Introducing this week's guest blogger, 6 year old Lottie! She was my chief taster for a new range of fruit tea for children - Tweetea. The range of fruit teas (with fun, colourful packaging) were born from the lack of options when kids go to cafes with their parents. So here's an alternative, healthier option from the sugary fruit juices or super sweet hot chocolate. So what did Lottie think . . .

With all the coffee shops in Soho it's so refreshing to know that tea lovers have a place dedicated to their loose leaf needs! Yumchaa does this perfectly - it's got the cool Soho vibe but knows its stuff when it comes to a lovely cuppa. I've visited their Camden location before (see previous blog post) but when the London Local Etsy team said they were meeting there, well I wasn't going to not go! I love that they have all their loose leaves out in jars for you to see (and smell). And because...

Not like any other tea I've tried...a totally new concept for a milky cuppa. At a Christmassy event at their Madd Hatter Cafe in the Arts Theatre near Leicester Square (note the theatre-style upholstered chairs), Hovig from Massis Tea was super passionate about his take on the nation's favourite drink. He has tried and tested many combos of loose leaf tea, resulting in a neat shot of Tey (tea), to which he then adds various flavours and steamed milk, creating a latte. It's a tea-lovers...

Tuesday Tea Tasting: I saw the new Bond film Spectre at a preview screening last week (lucky me!) - don't worry, no spoilers - but I will mention the one mug of steaming hot tea that was featured. It was Q's, so I'm presuming it was Earl Grey (see Skyfall video clip above for evidence!) and so in recognition of Ian Fleming's clever tea-lover, today I'm tasting Piacha's Earl Grey Vanilla. (It seems Q also owns a Wild & Wolf Scrabble mug - in Skyfall.) It's a dark brew, quite a strong Ceylon...