Earl Grey is Life

What is the feeling of deprivation? In the case of the UK navy which accidentally ran out of tea bags, it is like a chain rule effect. Tea is equivalent to British morale.

An interesting incident from the high-sea that happened earlier could give a perfect example. The true story is about national identity and international friendship. While the Royal Navy found out they need tea bags supply, the Canadian frigate show their respect and hospitality to the commander of HMCS Winnipeg. 

In the end, they got the three boxes of Earl Grey tea bags, and on top of that, they enhance the friendship of the allied escorts with Canada.

What do you think the madness of UK people is about? They could roughly consume almost 4 million in an hour. How do we/they know? Here is the data https://www.tea.co.uk/tea-facts

Hence, tea is really a big deal for the people of the UK. 

'Things like tea — that steaming amber liquid that steadies frayed British nerves and takes the chill out of almost any wet, weary bone on watch.' The reporter says

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hmcs-winnipeg-tea-royal-navy-queen-elizabeth-1.6205366?fbclid=IwAR2MR43j08dNVxnV5leHmLfnRinMEpVSkMFpj6P2_NgLSV-Y1T4ghmSm8x0

What if they are astronauts. "Houston, we have a tea problem" (Astronauts in the outer space environment don't use tea bags for sure, this is for fun)

Calendar on Plate and the Tea history combo 2022從心出發：年曆、茶盤與歷史

 Source: https://www.milkconceptboutique.co.uk/products/fornasetti-calendar-wall-plate-2022 

Welcome to 2022, may the tea journey goes on with joys and laughter.  

歡欣鼓舞中迎來2022，有茶相伴的歲月是靜好的。

The ceramic plate industry here is also very interesting in terms of its history related to the Chinese artifact and its own Great British vibrant costume assemble with company's intelligence.

從中國學習到陶瓷的製程技術後，西方世界的文化與其激盪融合，產生許多具有創意的做法。在英國，陶瓷製造商將每一年的月曆印製在瓷盤上，讓其搖身一變成為具有收藏意義與時代感的紀念品。

source: https://fb.watch/ak4XaoeLgi/

Apart from tea bag, tea towel, and tea spoon in category, the other necessity in UK for the tea set is saucer, which is the plate that serve the teacup. 

除了茶包、茶巾、茶匙等類別，在英國很重要的還有茶盤，各種居家語和聚會中必定有各具特色的茶盤。他們或風格獨具，或是與其他茶器融為一體、互相呼應。

source: https://shop.westminster-abbey.org/platinum-jubilee-teacup-saucer.html

This kind of stylish outfit of teacup goes with lid cover and bottom plate can be seen widely in Qing Dynasty. Now some might call them ceramic tureen, which contained the cover, tea bowl, tea saucer. It also contains the philosophy of indicating the world, top-sky, mediate-people, bottom-earth.  

source: https://theme.npm.edu.tw/opendata/DigitImageSets.aspx?sNo=04028903

Three in one tea wear is still commonly use for brewing tea nowadays in the east, since it is neat and portable, especially show much about the tradition value and oriental tea spirit, featuring the profound history in this tea society. 

The landscape is different in UK. The cover escapes/disappears naturally in its culture input, and are introduced in another form. Reasons might be because tea cup gradually grows with handle, sized teapot can brew more for the household, and the tea bag can dense itself underneath the cup, and the flexible of temperature of water.  

In addition, the popular bowl for tea in Japan appear in different way. We also can see cute bowl with its lid for soup, especially Maki-e style, in some occasion tea would sit inside perhaps. 

The vintage calendar plate was popular in the market in UK in old days from prestigious aged-company. One of them occur with tea history was even more unique and rare to tea lover. By the way, if you are a collector of those antiques, the year of 2022 have the same date order as some years before, for example the sequence of 1994. Cheers!

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/repeating.html

source: https://www.popscreen.com/prod/MTU1MDQ5NjY5/Ringtons-Tea-Plates-by-Masons-2-Story-of-Tea-Teapot-Caddy-

Identify Tea Cake from East to West品嘗東西方的茶蛋糕

What is the famous teacake from a more than hundred years old company look like in UK, notably Scotland? It's not a tradition concept of tea cake in terms of the wrap outside nor from the inside. This teacake's price can be less than one pond, much more easier to get one. On the contrary, we might heard the auction for eastern tea cake is sold by an insane prices, lump sum for just one Pu Erh tea cake.

 

風靡英國超過百年的茶蛋糕就是這款茶點，顯眼的外包裝加商標，擁有巧克力脆皮和牛奶內餡。如果你也擁有像螞蟻一樣的口味，肯定會愛上它；至於不喜歡太甜的朋友，可能就要配上濃濃的紅茶啦！雖然名聲家喻戶曉，但價格卻沒有水漲船高，一盒不過一英鎊，裡面有六個，換算成台幣一個不到台幣十塊呢！這跟動輒可能喊到天價的東方茶蛋糕（奇貨可居）相當不同。

https://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/3043292/vintage-chinese-teas-are-beating-stock-commodity

Here is a news from the Glasgow Live showed that 'Giant Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games teacake up for sale for a cool £2,000' last year. Actually, that is really a piece of cake compare to the Red mark tea cake. But its all about culture and childhood memory.

