Katherine Duchess of Cambridge aka Princess Kate enjoying Tea Tonic tea in Australia

Katherine Duchess of Cambridge aka Princess Kate toured the Sydney Royal Easter Show this morning. For those of you from far away lands Royal Shows started as agricultural shows where farmers came to have their cattle and produce judged, have horses compete in competitions and where the ladies would bake a sponge and make jam to be judged. They have evolved into huge expos of just about anything and everything involving amusements, side shows, rides, show bags full of lollies, candy and cheap plastic toys. They are great places to sample local produce and discover great local businesses. There are 'shows' in almost every city in Australia large and small at some time though out the year.

The Sydney Royal Show held traditionally over Easter was visited by Her Royal Highness Katherine the Duchess of Cambridge. She was lucky enough to be treated to a sample of fantastic tea from boutique Australian company Tea Tonic.

We have previously written about Tea Tonic teas here. This is fantastic exposure for Tea Tonic and I'm sure they will reap the benefits of the 'Kate Effect' and deservedly so.

Congratulations!

If you are looking to sample some lovely Tea Tonic tea but can't decide we recommend the sampler box which includes all 21 flavours. Our personal favourites are Coconut Tea, Apple Tree Tea and Oriental Twist - a delicious green tea blend!

We will be off an a royal adventure next week hoping to catch a glimpse of the happy couple. In the meantime, buy your Tea Tonic before it sells out!

Coconut Tea: A Tea Review

I have spoken briefly about Tea Tonic teas when I reviewed The Aviary Dessert Kitchen and had a pot of Apple Tree Tea. Tea Tonic is an Australian tea company that claims to create Australia's healthiest tea. Whether this is true or not I'm not sure but what I can tell you is that they make some truly dreamy teas. Tea Tonic teas are blended by the lovely Lisa, a naturopath and herbalist. Many of the herbs used in the teas are grown organically in Australia and if you choose a tea bag you can enjoy your tea knowing it has been made in an unbleached tea bag. That's the other thing I enjoy about these teas, you can buy the tea loose leaf or in tea bags. Whilst I drink loose leaf at home I prefer to have some tea bags with me at work for pure convenience.

Earlier this year I discovered an incredible day spa, it rates second on my list of favourite day spas. Encase you were wondering, number one is the Onsen Spa at Dinner Plain in Victoria. There is something magically relaxing about sitting in a hot spring, albeit man made, surrounded by snow. I had been searching for something that would come close to the experience of that incredible day spa and then I found this gorgeous little place not far from my house. Obviously there is no snow here, no plunge spas or saunas in the change room but one of things that I loved most about my visit to this spa, apart from the incredible treatment that I had, was that upon arrival I was handed a cute little tea pot and tea cup and told to relax. I kind of chuckled, 'me relax' I thought, 'impossible'! I just don't relax, I'm always on. I sat down and took a sip of this tea and something started to happen, I was being relaxed whether I wanted to or not. This was when I decided I had to buy myself some of this deliciously relaxing tea.

The tea was Coconut Tea. Tea Tonic describe it as a 'bright and breezy blend' and I would certainly agree. There is something lovingly refreshing about this tea with its blend of coconut flakes, pineapple pieces, aloe vera pieces and Yerba Mate. Its flavours are slightly reminiscent of a pina colada. Before I go in to much more detail, let me show you my tea place for this tea. When I drink this tea this is where I imagine myself to be, relaxing in a hammock, drinking straight from a coconut.

A key ingredient to this tea is Yerba Mate. Yerba Mate is considered the green tea of South America. Yerba is Spanish for herb and unlike a tea bush the Mate is actually a tree growing as high as 15 metres. Grown in places like Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, Mate is high in antioxidants and whilst still containing caffeine it has less than traditional black teas and asian green teas. Much like your asian green teas, Yerba Mate based teas should be brewed at a lower temperature to black teas, say around 75 celsius, otherwise they too can become slightly bitter. Both the leaves and twigs are used in the tea which produce a herby taste.

Another ingredient in this tea that I'm fairly sure I've never ingested before is aloe vera. Usually it's something we find in gel form to ease the sting of sun burn. The health properties of aloe vera are disputed but none the less it adds a refreshing aftertaste to this blend.

