Dragonfly tea: finesse in a cup

"As far as her mom was concerned, tea fixed everything. Have a cold? Have some tea. Broken bones? There's a tea for that too. Somewhere in her mother's pantry, Laurel suspected, was a box of tea that said, 'In case of Armageddon, steep three to five minutes'.”  (Aprilynne Pike, Illusions)

Tea might not fix everything, but it certainly makes life much more enjoyable. On many a stressful day, the best way to calm down for me is to have a cup of tea. If you read my blog, you know of my passion for tea. I often say that tea must be running through my veins, as I consume lots and lots of it every day. There are some brands that I am partial to, but I love discovering new product ranges and exploring the new flavours. There are a couple of Dragonfly tea flavours that I buy regularly, but I haven't tried the whole range. That's why I was more than happy to expand my knowledge of Dragonfly tea. I do not cover the whole range in this blog post, as it is much more extensive than a selection of teabags I received for reviewing.
Dragonfly Tea is a British tea company, family-owned, with an impressive hundred years heritage.

Golden Himalaya (The Black Tea Collection) is an organic Darjeeling tea, which is grown in one of the most illustrious tea gardens of the Himalayan foothills.
It is a beautiful tea, smooth, silky and very tasty. It is rich without a bitter aftertaste. Being known as the Champagne of teas, it has a hint of fruit and even honey. I liked it better without milk.

Moonlight Jasmine (The Green Tea Collection) is another light brew, made from organic green tea. It is truly exquisite. Some jasmine teas have a very strong perfume, but Moonlight Jasmine is perfectly balanced. It is refreshing, aromatic and delicious. The floral scent is delicate. A highly enjoyable tea.

Green Gaucho (The Discovery Collection) organic mate tea is a blend of mate, green tea and lemongrass. "Long prized by Argentina's hardy gauchos, Mate is one of South America's most popular drinks". It is a well-rounded brew, energizing and reviving. Excellent after lunch to keep the post-meal slumber at bay. Taste-wise, it is zingy with a citrus note.

Cape Malay Chai (Naturally Caffeine Free Collection) is a variety of rooibos tea. This organic tea is blended with spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, chicory, cloves, black pepper and cassia oil. Though Asian in its origin, this particular tea is inspired by Cape Town and its culinary traditions. It is lovely with a dash of milk (just a bit) and maybe half a teaspoon of honey or sugar. Spicy chai is always a wonderful perk-me-up on a colder day. I love chai, and this particular chai is one of the teas I buy often.

Earl Grey Rooibos (Dragonfly Rooibos tea) is one of my top favourites. It was my friend Jen who first introduced me to this delightful tea, and I am eternally grateful to her for suggesting it. It was love from the first sip. For me it is a perfect tea, as it is a combination of two of my favouites: rooibos and Earl Grey. I am quite addicted to Earl Grey, and love the fact that I can drink this tea any time of the day, as rooibos is a naturally caffeine free brew. Very aromatic, with an unmistakable bergamot flavour, it is indeed a pure perfection.

Swirling Mist (The Discovery Collection) is an organic white tea. It derives its beautiful name from the silvery down on the underside of white tea leaves. This Bai Mudan tea is grown in the misty high mountains of Fujan province in China. It is an exquisite subtle tea, refined and invigorating. As the website suggests, it is delicious with chocolate based recipes like brownies, cakes and biscuits. Cannot go wrong here. It has such a delicate aroma and flavour, that I wouldn't recommend spoiling adding milk to it. I know the Brits are partial to adding milk to any tea, but please do not ruin the experience.

Moroccan Mint is a brisk Gunpowder green tea with added sweet spearmint. It's a lovely combination of two flavours and an international union, as mint leaves come from Morocco, while the Gunpowder tea is originating from China. It is a well-balanced tea with a clean refreshing taste of green tea and a natural sweetness of spearmint.

Back in January I reviewed Skinny Dragon Pu'er Tea (<---follow the link if you are interested to read about it).

Dragonfly tea also has an impressive range of leaf teas, which comes in beautiful green tins. I have seen some of them in Waitrose.
The full range of Dragonfly Tea is available in all major supermarkets as well as some independent shops.
All Dragonfly Speciality range is certified by The Organic Food Federation.
They don't use artificial additives, preservatives or colourings, and all their teas are GM-free.

For more information about the range, visit Dragonfly tea website.