各種節慶都少不了這圓滾滾的身影，甚至連2014年的英聯邦運動會（格拉斯哥主辦）都特別製作帶裝上陣，是許多英國家庭中常備的茶點之一，更可說是全蘇格蘭人的共同記憶。

https://www.umiteasets.com/blogs/umi-tea-sets-blog/vintage-puerh-a-simple-tour-through-the-greatest-vintages-of-puerh-red-mark-series

Although the western one is much affordable and acceptable in the perspective of ordinary people, the commoner as us would love to try a sip of the expensive and vintage one for sure if there is any chance, but is for the pride of privilege or for the sake of health?

講完英國平價而香甜的茶點（西方指定茶蛋糕）後，就回頭來看東方的茶蛋糕吧！不是糕點，而是扎扎實實的茶餅。老茶餅在市場上在在刷新成交紀錄（紅印圓餅），實已經見怪不怪！喝下去是什麼滋味還真的說也說不清（普通人很難有品嚐的福氣）。

不過承載千年精華的古樹茶餅（下面這張），其口感跟質感從照片就能感受一二。這茶餅是將數千片完整原葉壓制而成，時間、技術與天地精華盡在其中，是不是光看到就覺得生津解膩了呢？

Frankly speaking, it is really not that hard to find a great tea cake for yourself in a fair price that seems to be worth to drink with family and friends in a lifetime for any reason, including those wish to purify the mind and toast to the day. (image from purple golden brand, cheers to the year of tiger for 2022)

雖然在東方許多地方，老茶餅的價格已因物以稀為貴、飆升到極為誇張的數字；但其實要找到適合自己，價格合理、親民，裡外兼備的茶餅並不那麼困難。一塊茶作伴，也能自己開個解憂雜貨店，樂趣無窮！

底下是紫金淳的生肖餅，牛年過後就要跟上坐的虎爺一起喝茶了（要喝真古樹，就找紫金淳！）

茶力崛起，一起迎向2022！

Just like the picture found in this link https://cakesdecor.com/cakes/232123-the-tiger-who-came-to-tea

English Tea pot, cup, and saucer with Hippo and tortoise pattern 奇幻的河馬茶旅

 

The delicacy and trait of product let the tea trend never fade away! 

精緻與特色讓茶始終驚艷，不褪色！

(Key words: UK+T2+Tea for one sets+Tall tales tea for one)

You can never resist the charisma from special edition of English tea set because they have vibrant appearance, beautiful illustration, smart design, and most important of all an affordable price.

特定的英式茶組有亮麗的外表，漂亮的插圖，聰明設計，還有親切的價錢，最後一點尤其是在節慶過後，通常有相當程度的折價，因此要抵擋購買的衝動，跟其散發的魅力很難。

The charm of English tea culture is the continuity. I would say it belong to history and contemporary society. The transformative shape and the diverse colour of those tea set keep them alive and active. They could easily use their strength to go viral and lead the culture, as they commit and shift to cater the preferences of modern life.

英國茶文化廣傳不墜，感覺就是沒有世代的斷層。研發面的承諾和迎合現代需要，甚至是經營上表示承擔社會責任：把人和環境擺第一等，都讓其茶品牌一直保有品項的新鮮度，茶組外觀一直推陳出新，讓消費者心動。

This specific theme behind the tall tales collection is about 'The tortoise who humbled the hippopotamus'.

這款是烏龜謙讓河馬的主題故事，構圖很有趣！

https://www.t2tea.com/en/au/tall-tales-the-tortoise-who-humbled-the-hippopotamus.html

Happy to have this elegant and wonderful tea set join the table. Imagine these aquatic creature flows and swing in the pound, made the afternoon tea become bright and fantasy like the film 'Life of Pi'. 

很高興能加入這組意外特價買進的茶組。一邊沖茶，一邊想像水中生物悠遊池中，讓下午茶時光像是少年PI遇到獅子、看到藍鯨的奇幻旅程。

Tea towel and bag root 巾包贏的英國茶流

Tea towel and bag are two MUST things for people in UK. Those items are everywhere, even in the supermarket. Tea bag could have incredible taste and towels with brilliant design. 

茶巾與茶包是英國人不可或缺的物件。它們隨處可見、唾手可得。縱使在超級市場，也可以意外發現富有巧思與獨具風味的茶巾和茶包。

Just by imaging the potential and estimating the population would keep consuming of the two items here, we can say the people in the UK are really a big fan of tea and tea culture. This could be the fact that they preserve the tradition which began from the day they discover and import the tea and rooted deeply to their day to day life. 

