I’m a little bit peculiar, I think, in my tea preferences change seasonally. Without really intending to, after I’d become a regular tea drinker, I often caught myself saying things like, “This would be a good tea for breakfast in the Summer,” or “This would be better in the Winter.” To me it just feels natural to change my teas—especially breakfast teas—with the changing seasons.

I bought my first tin of Taylors of Harrogate’s “Scottish Breakfast Tea” last Spring, and I fell in love. But as the weather got hotter, I decided it was a tea for cold Winter mornings, and I look forward to buying more now that the weather is chilly and the mornings are turning frosty.

This is really a great tea for the cost. It’s a blend of Assam and Kenyan leaves, and it’s warm and bright in the cup. It’s nice and strong, malty with hints of oak, and I find it on the brisk side so I brew it 190º and take it with a little milk. I get compliments on it whenever I serve it to guests. It’s a favourite of mine that I can’t do without!

PingMag MAKE features an article on Kikuchi Hojudo, who make the most beautiful cast-iron tea kettles I’ve ever seen.

It’s a fascinating interview (punctuated by many lovely photos) with the president of the foundry, who says Kikuchi Hojudo was founded during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (c. late 16th century). Go see!

An older but useful post for tea-drinkers:

Tea Party Girl warns us of The Top Seven Mistakes Tea-Drinkers Make.

Oops, I think I may be guilty of some of these, and probably all of them at some point in the past! I rather like cream or half-and-half in my tea, but maybe I should try milk again? But I like the way the cream sort of swirls at the top . . .

I just put some teas out in glass jars, exposed to light. I don’t want to put them away (they look pretty) so I’ll just see how long it takes me to drink the tea before I change that habit.