This is a great tea for summer and a bonus is that it doesn't really need any sugar or sweetener as the pineapple adds enough sweetness. This tea is best consumed warm as the aroma is incredible.

Tea Tonic teas are not readily available in supermarkets however you can buy them online from the company direct or check their website for a stockist near you. The great thing about these teas is that you can purchase them so many ways. You can buy the small travel size tin of loose leaf tea like the one pictured below, a large tea caddy, tea bags or even half a kilo of the blend! In my honest opinion the best thing to do is browse through the Tea Tonic online store and purchase yourself a tea bag sampler box containing the Coconut Tea, Apple Tree Tea and many other fantastic blends.

The Verdict

Tea: Coconut Tea

Store: Tea Tonic (online store)

Rating: 5/5 

Comment: A perfect summer tea for relaxing or even jump starting your morning. Make sure you brew it correctly at around 70-80 degree celsius and drink it warm.

The Aviary Dessert Kitchen: A Tea Place Review

Over the last 12-18 months the popularity of dessert cafes has risen steadily, probably in direct correlation to the supply. These usually cute, quirky places seem to pop up over night and develop cult like followings. Some are better that others though and The Aviary on Norwood Parade, Adelaide is now high on my list of places to go for a sweet treat and a delightful cup of tea.

First, lets talk about the tea. One of the things I love about this place is the fact they use teas by Australian company Tea Tonic. Tea Tonic produce divine herbal, fruit and green teas. Stay tuned for future tea reviews of Tea Tonic teas. These teas are predominantly organic to suit the ever growing demand for organics in this country and are actually blended by a naturopath. They claim to be Australia's healthiest teas.

My dining buddy and I ordered and shared a pot of Apple Tree Tea. This refreshing fruity blend is predominantly apple pieces. So keen to try to deliciously scented brew was my buddy, the tea was poured before it had been given enough time to brew. Fruits and herbal teas need a little longer than black and green teas for the flavours to truly shine. Regardless, this was still such a refreshing treat. I loved that they presented our tea in a green pot with green cups.

In addition to Tea Tonic they also stock a selection of Marriage Fr`eres teas, boutique teas imported from France. This covers you more than well if you are searching for a nice black tea or a premium green tea.

The Aviary, like most dessert cafes has a seasonal menu and they introduce new items on a regular basis. What appealed to me most was the fact that they also clearly indicate which of their items are gluten friendly (GF) or diary free, and there were plenty of choices. Now I know GF means gluten free but like most places as they have gluten containing products in their kitchen they can't guarantee there won't be cross contamination but they try their best. This is why I use the term gluten friendly! They are happy to have gluten intolerant diners and accommodate them! Their current menu can be found on their website.

I ordered the 'a-lychee in wonderland'. The floral lychee, raspberry and vanilla jelly, macaron ‘mushroom’ and turkish delight were served with a tangy but refreshing mangosteen sorbet and tufts of persian fairy floss. It was to die for. No photo I could take of this adorable presentation would do it justice. The flavours all came together so well. This was the first time I had eaten pashmak, persian fairy floss, and it really was nice. It had a soft, melt in your mouth texture, unlike the grainy clumps you get with regular fairy floss. A special touch was the inclusion of a sprinkle of popping candy through the pieces of meringue and turkish delight. Trust me, it tasted even better than it looked, a perfect balance of textures and flavours.

My dessert buddy ordered the Chocolate Pecking Plate which was a tasting plate of flour-less chocolate cake, fresh belgian waffle with chocolate sauce and a chocolate raspberry mousse pot. There is no photo of this one because it was gone before the camera was ready! The signature dessert here is the Macaron Flower Pot and although we didn't try one, they certainly looked delicious.

This is such a popular place and it's easy to see why. Not only is the food to die for, the surroundings are cute and the service is friendly, efficient and attentive - that is something that is unfortunately becoming less common these days. If you want to visit I strongly recommend giving them a call and booking a table, the phone number is on the website.

The Verdict

Tea Place: The Aviary Dessert Kitchen. Norwood Parade, Adelaide, Australia

Rating: 5/5

Comment: A great range of teas to complement every delicious menu item. Great service and a great atmosphere. Check the website for the latest menu and make sure you call to book a table.

Contact: The Aviary Dessert Kitchen Website, The Aviary Dessert Kitchen on Facebook