G10  Porcelain tea tasting set plus miscellaneous
further information

T-SAC TEA FILTERS:

These are being stocked as a convenience item for persons who find the handling of loose teas difficult and inconvenient. Whilst I still recommend placing the amount of loose leaf required loose in a tea pot as the best way to appreciate a tea these paper sacs are ideal as a first step for persons who always stuck to tea bags and believe that loose leaf teas are a step too far.
The filters come in 3 different sizes:
Filter 1 Is designed for use in a tea cup or mug
Filter 2 Is designed for use in tea pots of 2 - 4 cup size
Filter 3 Is designed for use in tea pots of 5 - 7 cup size

Just open the sack at the top and stand it in a cup or pot, place the number of teaspoons of leaf required inside the envelope and then fold the flap over the side of the receptacle to secure it and pour the required temperature water into the leaf within the sack. This will not swirl the leaf as in a pot but it will allow the water to make instantaneous contact with the leaf which is an improvement on any type of tea bag, whether paper, silk or nylon and small or large.
The sac allows you to withdraw the leaf from the receptacle thus arresting the brewing process and to throw the leaf away in one pack. We hope that they will allow more people to try loose teas and to move on and appreciate how exciting loose teas can be.

Description of tea tasting set:

This is exactly the same as the sets produced for professional use by the tea-maker at the factory every morning to asses the previous days manufacture and also by tea tasters and brokers in assessing and valuing teas before auction.

The set comprises a cup with handle and a serrated edge to the front lip of the cup which strains the leaf allows the liquor to pour after brewing. A bowl which receives the liquor and allows the liquor to be assessed against the white background of the bowl. The lid is made with an internal rim to allow the cup to be turned upside down and shaken so that the brewed leaf falls into the lid. The lid is then turned upwards and rested on the cup to show the character of the brewed leaf. Finally the liquor is tasted or sipped from the bowl often called cupped. The bowl can act as a tea cup.

Other uses:

A development that some tea shops may take up with our teas is to make available a selection of three very different teas from the menu. Three teas are then brewed and presented to the customer in their three tasting sets on a tray with a description of each tea. The customer can then taste and compare the teas whilst examining the brewed leaf. This creates a talking point and two customers may take two different selections which is perhaps of greater interest.

They have been purchased by customers as a gift for a serious tea drinker.

SPECIAL  HAND  CRAFTED CADDY  SPOONS.

IODISED  CADDY  SPOON:

This is made by a single Craftsman and his family. He has developed a large proportion of our specialised gifts and retains a keen interest in how his work is received. The description Iodised, relates to the finish that is given to the item. It is achieved by applying layers of treatment to the original base metal and then polishing back to that metal in selected areas or more particularly on high spots. This gives a two tone effect which is sealed and does not require polishing with metal polish. Maintenance should be by polishing with a soft polishing cloth. The traditional caddy design has been given a small hole in the shaped handle to allow the spoon to be hung.

SILVER  PLATED  CADDY  SPOON:

This is prepared in the traditional method of applying and dipping in silver to a good standard. The shape and other features are the same as for the Iodised spoon. Again use a soft polishing cloth. Should the item tarnish a polishing cloth should remove light tarnishing, otherwise very sparingly apply a drop of silver polish.

Packaging:
The spoons are presented fitted in a small slim red box which makes an excellent gift.

BOOKS:
I am honoured to have been asked by two authors to hold stocks of and distribute their excellent books set out below.

    Bogowantalawa - Life and passion in the golden valley
                            By Margaretha Haglind and the foreward is by Arthur C. Clarke.

The book is beautifully presented with a wonderful selection of coloured photographs  taken from some 4,000 photographs taken over two years living on the estates. Margaretha has picked out the essence of the area with long shots of views including the famous Adam's Peak  climbing into the skies from the estate tea fields. Classic photographs such as the one on page 13 show the dedication and discipline of training the bushes to a smooth green carpet that follows every contour of the ground and every rock. The bushes seem to reach across paths and roads in an effort to try and find the next bush and join with it. Page 17  shows this same effect for a large ravine leading right down to the factory. How the bushes switch back across the folds of the ground interspersed with shade trees. Other photographs catch the life who work, live and maintain this magical landscape. Postage within the U.K. is covered by the standard £4.50 delivery charge  set in the shop. For overseas clients a mailing charge will be confirmed.

The Hills of Paradise - British enterprise and the story of plantation growth in Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
By S.N. Breckenridge and the foreward is by Dr. Wester Modder, Director of the TRI.
His book traces the history and effects on the island from the Portuguese period of occupation in 1515 on through the Dutch period and finally the British in 1796 when my own relations first became involved with the island. He explains the migration of Tamil labour to the estates during the British period, a different Tamil group to the Jaffna Northern Tamils who settled there some 2,000 years ago. He uses and brings together many sources of statistics and old photographs that show the personalities of those times. The disastrous effects of the coffee demise from disease upon planters and workers alike. Population statistics to show the changes that were wrought on the area over 300 or 400 years. The effects on the health of  workers, the politics and changes right up to Nationalisation and beyond to 1987. We have had many books by British commentators and by ex planters but this book has a very different slant on those times coming from one of such a mix of origins and culture. The island has always been melange of Buddhists, Hindus, Catholics, C of E and Muslims. The religions and cultures in the main living well alongside each other for centuries. Postage within the U.K. is covered by the standard £4.50 delivery charge  set in the shop. For overseas clients a mailing charge will be confirmed.

The  Handbook  of  Tea  -  By Jean-Marie Mauler
Price  £21.50  Plus £4.50 P&P U.K. Mainland unless part of a tea order   -  This is a new publication and at present it will be obtained from the author when ordered. Delivery could be some 3 to 4 weeks. Eventually we hope to have some stocks.
If any Trade outlets are interested in stocking the book for sale please contact me direct to discuss this. A CD produced for the press is kept here and could be made available for observation.
The book is 199 pages long in all. Hardback book. Printing on Biberist Furioso 135 gr. Excellent quality publication with colour photographs published in Switzerland. It covers all main producing areas. The subjects of Tea consumption,  Tea Practice, Tea and Health. The photography is of an excellent quality.