Happy National Tea Day!

Today marks our favourite day of the year, National Tea Day. Yes that’s right, a whole day has been dedicated to this delightful beverage and rightly so.

To celebrate Britain’s favourite morning – and afternoon ritual we have found 10 interesting facts about the wonder that is tea.

1. Tea breaks are a tradition that have been with us for approximately 200 years
2. It takes around 2,000 tiny leaves to make just one pound of finished tea
3. There is an estimated 1,500 different types of tea
4. Over 3 million tons of tea is produced every year worldwide
5. The United Kingdom drinks about 165 million cups of tea a day, or 62 billion cups per year
6. Black tea is called “red tea” in China
7. The art of foretelling the future by ‘reading the tea leaves’ is known as ‘tassology’
8. 98% of people take milk with tea
9. Until the 1800’s, solid blocks of tea were used as currency in Siberia
10. Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, after water

Cosy takes tea very seriously and have spent many years developing a range to suit every tea loving taste. From the classic Fairtrade Organic Black Breakfast Tea made with a blend of Assam & Nilgiri teas, to the more unusual tastes of Organic Rooibos made from ‘Redbush’ tea from South Africa with a hint of Vanilla, Cosy really does have it all.

So whether you are enjoying yours with a cheeky slice of cake or simply on its own in your favourite mug, make sure you take some time out on National Tea Day to enjoy a lovely Cosy cuppa!

Tea Collector: Paola Valle

The teas in their new home

We recently got a request from Paola who asked for some samples of our teas. We asked why because we’re nosy like that and were surprised by the response. It turns out that Paola is a tea collector! She collects the little wrappers that the tea bags come in and her collection is huge. We asked her to tell us a bit more about her hobby, and sent her some Cosy Tea to add to her collection. Here’s what Paola had to say:

Autumn

Summer seems to have come to an abrupt end here. The mornings have a distinct chill, the evenings are drawing in and Halloween goodies are popping up all round us! We love all things Halloween and have collected some of the most ghoulish and scary* knits to share with you. There’s enough time to get these projects finished before the big day, so fire up your kettle and get a brew on, you’ve got work to do.

Start simple is always excellent advice to follow, and we have with this Halloween wreath! It’s a great way to let Trick or Treaters know they’re welcome and a fun project to get you back into the swing of things if your knitting and crochet needles have been collecting dust over the summer.

Warm weather cosies

So we may have day dreamed of warmer times and large glasses of iced tea beading with condesation in the sun, but summer is no time to give up on a warm cuppa. And even on the warmest of days, you don’t want your pot to go cold before you’ve finished! We’ve found some exciting summer tea cosy projects to keep your tea warm and your kitchen table seasonal.

How about a Beehive Tea Cosy? We think this would be delightful to keep your Chamomile temperate. If you like to add a spoonful of honey then why not have your very own beehive as well? You can find the pattern for free here.

If a beehive isn’t quite tropical enough, then we suggest turning your hand to a pineapple tea cosy. Lemon Green Tea would be the perfect friend to this equatorial warmer and just the right tipple to plough through this pattern.

Yellow isn’t everyone’s colour so you could mix it up with a splash of ALL THE COLOURS. This ripple pattern is crying out for you to combine all the clashing combos until your eyes give up the goat. Maybe sip on the Decaf whilst knitting though, you’re eyes could want a bit of rest at any moment.

Just think, by the time you’ve finished these it will be time to start digging out your trusty old scarf and glove patterns. Brrrrrrr…

 

 

Follow your nose

It’s no secret that here at Cosy we’ll make any old excuse to get more tea into our lives. Whether it be in the form of a cake, a cocktail, or even your dinner, we’ve pretty much got you covered.

That’s why we were pretty excited when we discovered that we could also use tea to make our lives smell better. Tea has been used in perfumes and scented candles for years but is currently enjoying a bit of a revival in popularity. Last Summer, tea-infused fragrances were so popular The Telegraph dedicated an entire article to them.

We started thinking of other ways we could get the beautiful bouquet of tea into our lives and were inspired by this Lifehacker post that suggested using teabags to freshen up small spaces. It’s a stroke of genius and we’ve been hooked ever since.

One of the brilliant things about Cosy teas is that the range is so varied there truly is a tea for every occasion, and every space. Here are some things we’ve been trying:

Cosy Chamomile under our pillows…

We’ve talked before here on the blog about the possible health benefits of Chamomile tea. The most popular is that it may aid relaxation and soothe an anxious mind. Try popping an unwrapped bag of our Organic Chamomile infusion under your pillow to help you drop off at night.

 

Cosy Peppermint in our bathrooms…

This is a fantastic Organic way of keeping a bathroom smelling nice and fresh, without the nasty chemicals some air fresheners contain. Simply hang a bag or two on the back of the door and the steam from the shower will help distribute the lovely crisp scent all over the room.

