Oh How Civilised writes on Herbal Teas and offers a number of recipes from Peppermint, Chamomile, Ginger, Rose, Butterfly Pea Flower, Lavender, Chrysanthemum and lots more.
They explain that Herbals teas are not real tea since they don’t come from the camellia sinensis, the tea plant. Real tea, like black tea and green tea, are made from leaves from the camellia sinensis plant, and they all contain caffeine.
Loose herbal tea will always make a better tasting cup than herbals in tea bags.
1. To reduce travel sickness or morning sickness drink camomile, fennel or ginger tea. This is also good for indigestion.
2. To make your own herb tea put one small handful of the fresh herb or one heaped teaspoon of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water. Leave to stand for about five to ten minutes then strain and drink the tea while it’s still hot.
3. To refresh the colours of a carpet, sprinkle over a mixture of tea-leaves and salt, and then vacuum.
4. To remove tea or coffee stains from china, rub with a damp cloth dipped in baking soda.
5. Re-brew used tea bags to refresh parched skin. Allow the tea to cool, then pour it into a spray or squeeze bottle. Spritz it onto your skin or apply with a cotton pad. Any tea will do, but the antioxidants in green tea are particularly effective for rehydrating dry skin.
6. Place a teabag in the pan and fill it with hot water. Allow it to soak overnight, and the tannins in the tea will help loosen anything stuck in the bottom of your pan.
7. Tea and tea bags can both help with the decomposition of your compost pile.
Whittard’s of Chelsea have offers on tea, coffee and hot chocolate boxes ‘Comfort in a Cup’ share the love and get 20% off some lovely gifts. Just a few to tempt you below…
The hardware shops of the fifties were where you could get most of your household goods as supermarkets were not up and running then. It was home for household items like balls of string, cook’s matches, mothballs, toilet blocks and nails. You could also purchase crockery, cutlery and cooking equipment.
Some of the traditional cleaning products survived the war and are still around today. Those who have changed little in their design including Brasso (in the can), Lux Soap Flakes, Tide Washing Powder and Ajax Scouring Powder. Other popular brands include Harpic, Flash and Surf. Of course, laundry detergents were quite different with optical brighteners like Reckitts Blue which would be added to the final rinsing water to ensure the linen was whiter than white.
Even some of the old breakfast cereals are still going strong, Kellogg’s Cornflakes and Frosted Flakes (now known as Frosties) Shreddies, Quaker Puffed Wheat, and Scotts Porridge Oats.
Although the fast food was not happening until the middle of the 1950’s there was plenty of canned foods around like, soup, luncheon meat, corned beef and tinned fruit and vegetables. Frozen foods were also starting to become popular with fish fingers being one of the first ones on the market.
Of course, there are still a number of stock cupboard items still going strong now including Marmite, Oxo, Bisto, Colemans Mustard Powder and Atora Suet. Diet drinks were not available at that time but Tizer, Lucozade, Kia Oran Pepsi and Coca-cola topped the list of favourites.
If you still love some of your oldies then try the British Corner Shop below.
The British Corner Shop is a unique online supermarket for expats around the world. Whether you miss Marmite or crave Warburtons crumpets, they can deliver your British favourites straight to your door.
Their website stocks over 10,000 products from Britain’s most loved brands, meaning you can enjoy the British food you miss, wherever you are in the world.
Customer service is at the heart of their business. Since their humble beginnings in 1999, they have refined and developed British Corner Shop, building on the wants and needs of their loyal customers.
From purchasing your shopping through to the delivery, they want their customers to have total confidence when ordering with them.
You don’t have to be a British expat to use the service. If you have friends or relatives overseas who may be missing the taste of home, why not order them a box of British happiness? Their service is perfect for sending parcels of British food to Brits in the Armed Forces and others working abroad.
Natural Health News says that black #tea aromatherapy could aid stress but before you drink it read how this could help.
Try inhaling it. New research shows that back #tea contains aromatic compounds that may help to lower stress levels and improve mood.
