Tea... for two... T2

I've always been a tea drinker. And in my family household it was never "dunk a bag in a mug" kind of tea. Even if it was teabag tea, the bags were always steeped in the teapot (the Royal Albert Old Country Roses set) and the cups were served with the appropriate saucer below (and usually a home made chocolate chip cookie on the side!). I purchased a Breville Tea Maker for my parents a few years ago. It soon became the best appliance in the kitchen, and subsequently one of the highlights of my own kitchen too. The beauty of this tea maker is the ability to set temperature and brew time as appropriate to the tea leaf type, and even the timer-on and keep warm functions get their fair use.

There's a regular supply of Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Orange Pekoe and green tea (China Siaou Chu Pearl and Sencha) but for something different I have taken to stocking up on fruit tisanes from T2. My current T2 favourites are:

• Pumping Pomegranate - apparently the PP lovers of the country went in to meltdown when T2 ran out of all stock!
• Spring
• Fruitalicious
• French Earl Grey
• Honey Vanilla
• Southern Sunrise
• Ayurvedic Passion
• Lemongrass and Ginger
• Toasty Nougat

I make a full pot of Spring, Fruit or SS and keep it in the fridge as iced tea. I find it easier to drink than plain water, and it can be flashed up with some slices of fresh fruit and berries in a pretty jug to serve to guests.

I also like the "T2 all sorts two" box. It is a collection of loose leaf teas which are packaged in individual bags. The flavours include Melbourne Breakfast, French Earl Grey, Gorgeous Geisha, Brisbane Breakfast, Oolong, Red Fancy Fruit, Sleep Tight and Sydney Breakfast. It provides a gentle introduction to flavoured teas, green tea and rooibos blends and I cannot recommend the mixed packs highly enough for convenience and variety.