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England has some very delicious teas. One of our favorites (and I'd have to ask our inn keeper again what the name of it is) was a "store brand." My hubby and I like English Breakfast Tea. Lady Grey is good too.

I like English Breakfast, Earl Grey & Pinhead Gunpowder (green tea). I order them from the English Tea Store online they are in Stanton, PA.
They have some of the best I have found. Found the site on the internet a number years ago. Haven't ordered for several years so not sure they are still in business.

Haven't had lady grey but I've had Earl Grey - there's a tea company here that's not in the grocery store.

I've had Earl Grey tea, but not any from the good Lady. I'll try the English Breakfast Tea soon. Thank you. When you find out the name of your favorite one, will you let me know? I'm always up for new tastes.

I just found the English Tea Store's website, I'll be checking it out thoroughly! I noticed that they sell loose tea as well as the bags. Do you think you can really tell a difference in the taste?

You can tell the difference in the taste. And remember, the longer you let it sit, the stronger and more bitter it gets. Use a teapot, warm it up with hot water before you use it, then put in the teabags or tea ball with loose tea and cover with boiling hot water. Let it stand to your liking. And if you use milk, add it in first before you add the tea to your cup/mug. Yes, I'm a philistine as I like my tea in a mug. The reason you add the milk first is because you curdle the milk when you add it to the hot tea. I've been tested on the taste, three times, blind test and I got all three right.

Thanks for the instructions and tips, I appreciate them a lot. I'll give the tea ball a try, for sure.

I have several Tea for One teapots...I use both the bags & loose tea depending on the teapot I'm using also have teapot that is made for the microwave, may have found both the teapots & the teapot on the English Tea Store...they have lots of different things.

Microwaving water. You do know that anything microwaved does not hold the heat long, right? Boiled water in the kettle is much better.

Never had a problem with the one I use in the microwave it only does 2 tea cups of the water & it comes to full boil for you to put the tea after you take it out...

I've found the microwave foods don't keep the heat as long, as well. I like the last sip to be as good as the first! CatLady, I like those tea for one teapots, I've had a few of them but always give them away to someone who really enjoys tea! lol I guess it's time for a new one.

It's really works, it has a heavy top on it & a thing that goes down in the water and really goes to a rolling boil, they tell you that it is super hot, and can scald you and to be careful. I've had it for a long time & they may have taken it off the market.

Rahrah, I really like lapsang souchong tea - it's a stronger tea, dried over a peat fire and the shipping boxes were sealed with pitch! It has a smooth, smokey taste. I'm like taffi - I prefer loose tea, but will use bags in a pinch.

Oh yes, that's excellent tea. I love the taste.

You must have been surprised to see the pitch on the boxes! lol I'm writing this info down so I can try all of the suggestions. It will take a while, like everyone else, I'm retired so the gold rush has slowed down to a tin trickle! CatLady, I'm checking into that microwave teapot, I'll let you know if/when/where I find it.

The Brand is Progressive, it also whistles when it is ready...I may have it a Wal-Mart but not sure I've had it for a long time. It looks like a small measuring cup with a black rubber handle on it & a white top with a red circle on the top. It also has measurements on the side with.oz's & cups. Wish you happy looking...

That sounds like a handy little kitchen gadget! I just found it, or something similar anyway. They sell it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I just got out of the hospital, so it'll be a few more days before I can go get one, but I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for the info, CatLady!

Just had my first cup of English Breakfast tea, CatLady. It was pretty tasty! I think I'll try it with milk the next time as I've never tried milk in my tea before. I'll remember to pour the milk first, Taffi! lol I found the pot you were talking about CL, on the Walmart website, but I looked the other day in the store and could not find it. I'll have to order one online. They look like they'd do a good job.

Let me know what you think of it when you get it.
I really like it. Getting a late start today, was catching up some other things I needed to do.

I had a plastic container that we used to heat up water in the microwave. Now we use silicone pitchers to heat up the water in the microwave. I use it to heat up water if I make bread.

