The London Tea Company || My Favourite Tea And A Fabulous Giveaway!*

Hello Lovelies,

Now you all know that I am addicted to tea.  My love of the stuff definitely started when I was at school, 'Tea at Ten' was an hour in the evening devoted to drinking tea, eating toast and nattering about the latest episode of Sex and the City! 

Since then my tastes have evolved a little, so I was super excited when this big box of tea from The London Tea Company landed on my doorstep.  After squealing like a kid at Christmas, I ripped open the box, popped on the kettle and began my tea tasting experience. 

The London Tea Company is an award winning tea company that is determined to spread the word on how great ethical tea can be.  They have a large range of herbal and fruit infusions, which are packed with flavour and also kind to the growers. 

Over the last two weeks I have tasted every tea in that big black box, and can honestly tell you there wasn't one that I disliked, even the Lemongrass, Ginger & Citrus Fruit was a hit, and I detest ginger. 

After having tasted every tea I managed to pick three firm favourites:

Raspberry Inferno: "Fairtrade Hibiscus gives this infusion its bright red colour and a light acidity which complements the naturally sweet flavour of raspberry; to this we have added a touch of fiery chilli."  Raspberry Inferno is probably my favourite tea, we have a big raspberry patch at home and drinking a mug full of raspberry tea and a handful of fresh raspberries was the perfect teatime treat.

Pure Peppermint: "The finest Fairtrade peppermint leaves have been selected to make this refreshing pure infusion which is an excellent after dinner digestif" The peppermint is amazing, all I can say is I love a good mint tea.

Sencha Green Tea: "Sencha is a steamed pure green tea, renowned for its clean fresh flavour. Perfect with a slice of lemon to add a zingy citrus twist to the classic Sencha taste."  I find green tea can be a bit gritty, but this one was so smooth and didnt have that overly bitter taste that some do. 

I couldn't photograph every single tea, so I picked the prettiest, you can't beat this red nectar in a good old mason jar, definitely Pinterest worthy.


You can follow 'The London Tea Company' on Facebook (here) or on Twitter (here).  As well as following their fab social media you can also get a 20% discount off of your first order by using the voucher code londontea .

As well as a 20% discount I have two giveaways running to win a set of tea from The London Tea Company.  

You can enter the first giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below and the second giveaway on my Instagram account SOPHIE_THORNE (link at the top of the page).

a Rafflecopter giveaway



The winner of this giveaway will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter. The winner will then be notified by an email from 'sophiejanethorne@gmail.com' then with your consent your details will be forwarded to 'The London Tea Company' who will send out the prize. This giveaway is open to UK residents only. Good luck Lovelies!

This post was created in collaboration with The London Tea Company. All views are honest and entirely my own!

Freshers Survival Guide 2014

Hello Lovelies,

It's that time of year again, when freshers start fretting about starting Uni.  Well fear ye not, I'm going to give you lovelies a freshers survival guide that will make your first weeks (year) at Uni a breeze!

Now first of all 'What to take to Uni':

Essentials:

Passport Photos
ID
Uni Documents + UCAS Info in a file
National Insurance Number
Rail Card
School Notes that may be relevant 

Kitchen:

Mugs &glasses
Cutlery
Plates & bowls (two of everything - your flatmates will use your stuff!
Frying pan
Saucepans
Can opener
Scissors
Mixing bowl
Baking tray
Wooden Spoon
Msher
Chopping Board
Cling Film
Sieve
Tea Towel
Scrubbing Brush
Washing up liquid
FOOD!!!
Loo roll

Your Room: (Check what is provided)

Lamp
Bed Linen
Pillow + Duvet
Cushions
Stationary (hole puncher, stapler are very handy)
Folders
Paper
Stamps & envelopes
White tac
Printer (if you have one)
Memory stick
Chargers
iPod 
Camera


Clothes:

Everyday clothes
Glad rags (pretty dress for Freshers Ball)
Gym Clothes 
Heels
Trainers
Flats
Jewellery
Sunglasses

The Useful Bits:

Towels & flannels
Toiletries (don't forget the dry shampoo!!!) 
Make up
Hair dryer
Door wedge
Clothes hangers

Extras:

Pack of cards
Travel/weekend bag
Sewing kit
Hot water bootle
Blanket
DVD's
A few good books (to wind down)

After you have unpacked your bags and settled into your room you will want to go and introduce yourself to your shiny new flatmates.  I took some Chewy Raisin Cookies with me which was a great ice breaker.  As well as befriending your flatmates (the people who will probably become your besties) find friends on your course, its always great to have a study/revision partner.

