New English Teas – Beatrix Potter English Tea Selection
This site uses Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click on an Amazon link from this page and make a purchase, I will – at no cost to you – earn a small commission.
If you ever find yourself in the vicinity of Gloucester, pay a visit to The House of the Tailor of Gloucester. Near to the cathedral and tucked away down a side alley, this is a little Beatrix Potter museum and shop which is at the exact location of the Tailor of Gloucester‘s shop. We know this because of Beatrix Potter’s beautiful illustrations throughout the pages of the book.
The Tailor of Gloucester was the third book that Potter published after the Tale of Peter Rabbit, and the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. It’s based on a true story. Well, the real life Tailor of Gloucester said it was true, anyway.
The tailor, tasked with the very important job of making a coat and waistcoat for the Mayor of Gloucester’s wedding, fell ill and was unable to finish the job. When he staggered from his sick bed three days later, he found the task had been magically completed in his absence. The tailor put this miracle down to fairies, but as Beatrix Potter knows – and now all the rest of us do too – the work was carried out by sentient mice in Georgian clothing. The usual suspects for this sort of thing.
As well as the tiny, but well packed, museum upstairs, the House of the Tailor of Gloucester also has a replica of the tailor’s kitchen complete with hearth, mice, and a lovely man called Terry who will tell the story to you.
In the shop nestled among the books, ornaments and stuffed toys, I found this tea selection from New English Teas. I never pass up an opportunity to buy tea, particularly as it turns out, a collection of Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Afternoon tea in adorable tiny Potter-illustrated tins.
Sadly, the tea isn’t actually very good. The leaves disconcertingly resemble instant coffee granules and they taste… well, they taste like nothing much at all. The Earl Grey is the best of the bunch, because if you’re going to drink unsatisfactory tea, then a bit of bergamot flavouring does help it go down a bit easier. The Breakfast and Afternoon blends do at least look and taste different from one another, but neither are what you could honestly describe as ‘nice’.
In what is probably a surprise to no one but me, it turns out that children’s author-themed museum gift shops are not the best place to source high quality teas. In all honesty, the teas themselves are probably only worthy of one star apiece. I’m adding on an extra one based on the fact that I love Beatrix Potter, I really enjoyed myself at the House of the Tailor of Gloucester and once I’ve jettisoned the remainder of the tea, I will still be in possession of a set of very nice little tins.
Today’s featured book is a special dual edition of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit and the Tailor of Gloucester which is available exclusively at The House of the Tailor of Gloucester.
