Blog - Gourmet Discoveries

Coffee enthusiasts the world over are perpetually looking for new ways to experience their favourite drink, and after the recent flurry over iced coffee, cold-brewed coffee is now the latest in a long line of trends to make headlines. But what does the term ‘cold brewed coffee’ even mean, who invented it and how can you create your own cold brew coffee at home from fresh coffee beans?

Do you love Salted Caramel Sauce? Did you know... Today salted caramel is one of the most popular 'new' confectionary flavours added to many of the most delicious sweet treats across the world, but few people know much about where it first originated – and how to incorporate it into their own cooking. Discover our top tips from homemade real hot chocolate to frosting and cupcakes.

No matter where you live in the world, chances are you visit a coffee shop at least once per week? In a rush to get your caffeine-fix and busy staff keen to serve you and get to the next customer, you may feel silly asking a question. Even the most devoted gourmet coffee drinker could be forgiven for feeling a little confused at some of the barista speak! Let’s look at some of the vital coffee questions you’ve always been too afraid to ask

Do you love tea? This is such a fantastic time to be alive! There are now so many new tea brands online and up and down the country - with ample opportunities to discover your favourite teas. Ironically though, too much choice can often make it even more stressful shopping for teas. So how to choose, and how easy is it to change from loose to tea bags?

While it may not feel like it at times, we do live in a fantastic time - if you love coffee that is! Few joys in life beat a really excellent cup of coffee. Whether you are leisurely sipping a cappuccino in a cafe while on holiday or grabbing a takeaway latte on the go in the morning - coffee is an integral part of modern day living. Now more than ever, it is easy to get any type of coffee from any country in the world online... But how do you know what you're really buying is genuine arabica coffee beans (or robusta) and that it is real quality?

Few genuinely affordable luxuries in the modern world compared to chocolate. Imbued with semi-mystical qualities that reach far beyond its actual taste, it’s one of the few foods that has universal appeal. Dismissed as dark chocolate’s hapless relative and commercialised by Nestles Milky Bar since the 1930's, white chocolate is being used in recipes worldwide.

It's the football World Cup time, and we have created our own TEAm to enjoy during the global tournament. With a speciality tea (or coffee) in every position that is sure to enhance your viewing experience - with or without caffeine - we are confident our TEAm will go all the way and hopefully we make it to the final... Put the kettle on!

We’re all looking to live healthier lives, and that means choosing natural and organic foods whenever we can. The great news is, it is now easier than ever - you only need to go online to learn all you need and immediately order what was once considered specialist ingredients and products. Even your local supermarket, now more than likely stocks much sought after items such as raw honey. But how do you know what honey to buy or what brands to choose?

Bubble tea has suddenly seen a rapid explosion of popularity across the UK and parts of USA. However, it has been popular throughout South East Asia for decades. Wonder why this it's fast becoming more fashionable to drink than regular iced teas. Discover how to make bubble tea and the most trendy tea shop London to visit. And why it doesn't even contain any bubbles and frequently it doesn’t include any tea either...

Coffee has a long history since it's original discovery in Ethiopia, with a rich history spanning centuries across continents, all the way up to today, as a drink with a truly universal appeal. It's evolved and changed along with human civilisation and looks now to change even further over the coming decades as the world wakes up to luxury coffee brands. We explore coffee over the last 1,000 years...

Tea is undoubtedly one of the worlds most favourite drinks, but how much do you really know about what goes into making the ever-popular modern tea bag? Recent highlighted environmental concerns about the plastics in some tea bags and with the growing emphasis on natural and organic tea alternatives, regular tea bags may look very different in the not too distant future. Learn more about this surprisingly complex cupboard stable…

Getting ready for the British tea festival taking place at Chiswick House & Gardens, London, 21st and 22nd of April to commemorate National Tea Day! This year guarantees to be the biggest celebration of fine tea held to date, Fes-Tea-Val is a fabulous day out for all foodies, tea lovers and those of us who just love to good garden party. Come join us on our stand for some of our newest organic loose leaf teas. It's also an opportunity to discover all that's new and exciting in the world of speciality teas...