Disclosure: I received a selection of teabags for the purposes of reviewing but I am also a regular customer of this brand (especially Earl Grey Rooibos). All opinions are mine.

Sorrel soup (#ReadCookEat)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows (Bloomsbury) has been on my to-read list for a few years. It was published in 2008 to an accolade from the book reviewers. Having seen it in a book bundle of 10 at The Book People, I was very tempted (especially that an offer was 2 book bundles for £15, and guess, what I bought two).

Though the book is written by an American (it was finished by the author's niece, due to her health issues), she managed to capture the essence of Britishness.
The novel is written in an epistolary genre, which is an almost lost art nowadays. Juliet Ashton, a young author, is the main protagonist of the book. It is 1946, and she experiences a writer's block. Then out of the blue she receives a letter from Guernsey, which changes her life forever.
The letter comes from Dawsey Adams, a pig farmer and a book lover. Intrigued by the literary society of Guernsey, Juliet finds her inspiration to write. And it is through her eyes and correspondence that we meet the characters of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Without going into details so as not to spoil the book, this society was born as a spur of the moment lie but through the years of occupation became a lifeline for its members.
The book tells a story of the German occupation of Guernsey, the deprivation on both sides, the confusion the locals felt regarding their interaction with the Germans. Though collaboration is a dirty word, they had to co-exist for several years with the enemy. What happens if the enemy becomes a friend or even a lover?
The letters between Juliet, the islanders and her publisher and friends, reveal one such love story. Elizabeth, a highly moral individual of exceptional courage, falls in love with a German. Their daughter is a great little personality.

I enjoyed reading the novel, yet at the same time found it at times over-stretching the reality. All characters in the book seem to be totally eccentric. The spectrum of their eccentricities is varied, but sometimes hard to believe. Many reviewers used the word quirky to describe the novel, and my impression is that the author(s) tried too hard to appear witty. Despite all that, I savoured the stories of the literary society (but did find Juliet rather annoying, she is a kind of a woman who wants to appear jolly, endearing and witty. In real life I find such people quite tedious). For me the best pages were the Guernsey stories and the books they discussed.

With our #ReadCookEat challenge I keep looking for food references in books, and though there were quite a few, including the eponymous potato peel pie, I decided to recreate the sorrel soup which Dawsey cooks for Juliet.

"Over supper, we discussed Jonathan Swift, pigs, and the trials in Nuremberg. Doesn't that reveal a breathtaking range of interests? I think it does. We talked easily enough, but neither of us ate much - even though he had made a delicious sorrel soup (much better than I could)..."

Sorrel soup
Ingredients:
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1 potato, quartered and sliced thinly
4 pickled garlic cloves
1 Knorr mixed herbs flavour pot (or a vegetable stock cube)
30g sorrel, chopped
1 egg, beaten
sea salt

Slice the carrot and potato thinly and cooked in salted boiling water for about 15 minutes together with the pickled garlic cloves and one flavour pot. In the last couple of minutes add the chopped sorrel and a beaten egg. Season well.
Serve hot with a teaspoon of soured cream or Greek yogurt in each plate.

As it happens, I have already posted a recipe for sorrel soup earlier this year, a slightly different version with a hard-boiled egg and olives. You can experiment with vegetables, but a potato is a must in this soup.

My Dad used to add a beaten egg to the soup, whenever he cooked it, and when I was young, I always loved it.

Eddie's Sports Day

You often read about how competitive parents are during their children's Sports Day, and I was bracing myself to the sight and sound of the Tiger mothers, cheering their offspring. I shouldn't have worried. It was a lovely moving event, which we all enjoyed. Two nursery classes (mainstream and special needs) were split into four mixed groups and taken to their "stations". My little man was excited for days in advance, talking about the coming Sports Day. I was busy clicking my camera, as I know Eddie really loves looking at the photos of any events or trips (I have blotted out the faces of the other children and teachers for security reasons).

Eddie's group were first to conquer the obstacle race, jumping from one musical circle pad to another, running over the mini-bridge and going through the tunnel. What fun!

Then, to coincide with the World Cup, they were taken to the football station and were invited to score a goal. Eddie was a real champ! There was a little boy in his group, let's call him Alfie, who is a walking frame user, and he totally melted all hearts with his courage and determination. My eyes welled up each time he finished the task, and I could see his Dad was almost crying (he wasn't alone, all the Mums around were wiping their eyes too).

