Tea Forte Advent Calendar: Day 5 - English Breakfast

 


I wasn't too excited to see English breakfast as my blend on Tuesday morning.  I admit to having become dis-enchanted with English Breakfast over the last few years.  Mostly, because the English Breakfast blends I've tried have been.... boring and lackluster.  They've been serviceable but dull, or have been made with mediocre tea, or haven't held up well to cream.  When given the choice between an English Breakfast and an Earl Grey, I will almost always choose the Earl Grey.


So, imagine my delight and surprise when I took my first sip and tasted a wonderfully malty flavor from high quality Assam in the blend!  I enjoyed the malt flavor on the mid and end note so much that it wasn't until half way through the cup that I remembered to try creaming the tea.  So, in the second half of the cup I added heavy cream and no sugar and.... oh lord it was heaven.  


It was even MORE heavenly when I paired it with my shortbread of the day - a classic plain butter shortbread finger.  It dipped SO well into the tea and I'm happy to report that the malty Assam flavor held up to both the cream and the shortbread and made everything taste so much more savory.


Final thoughts:  A wonderful way to start off my day.  This is actually an English Breakfast blend that I would buy for myself for regular consumption!

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