Eating
Harpenden mother & daughter duo are brewing success at Twist Teas
When is a cup of tea not just a cup of tea? The answer of course is when it is an experience. Harpenden based Twist Teas founders, mother and daughter duo Nicky Kavanaugh & Claire Ayers tells us about the Twist Teas journey. Based at Pollards Farm in Harpenden, Twist Teas are a family business creating beau-tea-ful tea for tea lovers across the globe. We will stop with the puns as it will become tea-dious.
Where did you start? A Tea Story with a twist
“We’ve always loved tea and knew that the tea from a pot with loose leaf always tasted better than tea in a mug made with tea bags. The lovely loose leaves floating in the pot released the flavour but powdery tea in tea bags didn’t have quite the same hit . We could see no reason why tea in a bag should be different from tea in mug and, in 2017, set out on a mission to change that.”
Fast forward to 2020 and Twist Teas now have over 50 blends and 10 “Great Taste” awards. All their blends are made from the finest, ecologically sound ingredients and are hand blended and hand packed in the UK. Leaves in their corn-silk biodegradable pyramid tea bags are the same as the lovely loose leaves that are brewed in a pot – whatever the leaves: black, green, rooibos, chai or fruit and herbal.
Tea time is now me time
While traditional black teas will always be popular, there have been some changes in terms of who is drinking tea and why. 25 to 40 year olds are drinking tea at a rate faster than ever before. More and more consumers are looking for drinks that give them specific health benefits and demand for healthy green and herbal teas is growing. The wellness trend is also being driven by previously hard to acquire products being made accessible in the home.
‘The Tea Maker’, a product from Sage Appliances for example, steeps tea leaves at the right temperature for the required amount of time at the push of a button. This trend has seen consumers take note of all aspects of the tea making experience. Even water filter brand BRITA have seen increased engagement from the tea community by integrating a filter into kettles. There are exciting times ahead in the tea market and this is exactly the landscape that shaped the Twist Tea offering.
Bow down to royal-tea – Harpenden based Twist Teas
Sweet dreams are made of teas
Twist Tea have a wide range of uniquely crafted blends, with new, versatile ways of brewing and serving: lattes, cold brews, in milk, in water … and Twist Tea continuously innovate to meet the growing demand from contemporary tea lovers. Their premium leaves capture loose leaf flavour with the tea convenience of a biodegradable tea bag. Just as consumers moved from freeze dried granular coffee to freshly ground artisan coffee, so they are moving from dusty black tea in plastic laced tea bags to premium teas in biodegradable tea bags.
Twist Tea were first to market with their Cold Brew range. They are also taking the lead on popular sweet-but-sugar-free flavoured rooibos and herbal infusions with added functional benefits in their Puds Without Sin range: blends such as Lemon Drizzle, Creme Brewlee, Mint Humbug & Banana Shake have proven to be a very popular and offer the sweetness of a pudding without the calories.
Twist Teas are continuously focusing their marketing efforts on brewing and serving ideas for their premium blends and believe there is a lot of scope for more innovation and development in this area. For Twist Teas, it is a fabulous time to be a player in the premium tea sector and great for consumers too.
Not only are Twist Teas passionate about great tasting tea, they fully understand their social responsibility and are passionate about the environment. Twist Teas pride themselves on great tasting tea that’s environmentally sound. All their teas and ingredients are ethically sourced from sustainable growers and producers. The card used on their beautiful designed packaging is forest stewardship certified. If that was not enough, their storage caddies are made from recycled tin and are reusable.
You can view the entire Twist Tea range on www.twist-teas.co.uk and follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
The TrendLife Magazine team are excited to announce that #lunchNbloggers is back. We have been working hard to plan something special for our first post-lockdown event so we are happy to say we have chosen The Hub Milton Keynes.
This #lunchNbloggers will be the first event that features five dining experiences as we discover all what The Hub has to offer. Located in the heart of Milton Keynes between Midsummer Boulevard and Avebury Boulevard, The Hub is home to a wide range of popular restaurants, bars and hotels.
What to expect when #lunchNbloggers arrives at The Hub Milton Keynes
As part of The Hub #lunchNbloggers experience, we will sampling and experiencing some of the most popular dining destinations in Milton Keynes
- Bogata – We will be starting with a Meet & Great at Milton Keynes’ first speciality coffee shop
- Las Iguanas – Join us as we sample a slice of the Latin life which is on offer at The Hub
- Turtle Bay – A bottomless brunch of Caribbean inspired dishes at Turtle Bay is next on the menu
- Banana Tree – At the fabulous Banana Tree, we will be experiencing Japanese style private dining
- Blossom Room – Sticking with the Japanese theme, we will be ending the night in style at the fabulous Blossom Room. Make sure you charge your phone for those instagram stories.
As with all our #lunchNbloggers events, the masterclass is always something special and we have arranged a Yoga masterclass with a twist at Sweat Studios. Chill out, stretch out or work out – it is your choice. As with all our masterclasses, everything you need will be provided.
About The Hub Milton Keynes
The Hub is a vibrant restaurant, cafe, hotel and lifestyle quarter in the very heart of Milton Keynes.