And this is what I absolutely love about this school. This is the only integrated school in town, and my older son was a student here, in the special needs section. He benefited from being in a small group environment with a great support from his teachers, but also having joint activities like assemblies and sports days with the mainstream school. I also wanted Eddie to learn that all people are different, and there are all kinds of conditions. He knows about Sasha's autism and accepts it as given, but I wanted him to see that Sasha is not the only child like that. Children in this school will grow up, seeing their special needs contemporaries and treating them with kindness. They won't grow up ignorant, like some adults who glare or stare at people with disabilities.

Eddie has had a happy year in his nursery, he acquired lots of lovely friends, and it is with sadness that we'll be leaving this school and moving to a new one. My husband insisted on applying for a different school, with better academic credentials, and he put so much pressure on me, that I gave up. I lost this battle. I have nothing against Eddie's new school, it is a fantastic school, and I'm sure he will love it, but I am grateful to his current nursery/school for everything they did for my boys. (At least he is not going to a private school. As someone who's been brought up as a socialist, I am totally against the private schools despite all their advantages, but that's another issue).

Going back to our Sports Day, children were full of energy and joy, and completed each task with enthusiasm. As for parents, of course, we were cheering our kids, especially those who have difficulties.

Eddie was a little bit shy at first, but later he was too busy, doing things, and I was one proud Mum.

Here he is, doing a dressing up race, where they had to pick up a hat, a tabard, dress up and pick up a hobby horse.

The parachute game was very popular with the kids, they laughed when the little teddies were flying above their heads.To be honest, I didn't quite understand whether they were supposed to keep them in, or send them flying.

All kids got their medals, and Eddie was very proud to get one.

It was a sunny day, full of lovely activities, but the most memorable moment for me was the little brave Alfie in his walking frame.
Next week we'll say Good Bye to Springfield. Keep up the good job!

Kelly's of Cornwall ice cream (giveaway c/d 1 August 2014)

For me, summer and Kelly's of Cornwall are inseparable. Of course, we buy Kelly's ice cream throughout the year, but treating yourself to a scoop of Kelly's in a cone is a summer must. We love Cornwall, and each summer spend a happy week in a small village Perranuthnoe, not far from Penzance. There is not much to do in the village apart from visiting a beautiful old church and a gallery, and spending hours on the beach.
There is a small open air cafe called The Cabin just next to the beach, with the most fantastic views of the sea.

At The Cabin in 2012 and 2013

The Cabin serves overpriced hot drinks, plain meals and cakes... If you cannot live without the Internet, then the indoors part of the cafe is the place where the connection works well (it is very sporadic otherwise... in our cottage it is truly hit and miss).

...but the main attraction for us is the selection of Kelly's ice cream... We have tried all the flavours on offer. I am very partial to a chocolate scoop. My husband enjoys the mint choc chip. Boys prefer Vanilla.

My little man with his ice cream in 2012 and 2013

I was pleased to discover that Kelly's of Cornwall ever expanding range has several new additions to its scoop range including most delectable Eton Mess and Cherry Pie and custard. I hope these flavours will be available in The Cabin this summer, when we stay in Perranuthnoe.

New flavours: Eton Mess and Cherry Pie & Custard (image credits: Kelly's of Cornwall)

You cannot recreate the seaside and the sound of the waves back at home, but you can still enjoy a scoop of Kelly's. The choice of tubs is varied, but the one we buy most often is Clotted Cream.
"Wait, wait for a bowl!", but No, apparently it tastes better straight from the tub, according to some little people.

This summer Kelly's of Cornwall have created a beautiful excursion map for Cornwall, which is a must-have travel accessory for anyone visiting this marvellous peninsula. To view and download the map please click on the link of the map. If you are a fan of Kelly's, you will be able to find the locations of all the ice cream parlours, cafes and hatches which sell this delicious ice cream. I was thrilled to see "our" Perranuthnoe with The Cabin on the map.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Kelly's of Cornwall have kindly offered a prize for my blog readers. One lucky winner will receive a month's supply of Kelly's of Cornwall ice cream (in vouchers, total of 4 tubs).

To be in with a chance of winning, please fill in a Rafflecopter form.