Freshers week will have lots of mandatory lectures and meetings but will also be jam packed full of lots of fun taster sessions for clubs and societies, get a wiggle on and give them a try!  

The Freshers Fair, GO!!!  Everyone wants you to be part of their society/club, so they will all be there trying to lure you in with pens, mugs, sweets and key rings, (I was even given a rape alarm) free stuff is always good.  Being part of a club will broaden your social scene sooooo much, so find something you love, and get social.  


The next bit is a little serious, but something I feel I should include, so straight faces people!

1. Keep Campus security's number in your phone.
2. Stick to main roads especially at night.
3. Put spare money down your bra when you go out, just in case of emergencies
4. Always use a well known taxi firm, and avoid going home alone.
5. Be confident (very important).
6. Don't consult maps on the street at night - try and know where you are going before you set out.
7. Keep your phone with you.

Last but by no means least, having a rape alarm within reach is a really good idea.  I know some people think they don't work but a friend and I were in a tricky situation one night and we are both convinced that things could have been very different if we hadn't used hers.

Now lets get back to the fun stuff, as well as finding new chums, you want to use freshers week to get organised and sort your room out, it will be your space for the next year so get creative and start decorating

(Source)

Some string, clothes pegs and photos of your nearest and dearest are a great way to decorate on a pinch, pop to Poundland for your pegs and string and get onto Snapfish for 20 free 6x4 prints when you upload your first photos, a cheap as chips way to decorate your room. 

(Source)

I love a good collage, I used a heart photo collage in my dorm room, but I love the way this one is in the corner, a perfect way to brighten things up.  Either use photos or postcards, as a History of Art student I had millions of postcards from galleries so my heart was full of famous paintings and sculptures.

As well as photos, stringing fairy lights and bunting can make your room nice and homely.  My last tip is cushions cushion cushions, it's a great way to turn your bed into a sofa, and having a comfy place to sit and chat will make you very popular. 

After freshers week comes the start of uni and lectures, I'm a complete geek and loved all my different lectures and lecturers.  But if it doesn't click straight away just keep going, the best advice I can give is do the reading and talk to your tutors if you get stuck, that's what they are there for. 

You will obviously be spending every waking minute in the library!!!  Let's get real here, procrastination will be the story of your life.  So here's a few ideas, some are semi useful while others are just plain indulgent.

1. Cook, everyone needs a proper meal now and then 
2. Social Media
3. Gossip with your friends
4. Tidy your room
5. Do your laundry 
6. Watch Netflix

Productive Procrastination:

1. Make a nest on your bed and do your reading
2. Arrange your files 
3. Highlight your notes in rainbow colours (my favourite form of procrastination)

Next is the dreaded freshers fifteen, it's something you really want to avoid, lots of booze, fast food and eating at silly hours won't be good for your waistline.  So grab those running shoes and pound the pavements, not only will it keep you slim and healthy but it's also a great way to stop the stress.

Last but by know means least HAVE FUN and lots of it.  You'll meet some amazing people, experience new things, make great friends and if you work hard finish with a killer degree.   

Be very silly!!!

So good luck and have fun my lovelies.

The Perfect Iced Coffee For An Indian Summer

Hello Lovelies,

I have to admit to not really being a massive coffee fan, I don't need an espresso to wake me up in the morning, and don't have set coffee times during the day.  Although I'm not a coffee fiend I love a good iced coffee, especially If I'm lagging mid morning and have a busy day ahead of my.

This is the perfect drink for our supposed Indian Summer, if our Autumn is going to be warm then we are going to want to ditch the Starbucks PSL and grab the closest Iced Coffee we can get our little mitts on.  Although I do love the chance to grab an iced coffee, I don't like the price, actually I hate it, £2:50 makes my eyes water.  So making my own is a must!


