Weekend trivia

I visited a tea plantation outside Dharamsala in 2015. We had a private tour of the factory and then tea on the lawn of the plantation manager's house. The view was stupendous. We were offered black tea and white tea and asked which one we would like to drink, or would we like to try both? Yes please!

Well we waited and waited. It wasn't an arduous wait as we sat in wicker lawn chairs watching the afternoon sun on the snow capped Himalayan mountains across the valley, eagles wheeling high above. However it was taking such a long time that we said, what are they doing, picking the tea?

Actually yes, they were! Two beautiful teapots with freshly picked tea leaves were brought out with matching cups and saucers. The taste was extraordinarily good. Fresh, delicate, complex. They were the best two cups of tea I've ever had.

The memory of this spot was what I used during my Sentinel Node Biopsy. A happy place to go to in my mind.

Totally agree regarding the tea. Inoften feel shoukd just order hot water and add my own bag.

Whilst I’m a black tea drinker mostly I too enjoy the occasional  Twinings herbal -spearmint & camomile  and also their lemon&ginger .Madam Flavour teabags seem to allow more flavour because of the fabric and shape of the bags - have had the odd chai tea..Dilmah is not as fresh a taste imo as it was in the 80s before the sons took over and started to experiment .

Is that the builder's brew (or whatever it's called)? I'm a philistine as I still reach for the Amgoorie (the smell takes me back to my childhood) to make a pot.  Tea bags?.. Madame Flavour makes some nice blends.  Rose tea is a light, delicate blend that is made by them and Dilmah does one too.  I also like a Lemon Myrtle and Earl Grey blend by Madame Flavour and Twinings Lemon Scented or their Spearmint & Chamomile.

It’s great tea @kitkatb - black pudding I’ll pass on but am a Yorkshire pudding fan.My dad was a Geordie from Newcastle on Tyne which is slightly further north than Yorkshire but the traditions are similar except the tea used to be Ringtons but noticed the relatives are now drinking Yorkshire tea - now tea bags would you believe it ? 

@Romla   I was working with a chef from Yorkshire when I was in the NT and he had a constant supply of Yorkshire tea sent from over from home.  We had many a brew while we worked together.  (I might add he also had to include black pudding on the menu as well as Yorkshire pudding )  I don't think it would have mattered how long he spent in Aussie he was a Yorkshire man through and through. 

 I must investigate T2 but requires a drive to the city alas am used to minimal traffic.I like Assam tea too as a good strong brew and spent 2 three month periods in India so have been spoiled with real Chai and hard to forget a billy of milk boiled along the roadside with tea , spices including cardamom and way too much sugar.

During the day I drink  blend of Strawberry bliss chai and Oolong choc chai with milk. At night I  drink White white cocoa with Jade mountain, all from T2.

My go to tea is Assam from T2 IF I feel like tea.

Am trying Madura looseleaf atm but keen to try Yorkshire looseleaf next.Both teas are sourced from India  and are blends. My current brew is pretty nice.