Just got my tea kettle ordered from BB&B. They didn't have any in stock, so they will ship it to my address for free. yay! I'm excited about it. It looks like just what I wanted.

I had something shipped from them. This huge box arrived and hubby was asking me omg! What did you order. You can even contact them via social media - I did about my order and they responded.

Glad to hear you're happy with them. I haven't ordered from them before but they impressed me the other day. I like the store a lot, but couldn't afford to shop there except for the sales.

Catlady we had that measuring cup to heat up water.

About the only thing mine for was tea, but I still have it & like the whistle on it, it gets my attention if I'm the family room watching the TV I can't see the microwave. I don't bread anymore, just bye it at the store. Don't do much cooking anymore other that our supper. Lunch is a get your own meal.

Looked up that English tea website in PA.

They have some interesting things there. I'd never heard of Christmas crackers before and checked them out. What a surprise! lol

Christmas crackers! We can still find them in Canada but have to go the stores that sell stuff from Britain. Note that Britain is England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This is brought to you by Geography 101 :)

Oh, and I'm Welsh, living in Canada now. So yeah, dual citizenship for the win!

Lolol Dual citizenship would be nice for a lot of reasons. I may get some of the Christmas crackers for my granddaughters this year. I think they'd like them. They're both girl scouts and are saving money for a trip to Europe in a year or so. They'll be going with a group of about 10, including the troop leaders. My daughter is a leader, so she is saving money too! Guess what they all want for gifts on their birthdays, Christmas, and any other occasion? lol

CatLadyOKC, I got my pot, but it doesn't whistle! I've tried it 3 times now, and it heats just fine, but no whistle. Is there a little part that goes in the whistler that I may be missing, do you think? I may need to return it and get one with a whistler! lol

It's a red round piece in the top, that makes the noise...did you get any instruction with it? I'm not sure where my instruction are I have files all over with instructions in them. It will really being a rolling boil for it to make it whistle. Supper hot!

PS. the round piece has a small hole it. That is where the whistle is.

Mine is just as you described but doesn't whistle. The instructions say not to heat it for more than 5 minutes. Do you heat yours longer, or start with warm water?

If it's a true kettle, then starting it with cold water is better. At least, that's what I've been led to believe. For me, boiling water in the microwave for tea wouldn't be that great as heat from the microwave doesn't last that long. Tea would get cold faster. Then again, maybe the kettle is made to retain heat.

I finally got it to whistle! lol I was putting too much water in it. I'm amazed at how long the tea stays hot using this pot. I use it when I want a cup of decaf coffee at night too. Taffi, I started it with cold water, and I think you're right about that's the correct way to do it. CatLadyOKC, thanks for the recommendation, I really like the teapot.

I am glad you got it to whistle!!! Have a great day!

LOL. I'm still putting hurricane stuff away. Yesterday we hired a young man who will come clean up our yard of all the 'tree trash.'

Didn't have too much trash in the back yard. My neice and husband came and cleaned it up for me. I have a flat back room roof that my handy man is coming to clean this week. My neices husband would have done it for me, but they had done enough.

I'm still putting away stuff from evacuation and staffing pet-friendly shelters. My landlord took care of my yard along with the rest of his property around here.

Where are you, manatee? I knew once but have forgotten. Hope you didn't suffer much damage from the storm.

Gainesville area, trynfindit. Thank you for asking. :) I feel very fortunate to have suffered no ill effects from the storm other than exhaustion and disorganization. There were many here who got flooded in or out, lost power for days or weeks, etc. We are so lucky Irma didn't drop 50 inches of rain like Harvey did. And the Great Evacuation - those poor people who were caught in that insanity on I-75! 9 hours for a 2.5 hour drive and no gas. Not knowing if their home was damaged.

I've got a curio-style cabinet in my studio that looks like a miniature (abt 4 feet high) red phone box.