Friday 19 September 2014

There’s Trouble Brewing At The Manse…

My September Mange Tout Campaign is going relatively well, I think. We’ve eaten lots of meals made entirely from freezer and pantry goods. I have purchased some food though – I used some M&S reward vouchers to get fresh milk, and an unexpected food voucher from Makro was spent on a few other bits and pieces, plus I’ve been given beans and tomatoes by gardening friends with gluts. But I did fall down on the tea and coffee front. I picked up a pack of coffee when we were in IKEA on Monday – but then in the afternoon found we were completely out of Sainsbury's Red Label teabags. Panic!!!

P1000091I checked out the cupboards, and offered Bob a choice – Green tea, Herb tea, Redbush, Earl Grey…he opted for green. But then later I found a tin at the back of the cupboard -Fortnum and Mason “Royal Blend, Stronger Tea” [best before 2013. Oh dear!]

The label declares it was first blended for Edward VII. I made a pot of tea with leaves “A spoonful per person and one for the pot” said the label on the back of the tin. I had to find a tea strainer too.

It was OK [ish] as tea goes, but not the best I have tasted. But the real shock was when I came to rinse out the teapot. The leaves were huge – I mean, really large. I got out a ruler - and my camera. Some measured 2.5 cm across. They were like postage stamps!

P1000090

I can hardly complain to F&M, can I? The tin [A 2012 Christmas gift] really should have been opened last year. But these leaves do seem excessively large. Maybe Royal Blend Tea requires KING-Sized leaves. I have been to Sainsbury's and bought some of our usual bags.

I may be attempting to be as frugal as possible this month – but O am not sure I can manage without a decent cuppa in the morning, and another when I get home from work.

I like a nice cup of tea with me dinner
And a nice cup of tea with me tea
And when it's getting late
Almost anything can wait
For a nice cup of tea

7 comments:

  1. Can't live without tea! Perish the thought.....

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  2. They are big leaves! When we have had tea in Prague they are big leaves and make wishy washy tea, thank goodness for teabags. Theres nothing like a good cuppa first thing in the morning :-)

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  3. My late grandfather (born 1884) used to say that when he was a lad the local grocer would have called the leaves we buy today "tea dust". The good stuff was like your Royal Blend but out of the reach of ordinary families.

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  4. I think in order to be frugal we have to have one thing we don't skimp on. It's coffee for me--a bad cup's worse than no cup at all!

    xofrances

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  5. That first cup in the morning.....not to be missed!
    I've quite got a taste for some Indian spiced teabags and Chai loose tea that my niece bought me for my birthday last year. But drink too much and it can be a bit on the purgative side!

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  6. I'm not a tea drinker, well not leaf of green types but I agree entirely there are some things that are simply non negotiable!

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