“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass.

Don’t let the name of the month confuse you; it is winter, and it is winter in earnest. I know this because it’s now possible for my tea to go cold before I can finish it. Oh! The sorrow of a pot of tea gone cold.

Solution? FIRE!

I found this cheap treasure at Aldi, one of their special buys surrounding mothers day. And as I’m a mum, I deserve a mothers day teapot, no?

At about $14 or so I think it was a rather spectacular buy. Borosilicate glass and a stand with tealights to keep my tea warm. It also contains a glass infuser with small slits, so would be rather special for viewing blooming teas (Now if I could just get someone to send me some! Hint hint, wink wink.).

So as I was at a loss for blooming teas, I decided to treat this débutante to a textured tea worth viewing – T2’s Oolong choc chai.

This tea smells delicious. I was immediately romanced by cinnamon, ginger, clove and a hint of citrus.

4.5 minutes of steeping at 90°C rewarded me with this vibrant honey-coloured brew.

The taste was something different. I was surprised by a sweet, sherry-like introduction which transformed into a smooth honey flavour. The chocolate must have fallen down the rabbit hole because I couldn’t find it, but it was a happy pot of tea all the same. I was surprised at how sweet this tea tasted without anything added. I only had a sample and T2’s new website design doesn’t appear to have ingredient lists for the teas anymore, so I can’t tell you where this magic lies. In any case, it’s an easy drinking tea and a nice mid-ground between black and green tea.

Oh, btw, did you see this simple elegant white teacup and saucer? Kmart. Two dollarydoos. I think I might pimp one out with an oil-based Sharpie if I can find one. What do you think?