Punch Blend No. 1 – Tea Horse
“Ordinarily the tea we have available to us just isn’t that good – and
we don’t even know it. But with thousands of different varieties out
there to discover, the world of leaf tea can be complex, overwhelming,
and steeped (nice pun there) in language and traditions that are not
familiar to the likes of us mere tea-drinking mortals. So we decided we wanted to help people to experience lots of
different, high quality gourmet loose teas from all over the world, in a
simple, inspiring way. We spend all of our time picking out the best
and most exciting teas on offer, so our subscribers can experience new
and tasty flavours every time they have a cup of tea.” – Tea Horse
we don’t even know it. But with thousands of different varieties out
there to discover, the world of leaf tea can be complex, overwhelming,
and steeped (nice pun there) in language and traditions that are not
familiar to the likes of us mere tea-drinking mortals. So we decided we wanted to help people to experience lots of
different, high quality gourmet loose teas from all over the world, in a
simple, inspiring way. We spend all of our time picking out the best
and most exciting teas on offer, so our subscribers can experience new
and tasty flavours every time they have a cup of tea.” – Tea Horse
Ingredients: Roobios, Ginger, Peppermint, Lemon and Orange peel, Rhubarb and hints of vanilla.
Steep Time: 4 minutes
First Sip Thought: “Just what I need to beat this heat!”
Smell: Usually I find one ingredient particularly stronger than another when I open the package to give it a smell. However, in this case I found that each scent was fairly equal except for the vanilla. I think that the equal aroma of each key ingredient really helped me get excited (and slightly impatient) to wait for this blend to brew. I’m extremely thankful that the ginger does not over power any of the other flavours too. Weeeee!
Taste: Delicate strength of flavours come with this unique punch blend. My favourite addition to it are the orange and lemon peels for the citrus hit. The hints of vanilla is not too noticeable to me but that’s fine because I think the blend is amazing without it. I prepared this blend iced as I thought it would be appropriate for a very British punch cocktail. No milk, no sugar – just a dash of organic honey. What I especially loved was that when this tea was sent to me, Tea Horse also sent a recipe on how to make their Crown Jules Punch. Punch Blend No. 1 is the main ingredient as well. The recipe card will be sent out with any purchases of the tea from their shop. Another plus! I will add the recipe below in case anyone has the blend at home with no recipe.
Verdict: 4 out of 5 tea leaves
Crown Jules Punch
Ingredients:
- A cup of Tea Horse Punch Blend No. 1 tea
- 2 teaspoons of sugar (vanilla sugar if possible)
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- 50ml Beefeater 24 Gin
- A dash of bitters (optional)
- Two slices of cucumber, a sprig of mint, lemon zest and seasonal berries for garnish
To make:
Brew a cup of Tea Horse Punch Blend No.1 tea as per the instructions.
Whilst the tea is still hot, stir in two teaspoons of sugar – vanilla
sugar works a treat if you have some. Add two teaspoons of lemon juice
and a large measure (50ml) of Beefeater 24 gin. A dash of bitters (Angostura, for example) is optional. Cool it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Whilst the tea is still hot, stir in two teaspoons of sugar – vanilla
sugar works a treat if you have some. Add two teaspoons of lemon juice
and a large measure (50ml) of Beefeater 24 gin. A dash of bitters (Angostura, for example) is optional. Cool it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
To serve, pour the punch into a chilled glass filled with ice, and
garnish with two slices of cucumber, mint sprigs, lemon zest and any
seasonal berries you might have at hand. Give the mint and cucumber a
little ‘spank’ together with the lemon zest; they give a fantastically
fresh and summery aroma. After a few minutes the cucumber will start to
work its magic and add its slightly bitter vegetal note. Alternatively,
serve in true tea party style; chill some large teacups in the fridge or
freezer. Fill a teapot with some ice and the punch, pour into the
teacups and serve with ice and garnish.
garnish with two slices of cucumber, mint sprigs, lemon zest and any
seasonal berries you might have at hand. Give the mint and cucumber a
little ‘spank’ together with the lemon zest; they give a fantastically
fresh and summery aroma. After a few minutes the cucumber will start to
work its magic and add its slightly bitter vegetal note. Alternatively,
serve in true tea party style; chill some large teacups in the fridge or
freezer. Fill a teapot with some ice and the punch, pour into the
teacups and serve with ice and garnish.
Sip & enjoy.