Hot Toddies

'Tis the season for runny noses and sore throats.

Knock on wood, I've been fairly lucky so far and have only been blowing my nose constantly, however that hasn't prevented me from indulging in my favourite cold cure - the hot toddy.

My grandmother used to give me these soothing beverages whenever she was called upon to care for me during a bout of winter illness. Her version was simple: black tea, squeeze of lemon, and honey...
It wasn't until I was a teen that I realised adults got a more restorative variation of the drink with alcohol in it (usually rum, whiskey or gin).

I know that many make hot toddies with hot water only, but I have to say I quite enjoy the extra added flavour and relaxing qualities that tea brings to the mix. Also it's much better if making a virgin toddy as hot water with lemon, honey and spices just doesn't seem to soothe in the same way. So here is my recipe.

Tea toddy
- 1 cup black tea (I usually use Earl Grey as I always have a lot about and I like the way the bergamot flavours pair with the other ingredients)
- Squeeze of lemon (fresh or not either works) to your taste (I like bitter flavours so use half a lemon)
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon roughly chopped ginger
- 4 cloves
- Optional - 1 shot gin (I'm a gin lover and find it goes really well with the Earl Grey, but you can use whiskey or rum instead)

Just toss all the ingredients into your cup of tea and give it a quick stir. You can strain the spices out but personally I think the longer they're in there the better.


Check out this more traditional tea-less toddy.
Felicity Cloake's Perfect Hot Toddy

English Bell China - Shore & Coggins Longton

    Bought four of these little beauties at a secondhand store for a steal. They are the latest addition to my tea cup collection... well they would be if I had my collection with me here in the UK, so I guess they are really standalones until all my tea cups can be reunited. I miss them so. My teapots too. I have some empty bookcases they would brighten up. Ah well till then I'll just have to sip my tea, pinky up of course, from these English Bell China tea cups by Shore & Coggins or Longton.

A little history on the china:
    Shore & Coggins Limited produced these in their High Street Works, Longton, Stoke-On-Trent. Couldn't find the place, but there is the Gladstone Pottery Museum in an old Potteries, apparently the last complete Victorian Pottery factory in the UK. Must go have a look sometime.

    Back to Shore & Coggins. Their firm dated back to 1887 when it was J. Shore and Co. but in 1905 a new partnership lead to it being renamed Shore, Coggins & Holt, this only lasted 5 years and then Holt vanished and they became Shore & Coggins Ltd. The works closed in 1966.
The stamp on my cups puts them between 1930-1936.

Tea in London Town

I'm going to try and get out there and try more tea!

Well not just more tea, but more tea shops and tea houses... as well as anything else of curiosiTEA I come across! All in the name of scientific study, relaxation and pure unadulterated enjoyment, of course.

For as Sir Arthur Pinero said, "Where there's tea there's hope."

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

So far I have a list of over 40 places, if you have any suggestions please feel free to shoot them off to me! Just keep in mind I don't have the time or funds to explore further afield then London at the moment.

Perfect Pot for Two

I recently moved back to London and as this was not a major move (not sure how long I'll be here or what life will throw my way next) and I could only bring over whatever would fit into two suitcases (mind you one of them was big enough for me to fit uncomfortably inside - below is proof for your giggling pleasure) I sadly had to choose function (clothes and important documents) over fun (books and knick-knacks).

Sadly this meant that my tea cups and teapots had to be left behind. I did have fun trying to drink through as much of my tea as possible and then gave it to grateful friends (good homes all). However, it meant that once in London I had no kettle, no teapot, no tea cups and no tea - HORROR!

Okay I exaggerate a little, I did bring one or two unopened teas with me from Montreal and I quickly started buying teas here to rebuild my collection (we're at about half the selection I had before but it does give me the opportunity to try new things, and some old favourites), yet I was still without the other tea essentials.

We moved into our new little flat (we call it the sub as it's a semi-basement place with a fridge that makes submarine noises - specifically the echo sound after the sonar ping) and found a kettle, bought tea cups from Ikea and a secondhand store, bought mugs from Sainsbury's, and were given a cute teapot as a housewarming gift from my mother.

Left: Ikea 365+ Tea cup and Saucer
Right: Sainsbury's Tea Time Mug set

This stumpy pot is the best teapot for two I've come across.

