Loves history, gardens, travel, and words in general. AKA LovesTravel on dooyoo.
Loves history, gardens, travel, and words in general. AKA LovesTravel on dooyoo.
Member since:06.04.2003
Reviews:79
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"It's no' th' tea," said my Scottish friend. "It's th' water. Ye kin take th' tea home, but ye kin no' take th' water."
Hmmmm, well, I grant that most places I've visited in Scotland have wonderfully soft and pleasant-tasting water. Still and all, we also have very nice soft water in my little corner of America. We don't, however, have ready access to Scottish Blend tea. Fortunately, this particular problem is easy to solve--just fly off to Scotland often enough to keep a ready supply on hand! (Failing that, Scottish Blend can sometimes be found in the States at specialty shops stocking UK foodstuffs.)
You may think I'm jesting with this flippant remark about flying off to Scotland. I'm not. Scotland and I have been involved in a torrid love affair for just over a decade now, and I cross the Pond to this bonny piece of green earth about once a year. Rarely do I return without a fresh supply of Scottish Blend.
Why go to so much trouble for a good cuppa? Well, it isn't really trouble. It's actually more like an excuse, an act of homage. . . . That confession aside, Scottish Blend simply makes a great cup of everyday tea--far better than Lipton or Tetley, and more satisfying in many ways than PG Tips, which I also love. It's a calming, comforting blend of black tea--flavorful without being quite so robust. When you need a more serious caffeine high, go for PG Tips--or even coffee. But when you need a bit less caffeine and a tad more comfort (and who doesn't regularly need comfort?), go for Scottish Blend.
By now it will come as no surprise that I first encountered Scottish Blend in Scotland. The Scots take their tea very seriously, and Scottish Blend is a bit like the Scots themselves--gentle yet steadfast. As Scots will tell you and the packaging will confirm, Scottish Blend is especially blended for "our soft Scottish water."
Like PG Tips, Scottish Blend is a product of Unilever, which helps to explain why both products have such similar packaging and "engineering" for their pyramid-shaped tea bags. The shape of the bags allows more hot water to flow easily through the tea leaves and infuse more flavor into the finished beverage. In addition, Unilever's so-called "freeflow fabric," is "webbed" rather than perforated to keep out bits and pieces of the tea leaves, allowing only the liquid to pass through the tea bag.
The end product is a perfect cup of tea, ready to be completed in the manner than suits you best. I usually add a bit of milk to mine. Himself prefers two sugars. Mother wants a teaspoon of honey. Any way you drink it, Scottish Blend delivers--provided, of course, you have soft water and are willing to let your tea steep for the proper amount of time (5 minutes works for me).
Once my cup is ready, it's time to kick back, sit quietly, hold the cup, close my eyes, and dream of Scottish landscapes.
Well I'm Scottish but I drink PG Tips! Also not keen on tea bags, but would give this a go if they do it loose. Mind you, I haven't got the right water!
eilidhcatriona 14.09.2009 21:11
All the best things in the world are Scottish. We invented the modern world. :)
carcraig 17.08.2009 23:19
My Mum-in-law maintains that tea tastes better made from our water in Glasgow than made from her water in Ayrshire. I don't drink tea so couldn't say! Nice review, Caroline xx
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