I mentioned I was in York, eating Yorkshire pudding wraps, a few weeks ago. And after queueing for a very long time for ceramic ghosts from York’s Ghost Merchants (it was the best queue ever), I was frozen solid. Luckily, right along from the Ghost shop on the Shambles we fell upon the Hebden Tea Experience (strong recommend).
Faced with 1,200 types, or so it seemed, of tea I determined not to be intimidated and just settle for English breakfast. Instead I asked for its Pear, Chocolate and Ginger, (from £1.90 to buy from its shop next door, also mail order). And it very much is a tea experience. You have a draining board at your table and you fill the teapot with your chosen tea (you get about six cups worth and yes there is a toilet), brew, pour, drink, pour away excess, start again. The PCG tea was quite the most delicious I have ever had. Very chocolatey and it requires no milk or sugar. I aim to drink a lot of this.
At the other end of the temperature scale Remeo’s Chocolate Gelato Gems, £4.99 for seven (from supermarkets), are single-origin Ecuadorian chocolate surrounding chocolate ice-cream. They are perfect to stash in the freezer for a small, but delicious, chocolate bite when you need one.
Another hot chocolate to mention is the excellent Salcombe Dairy’s Evening Star. It is part of a three-tub hamper, £18, which also has milk chocolate orange and milk chocolate with caramel and sea salt. This is a lovely present to send a friend getting over January horribleness and it’s all mail order from a family-run firm.
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