Register for #lunchNbloggers
#lunchNbloggers has always been and will remain FREE to attend. We occasionally ask for a small deposit to ensure those who are selected attend notify us in advance so we can offer this exclusive opportunity to another member of the #lunchNbloggers team. To register for this event, please complete the form below and remember to follow us on instagram for updates.
Dates
Thursday 27th May 2021
From Midday until late.
1pm – Meet & greet / introductions
2pm – Private yoga session at Sweat Studios
3pm onwards – Restaurant sampling
If you wish to attend but cannot take part in the Yoga masterclass, please let us know when you register. Venues may change subject to availability.
Register
We’ve tried them all haven’t we? Atkins, Paleo, Keto and if you’re a certain age then maybe the Cabbage Soup Diet. But do any of them keep weight off in the long term? In most cases, the answer is sadly, no. They may provide a short-term fix, but in the longer term the scales will slowly creep back up again.
In fact, evidence shows that dieting is linked with a higher risk of gaining weight. Many of you will know from bitter experience that you go on a diet, you lose some weight, you don’t feel great as you’re denying yourself certain food groups, or foods you love and then when you return to your normal way of eating, the pounds creep back on again.
Why it could be time stop dieting & consider what you consume…
This is why we need to reframe how we see a ‘diet’. When you look the word ‘diet’ up in the dictionary, the first meaning is ‘The food and drink we consume on a daily basis’ and the second meaning is ‘a limited amount of food we eat for medical reasons or to lose weight’. If we were to focus on the first meaning and embark on a diet that is for life and which provides us with all the nutrients we need to thrive then we’d have much less need to focus on the second meaning.
A great way to assess if your current way of eating is the best one for you, is to ask yourself if you’d be content eating the way you do now in two years’ time? if the answer is no, then it’s time to make some changes and discover your diet for life.
We also mustn’t forget that one size won’t fit all when it comes to a diet for life. We don’t all respond in the same way to the calories we consume and we don’t all undertake the same amount of daily movement or have the same metabolism. What works for one person may not work for another and this is why taking an individualised approach works much better.
It’s also important to not look at one factor in isolation, for example, stress, sleep and movement all impact upon our weight and our energy and if we only look at what we are eating then we may not achieve our goals as quickly.
If you’d like start your journey towards a diet for life, then why not book one of my 30-minute Vitality Review Consultations? We can talk about your health goals and discuss some tips for changing your diet and lifestyle so that you can find an energetic, healthy version of you who can thrive in life.
Late on Tuesday night, three high profile businesses in St Albans were forced to release statements denying involvement in the launch of a Super High Street above St Albans.
Three of the so called St Albans ‘Big Six’ – Chloe James Lifestyle, Must Wine Bar and Mad Squirrel – have all put out statements denying rumours they plan to create a new St Albans High. The remaining three are expected to make statements in the next 24 hours.
The announcement of a new St Albans High Street has caused enormous uproar across Hertfordshire and beyond, with near universal disbelief from shoppers, local residents and politicians – including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Unconfirmed plans suggest a monorail system will be constructed to take shoppers from the iconic clock tower to the yet-to-be confirmed new St Albans High Street somewhere above St Albans Cathedral.
Entrance to St Albans’ proposed new Super High Street
Donna Nichol, owner of the popular independent fashion store Chloe James Lifestyle has issued a statement.
“I have absolutely no idea where this has come from and ironically, I cannot see it getting off the ground. We have been welcoming back our customers and have enjoyed the buzz of a busy shop. Why would I want to move my store 30 feet above St Albans?
I have just recently updated the shop window with a new French brand called FRNCH – how will anyone see it? Ignore the rumours and find us where we have been keeping St Albans fashionable for the last ten years.”
Mad Squirrel St Albans have also put out a strong worded statement in response to news of the Super High Street. General Manager James has gone on record and said “Of the 25 beers we have on tap, nothing is that strong”.
“We have been here in St Albans for almost two years and whilst we are accustomed to hearing the occasional bit of nonsense in the taproom, this idea is farcical. Beer and heights don’t mix so we will remain on the ground floor of St Albans in Heritage Close serving the finest beers to St Albans residents.”
Mad Squirrel has quickly established itself as one of the predominant beer destinations in St Albans. With access from the footpath towards the Abbey, it would seem a strange decision from management but when you are around beer all day, anything can happen.
Mad Squirrel staff claimed to not have seen the plans
Local resident Isabelle Ringing who we interviewed shopping in St Albans said the idea was nonsense. “St Albans is unique and residents love it the way it is. Why? a monorail? I just can’t get my head around it – we don’t need this nonsense in St Albans.”
Must Wine located on George Street were also quick to release a statement in regards to the rumours. Wine Steward and c0-owner Mike Nuttall explained, “I get the idea – great minds drink alike and the concept of tasting the finest wines with breathtaking views of Hertfordshire is idyllic.
However, the individual who came up with the pour decision of running a monorail above St Albans is clearly on cloud wine.” Must Wine will continue run wine tasting classes on George Street.
As these rumours of a break-away high street continue to spread, the TrendLife team will continue to keep you updated with facts instead of fiction.
The Hub Milton Keynes hosts our May #lunchNbloggers event
Residents have voted on what is missing in Hitchin Town Centre
Why it could be time stop dieting & consider what you consume…
