‘Ave a cuppa, Guv’nor.

You may know that one of my pet projects is ReadTheseLips.com – a beautiful site that produces exceptional lesbian anthologies. You might’ve wondered why we chose a purple cup as our icon. Well, the cup – or bowl – represents woman’s sexuality; her womb, her cradle of fertility, the seat of femininity etc. In relation to RTL, we encourage readers to pick a comfy spot with a relaxing drink and read. Not all of us have the luxury of a space of our own, but wouldn’t it be great if we did? Next best thing might be to create an atmosphere where one could enjoy the moment.

Which brings me to the cuppa. You can’t rush a hot drink. In fact, one of the pleasures of having a cup of tea is the instant slowdown it brings.

I’ve been testing tea now for a couple of years, and I’ve learnt that teas are complicated! They are as blended and curated as wine, and they give me just as much mouth and chest pleasure.

So in the interest of sharing, I’m calling this section Tea of the Week. This may turn into W(h)ine of the Week or Dish/Chick of the Week, who knows. Oh yes, not forgetting  Book of the Week too.

NB: where possible, buy Fair Trade.

I promptly fail this as I review one of the grande dames of British Imperial tea – Fortnum & Mason’s Royal Blend (tea bags, alas.)

I’ve been ogling the shelf of F&M while I slurped around the block a few times, picking up tips and learning the clientele.

4.5 stars for smoothness, 4.2 stars for blend, 4 for bouquet. It is unavoidable that the bouquet arrives first. My palate is the easily confused sort so that doesn’t work for me. What stays after the drink is how I’ll remember the tea – in the same way I remember a story by the impression it leaves. This tea had a Very smooth finish.

Now if only I could match drink to reading material. Bikkies anyone?