Tag Archives: tea

Drink of the Week: Caramel Rooisbos Infusion – 0SP

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I am not paid for any of the reviews I write and products that I review are paid for with my own money. Read more on my disclaimer page.

I’m a big tea lover, and whilst Mr FFF often complains that I have too many boxes, pouches and packets of tea, my philosophy is the same as that which I apply to shoes and handbags – you can never have too many!

I used to drink buckets of English Breakfast Tea each day, but a few years ago I decided to reduce my consumption of caffeine. I substituted my usual brew with redbush/rooibos and, like with most things, I’m always keen to try new varieties.

I also love all things caramel so imagine my excitement when I came across these bad boys in Sainsbury’s: Rich & Indulgent Caramel Rooibos Infusions. Disregarding the likely inability to be able to fit them into the cupboard at home, I chucked them into the trolley hoping that the flavour would be as good as the promise – as experience has told me this is not always the case with flavoured teas.

I needn’t have worried. The cup of tea I enjoyed as soon as I’d put the shopping away more that delivered. It smelt of toffee popcorn and the taste didn’t disappoint either: it was sweet and creamy – almost like sucking a Werther’s Original. It was so sweet (though not sickeningly so) that I had to check the ingredients list to make sure there was no added sugar. As an added bonus, the teabags come individually wrapped so they’ll stay fresh while I enjoy all of my other tea varieties.

I can’t see maintaining freshness being too much of a problem though as this has quickly become a firm favourite of mine and is perfect for enjoying on a cosy, autumnal evening.

Drink of the Week: Marrakech Mint Tea – 0 Smart Points

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As I’ve said before, I’m a BIG fan of tea. I’ve got a cupboard full of the stuff; a bit like shoes and handbags, I firmly believe you can never have too many varieties.

This variety is a green tea with peppermint from Whittard.

Inspired by the tea served in the souks of the Moroccan medina, we’ve blended our smoky Gunpowder Green with pure peppermint leaves for a refreshingly nuanced infusion. We’ve even added a sprinkling of blue cornflower petals for a British touch – why not try it the traditional way, mixed with honey or sugar?

https://www.whittard.co.uk/tea/tea-type/green-tea/marrakech-mint-loose-tea-MSTR314633.html

It was a thoughtful present from my amazing cousin who is also a tea lover (she’s a bit of an English breakfast purist, but does enjoy a Biscuit Brew). I love the Moroccan tiled print on the tin and the little flecks of blue cornflower petals in the tea itself.

Being a green tea, you only want to brew it for a couple of minutes otherwise it will taste bitter. And being a loose-leaf tea, you’ll need a teapot and strainer or an infuser but it’s worth the effort: you’ll be rewarded with a slightly sweet, refreshing tea with a hint of smokiness. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up when you want something without the heaviness of ‘standard’ tea or coffee.  

Drink of the Week: Malty Biscuit Brew – 0 Smart Points

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It’s not all about the alcohol here on Drink of the Week!

I’m a BIG fan of tea and enjoy trying all different types and flavours. I also love to dunk biscuits into my tea but I don’t love the Smart Points values that come with them! So imagine my delight when I came across these bad boys whilst doing my weekly shop.

Now, my tea-purist relatives turned their noses up when I mentioned it to them, but, having tried a cup, many have been won over.

So what’s it like? Well, it’s just like tea and Rich Tea biscuits but without the sludge of crumbs that end up at the bottom of your mug when you dunk. Because it’s made by Taylors of Harrogate (the finest purveyors of English Breakfast tea IMHO), you also get a strong brew, which isn’t always the case with flavoured black teas. What’s more, if you make it using milk from an allotted allowance for the day as I do, it costs you 0 Smart Points! What’s not to love?

If you have any tea recommendations, please let me know. Mr FFF says I’ve got far too many varieties in the cupboard as it is, but what does he know?!

Herbal Tea

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One of the habits I’ve been trying to break is that of having a hot chocolate last thing at night.  Although I always have a lighter option, such as Options, Cadbury Highlights of Galaxy Bubbles which come in at between 1-2 pro points, it’s a habit I’ve been trying to break as that still equates to between 7-14 pro points over the course of the week.

However, I do enjoy having a hot drink as I unwind with my latest book.  So I started to look for zero pro pointed alternatives.  I’ve always enjoyed fruit teas but they strike me as being energizing with their zingy flavours.  A friend of mine recommended that I try chamomile tea.  Herbal Tea

I wasn’t sure about trying plain chamomile but I found Twinings Chamomile & Maple Sensation (£2.49 for 20).  As I love maple syrup, I thought it was worth a try.  I’m really glad I did as it’s delicious.  It has a sweet, creamy flavour with a hint of vanilla and is perfect for calming the mind in the evening.

Having enjoyed these, I next decided to try Pukka Vanilla Chai (£2.49 for 20).  I love Chai Lattes and as these are caffeine free, I thought they’d be a good option.  The flavour is amazing: sweet and spicy.  However, I found that the spices in them acted as a stimulant (on checking the ingredients it does contain liquorice and ginger) and woke me up rather than relaxing me.  I still enjoy them but I tend to heave them in the afternoon when I need a bit of an energy boost (in fact I’ve just had one before writing this post).

Finally, I tried Twinings Chamomile & Spiced Apple (£1.49 for 20).  I was looking for another chamomile-based tea, but didn’t really fancy any of the other flavours.  I was a bit reluctant due to the spices and my previous late night following the Pukka Vanilla Chai.  But the box said it was soothing and designed to help you relax, so I thought I’d give them a go.  Although you could definitely taste the cinnamon, it was only subtle – in fact it was a bit like drinking apple pie!  And I’m pleased to say that the effect was a soothing one.

I’ve been working my way through these over the past couple of weeks and, although I’ve been tempted to try other flavours, I lack space in my tea cupboard for any more at the moment but when I try some more, I’ll let you know my verdict.

This is an independent review.  Please click here to read my disclaimer.