Hand-Rolled Tea from Comins

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

Hope you had a nice summer? I had a lovely break that took several pleasingly unexpected turns. Not all those who wander are lost. I did something rather odd too. I took tea on my travels. I can't live on coffee, and tea can be a pretty pale affair on the continent.

I packed some quality leaves from merchants Comins who have Tea Houses in Sturminster and Bath — good people who make good tea.

Good people make good places

Good people also make good places. I was quite happily ensconced on a v. quiet promontory overlooking the Adriatic on hols, which was inhabited by the most charming bunch of people. If Noël Coward were alive (and in the same spot), I think he would have been inspired to write one of his pithy observational songs. I would be described as the peculiar fellow who takes his own tea on holiday. Thanks Noël. (He doesn't know the half. You should see some of the other things I pack.)

Recalcitrant before bed

What tea made the trip? Obviously, I needed a good session tea. I'm immobile in a morning until I've enjoyed two cups of black tea; and I'm recalcitrant before bed until I have had a final two cups. For the black tea, I chose Comins' tasty Golden Tip Assam Tea from the Khongea estate in India. Khongea is renowned for bold-flavoured teas. The tea grade is Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (TGFOP) for the abundance of young golden tips.

I also took some Hand Rolled Green Tea (top photo) purely because it was hand-rolled and reminded me of hand-rolled pocket squares and ties. Not a very good reason, but a very pleasant tea from the Lumbini estate in Sri Lanka (or Ceylon in old money). Come on, who doesn't like the idea of hand-rolled tea? Some green teas can be harsh, but this was light, smooth and, indeed, 'buttery' as Comins note.

The great thing about taking these teas on hols was that I had the time to properly prepare and savour them. I'll take some others next year and do the same. If you need a reminder on properly preparing tea, see how Rob Comins does it below.