Tea Cupcakes and a Tweed Skirt

Earl Grey cupcakes with orange scented buttercream go perfectly with this cozy outfit for fall... and a warm cup of tea, of course!



Sources: Cupcakes, Cozy in Tweed

Sencha Cranberry Rose Tea

This tea is perfect for the morning, right before you leave for work. It has sencha green tea leaves, which are originally from Japan, and provides caffeine to keep you going and antioxidants to make you glow. The cranberry adds a bit of sweetness. I've mentioned rose tea before, as I've been in search of it here in London. I bought my first bag of it when I was in Malaysia last year. The tea lady told me it helps regulate blood-flow (also helps during periods!) and keeps you looking young. Although the sencha cranberry rose tea has rose buds in it, they don't appear to be as fresh as the ones I've had. Some of the goodness may disappear as the petals become dry, but I'm not sure. The tea is fantastic, anyway. I also bought a tea filter that drops into the cup, sort of like a tea bag. It's definitely ideal if you enjoy drinking loose tea, and the leaves blossom beautifully when they're done brewing.

Bedtime tea: chamomile flowers

A good cup of warm tea before bed should definitely be a part of your "getting ready for bed" routine (caffeine free, of course). I tried another Teapigs pouch, and this one was filled with whole chamomile flowers from Croatia. The calming and soothing effects make the tea perfect for helping you sleep, especially after a long hectic day. I used to drink rose tea with my mom before we went to bed, which was so, so lovely, but I haven't managed to find anywhere in London that has it, yet. I haven't really looked thoroughly enough, though. But, this tea is beautiful as well. I brewed it for a bit over three minutes, and ended up with a golden cup of tea with a very nature-like aroma. If you're new to tea drinking or usually just stick to regular teabags, this tea might taste very different. It has somewhat of a wheat or grass scent that leads your tongue to almost taste the smell. I know that doesn't sound very appetizing, but it certainly makes you feel like you're sipping a bit of nature, and it tastes good, too! Sweet dreams.

Chocolate Tea

The name sounds enticing, I know. But, I was a little bit hesitant when my flatmate's bff brought over bags of Teapigs chocolate flake tea. I was thinking, there has to be a catch to such delicousness. I figured it probably wouldn't taste very good at all... but I was surprised. After a couple of days of staring at it in its designated bowl, I decided to brew a cup.

When I first took it out of the baggie, I thought the scent was a bit overbearing. I dipped the teabag into my hot cup of water and waited three minutes for it to brew. After taking the bag out, I added just a touch of skim milk and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. When I breathed in the mixture, it was heavenly. Much better than the initial scent of the bag. The tea has a very smooth texture and tastes incredible. It's made up of black tea, chocolate chips, cocoa beans, and natural flavoring, and it tastes exactly as that—black tea with a hint of chocolate. Delicious, and only one calorie per cup! It doesn't give you the same satisfaction as eating a piece of chocolate, but the calories make up for it (unless you're like me and you add a cupcake to your teatime)!

I saved a cupcake from the Seasalt party