YORKSHIRE TEA
A Gift from England
By
VIKRAM KARVE
My wife has a wry sense of humour. Last year she visited my niece Pooja in Yorkshire on a holiday and guess what she brought for me from England – a box of Tea Bags, yes, Yorkshire Tea. Now that’s like “carrying coals to Newcastle” isn’t it – getting Tea from England to India!
I love tea. But I like to brew my tea in traditional style and don’t fancy tea bag brewed tea which I find quire flavourless and insipid. So I was really surprised when I tasted a cup of tea made from a Yorkshire Gold Tea Bag. I truly enjoyed the rich, full-bodied, bright cup of tea with a lovely refreshing taste and fine elegant flavour which I had never expected from a Tea Bag. Next I tried Yorkshire Tea (Red Label) Tea Bags – a slightly stronger tea akin to Assam CTC suitable for drinking slightly later in the day
Since then I begin my day with a morning cuppa of Yorkshire Tea and this is what I do for a quick cup of tea early in the morning.
I boil a cup of water in my microwave oven. Place a Yorkshire Gold Tea Bag in a cup and pour in the freshly boiled water. Let it brew for three minutes and then add milk and sugar. Now I leave the tea bag in the cup to let the tea get stronger as I drink.
I couldn’t get Yorkshire Tea in Pune so when anyone goes abroad I tell him to get a box of Yorkshire Tea. I wonder why we can’t make tea bags in India as good as a Yorkshire Tea Bag. After all, the tea leaves go from India and are blended at Yorkshire. The tea bags out here result in quite an insipid flavourless tea. Also there is this terrible habit of dipping the tea bag into a pre-boiled concoction of milk and water which produces the worst kind of awful tasting flavourless bland tea. I feel that pouring boiling water over a tea bag helps release the flavour much better. Then one must let it brew for a few minutes before adding a dash of hot milk and sugar. Probably, that’s why the high quality Yorkshire Tea Bags do not have a string attached and are not the Indian style dip-dip type tea bags.
As I said I love tea and drink at least five cups of tea a day. I start my day early in the morning with a delicious cup of the rich and refreshing Yorkshire Gold Tea.
Then, with breakfast I have a cup of traditionally brewed Assam CTC tea to perk me up.
Mid-morning, I must have a nourishing cup of stimulating Amrut Tulya Chaha.
In the afternoon maybe a cup of strong rejuvenating full-bodied Red Label Yorkshire Tea made quickly microwave style.
As the sun sets, what can be a better way to relax in the evening than savouring a cup of tea-pot style traditionally brewed Darjeeling Tea.
Can any tea lover tell me where I can get a box of Yorkshire Tea Bags in Pune or India? And if you are going to England don’t forget to get me a box of Yorkshire Gold Tea Bags.
Cheers! Have a cuppa…
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
hellow VK
ReplyDeleteYou explained it in the most appropriate way. You see I am very reluctant to visit some of my friends because of the fear to finish their cup of tea. Also we do not allow guests to make tea for themselves.
All the best with your Yorkshire gold tea bags.
@Prasanna - Thanks for your nice words. May you alwyas enjoy your cup of tea.
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