正因為茶文化滲入到英國社會各個階層，具有豐富的層次和社交功能，所以消費市場可觀，也促進茶的傳統延續和創新。你可以著正裝，坐在如皇家花園的tea house 輕啜英式下午茶，並仔細品嘗三層下午茶點；也可以宅在家裡，以最慵懶的姿態將各種風味的茶包投入馬克杯中，用湯匙老起茶包，享受溫暖的me time；如果有朋自遠方來，不妨拿出珍藏的茶巾，共同享受一個天南地北的午後。

This is quite impressive since we are promoting the tea from the east but looks like fall behind in both tea appreciation/acceptance society and through commercial innovation race aspects.   

這樣多層次的文化風貌正如茶多樣的口感與香氣，唯有沉浸其中才能體會。

China Tea in the eye of western people 西遊中的茶遊記

As far as we experienced through many museums in the UK, there are plenty of tea collections that implicate the impression of eastern tea in western perspectives. From the words' pronunciation, "tea(te)" and "Chia(cha)", it is not hard to understand how tea culture expend from the east and really affect the wold

從經驗過的英國博物館，可以由其茶收藏的展示看出西方世界的茶觀點。東方茶的影響不只在茶、器具流通中透露，還有像讀音造字 te 和 cha 的部分可看出端倪

When western countries mention China, the porcelain and tea are two typical type of creations that can not be ignored.

西方國家對來自中國的記憶與典藏，瓷器跟茶是主流中的大宗

The above showcase's images was photoed in Kelvengrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. 本篇跟展示櫃有關的照片來自格拉斯哥凱文葛羅夫藝術博物館

This photo shows the linguistic of the Cha and Te / Courtesy: Pin-lin Tea Museum in Taiwan 本篇跟茶語言學有關的照片來自台灣坪林茶博物館

 

The tea sets the Christmas tone and fills the soul 茶聖誕的福音

With the spirit of Christmas, we drink tea to share our love, refresh and travel all over the world through our sensory. It is easy to drink tea with traditional high-tea served in the UK, but it is not easy to enjoy a good quality loose leaf tea with participatory of the authentic tea culture

懷抱著聖誕節精神，我們透過品茗來分享愛。

在英國，似乎隨時都會有人說「要喝杯茶嗎？」但要喝到貫徹茶道精神的茶並不容易，因大多數的時候精神都放在聊天和吃精美茶點嚕！

Another 'state' of art story was the illustration from David Shrigley’s ‘The arts’ teapot filling up a ‘lost soul’ cup. The scenario is just like the tea party in Alice in wonderland or beauty and the beast for guest and tea cup

但茶對許多英國人，或許也具備灌澆飢渴心靈的功能。在大衛的插畫裡，描述了茶壺傾注空虛茶杯的情景。

For the best ending for the tea gathering. As usual come to Glasgow, Be our guest!

如果想要更進一步體會茶會的療癒，就來一趟英國，當我們的茶客吧！

One press to Get 膠囊時代的茶樣子

Capsule machines are becoming more and more popular these days because of its convenience. Now we can do it to make a cup of vintage tea.

膠囊機盛行有年，現在茶膠囊也能帶來新茶海

We did that not for being lazy since we enjoy the making tea process, especially the aroma and heat, but for experiment and experience. To make vintage tea adapt into contemporary life, now we could also use capsule machine to brew a cup of tea. Maybe it tases unlike the tea from the hands of tea master, but I am sure you could enjoy high quality tea by pressing one bottom.

把大小一樣的茶膠囊置於現下流行的繽紛（咖啡）膠囊內，表示茶葉也能與時俱進，有質量也有質感，放進特製的環保材質的新（膠囊）容器，泡出好滋味

製茶以人為本，人以心為本，茶膠囊材質的無毒和友善環境，茶料的嚴選跟質量，都在一杯茶膠囊茶中體現，真是一鍵清新。

 

Hotdrinks make actions 熱飲行動代碼

In the Manchester Art Gallery, there is a special exhibition which depicts not only how important that tea, coffee, chocolate, and hot wine are in British daily life but also plays the role that promotes the international trades and culture exchanges.

在曼費斯特美術館，有個特別的展廳推出殖民期間古戰利品茶、咖啡、可可、酒傳奇。

Hot drinks could make your day, benefit your life, even change history

熱飲可以成就很多，甚至改變歷史

Christmas Countdown Tea Tree 聖誕倒數茶樹組

Tea origin from China then becomes a gift for people all over the world...

茶源自中國，後來變成世界性的禮物

With a unique status in many perspectives in culture and life, there are some special Christmas gifts like this Christmas Countdown Tea Tree which you could pick your own cup of tea and make your day!

茶在各種文化體現獨特的地位，還有聖誕倒數專用的茶包，用它來充分感受節慶。

Tea bowl & the Objective Truth 茶碗真

Lupin the Cat and Hope want to write a new chapter of the ongoing tea story in the UK, LAH LAH Tea Wonderland diary will start its voyage from now on.

Firstly a slogan from one tea brand 

'I don't drink tea to wake up.

I wake up to drink tea'

Ideally, it will continue in bilingual writing

我們希望寫個進行中的英國茶故事新篇章，新海上茶日誌即刻起航。

首先是一個茶品牌的茶言茶語，

我不是為了清醒而喝茶，我是為了喝茶而清醒