lproven | Top tea tips!

Number 1.

There is a rash of flavoured teas in British supermarkets since I returned. Shortbread flavoured tea, for instance. I find them weird and a bit sickly. So I tried a mixture of ordinary black teabags and flavoured teabags. This worked rather better and I recommend it. It takes the edge off.

Number 2.

*But* I did something bad and wrong: I made a pot with Earl Grey and shortcake flavoured tea. (Okay, I didn't, my lovely wife did.)

It's great. Better than the sum of its parts. Try it.

Number 3.

If you try to make masala chai by adding some garam masala to a cup of black tea, it doesn't really work and tastes weird. Don't do this.

But, while it is a truth universally acknowledged that instant tea is an abomination unto Om, instant masala chai from your friendly local Indian grocery is pretty good. Try it.

P. S. Number 3 and a half.

However if you can get real Indian masala chai tea leaves, use them. Follow the instructions. You have to boil it. But it's great and blows the socks off the feeble so called chai that European grocers sell.