AFTERNOON TEA

When brewing green tea, to help preserve its colour and health giving properties, do not use water at a lower temperature, instead the water should be between 65-70C (150-175F).

Always let it steep with the lid off as this allows the liquid to cool off slightly quicker, so that it brews more gently.

Lapsang Souchong or Green Tea leaves are a great way to give a smoked flavour to your white fish.

Just roll the fish in the tea and add a little salt and pepper then wrap in foil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in a hot oven.

Not a green tea fan? Nope, neither am I. 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 in 2003 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?...

They say you shouldn't write about your competition, but my blogging is for fun and so I'm always looking at other blogs with interest.

An International Tea Moment, is a blog written by a California resident who discovered tea when she was in her senior year of high school, and that was when her obsession with it began.

On her blog she records her personal 'tea moments', as well as reviewing, suggesting inventive teatime recipes and documenting the tea rooms she visits on her travels. Something I'd love to do as more and more seem to be popping up every day.

If you are a avid tea drinker and like to try different flavours then this tea 'club subscription' is just for you. A tea club subscription with a difference. It could also make a great gift for someone else who loves tea.

Tea Horse decided they wanted to help people to experience lots of different, high quality gourmet loose teas from all over the world, in a simple, inspiring way. So they spend a lot of time picking out the best and most exciting teas on offer, so subscribers can experience new and tasty flavours every time they have a cup of tea.
To ensure they always select the finest tea, they work with Master Tea Taster Tim Clifton, whose wealth of experience and knowledge is invaluable. His skills, developed over 30 years in the tea trade, including as a Director of the UK Tea Council.

Each month your membership gives you a new tea-based theme box with :

4 x 15g or 20g packs of loose leaf tea. That’s enough to make at least 10 cups of each tea.
40 x tea filters. These bio-degradable, unbleached filters are for brewing the loose leaf tea - you just pop the tea in, pour on the water, brew the tea and then chuck it in the bin afterwards. Easy and hassle-free. Plus a little booklet with lots of lovely information on the teas.

If you love one of the teas you try (and they hope you will!) you can buy more of it from their shop and if you share your thoughts and help them to choose more teas you could receive 15% off teas and get exclusive rewards.