Suzy Garraghan, Tea Expert & Senior Tea Buyer, Yorkshire Tea
With summer upon us, there couldn’t be a better time to start planning your next picnic. Whether it’s your legendary pasta salad or a bottle of your favourite rosé, everyone has that one thing among friends and family that they’re famous for bringing. For me, it’s bringing the ultimate brew and I do not mean a cold one here, I mean a flask of refreshing tea (Yorkshire-style of course!).
Let me start from the beginning. If I was going to take someone out on a picnic, this is how I’d treat them:
Set the scene
I always enjoy a good walk before finding the perfect spot, so I make sure I keep the amount of stuff I carry to a minimum. A picnic blanket is a staple – I personally love my checkered red-and-white blanket, but everyone has their go-to – and I always take proper cutlery, it really isn’t that much more effort than bringing disposable cutlery. I opt for napkins as plates to reduce the weight in my bag. It also never hurts to bring a couple of spares of everything, you never know when a fork may fall into the dirt!
Prep your brew proper
Once you’re all settled, it’s time to brew. First let’s get the kit together. I bring a thermos of freshly boiled water – I have a flask that’s strictly for water and nothing else. I can’t stand when flasks have the stale taste of an old brew. Along with a separate flask for milk and a jam jar of sugar for those mates who enjoy life on the sweeter side.
And let’s not forget the tea. I might be biased, but my favourite tea is Yorkshire Gold as it has such a strong, rounded flavour and can be enjoyed any way you like it. Pop the tea bag into some hearty mugs or large cups (I’m a camper so my enamel camping mugs do the trick), pour the water in and give the tea four to five minutes to do its thing (this is when it’s unlocking all it’s delicious goodness!). After that, it’s time to make your tea your own, whether it’s with a splash of milk, sugar, honey, lemon, or nothing at all.
Let’s feast
I’m famous amongst my friends and family for also bringing the snacks and this is where carrying a multitool comes in handy to cut and divide even portions.
I have a stackable, three-layer tiffin tin as it’s easy to carry. The bottom layer is for savoury sandwiches, the middle for quiches, pastries, salads, and the top for dessert. I do love the full experience of strawberry jam, scones and plenty of cream. I sometimes pre-butter the scones at home. Personally, I go butter-jam-cream – controversial I know!
Now that’s my version of an outdoor tea and picnic this summer but remember everyone has their own way of doing it. Just enjoy the company, treats and of course proper Yorkshire Tea!
About Yorkshire Tea
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- Yorkshire Tea is produced by Taylors of Harrogate, a Yorkshire, UK-based family business, devoted to the craft of outstanding tea and coffee since 1886.
- At Yorkshire Tea, everything’s done proper – we taste hundreds of teas a day, building strong relationships with the world’s top tea estates and doing business in a way that respects people and planet.
- For more information, visit www.yorkshiretea.com.au
