Just my cup of tea (Twinings Everyday)

Member Name: ImVeryNice

Product:	Twinings Everyday
Date:	19/09/08 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Taste, attractive colour, one bag makes two good cups

Disadvantages: Not the cheapest, no foil, no details of its origin

All the tea in China...

... never made it into this "refreshing tasting tea for any time of the day" (Twinings' own description). Although Twinings give no information about the origin of this blend of tea, other than it is "imported" (well I never!) I would swear that it is predominantly African with some Indian, and no Chinese.

How to make it:
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If you drink tea I'm sure you already know this, or at least know someone that does, and really there's not much to it. Since I'm the only regular tea drinker at home, I make mine in a large mug. First I warm the mug by rinsing it with hot water from the kettle just before it boils, then I pour on the water the moment it comes to the boil. This way there is still air in the water and the taste hasn't been altered by long boiling or (heaven forbid!) re-boiling. Naturally I fill the kettle with fresh water each time I am going to make a cuppa. Taste matters! A word of advice, it makes a very strong cup if you leave it for the full three to five minutes recommended; I remove it after a couple of minutes and (if I remember) keep the bag for another cup later on. You can leave it longer for the second cup since you've already removed some of the flavour. If you like to use a teapot I suggest you try without the "one for the pot" first.

Taste, strength and appearance:
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Definitely on the strong side with a heady fresh taste and thankfully none of that soapiness that some popular teas have. The colour is a rich golden brown and even in our hard water area it makes a clear cup. I always drink with milk and no sugar and find it very refreshing. It's nice to see it doesn't leave dark scummy stains in the bottom of the cup either.

The Royal Connection:
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The box proudly displays Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Warrant, so even if she doesn't drink it herself, someone somewhere in the Royal household probably does.

Your health Sir (or Madam):
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The BBC recently ran a headline that tea is a healthier drink than water. Tea, it seems, not only hydrates you as well as water but the antioxidants it contains can help to prevent cell damage in your body, while its fluoride content can help to protect your teeth and strengthen your bones (not everyone agrees about the benefits of fluoride though). The caffeine content is generally lower than in fresh coffee but it would be an idea to avoid high caffeine drinks if you also drink a lot of tea. Adding sugar is clearly not a good idea while it has also been suggested that adding milk may reduce the health benefits of tea. Black with lemon then.

Packaging and pricing:
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It comes in a distintive rectangular yellow and gold cardboard box in quantities of 40, 80 or 160 bags. I buy mine in Tesco where the 80 bag size often works out cheaper than the 160 thanks to their promotions. I last paid £1.49 for 80. Not the cheapest of course but good value for its quality taste. The box, which is marked as being recyclable, stacks easily on the larder shelf. To keep your tea fresh it is best to transfer the contents to a caddy or airtight container since there is no foil inner wrapper.

Summary: Better than just "everyday"