Ingredients: 12-14 Servings 

1/2 lb Ground Coffee
8   Cups Boiling Water
8   Cups Ice Cold Water
1/2 Can of Condensed Milk
1   Cup of Milk

This recipe (if you can call it that) is great, you can make it in big batches or just scale it down to a mug for a naughty treat.  The first thing you want to do is put your coffee in a cafetiere, depending on the size of it you may need to do it in batches.  After you have strained your coffee you want to leave it to cool.  

After you have cooled your coffee, you want to fill your mug or jug of choice with ice then pour your coffee over the top (Tip: to stop your coffee from diluting fill an ice tray with coffee instead).  

Next comes the naughty bit, the milk & condensed milk.  If your making a jug full for friends then use half a tin of condensed milk (you need to give it a good stir) with a top up of milk depending on how strong you like your coffee.  If you just want a cheeky treat all to yourself then add a spoonful of condensed mill to your mug and top up with milk.  

It might not be the prettiest of Iced Coffees but it is definitely the tastiest, you will definitely need to exert some self control!

Hope everyone is having a lovely warm Autumn.

Treat of the Week || Chocolate Cookies with a Twist

Hello Lovelies,

Everyone deserves a treat every now and then, so this weeks treat of the week is coffee choc chip cookies.

I love these cookies, who can beat a chocolate studded biscuit with a soft squidgy middle - they're a guaranteed hit!

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins 

150g   room temperature butter

80g    light brown muscovado sugar

  

80g    granulated sugar

2 tbsp instant coffee in water

1      large egg

225g   plain flour

200g   70% dark chocolate

pinch of salt

  

  

Preheat the oven to 170C and line two baking trays with grease proof paper, or if your really fancy then crack out your silicon baking sheet!

First put the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until creamy, now I am all for the easy life so I used an electric mixer, but feel free to beat it by hand and work on those guns of steel!

Once your butter and sugar are beautifully beaten together you want to sieve the flour over the top and give it a good mix (hello electric mixer!)

Next chop up your chocolate with a sharp knife, sprinkle into the bowl with your coffee and stir well.  

Using a teaspoon place small mounds of the mixture well apart on the baking tray, then place in the oven for 8-10 mins until light brown on the edges and slightly soft in the center.

Once out of the oven let them sit for 5 or so mins then transfer them to a cooling rack.

These cooks love to be eaten with a warming cup of tea, they're also partially to a quick dunk!

Hope you pull on your apron and gives these a try, I promise you won't regret it!

The Garlic Farm, A Little Gem On The Isle of Wight

Hello Lovelies,

I thought I would tempt you all in with this super yummy picture of white bate, I mean could you honestly resist a bowl of crispy white bite with garlic sauce and a little bowl of salt & pepper fries, no I didn't think so!

I love The Garlic Farm, It's a little gem on the Isle of Wight.  Although I have visited a couple of times I have never actually walked around it or eaten at the restaurant.

After a bit of a slow morning we drove to The Garlic Farm for an early lunch and a mosey around.  The menu is a garlic lovers dream, so I was in my element!  I spent far to long pondering over the menu, white bait or burger, white bait or burger such a tricky decision.  Although the burger looked immense I have a love of white bate which just cant be trumped, (even by a juicy garlicky burger).  The menu is pretty insane, I could honestly eat everything on it, the food is all as fresh as it can be with the garlic and veggies being grown on the farm.  It is a definite must if you are in the area.

I was very uncouth as I ate the whole thing with my fingers (Grandma wouldn't be pleased!)  I wasn't alone though, while I was neglecting my knife and fork my brother was dropping parts of his burger down the front of his t-shirt, we're such ruffians, you can't take us anywhere!   

After finishing our meal we went exploring.  The Garlic Farm has a beautiful flower meadow which I just wanted to run and frolic in. 

I was wearing my favourite Paisley Print Dress, a shift with a deep V neckline in beautiful purple and emerald tones, which perfectly matched the wild flowers and grass, but sadly the snaps of my brother and I running around where somehow lost!!!

