SPILL the tea

We’ve been giving a new everyday tea a try this week… and, as we both love a cuppa, it’s an exciting thing! We have a couple of favourite brands that we consider to be a good everyday tea… and now SPILL tea has definitely joined them. In fact, we’ll probably just switch completely, as it’s perfect on so many levels.

First things first, it’s a wonderful cup of tea. It’s a lovely golden colour, robust & flavoursome, whilst staying light & clean… a sparkle on the palate. It gets the magic sigh after the first sip, “…ooooh that’s a good cup of tea!”.

It’s a new venture for co-owners Lou & Sofia, although both have a long history and much experience in the tea world.

The combination of a great cuppa combined with treating the farmers with respect & gratitude has obviously been the driving force for their new company. They deal directly with the farmers who hand pick the crop, so only the best leaves are used… it’s not a blend of whatever tea was cheapest in the market or at auction. No need for middlemen or deals that drive prices and quality downwards.

You can actually see the difference as you take each spoon from the tin – none of that dusty, tired-looking mixture here.

SPILL pays $3 / kilo – 50% above Fairtrade. Plus, an additional farmer payment of 50¢ / kilo.

Add to that, we love the logo & branding – and the packaging, which is home recyclable. Perfect all round!

For you, a better cuppa. For the farmer, a better price.

So, our advice is to give it a go – you won’t regret it. We’ve been drinking it all week and still appreciate that extra quality and improved experience that it’s brought. As Lou & Sofia say, it’s all about upgrading the products that you have on a regular basis whenever possible – whether it be coffee, bread, beer or tea. Little things that make moments in life so much more enjoyable!

They have loose-leaf or tea bags – and very nice storage tins if you need one of those too.

Enjoy… and try not to spill it!

This coffee is something to rave about!

We’ve been sent the Espresso Lover Taster Pack from Rave Coffee to review. Regular readers will know that we’re big coffee lovers, so we were really looking forward to the task.

The trio of beans arrived swiftly after we placed our order. They’re packaged in oxo-biodegradable bags to ensure they’re delivered as fresh as possible, in an eco-conscious way.

We love really strong, rich roast coffee, hence the reason we chose their espresso assortment. I must say, ‘The Italian Job’ is my favourite of the three. It’s the strongest, yet has a smoothness and nuttiness that works in a classic espresso, doppio or macchiato.

Not that the other offerings weren’t enjoyable too! The ‘Signature Blend’ is their popular all-rounder; so if you like your coffee a different way each time, this is the one for you. The Chatsworth is big on chocolatey flavours, so suits a caffè latte, espressino or caffè mocha.

Don’t worry if you don’t own a coffee grinder, Rave also supplies all their coffees as ready-ground beans (in a choice of five different grinds) as well as compostable Nespresso compatible pods. Whether you prefer to make a one off purchase or have a regular subscription deal, Rave has a coffee option for you. Single origin for the connoisseur, decaf for the insomniac, green beans for the home roaster and taster packs for the inquisitive.

What better way to start today’s lazy Sunday than with warm croissants straight from the oven and delicious, freshly-brewed coffee… especially with the extra hour in bed?!

Wake up and smell the coffee beans!

Late last year, we shared our The Coffee Mate Caprissimo coffee bean review here on our blog. Today, we’re happy to be offering one of our readers 2 kilograms of the same coffee beans (worth £33). The prize bundle consists of:

Nothing beats a home-made cup of coffee using beans that you’ve freshly ground yourself… from your favourite cup… and just the way you like it! We’ve really been enjoying our morning cup of Caprissimo coffee.. we’re down to our final half a bag.

For a chance to win the beans, just let us know how you like your coffee. It’s a flat white with soya, no sugar for me!

2 kilos of Caprissimo coffee beans

Shared on: Superluckyme | The Prizefinder | Loquax | Competition Database | U Me and the Kids

Price Points: Reusable coffee cups

The proliferation of plastic waste has been in the news a lot recently. The ever-expanding Great Pacific garbage patch is really alarming. At last, more is being done nationally and by the government to curb the use of plastic products. It began with the halt to giving away free plastic bags at the supermarket checkout. Recently, Iceland has been the first major supermarket to pledge to not use plastic on their own brand goods. Lets hope all the others soon follow suit.

Earlier this year, a call for a 25p ‘latté levy’ on disposable cups hit the headlines. Some coffee shops have long been offering a discount to customers who bring their own reusable coffee cups. Currently, very few people take up the offer. The hope is that the tax will increase that number in the same way as the charge on plastic bags.

Here are three of our favourite reusable coffee cups – much more attractive and easier to handle than the flimsy, throwaway ones passed over the counter by the barista.

We can all do our little bit to lessen the impact of plastic on the environment. Take reusable bags when we go shopping, buy loose goods where possible, recycle household waste

Waitrose blue floral scatter coffee cup: £2, Waitrose
Ecoffee cup William Morris Cornockle (400ml): £8.99, Planet Organic
Bodum vacuum travel mug with cork band, 350ml: £20, John Lewis

H is for Home Harbinger

Tag: hot beverages

SPILL the tea

This coffee is something to rave about!

Wake up and smell the coffee beans!

Price Points: Reusable coffee cups