 

Cosy Blueberry in our cars…

We love the fruity scent of Cosy Blueberry, and its heady scent is the perfect substitute for a car air freshener. Commercial air fresheners can sometimes lose their scent after a couple of weeks, but pop a blueberry teabag on your dashboard and you’ll have a car that smells so delicious you’ll want to take a bite for weeks.

 

 

Cosy Jasmine Green in our drawers…

As much as we love the smell of tea, we still want to keep things subtle. Cosy Jasmine Green has a wonderfully delicate fragrance, making it perfect for scenting our clothes. Simply pop a teabag in your drawer, or hang in your wardrobe.

 

Of course, it doesn’t end there. Why not try mixing the contents of a teabag with your favourite essential oils or dried herbs to create scent combinations of your own? Do you have any other suggestions for ways to use tea as a fragrance? We’d love to hear them.

April showers bring tea cosy flowers…

Here at Cosy we’re just a tiny bit obsessed with Spring. Like most Brits, we get very excited at the slightest hint of blue sky and we’ve certainly been teased with little slices of that lately. Of course, it wouldn’t be Spring if it wasn’t punctuated by the odd rainstorm. This week I’ve got a beauty of a tea cosy to share with you that’s sure to bring a little bit of Spring to your kitchen, even if it is looking dreary outside.

 
This really is a lovely pattern from Jen at Justjen-Knitsandstitches. It’s bright, colourful and decorated with the prettiest crotchet flowers. You’ve got the option to make a tiny cosy to fit a 1-cup teapot, or a larger one if you prefer. Either way it’s bound to put a spring in your step… *ahem*.

As this cosy is knitted in two parts and sewn together, it’s a good pattern if you’re not a fan of knitting in the round. Jen has decorated it with buttons in the center of pink crochet flowers. She’s added some adorable ladybird and bumble bee buttons which make for a lovely garden scene and some texture and fun to the design.

As always, be sure to let us know how you get on in the comments or on Twitter and if you’ve knitted any cosies lately send us a picture! We love to see your work.

Hot Cross Bunnies

Here over at Cosy, Easter is one of our favourite holidays. There’s something incredibly satisfying about a long weekend spent with friends, family, and of course a ton of chocolate. Easter is the time when everything seems to finally start waking up after a long Winter and Spring begins to tease us with daffodils, adorable baby lambs, and…err…chocolate eggs.
Of course it definitely doesn’t hurt that with Easter also comes one of our favourite teatime treats. Sweet chewy buns studded with juicy raisins, toasted and slathered in butter and washed down with a cup of tea. That’s right, it’s the hot cross bun.
The traditional bun is delicately spiced and fruity, with a shiny glaze and distinctive cross decoration. It’s a delicious classic which is perfect just as it is, but if you fancy trying something a bit more exciting this Easter, I’ve rounded up some of the best hot cross bun recipes out there. Follow any one of them and you’ll end up with sweet and sticky treats which go perfectly with a cuppa. You’ll just have to decide which one to choose…

Classic Hot Cross Buns

We’ll start with the classic recipe from BBC Good Food which really needs no introduction. Follow these fool proof instructions and be rewarded with the smell of spicy sweet buns wafting through your house this Easter.

 

 

Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

They say you can’t improve on perfection, but this recipe for chocolate orange hot cross buns from Taming Twins comes pretty close. The chocolate orange is a favourite Christmas treat, but nothing’s stopping you from putting an Easter spin on it.

 

 

Cherry & Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Sticking to the theme of fruit with chocolate, this Waitrose recipe is making my mouth water just reading it. Cherry and chocolate is a classic combination, it can only be improved by converting it to bun form.

 

 
Hot Cross Bread & Lemon Pudding

Back over to BBC Good Food now who have published this little beauty of a recipe which would be a delicious ending to your Easter meal. The nice thing about this one is that it uses up any leftover buns you might have lying around, if there are any left that is. Serve with pouring cream for a wonderful Easter dessert.

Do you have any favourite hot cross bun recipes? Tell us about them in the comments!

St Patrick’s Day

Spring finally seems to be springing, the birds are singing in the sky, and the biggest green tinted celebrations ever to come out of the Emerald Isle is just a week away. That’s right, on March 17th people across the world will be celebrating St Patrick’s Day.

In times of yore, St Patrick’s Day was a religious day and marked with a feast. These days it’s been transformed into a celebration of Irish culture, with folks all over the world donning their best green clothing and enjoying a pint (or two) of Guinness. Will you be attending one of the festivals or parades held across the globe this year?
For those of you who prefer a quieter celebration, we’ve tracked down the perfect project for you. If it’s a St Patrick’s Day knit project you’re after then these crocheted mini Leprechaun hat jar cosies by Yarnovations tick all the boxes. They’re simple enough that you can finish them in a couple of hours and most importantly of all? They’re the perfect size to fit round your favourite mug so you can raise a tea-flavoured toast to the Irish.