T&Cs:
Only the first step is mandatory: all you need is answer my question by leaving a comment (if you login as Anonymous, please leave you Twitter name or FB name, so that I could identify you, I do not suggest leaving the email address in the comment)
All the other steps are optional, you don't have to do them all. All it takes to win is just one entry.
Only one entry per person is allowed (however, you can tweet daily to increase your chances).
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only. Once the Rafflecopter picks the winners, I will check if they have done what was requested. I will contact the winners, if they do not reply within 28 days, the prize will be allocated to another person. I will pass on the winners' details to Kelly's of Cornwall who will dispatch the prizes.
Please keep in mind I only host a giveaway, and cannot be hold responsible for any prize lost due to Royal Mail. 
The giveaway will close on 1 August midnight.


 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received several vouchers for Kelly's of Cornwall ice cream for the purposes of writing this post, but as you can see from my photos and post we're big fans of Kelly's already. All opinions are mine.

Go Mini Boost Power Racer

There are days when I am hailed as the best Mum in the whole wide world. That happened when we received a new toy which hasn't yet reached the shops - a Go MINI Power Boost Racer from the Golden Bears' Go Mini Range. So, my son Eddie is one of a few lucky kids who were given a chance to try and test a new car before it hit the shops (it will be available at the end of July 2014).

This colourful racer is a motorised vehicle, which has three speed settings and drives by itself at a speed of your choice.

There are three lights on the top, they indicate how many times you press the button and which speed you have chosen. Then after revving the car drives across the room.

These cars are aimed at children aged 3-7 years. Eddie is turning 4 this month, and he is just the right age to appreciate the racing car. He kept telling me that he was going to keep it forever, just in case I decide to give it away. What is it about boys and cars, they seem to enjoy each other's company?! My older son loves watching The Fifth Gear on Youtube, and I suspect he will be soon joined by Eddie, who already knows more about cars than I do.
Go Mini Boost Power Racer will make a lovely gift to any young child who loves playing with cars.

To slim or not to slim?

Well, I ain't 16, not a beauty queen.

My eyes are baggin’ and my skin is saggin’
And if that’s the reason that you don’t love me,
Maybe that’s not love.

I ain't 20 either and I don't care neither...

I love the Older Ladies anthem, it has struck a right chord with many ladies of an "interesting age". I'm in my mid-40s and moving into the older ladies category, though having a (almost) 4-year-old somehow still keeps me young, I believe. I totally subscribe to Donnalou Stevens' philosophy apart from the poochy tummy bit. I know it shouldn't really matter but it does bother me, when applied to my own appearance. Maybe because as a young woman I used to be very slim, and in my mind I am still that slim girl. Yet the mirror tells a different story. I might be comparatively all right, but I am at my heaviest now, discarding two of my pregnancies. I cannot be bothered with the modes'l look, they live on a different planet, and I don't compare myself to them. It's when I look at the "normal" women like my son's nursery teacher or young girls I see in town, that I sigh mentally, knowing that I will never be that slim again.
Ideally I would love to lose about 10lb, but I am quite struggling with reaching my goal. I guess I can still hide my expanding waist under the floaty outfits, but I certainly cannot wear anything which reveals my poochy middle.

I tried 5:2 diet for a few months this year, but it didn't quite work for me. The weight loss was minimal, and the hassle of cooking a special diet food for myself was just too much.
I couldn't impose a diet on my guys, and with three fussy eaters, I was cooking up to 3 different meals a day. Then cooking a special meal just for myself on top of that made me feel like I'm a bloody restaurant.
Then one day I was browsing a catalogue from Yves Rocher, when I noticed some slimming products. I love their cosmetics, some of their cream ranges are my absolute favourites (like Riche Creme, a totally splendid range). Trusting their knowledge in the area of beauty products, I decided to try some of their slimming products. What could be easier than popping a few pills a day, or swapping a usual cup of coffee for a slimming one? Right?

Yves Rocher Defiligne Day & Night Fat Burner comes with a supply of 90 pills. You are supposed to take 2 dark red pills in the morning, and one white pill before dinner time. The main ingredients are Bitter Orange and Green Tea, both known for their health benefits. The rest of the ingredients list reads a bit like a Mendeleev's Periodic Table of elements.

The information on the box promises:
"Defiligne Day & NIght Fat Burner heps you reach your weight loss goals by using 3 plant extracts to slim your silhouette day and night.
During the day, Green tea and Yerba Mate help to burn fats.
At night, their slimming action continues to work while you rest: Citrus Aurantium and Green Tea stimulate lipidic and glucidic metabolism"
Sounds good?
It costs £15, which is a bit steep, though probably justified if it worked.

Yves Rocher Svelta Diet Coffee is another slimming product which I tried. This instant drink mix is made with Arabica coffee, plant extracts and chromium. There are 20 sticks in a box.

