Hoogly Blogs / refreshing tea

Summer Sensations!

Summer Sensations!

Greetings Hoogly fans! I hope you are all safe and well. The summer is here and the sun is (mostly) shining, and the world is creeping back to something like ‘normal.’ Now is the time to discover all the ways in which you can make the most of the warmer weather with our spectacular selection of luxury brews, which are the perfect accompaniment to a hot day, whatever your plans!

As you know, Hoogly is all about relaxation, mindfulness and being kind to yourself, and what better way to chill and unwind than sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine, fresh air and all the scents of summer. To make the most of your sunny experience, we heartily recommend one of our latest and greatest brews: Apricot Blossom. This is an elegant combination of Chinese Pai Mu Dan white tea and Sencha green tea, underscored by a refreshing drench of fruity flavours. It’s perfect for an afternoon tea, a picnic, a sunbed sidekick, or even as a cheery reminder of good weather on a classic English rainy day. This charming tea comes in pyramid bags or loose leaf, and makes an ideal gift, putting a smile on the faces of your friends and loved ones, and giving them a treat they can return to time and again.

Another newcomer is the tantalising and tempting Tiramisu black tea, a rich and indulgent pick-me-up that combines coffee beans and cocoa within a body of Sri Lankan black tea and roasted dandelion root. This creamy indulgence is an exhilarating new way to enjoy a classic cup of tea, and absolutely perfect to share with family and friends. Give your taste buds something to exciting to work on this summer, whether you’re serving with a picnic, enjoying at breakfast, or capping off a delicious meal!

Our next newbie is also incredibly versatile, ideal for any occasion or season! Introducing Ginger Biscuit rooibos tea! This is Hoogly’s take on the classic snack: a light, warm and subtly spicy blend of rooibos and ginger that will hit the spot no matter what. This winning blend is a great way to relax at the end of a long day, and equally good as a treat, or an accompaniment to any kind of meal. And, yes, we’ve even tried it as a cheeky caffeine-free midnight cuppa, and it does the trick! Just don’t tell anyone your secret!

Summer is not summer, of course, without a lolly—and our brews are perfect for frozen family fun! We recommend Sweet Orange Rooibos for your icy delight—it’s bursting with South Africa’s unique rooibos taste, and alive with juicy, zesty citrus flavours and a playful hint of strawberry! Simply brew the bags for twice as long as usual, pour the contents into a mould of your preference, and leave in the freezer overnight. When you wake up, you’ll have a sensationally sweet summer treat for all the family!

If lollies aren’t your thing, then give a Hoogly ice tea a go! Place two teabags of your choice in a heat-proof pitcher, pour in four cups of boiling water, and leave for around five minutes. Then remove the teabags, sweeten, add slices of fruit for a lush twist, and pour in five or six cups of ice until they melt. Allow everything to settle and then whack it in the fridge until the sun gets too hot to handle, and you’re good to go! For an ice tea that’s full of glamour and inner balance, why not try our Rhubarb and Vanilla green tea, which carefully caresses tart and sweet flavours, creating a note-perfect accoutrement for a chill day in the sun.

So that’s it for this time, Hoogly lovers. Stay safe, enjoy the weather and keep flipping the kettle on!

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com 

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A Lolly good idea!!

A Lolly good idea!!

Greetings Hoogly fans! The other day I was trying to solve a very difficult problem. I had a tune to a TV programme going around my head, but I couldn’t remember which programme it belonged to. I had a feeling it was a children’s TV show, but the more I hummed it to myself, and the longer it stayed on tip of my tongue, the more frustrated I became. Unlike most problems, this couldn’t be solved with a quick Google search, which is most infuriating to a person in the year 2019. Eventually, my interest waned, but every few days or weeks, the tune would re-emerge organically in my brain, the volume up high, and the irritating process would start all over again. I asked friends and family, but nobody seemed to know. A few friends became as annoyed as I was, clutching their hair and squashing their eyes shut as they tried to force the name to come. It was as if I had passed on some kind of exasperating virus. Eventually, about three months after the tune emerged in my head, somebody cracked it, and, I have to say, it was a huge anti-climax. It turns out that it was the tune for Grange Hill, which I had initially ruled out as a possibility because I knew the original Grange Hill tune, which wasn’t the tune in my head, failing to remember that the tune had changed at some point during the show’s lifespan. Still, at least the mystery was solved, and I could go back to humming songs I knew.

I tell you all this because I’d originally planned to talk about memory, specifically childhood memories of summer, and I realised that the Grange Hill debacle had a certain connection with this thread, although I’m hoping most of your childhood memories come back to you more easily, and bring more pleasure than my farcical episode!

For me, summer is about grass. The back garden and the park. Paddling pools, water pistols, tennis rackets and balls of all shapes and sizes being bounced of the garden wall or accidentally lobbed over the fence. I loved warming up and cooling off. Sliding and diving around, getting mud on my knees and elbows. Five-a-side football with my mates. American football with my dad. Cricket with my great aunt—who at the age of 65 was still capable of delivering a wicked swing delivery and bowling me out!

And in those seemingly endless evenings, I used to love pitching a tent in the back garden, pretending I was an explorer, hunting bugs, escaping furry predators, finding hidden treasure (Cadbury’s Crème Eggs buried by my grandma) and hunting UFOs in the night sky. I would sit out for hours with my cousin, eating Coco Pops from a cake mix bowl, staring at the stars, waiting for ET to swish by, or land, or fire a laser beam. Although we never got any concrete proof, we both swear to the fact that, one evening in Northampton, we saw three orange triangles shoot silently across the sky in a tight formation. Our very own episode of the X-Files!

Last but not least on my list of childhood memories of summer: BBQs! This is a love that, for most people, never really goes away. The scent of grilled foods that you can float on, cartoon-style, drifting out towards where the action is happening, filling your plate time and time again with unashamedly naughty food. Add to this the joy of friends and family huddling around for fun, games and laughter…and third courses…what more could a kid want??

…Well I’ll tell you what more a kid could want!

Hoogly popsicles and ice tea!!

The sun has been pretty unrelenting this summer—nothing like the nonsense of last year’s heat wave—but still intense. To ensure that you stay refreshed and cool off in style, why not try a Spiced Orange or Berrylicious lolly? Simply brew the herbal infusion bags for twice the usual amount of time, pour into a mould shaped to your preference, and leave it in the freezer overnight! By morning, you’ll have some distinctively delicious sweet summer snacks to fuel your fun in the sun!

Alternatively, why not chill out with the elegance and seduction of a Hoogly ice tea? Simply pop two teabags in a heat-proof pitcher, cover with four cups of boiled water, then leave for around five minutes. Then, remove the teabags, sweeten to your preference, then mix in five or six cups of ice until they melt. If you feel like customising your brew, why not add slivers of your favourite fruit and allow them settle into the mix? Pop the finished article in the fridge and you’re ready to rock when the sun gets too hot to handle! For the best iced teas, we highly recommend Chill Out Mint, with its invigorating and cooling menthol character, Cosy Chamomile, with its carefully chosen herbs that relax the body and soothe the mind, and Jasmine Dawn, a delicate and alluring blend of jasmine, vanilla and rose.

So that’s it! Now you’re all set to enjoy a hot, Hoogly summer, confident in the knowledge that you can stay refreshed and mindful with every sip! Here’s to making more happy memories…cheers!

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com

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