FORLIFE Stump Teapot

It handles well and the lid is solid but easy to open which is key in getting your loose leaf in and out at the right time.

Holds enough liquid for two mugs of tea or four small tea cups (ideal for two people or one tea-lover).

Keeps the tea warm for quite awhile (I haven't timed it, but I'm a slow sipper and have not had a cold second cup yet).

Pours well without being drippy.

Comes with a removable infuser (I know that a lot of teapots do these days, but this one has a nice little handle so you don't need to fiddle - and it folds down so not to block the lid).

Easy to clean...

And comes in great colours, mine is mandarin but I think it's more pumpkin orange (maybe I have Hallowe'en on the brain though). I also really like the lime, carrot and turquoise colour choices.

I have to say so far I haven't been disappointed by this little guy and though he's not as funky or beautiful as my other teapots he's pretty stylish for a stump.

Busaba Eathai Lemongrass Tea (Herbal Infusion)

I've been in London a few weeks now and though I have been drinking tea regularly (breakfast, lunch, tea time, before and after dinner, before bed... really whenever I feel I need a pick me up or something to sooth my soul) I have yet to get out and try some of London's many tea shop and tea house teas.

So far my first encounter with tea that has not taken place at home has been at a quite nice Thai restaurant called Busaba Eathai on Old Street. Whilst everyone else ordered wine or beer to accompany their spicy meals I decided to try out the Lemongrass Tea.

This herbal infusion or tisane was nicely presented in a little white teapot with sipping cup, honey and cashew and coconut cookies. There was enough tea in the pot to fill my cup four times and keep it nice and hot the whole time (forgot to look at the make of pot as it really was quite good).

As it is not a tea but rather a lemongrass infusion I cannot comment on the leaf. The lemongrass looked, well... like lemongrass, stalky and green/white.

Liquor: Was a lovely light pink-gold (not well captured by my old phone's camera) and crystal clear. Oddly it didn't smell much of lemon, rather it smelt of almonds and a bit biscuity. I thought maybe the cookies had contaminated my first pour, but even with my nose firmly in the teapot it still came out almonds. The taste was rather the reverse, with the lemon flavour coming out more (though still not strong which surprised me considering how pungent lemongrass usually is) then the biscuit and frangipani flavours.

Overall it was a light infusion that went well with the spicy Thai food, helping to cut the burn and not overwhelming the food's flavours, however next time I'd have a beer instead.

David's Cream of Earl Grey (Organic)

I've tried a number of David's Teas, but this is the only one I actually bought for myself.
I'm a lover of Earl Grey blends and have tried many, it's my go-to morning tea, so I thought I should give one of his a try.

The name is in French because I live in Quebec.

Why Cream of Earl Grey over one of their other Earl Grey blends? Well because I liked the idea of it already having the creamy taste I enjoy from adding a bit of milk.

In case you are having a hard time making out the description and ingredients they are as follows:

Description: Lovers of Earl Grey adore this creamy alternative to the original blend.

Ingredients: black tea, cornflowers, vanilla flavour, bergamot oil.

David's Tea Cream of Earl Grey (Organic)

Dry Leaf: twisty black-brown leaf with small blue flowers and yellow petals. Has an intensely orange scent with a hint of dark chocolate and sweetness.

Wet Leaf: rough edged light brown tea leaves with a hint of olive green to them. Pale yellow petals. Light orange scent and a touch of vanilla.

Liquor: clear orangey-caramel colour. Velvety texture with delicate orange and vanilla flavour and a creamy nut finish.

It's not an overly complex flavour, but I find it just right for lazy weekend mornings where I putter around the house whilst sipping my tea. Not something I'd drink to wake myself up quickly on work days.

Off to the land of Afternoon Tea

My posting will be sporadic over the next little while as I pack up my tea things and move across the pond back to the UK. I've got a lot to do and little time to do it in so blogging about tea will have to take a back seat to drinking my way through my tea collection (as sadly it can't travel with me) as I box my apartment up and sort through my overwhelming piles of stuff (I'm a bit of a pack-rat).

It's sad to be leaving my lovely Montreal and the best apartment I have ever had, but it'll be nice to be back in the land of tea drinkers. I'm really looking forward to finding new tea house and shops, but before I go I will try to get in a few more Montreal tea experiences.

Here's a peak at some of my tea cups before they are carefully wrapped and boxed up for storage.