Once you’re done, slip it round your favourite mug and brew a tea of your choice. Personally, we’ll be sticking to the theme and going for Cosy Lemon Green or Jasmine Green (psst…click here for some fun green tea recipes if you fancy something a bit different) but with so many flavours to choose from we won’t blame you for picking something else.

 

Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

3 ways with…Chamomile

3 ways with… is a series exploring different ways of brewing and sipping our favourite drink. I’ll be picking out some of my favourite Cosy flavours and showing you a few different ways to enjoy them. Click here to see previous posts from the series.

Chamomile is by far one of the most popular herbal infusions around. With a list of associated health benefits as long as your arm, it’s not hard to see why. Not only that, Chamomile tea has certainly stood the test of time – it was one of the drinks of choice in Ancient Egypt and may have been enjoyed even earlier than that. The name Chamomile comes from an Ancient Greek word for ‘ground apple’. If you’re wondering why our ancient pals named a dainty little flower after a fruit, it’s thought it is probably because the Chamomile flower has a similar scent to apple blossom.

You know those health benefits I mentioned? I really wasn’t joking. Over the years Chamomile has been associated with a whole host of perks and uses. Egyptians used it to cure fevers, the Romans burnt it as incense, and closer to home English brewers even used the flowers as an ingredient in beer in the Middle Ages. These days many people drink Chamomile tea at bedtime as it is reported to help calm the nervous system and promote healthy sleep. It is also reported to soothe stomach cramps, skin inflammation, treat hair and nails, and even fend off coughs and colds.
Our delicious organic Cosy Chamomile infusion is  subtly flavoured with liquorice for a hint of sweetness, and it’s so good that to be honest, I’d probably drink it even if it wasn’t supposedly good for me. It’s lovely just as it is with a trickle of honey to sweeten the deal, but add some extra bits and pieces and you can transform your regular cup o’ Chamomile into so much more. Let’s get cracking with 3 ways to drink Cosy Chamomile…

 

In a hot toddy…

There is nothing better on a chilly winter evening than a comforting hot drink, all the better when it includes warming spices and a drop of brandy like this one does. Plus, if you’re feeling under the weather this is the ultimate pick-me-up. Simply brew your tea (you’ll want it nice and strong for this recipe so leave it for a good 5 minutes), squeeze in a wedge of lemon, a dash of brandy (I’ll leave it to you to decide how much) and sweeten to taste with honey. Serve with a cinnamon stick and enjoy it while it’s still hot. You can leave out the brandy if you prefer, it’ll still be delicious.

As an iced tea…

Picture by Drizzle and Drip

If the hot toddy was the perfect winter brew, then this is its summer cousin. The best part about this Chamomile iced tea with apple and passionfruit recipe? It is just so simple. Keep the ingredients on hand and you’ll never have to wait too long for a wonderful refreshing alternative to hot tea.

In a cocktail…

Picture from Bon Appetit

It wouldn’t be a ‘3 ways with…’ post if we didn’t feature at least one tea based cocktail. If you haven’t thought of pairing the unique taste of Chamomile with gin, lemon, and honey, then you’ve been missing out. This Bon Appetit recipe for a Chamomile Gin cocktail is the perfect zesty and refreshing happy hour treat. We’re sold!

A love letter to your favourite brew

That’s right folks, love is all around us. It’s that time of year again when the card companies, florists, and chocolatiers of the world unite to create an unavoidable medley of soppiness and romance. Much like Marmite, you either love Valentine’s Day or you hate it. If you’re in the latter camp and are starting to worry that this post probably isn’t for you then fear not. Consider this a love letter to your favourite brew. That’s right, this year make tea your Valentine…

 
We’ll start off with the tea, it is the star of the show after all. Pick your favourite flavour, from classic English Breakfast to old school Earl Grey. You could even go all out with romantic red Rooibos – bonus points for sticking to the theme. Whatever your tipple, just make sure it’s brewed to perfection – this is a date don’tcha know?!

Your date’s outfit is very important, so next up we need to find something extra special to serve your tea of choice in. Why use this lovely number by FourEverCrafting to declare your love? Or let your brew know your intentions with this cute mug.

 

 

Every good Casanova knows it’s important to bring their date a gift. Just a little token to say ‘I love you’. Both you and your tea will love these slice-and-bake Valentine’s biscuits and as the freezer does most of the work you won’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen either. Just don’t let your beau know that…

 

Last but not least, it seems only right that you escort your date in the proper manner. These knitted heart coasters by Mollie Makes are just the ticket. The simple pattern is even suitable for beginner knitters so even if you’re a novice you shouldn’t find these too challenging.

Whatever you do, we hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day. Don’t forget to let us know what you’re knitting and drinking in the comments!