It has an acquired taste, which at first I found a bit odd. It reminded me of a chicory coffee which was popular in my youth in Russia. I have bought it a few times already and by now quite enjoy the taste, so will probably buy it in the future, when it's on offer (like now it is at half price offer at Yves Rocher).

Did these slimming products deliver what they promised? Sadly, I cannot report any weight loss. I wouldn't count half a kilo loss as a weight loss, as my weight naturally fluctuates in these limits.
I would like to read if anyone succeeded to lose weight, using these products but for me personally they didn't work at all. I should have saved my pennies and tried a proper diet instead.

Summer Health Week and giveaway (c/d 22 July 2014)

"Hot town, summer in the city!" Summer is a wonderful season, with long evenings in the garden, holidays abroad or pleasures of a staycation. Yet it also brings along such "bonuses" as hayfever, sunburn, insect bites etc.

"Staying healthy is vital when enjoying fun in the sun, wherever you are", says A.Vogel and invites you to sign up to their Summer Health Week, which starts next Monday, 7th July. What exactly is a Summer health week, you might ask. If you sign up, you will be receiving daily emails for a week, each day covering a different health issue like sunburn, insect bites, tired legs, immune system and so on.

To coincide with Summer Health Week, lovely people from A.Vogel have offered a prize for my blog readers. One lucky person will win a selection of A.Vogel products, which will feature in daily tips and health advice which you will receive by email if you join in.

The Summer Health Kit consists of: Molkosan Fruit (200ml), Pollinosan nasal spray (20ml), Venagel (100ml), Echinacea lozenges (30g), Soothing Neem Cream and an Insect Repellent (50ml), valued at over £30.

Due to licensing issues, the sponsor has replaced Atrogel with Pollinosan nasal spray (a product of similar value). 

To be in with a chance of winning this super prize, please use the Rafflecopter entry form.

T&Cs:
Only the first step is mandatory: all you need is answer the question by leaving a comment (if you login as Anonymous, please leave you Twitter name or FB name, so that I could identify you, I do not suggest leaving the email address in the comment)

All the other steps are optional, you don't have to do them all. All it takes to win is just one entry. 
Only one entry per person is allowed (however, you can tweet daily to increase your chances). 
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only. 
Once the Rafflecopter picks the winners, I will check if they have done what was requested. I will contact the winners, if they do not reply within 28 days, the prize will be allocated to another person. I will pass on the winners' details to A.Vogel Herbal Remedies who will dispatch the prizes. 

The giveaway will close on 22 July midnight (from the 21st to the 22nd).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Elmer and the Monster

For the last 25 years Elmer the Patchwork elephant has been bringing magic to many children across the world. Andersen Press has made the Elmer fans happy yet again, having released a new book in the series called Elmer and the Monster.

If you've read Elmer stories, you know that most of them begin with Elmer the patchwork elephant just starting his morning walk, when something happens. This time there is a great hullabaloo and pandemonium in the jungle. All the animals Elmer meets on his way are running in the opposite direction from where he goes. They are all terrified of a loud roar of a mysterious monster.

Nobody is brave enough to venture forward and investigate. It is up to Elmer to discover just who is this terrible creature making such a racket. I'm not going to spoil the story and reveal the identity of the monster, you will have to find it out yourselves.

Just let me tell you that we thoroughly enjoyed this new book. As The Times declared "David Mckee is a genius", and I wholeheartedly agree.
We love his style of illustration: humorous, entertaining, amusing, affectionate and sympathetic. The animals have antropomorphic features, just look at their facial expressions. The colours are bright and vibrant. Go through the pages of the series and marvel at the variety of the flora and fauna.
My guys have enjoyed our "spot the animal" games. We also like to count the monkeys or the birds as we read along.

Eddie loved the monster in the story, and had fun trying to roar as loud as the monster.
The latest story teaches is a lovely addition to the much loved series.

Lovable Elmer is always surrounded by friends. Eddie and I discussed his family recently: he has a cousin Wilbur, Aunt Zelda, Grandpa Eldo, then there is a little pink elephant Rose and a cute flying Super El. I wonder if he'll ever have a girlfriend or wife and a family of his own. Wouldn't he make a wonderful Dad?

To find out more about Elmer and discover all the books in this excellent series, check Andersen Press Elmer page.

