Tea is magic elixir we have sworn by since the beginning of time. Who knew that boiling various leaves could create such a groundbreaking staple of society. It is a drink which is enjoyed in many different forms globally and there is no denying tea has a very special place in the heart of British Culture. Brit’s on average drink enough tea to fill two bathtubs each year and as a nation of Tea-Lover’s, Frost were interested to see how tea is enjoyed today. We wanted to create a special feature which steered away from the traditional, and focused on the unique and innovative uses of tea, so we’ve handpicked a selection of treasures which pay homage to the humble cuppa.

A Unique Tea and Kombucha Paired Tasting Menu at The Frog E1

Overseen by inventive young chef Adam Handling, his team have once again put their creative nature to the test and this time they have paired up with Newby Teas to create a tasting menu paired with tea and kombucha. Kombucha, is a slightly fermented tea which has been hailed as the latest ‘super-drink’ believed to aid digestion and general wellbeing. With that in mind, Adam and his development Chef decided to create a menu paired with a selection of teas and kombucha which left you feeling good. Expect dishes such as Adam’s intricate Crab and Apple served alongside a fragrant jasmine kombucha, a flowering tea served with Hake and Limestone and an Assam Tea consommé to accompany Roast Lamb and Black Garlic. Expect attention to detail, quality and a menu designed to make you feel good from the inside out.

The Kombucha and Tea Paired Tasting Menu will be available until July 30th at The Frog E1. Lunch and dinner inclusive and is priced at £45pp

http://www.thefrogrestaurant.com

Bluebird Tea Co.

A couple of months ago we had the pleasure of attending a workshop with the UK based expert Tea Mixologists. Indeed, blending tea is a complete art form and a science mastered by very few and the innovation and creativity can certainly be seen  at Bluebird Tea Co. They really love their tea and wanted to create something for tea lovers alike. Bluebird has the largest range of creative tea blends in the UK and create them from pretty much anything. They in turn allow you to enjoy their blends or in fact create your very own with their mixology expertise. They now have shops in Brighton and Tunbridge Wells and also pop-up in various festivals, events and run a thriving Notonthehighstreet.com franchise. Their website features a host of tea-related paraphernalia as well as tea itself and enables you to learn about their various workshops taking place around the country, at festivals and in their stores. They were kind enough to allow us to publish one of their tantalising drink recipes with a touch of tea for you to try at home.

Sangria Punch Bowl

Makes: 1 Sangria Punch Bowl, Serves: 12

What you will need:

1 sample pouch (20g) Sangria Tea concentrate
1 1/3 bottles of red wine
10 cinnamon sticks
Honey – we use our locally sourced Brighton RAW Honey
1.5l of hot water
Fruit for decoration – 1 lemon & 1 orange
1 punch bowl
What to do:

1. Start by brewing 20g of Sangria Tea (our sample pouches are perfect sizes), in 1.5l with hot water or alternatively, you can cold brew the sangria for a few hours in your punch bowl.

2. Whilst the tea is still warm, add your cinnamon sticks and leave to cool. If you’re cold brewing add the cinnamon sticks at the beginning of the process.

3. Once your Sangria tea is cool, strain your tea and then add the red wine to the bowl and mix.

4. Taste the Sangria and if desired add honey to sweeten, we normally add 4 teaspoons and then stir until the honey has dissolved.

5. Once you have found your perfect tasting Sangria, it is now time to get decorative. Cut up your orange and lemons and add to the punch. Now it’s time to enjoy your Sangria punch!

http://bluebirdteaco.com/uk_en/

T.E.A Tea Enriched Alcohol

Because no tea feature would be complete without Tea Enriched Alcohol. Handcrafted in the UK, this multi-award winning brand distill Vodka and Gin using the best tea leaves to create T.E.A – Tea Enriched Alcohol. Made with the finest tea and botanicals sourced from around the globe, T.E.A produces premium, 100% natural, gluten free Earl Grey Gin, Jasmine Gin, Earl Grey Vodka and Jasmine Vodka. T.E.A recommend you try the The Earl Grey Gin with an orange twist, while lemon zest suits the Jasmine infused spirits. The spirits are distilled just once and remove the ‘heads and tails’ of the batch ensuring you are enjoying the smoothest part of the spirit. You can find T.E.A exclusively at Fortnum and Masons and served in Soho’s Urban Tea Rooms – which is owned by the founders of T.E.A. So we think you should take quintessentially British to the next level this summer by combining Gin and Tea. Chin Chin.

T.E.A is available directly from here and from selected stockists