How to enjoy a perfect cup of tea, from Mr. Twining himself

Here are some interesting tidbits about Twinings, the tea brand: it is 310 years old, having been established in 1706 in London by Thomas Twining. In 1787, its logo was created—the same logo it uses today, making it the commercial logo that has been in continuous use the longest.

It holds a Royal Warrant—that is, is supplies tea to the British royal family. And famous Brit Stephen Fry has been a spokesperson for the brand.

Photos: Aya Tantiangco

Stephen H.B. Twining, a 10th generation scion of the famous tea family, has been involved with tea since he was eight. Years and years later, he continues to take pride in the family's tea empire and he delights in consuming their products, deriving pleasure from about nine cups of tea a day—depending on the mood.

His day usually starts with an English Breakfast, a staple for...well, the English.

In an interview with the press in Manila on August 10, Twining shared that despite the variety of tea the company produces (600 in all), English Breakfast and Earl Grey continue to be the top sellers in England.

"[Filipinos] are more open-minded to new flavors and new tastes," Twining said. "I would always describe the British as being, when it comes to drinking, very conservative when it comes to their tea."

Blueberries in tea, Twining added, is a little harder to pour for the English market.

However harder to sell to the folks at home, berries in tea is exactly what the Twinings brand has launched here. Curious palates are invited to try the Enchanting Forest Fruits Black Tea, one of four new Twinings blends in the market.

Of course, Twinings also has something for the conservative drinkers: Golden Tipped English Breakfast Tea, one of four new blends available in Twinings partner hotels and restaurants.

Twining says that there's little elitism when it comes to tea and debating over which is best or insisting on your favorite is needless.

"Recommending tea is very hard, it is such a personal drink," he said. If he had to, though, his strong suggestion would be to avoid adjunct sweeteners. "I would beg people not to put sugar."

"For instance, the Green Tea with ginger and mango has a natural sweetness to it," Twining explained, "But if you put a spoonful of sugar to it, sugar is such a dominant flavor that it's the first thing and the only thing that your palate picks up on and you miss out because it hides the flavor of the tea. You end up drinking hot sweet water."

The first step to the perfect cup of tea, it seems, is to find one that has a flavor you truly enjoy. There's floral, fruity, creamy, minty, and so on and so forth. Take your pick.

In addition to their existing line, Twinings launched eight additional Large Leaf blends. Four new blends are now available in select supermarkets and specialty stories: Enchanting Forest Fruits Black Tea, London Strand Earl Grey Tea, Exotic Mango and Ginger Green Tea, and Golden Caramel Rooibos.

Four signature blends are on offer in their partner hotels and restaurants: Golden Tipped English Breakfast Tea, Rose Garden Black Tea, Pure Sencha Green Tea, and Budding Meadow Camomile (chamomile spelled the British way, of course!) Tea.

After selection comes preparation and it would be wise to read the label and check for the recommended brewing time. Some teas take two minutes, while others take twice as long.

Infusion starts with the color being released, followed the next minute by the aroma and flavor. The last minute or two allows the anti-oxidants and natural benefits to be released, too.

Here are some guidelines to making the perfect cup of tea.

Twining discourages two things when brewing: Reusing the bag and "jiggling", or repeatedly dipping the bag into the hot water before leaving it alone.

Leave it alone and maybe do the jiggling after the two or four minutes is up to stir the tea. The last step is to enjoy. Add a bit of milk if you prefer, but again, hold the sugar! — BM, GMA News