DAnneC's Full Review: Twinings English Breakfast Tea - 20 Tea Bags
I've been a lover of British teas for a long time. Whenever I come home from a trip to that "small island," it's a sure bet my luggage will contain a restock on my standard favorites that are either hard to find or unavailable here in the States. There is, however, one brand among my standard favorites for which this is not a problem--that brand being Twinings. Twinings is easy to find on the shelves of our American supermarkets. As a result, Twinings English Breakfast Tea always has a place in my cupboard.
My Relationship with Tea in General
First, honesty requires me to admit that I am far from monogomous where tea is concerned. There are many brands and types of tea with which I take up a dalliance. And there are a few that are constants in my life. Twinings English Breakfast is one of the latter. It is always there because it produces a good cup of hot, black tea. If I'm to be more fully honest, it is also always there so I can guiltlessly hoard my other harder-to-come-by British teas for private use and still offer my guests good quality. Twinings English Breakfast makes a statement that says I believe in tea, and I am willing to pay for the good stuff. My guests seem to appreciate that. (They also know about my hoard, but are polite about it, leaving me to my eccentricities.)
What I Like About Twinings English
I like and trust Twinings English Breakfast because it consistently makes a hearty, flavorship cup of tea. It tastes good. It is richly aromatic, and accepts my dollop of milk happily, giving me the sense of well-being that I like when I choose to drink hot tea. Its advertising claims to be "refreshing and invigorating," and I can buy that (quite literally). It gives the morning enough of a pop to get going, and it's good any time of day that requires a bit of oomph to get the adrenaline flowing. Conversely, it's also good for a quiet settling down in the evening. It helps keep me awake in front of my favorite BBC America programs and helps to ensure that randon nodding in front of the TV does not contribute to a poor night's sleep.
Finding Twinings at a hotel or restaurant is also an assurance of quality--not just of the tea but of the business in general. When I see Twinings on the menu or in the beverage basket, I'm more inclined to think better of the other offerings.
The Product and the Company
As presented by Twinings of London, English Breakfast Tea is at the forefront of a large and interesting product line. The company is a well-established firm, even by British standands. Founded in 1706, it is altogether possible that Twinings was a guest of honor at the Boston Tea Party. Twinings prides itself on seeking out and using tea varieties from around the world. English Breakfast is one of the company's Classics collection, all of which are traditional black teas, and is created from a blend of Kenyan and Assam varietals.
Tea and Health
Americans are known as coffee drinkers, and that's certainly still true. But in recent years, more and more of my countrymen and women are re-learning the joys of tea. Tea, even the non-decaffinated types, are significantly lower in caffiene than coffee. Further, the antioxidents in tea are now more appreciated than even by health-conscious Americans. Tea may not cure all of what ails you, but it certainly doesn't hurt--and that's point. Tea is a more healthy drink than coffee, and it is certainly more healthy than the sugar and chemical cocktails offered consumers by the soft drink industry.
Packaging and Price
I don't attach a lot of meaning to most packaging, but here goes. My English Breakfast Tea comes in a 1.41 ounce box containing 20 individual tea bags. The box is red-orange and bares the black Twinings logo in a white oval. Each bag is wrapped in an individual package that uses the same design elements as the box. I do care about these individual packets, as they help to ensure that the tea (and its bag) stay clean and fresh (though I still don't much care what they look like). The cost of this standand box of 20 ranges from $2.99 to $3.99 in the States, though I usually make my purchases when the special on teas offers 2 boxes for $5. In the UK, this particular package is widely available for under £1.50, and I have seen it on offer for a little as 99 p. Larger packages with 50 bags are a still better value in the UK, but this option is scarce in the US (at least, where I live).
How to Make a Good Cup of Tea
I have found that the most common error in providing a good cup of tea has less to do with the choice of tea than with the preparation. Hence, I'm going to be presumptuous and remind my readers as to just how it should be done. First, I will acknowledge that there are many fine and upright individuals who insist that one simply cannot make a good cup of tea using a tea bag. Granting that there is at least a small measure of truth in that assessment, this review is about tea bags, and we must cope accordingly.
To make a good cup of tea--
~ Be sure to start with fresh water, not something that has been left setting in a pot all day (or all week) collecting metalic and/or plastic residues. My tap water gives me soft water of a relatively high quality, and that's what I use. Whatever your water source, start fresh with each preparation.
~ Bring your water to a full boil. I don't care about the nature of your utensil--be it an open pan, a traditional kettle, or an electic kettle. Just boil the water. No microwaving, please.
~ It's a fine idea to warm up your cup with a bit of the water you've just boiled. This borrows a step from making a pot using loose tea. It acclamated the cup in preparation for its ultimate purpose, and it helps your tea stay hot. Swirl the hot water to warm the cup, then empty.
~ Place the tea bag in your cup and add the freshly boiled water. Allow the tea to steep until it reaches the desired strength, then remove the bag (no squeezing, please).
Add milk, sugar, or other desired accent to your tea and ENJOY!
Last Words
Americans have come a long way baby since the Boston Tea Party. We are drinking tea again and loving it. And one of the tea brands we frequently drink is Twinings.
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For centuries people have enjoyed tea as an invigorating and refreshing beverage. Today the natural, healthful properties of tea are being rediscovere...More at Amazon Marketplace
Case of six 20-count boxes (total of 120 individually wrapped tea bags) Traditional blend of select Kenyan and Assam black teas Bright and full-bodied...More at Amazon Marketplace
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