The London Tea Co (pyramid range)

“Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea.” (Rev. Sydney Smith)

I am in complete agreement with the Reverend on the matter. I wouldn't be able to function properly without my cuppa. I love discovering new flavours and was delighted when a hamper of The London Tea Co Pyramid range arrived at my doorstep. You might have seen my recent review of The London Tea Co envelope range and might have even entered a giveaway on my blog, which has just ended the other day.

The Pyramid range
Each stylish and sophisticated box contains 15 Biodegradable tea bags. All this range is Fairtrade. I love the design of the boxes, they are all coloured differently, with black silhouettes of the tea drinkers sitting on a capital letter L with a T used as a table. Very clever, amusing and original.
All boxes come with a snippet of a fascinating tea fact:  "Before 1660, Londoners were suspicious of European tastes. But all that changed when they became royal continental tastes. Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese tea addict, (and the wife of Charles II) who introduced the drink at court to ripples of bewigged applause. By 1760, tea had overtaken gin as the most popular drink in Britain".
Poor Catherine indeed needed all the comfort she could get, being a long-suffering wife of the merry and lecherous Charlie. I'm sure she would have given her royal approval to The London Tea Co.
I wonder which flavour would have been her favourite?

Earl Grey is always my first drink of choice, so it's not surprising this was the first tea I have picked from the hamper to try. This classic flavoured black tea is made with natural flavourings, orange and lemon peel. A very enjoyable tea, with real pieces of dried peel which you can see in a transparent pyramid bag. I don't know if natural flavourings mean bergamot, which usually is a signature element in Earl Grey, but this wasn't obvious. If I had to do a blind test, I probably wouldn't name it as Earl Grey, rather a citrus-flavoured black tea. I liked it best with a slice of lemon and one sugar.

Darjeeling comes from Ambootia tea estate at the foothills of the Himalaya in Northern India where environmental practices are important to the owners as maintaining the quality of their produce. This second flush Darjeeling is produced in small quantities once a year. It is a beautiful black tea of dark amber colour. Darjeeling has often been described as the champagne of the tea world. It has a toothsome depth to it, with a tone of bark and dry musk even. Serve in your best china to celebrate its unique taste.

Agatha Christie once said: "Tea! Bless ordinary everyday afternoon tea!" I'm sure London Breakfast tea would have been just the right tea for her, as it is a classic black tea without any added flavours.
Quite a few of my friends prefer their black tea just like that, unadorned and pure. It has rich malty undertones, and is lovely with a dash of milk. As for me, I tend to add a few thin slices of an apple or a few rose petals to black tea. Try it yourselves!

Vanilla Chai is a black tea, with ginger, liquorice, black pepper, cardamom and vanilla. A heart-warming brew, with a good balance of spices and flavours, which work in harmony. It is rich and revitalising. I do enjoy it with a bit of honey and a dash of milk. When it's cold or wet outdoors, this tea is an excellent tonic and mood-enhancer.

I find pure green tea a bit too uninspiring, so any flavoured green tea gets thumbs up from me. Green Tea Tropical is a flavoured Sencha green tea with ginger pieces. Now we are talking business! It is delicately fresh, fruity and very uplifting, with a zingy burst of ginger (but not overpowering).

Moroccan Mint is a combination of Green Tea and Peppermint, bringing health benefits from both ingredients. I like to add half a teaspoon of honey to my peppermint tea, but for a more authentic flavour serve it in a glass with sugar. Make it very sweet and imagine yourself in a souk in Marrakech.

Lemongrass, Ginger & Citrus Fruit infusion is a refreshing drink. Among its ingredients you will find lemongrass, ginger, citrus fruit, i.e. lemon, orange and grapefruit peel. Zesty, zingy, bursting with flavour, it's a perfect brew for herbal tea lovers.

Rooibos tea is another of my favourites. I love its rusty autumnal colour, a unique aroma and reviving taste. The London Tea Co says: "Our Fairtrade Rooibos is grown in the Cederberg Mountains in South Africa's Western Cape. It has a unique sweet, slightly tannic character and deep russet colour which makes it an excellent naturally caffeine free alternative to tea as it takes milk well". Personally I don't like to add milk to rooibos but it's a matter of taste.

 As you can imagine, my kettle has been on non-stop for testing a wonderful variety of teas from The London Tea Co. I hope my review would inspire you to try this range if you haven't discovered it yet.

Disclosure: I received a selection of London Tea Company teas for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are mine.

To find more about this range, visit LondonTeaCompany on Facebook and follow Lovelondontea on Twitter.