaps it’s the packaging … or even the little muslin bags?

Drinking tea from the correct cup makes a difference, too. 

Tottering-By-Gently

My mother insists that only workmen on building sites or plumbers (I do not share her opinion) drink tea from heavy mugs. Bone china is the only way to go. I’m not a fan of a cup and saucer (the tea gets cold too quickly) so these delicate mugs from Tottering-by-Gently are a perfect compromise. 

But the true test of a good cuppa is in the way it’s made. And if you want to know how … click on this link to my latest newsletter.  You’ll also find details of a free contest for a chance to win a genuine Brown Betty teapot. All you have to do is guess the name of the dog on the book cover of my brand new series that will be coming out in May of 2014 called Murder at Honeychurch Hall. The contest ends December 1. Winners will be contacted by email and announced on Facebook.  

But for now, my little alarm has just gone off. It’s 3.50 PM exactly. In ten minutes I’ll be sitting down with my afternoon cuppa and a McVitites chocolate digestive biscuit. Yum. 

The Perfect Cup of Tea

Being British, I'm very particular about what passes for a good cup of tea. It's not just the brand of tea or the ongoing argument over tea bags vs. loose leaf, the teapot design is very important.

An original Brown Betty teapot is hard to come by these days so if you have one, hold onto it. It's considered by many to be the best teapot design ever created. It may be the special red clay that is used for making the pot that causes the superior tea, or it could be the unique design of the pot itself. It's said that "the design allows the tea leaves more freedom to swirl through the water as it is poured into the pot and releases more flavor with less bitterness."

The original teapots came from a red clay that was discovered in the Stoke-on-Trent area of Britain in 1695. This special clay seemed to retain heat better and so found use as the material for the perfect teapot as early as the seventeenth century. The shape became more rounded as time passed and eventually found favor at the court of Queen Victoria.

Brown Betty Teapot

How to make a good cup of tea!

If you have a Brown Betty never put it in the microwave or on top of the stove. Always wash it by hand.
To Brew Tea:
1. Run warm water in the pot to warm it and pour it out.
2. Add one teaspoon of tea per cup - and one for the pot (or 1 teabag per person and 1 for the pot) - it depends on personal taste.
3. Put fresh cold water into the kettle and heat it just to the boil. Pour water into the teapot on top of the tea!
4. Steep for three minutes and then pour. If you are using loose leaf tea, remember the tea strainer.

Drinking tea is not for everyone. It's an acquired taste but if you hate it, it could be that you've not found the kind you like. My favorite tea is P.G. Tips. I don't care for Yorkshire Gold - the box is pretty but the tea is just too strong. Liptons is ghastly ... so persevere! Earl Grey and Lady Grey are also yummy if you can't take the traditional English brands.

One of my all-time favorite TV commercials for tea is this one. Hope you enjoy it!  Remember to turn up the sound!