#Tea consumption has been shown to have many benefits on mood and attention, such as improving relaxation and concentration, reducing tiredness and psychological distress. But now scientists in Japan are looking in to not just at overall benefits of tea, but how specific components that make of the flavour and aroma of tea might influence health and wellbeing.
In a small study, published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, researchers at the University of Shizuoka, Chubu University, Mitsui Norin Co Ltd and Tokai University conducted a study to determine the effects of two kinds of black #tea aromas on physical and psychological stress. They reported that compared to those in the control group, those who inhaled black tea aroma had lower salivary CgA concentration levels after half an hour of mentally stressful tasks.
A student inhaling either Darjeeling or Assam tea aroma in the middle of a stressful maths test showed measurably lower levels stress.
Tea Time,
My hour for tea is half-past five, and my buttered toast waits for nobody
Wilkie Collins (1824-89) English Novelist
The worlds most expensive tea according to the Financial Times
Investors have driven up the price of Da Hong Pao, the rare tea that can only be grown in a few areas of China’s Fujian province.
‘Phoenix Supreme’ Oolong tea is picked from bushes that grow on the Wudong peak of Phoenix Mountain in Guarngdong Province, China.
It is made in small batches by and expert tea master and gathered twice a year, between April and May, and October and November.
It has a fragrant fruity aroma and a smooth, very refreshing flavour.
Oolongs can range in character between green and black teas, many can be paired with food along the same lines as their green or black counterparts. For instance, greener oolongs tend to go well with scallops, lobster and other sweet rich foods, while darker oolongs compliment somewhat stronger-flavored foods such as duck and grilled meats.
Suggestions:
Not a green tea fan? Well the good news is that you don’t need to drink this to help with weight loss as they have now found that ‘Oolong’ tea helps even more.
A Chinese study showed that if we drink oolong tea for six weeks it will help with weight loss. In fact the data confirmed that a component other than just caffeine was responsible for promoting the preferential use of fat as an energy source.
A further Japanese study compared the benefits of oolong tea and green tea on weight loss. The results were that after drinking oolong tea you will use more energy than if you were drinking green tea or water and that it can last up to two hours.
For the best results they suggest you have a cup of oolong around 30 minutes to 1 hour before you do any form of exercise or walk, and drink it in the afternoon to help late afternoon sweet cravings and energy slumps.
Anyone fancy a cup of oolong tea?…
Ten teas for every mood is a graphic from Simply Serene’s Blog.
A Nurse Practitioner from New York, who started blogging to share her passion for healthy living who says no matter the mood, there is a tea out there for you. Some teas give you a natural energy boost, while others promote rest and relaxation. Drinking tea for medicinal purposes dates back centuries to the ancient Shang dynasty in China. It was first introduced to Portuguese missionaries during the 16th Century, spreading quickly throughout Europe and Asia. Drinking tea in early America was largely influenced by the Tea Act, with many Americans swapping out tea for coffee in protest. Although coffee still remains the beverage of choice in America, the tea industry has exploded, offering an array of diverse brews to match each and every mood.
5 of the most refreshing teas to drink on a hot day…
2. Blueberry Rooibos from Shibui Tea – Fruity, sweet and caffeine-free. Perfect combination.Herbal infusion – naturally caffeine free.£8.00
3. Oolong Tea with Peach from Hamsptead Tea London – Loaded with antioxidants, this organic brew is made with all-natural ingredients is only 60 calories per bottle and provides just the right balance of fruitiness. £1.99
4. Sour Cherry & Orange Infusion Tea Tin from Fortnum and Mason – A bright pink infusion with a lovely tart-sweetness, vivid notes of cherry and sun-ripe orange, and a gorgeous almond-like aftertaste. £8.50
5. Lime Mint Tea from Yogi Teas – Lime Mint tea clears your mind like a cool breeze on a hot day. It allows your thoughts to expand and sends your spirit soaring. The perfect combination of tangy lime and fresh mint provides a clean, cooling and refreshing taste. £2.67
