Sample these four types of summer teas from Mumbai's stores

Therersquos always beer when it gets too hot for comfort But then again not everyone is in love with bitter fermented barley For those who prefer warmer things in life there are few better companions on a summerrsquos day stormy evening chilly morning or after a hard dayrsquos night than a freshly brewed cup of tea But tea from Sri Lanka Sure they produce some explosive and exciting cricketers and boast of some of the most beautiful beaches in the sub continent but Ceylon tea doesnrsquot hold a candle to good old Darjeeling does it Perhaps itrsquos time for a rethink Or at least we figured letrsquos give our southern neighbours a fair chance So we picked on one of the biggest names that bring Ceylon tea to India Basilur and took home four of their most marketed and talked about flavours to try out Herersquos what we found after three of us tried out each flavour wrote down our thoughts and then matched them to arrive at a common conclusion Sure there are dozens maybe hundreds of ldquotea expertsrdquo out there who could have done a ldquoreviewrdquo for us instead Perhaps that would have been more exact and detailed But we figured the best judge of how tea tastes are common people who pass just one filter they love the leaves Who better than fellow tea lovers to tell you how and why they liked or disliked a tea Herersquos what we found The Four Seasons Summer Tea This long leaf Sencha green tea from Japan has a mild flavour of strawberries It also has undertones of marigold cornflour and of course the wild strawberries The flora bouquet does not detract from the pure taste of the tea leaves Steep it for three minutes and you get a refreshing and soothing smooth cup of tea When If energy drinks are not your thing then this is a great replacement after a workout because of its fruity pedigree The Japs and the Chinese drink it after a gym session Do you still need to be convinced AT 125 gm Rs 849 The Cream Fantasy The name oozed sex appeal But the first thing that hit us was the flavour We are used to a creamy cappuccino with vanilla but not too many green teas boast of this But before you start wondering herersquos what the experience was good The sweet berries tasty cream with a light base of flower petal went down well with us The flavour of strawberries and cream tastes good on these hot summer days We let the tea bag soak in hot water boiled and then allowed to cool off for two minutes before we dipped the tea bag in for three minutes We like our tea relatively strong even if itrsquos a flavoured brew You could steep it between two to three minutes depending on your preference This is a sweet tea so add no sugar or milk unless thatrsquos the only way you drink your teas When A midmorning or early evening drink to get the energy back for work AT 20 teabags 30 gms Rs 449 Morrocan Mint No the tea is not from Morocco This 100 per cent pure Ceylon green leaf tea gets its minty flavour from Moroccan spearmint It leaves a powerful aftertaste that requires an evolved palate to appreciate But if you are adventurous you will like this Brew this for less than two minutes if you want a milder mint flavour This has a calming effect on the senses so it feels good especially after a hectic workday or weekend spent shopping When Itrsquos been a hard dayrsquos night Drink this and yoursquoll be sleeping like a log AT 100 gm Rs 849 The Green freshness The price is a bit steep considering there are so many green tea options found even in neighbourhood stores these days This one has a mild peppermint flavour Brewed for two and a half minutes this tea is very refreshing Itrsquos a healthy option And for heavenrsquos sake no sugar or milk When You can sip this one any time of the day AT 20 teabags 30 gms Rs 449u00a0