Heather Tea at the "bonnie, bonnie banks o' loch lomond"

Yesterday was a snow day, which was a perfect day for tea and baking (which will turn up later this week).  So much for spring almost being here because it is March!

Today I'm reviewing a tea I found on sale at Homegoods, the Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Company's Heather tea.  Their website says that "our range of Scottish teas bring a Scottish twist to teatime with teas such as whisky, heather and thistle." Too bad Homegoods didn't have the whisky tea! 

 

The tea is a blend of black teas from Africa and Assam with heather flowers.  As the tin says, "flowering across the slopes of the Highland mountains of Scotland."  You can see the little purple heather flowers in the tea.

 

I couldn't really detect anything floral in the taste of the tea or even in its scent, but it was a really nice strong black tea.  It was perfect with a touch of cream and sugar.

 

Now what better thing to serve with Heather tea from Edinburgh than Royal Edinburgh shortbread (also acquired in that same trip to Homegoods)?

 

 

And since my tea time had already gone a wee bit Scottish, I had to serve the tea in my Shelley Loch Lomond tea cup and saucer.  Here is the cup in the recently fallen snow right outside my back door:

 



 

I was playing with trying to take pictures with the snow in the background and it didn't work, so finally I just put the cup and saucer on the snow, and voilà!  With the shadows and sun falling across the snow, this picture actually turned out better then any of the different backgrounds I tried to put the set on in the house.

 

This Loch Lomond set is my favorite of my Shelley tea trios.  It was also a HUGE bargain at a flea market--I got the trio for $15.00!  My set has the green handle (as you can see), with a gold border and is in the dainty shape.  I enjoy collecting teacups in different styles and I love how the cup also feels dainty.  The detail in the set also caught my attention; on the inside of the cup is the rock with flowers (maybe heather to match the tea?) that is also in the bottom left of the plate and missing from the saucer.

And I'll leave you with the song I'm sure inspired the set's soft purple hills viewed from across Loch Lomond:

By yon bonnie banks an' by yon bonnie braes

Whaur the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond

Whaur me an' my true love will ne'er meet again

On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

Chorus:

O ye'll tak' the high road, and Ah'll tak' the low

And Ah'll be in Scotlan' afore ye

Fir me an' my true love will ne'er meet again

On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

'Twas there that we perted in yon shady glen

On the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomon'

Whaur in (soft) purple hue, the hielan hills we view

An' the moon comin' oot in the gloamin'.

Chorus

The wee birdies sing an' the wild flouers spring

An' in sunshine the waters are sleeping

But the broken heart it kens, nae second spring again

Tho' the waeful may cease frae their grieving.

Chorus

I shared this post at Rose Chintz Cottages' Tea Time Tuesday  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/ and
Tuesday Cuppa Tea http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/