FORGET-TEA-NOT WITH TWININGS

Sharing is caring!

When people who know me read this post, they will smile.  Tea is something that plays a huge role in my life – I think it might possibly be a genetic trait passed down from my dad. Even people who have spent relatively little time with me, such as my fellow bloggers at the Photokina event in Cologne this year will have witnessed my utter disbelief and complete dismay when I discovered not only the absence of a kettle in my very modern hotel room, but also nowhere to find a cup of tea after arriving in Germany. Fo

You see, after a large glass of water when I reach the kitchen, I’m one of the 74% of British people as discovered by Twinings who reach for a cup of tea as part of their morning routine – and I’m frustrated to also be one of those people who also experiences the ‘cold cup’ every morning also.  I dread to think how many tea bags, milk and electricity I’ve wasted. forget-

I like my tea strong, not too hot and with whole milk – and it has to be Twinings English Breakfast tea.  I’ve become more particular as I’ve gotten older – and now understand why my parents used to complain about tea from different cafés or relatives’ houses when I was little – tea is a very complex drink; it’s never “just” a cup of tea.  Twinings is one of the oldest tea companies in the world with over 300 years experience and so I put my faith in them every morning to wake me up – and I love that even if I’m off at a conference here in England first thing in a morning, I can trust that 9 times out of 10 there will be Twinings there, presented in a gorgeous and large wooden chest ready to set me up for the day ahead.I do drink tea quite often throughout the day, but in the morning is when it’s most important for me; it’s part of my routine – as it is my parents and friends – and I never feel quite as awake without it, or prepared for the day ahead before I’ve sat down and drank my cup of tea properly.  It sounds so simple – yet in our home, with three little boys running about, my scenario plays out as follows…

I stumble out of bed, catch dressing gown in one hand, bannister in the other and head to the kitchen.  Switch the kettle on and leave to boil whilst getting the boys’ yoghurts, brioche and whatever else they’re after that morning.  I return about five minutes after it’s gone off the boil – and so I end up boiling it again.This second time, I actually make the cup of tea but then I go to help remind the boys to keep eating and also get ready for school, and forget that it’s sitting on the side for me, nicely brewed – and it would be perfect, except I never actually get to touch it and my cup goes cold.  I take a hopeful mouthful just in case it’s still warm enough for me but inevitably pour it away down the sink because it’s colder than even I can take, and I boil the kettle again.  I’m not too proud to add here that if this is the last teabag, I will microwave the tea in desperation, even though that never really works because if you’ve had reheated tea, you’ll know just how disgusting it is.  Sometimes however, I’ve needed my cup of tea so badly that I’ve just drank it, reheated and gross.

Anyhow, back to my morning and this time I’m reboiling the kettle and I make another cup of tea.  It’s far too hot and not nearly brewed enough [although I have taken to using two bags in an attempt to actually brew and drink it faster] whilst I’m cutting up little triangles of bread for Lyoto’s sandwiches and as my cup sits there I wonder to myself why I actually bothered making it again because as I’m cutting apple slices, I know I won’t get to drink even a sip of tea until the two biggest boys are out of the door and so I regretfully pour it away again, look wistfully at my tea stained cup and then give evil looks to my husband who is merrily drinking his coffee on the sofa reading the iPad whilst I chase the boys down to put on shoes and coats.

I finally manage to get a lovely cup of tea at around 9.45 whilst Hero eats his ‘jam [on] toast’ and we watch Scooby Doo together before getting started for the day.  Everything always feels better after my cup of tea – and I’m sure that I would be a much better [less ranty] mom in the morning if only I could get to my tea quicker whilst it’s unspoiled.

You see, weekends are easier – and I am more cheerful, because Saturday and Sunday mornings I can make a cup of tea and keep it in my mind whilst I’m sat on the sofa with the boys watching cartoons, and I get to it as soon as it’s ready. Forget-tea-notTea is so complex, so distinctive in taste that I’m quite sure I can identify my own favourites from a line up – and if I’m in a place where the tea isn’t to my taste, that’s pretty much all I can think about until I can get to my own Twinings English Breakfast tea.  The only improvement I could make on my favourite was for it to be stronger.

This week I received a parcel in the post from Twinings, who have come to my rescue two-fold.  Firstly, STRONG English Breakfast Tea [no more doubling up tea bags for me] and secondly, a big beautiful hand-fired prototype mug called The Forget-Tea-Not mug.  A big, cosy looking red mug with a huge difference – not only does it hold more tea than my normal mug – but it can tell me when it’s time to drink my tea, by playing a tune; the Bing! Bang! Bong! song.  What’s more, the cup also has a thermo ring which keeps the tea at hotter for longer.

The forget-tea-not mug only plays the song once and so you don’t have to rush to silence it if you’re the only one awake in the house – and my boys try and guess how long it will take for the cup to start singing.  It’s very clever – and just right when it breaks into song!  Hopefully the forget-tea-not mugs will be available soon – because I know quite a few parents who would love to stop pouring their tea down the sink every morning and start the day off the right way; with a Bing! Bang! Bong! and a hot cup of Twinings.

This is a sponsored post.