As well as lots of wild flower frolicking there was also their beautiful kitchen garden to view and lust after (some serious lusting was done, especially by me).  When I'm all grown up and married I want to live in an old house in the middle of nowhere with a few children, a beautiful veggie patch, two bouncy dogs, some chickens and maybe a donkey (is that asking for too much?)

Before we made our way back to the shop to fill our pockets with garlic we made a pit stop at the pigs, who can resist giving a big muddy pig a scratch in the back!!!

After washing our hands we ventured into garlic heaven.  we filled our paper bags with Spanish Iberian and Elephant Garlic which is fabulous roasted (Fact: Elephant Garlic is actually a variant of the garden leek, you learn something new everyday).

Alongside their garlic they sell, chutney, dressings and all that jazz.  We were very cheeky and picked up some 'Honey Mustard & Garlic Dressing' for those days when we feel far to lazy to whip one up ourselves!!!

Is anyone else a massive garlic fan?

Crab Eating at Steephill Cove and a walk around the Botanic Garden

Hello Lovelies,

Now this is a very picture heavy post, so before you get stuck in I want you to go and grab a cuppa (and maybe a cheeky biscuit) and settle in for a long one!

Ready?

I have spent the last week gallivanting around the Isle of Wight like a complete grockle!  

It was Cowes week so the Island was positively buzzing with lot's of yachties (and wannabes).  I would normally spend my Cowes week with friends, ideally fitting in a bit of sailing, but this year I decided to spend it with my mum, brother and lovely Grandma.

Our first day there we decided to do a little exploring (Famous Five style).  We walked through the beautiful Botanic Garden, winding our way towards the the steep cliff path/steps down to Steephill Cove.

Steephill Cove is a magical little hideaway in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, there are only two ways to get to it, either through the Botanic Gardens and down steep steps, or wind down the cliff path, a bit easier on the way down (maybe not so much on the way up)

Once you have made your way down you then want to make the killer decision about where to eat, 'The Beach Shack', the 'The Crab Shed' or The Boat House (you will however need to book for 'The Boat House').  

The first day we went we marched into the nearest establishment that served food, ordered an ice cool water and their freshest crab.

I sat on the bar stall, kicked off my stripey espadrilles and looked out to sea, dreaming of ocean voyages and little adventures.  

However my reverie was quickly interrupted by a waitress with a baguette full of fresh crab and a bowl of Tyrrells crisps.   

Although I was in crab carb heaven with my baguette my brothers salad did look very yummy.  I thought he was being super healthy, but in reality he actually just wanted a crab pasty as well!!! 

While I was talking crab, I thought I would jump forward and throw in day two's lunch.  We all decided we needed to try The Crab Shed so after a morning of fun we walked down to the cove and sampled more delights. 

The Crab Shed is literally the cutest little place, a beautiful shed with shed loads (get it) of driftwood and fishing paraphernalia. 

The crab and lobster that is sold there is caught and landed there daily by their boat the 'Endeavour'.  So everything is amazingly fresh and absolutely irresistible. 

After grabbing the last table we scanned the menu pouring over all the yummy options, after much deliberation we chose fresh lobster and crab pasties, pretty decadent but so totally worth it.

I won't bang on and on about crab but it was just so yummy that I had to share (twice!)

After eating (on both days) we sauntered along the seafront.  My brother digested his massive lunch while I lusted after my dream seaside house.  Steephill Cove is such a magical little place, and I can't believe I've never been there before.

After an afternoon of soaking up some sun, we headed into 'The Cove' for tea.  There was a choice between doorstop three tiered cakes or Isle of Wight ice cream.   Being the ice cream fan that I am I opted for coffee on the first day then toffee on the second while my brother scoffed a massive wedge of carrot cake.

(Back to day one)  

After having had our fill of food and sun we scampered back up the cliff, away from the heat and into the cool shaded gardens.

I can't tell you how beautiful the Botanic Garden's are; the smell was amazing, you got hit every step with a different scent, everything from floral to woody.  It was like walking into a candle shop, scent heaven! 

I got pretty snap happy while I was there, I took so many photos that you could't cedar wood for the trees (I'm on a roll), so I had to do some serious culling and just pick my favourites to show you.

I hope you managed to get to the end before you finished your tea!