December 2008 Archives

We've been supporting the Noel orphanage in Gisenyi, Rwanda since we started teapigs. The orphanage is adjacent to the Pfunda tea estate from where we buy some of the tea that goes to make our english breakfast blend. The orhpanage is home to over 600 children and it costs just 49 pence a day to feed, clothe, shelter and educate each child. Two weeks ago we enabled you to help us make a contribtion by donating 49 pence when you order from us online. We'll match each contribution with one of our own. Thanks to all of you who have already done so and we'll keep you updated as to how things are going

children at the orphanage

So as you know we're moving offices on 2nd. Louise and Nick went to Brentford today to see the place today in all its spanking new glory. Ta da!

Shower-resistant as it may be, the huge taupaulin (where our funky glass wall should be) is making us a bit nervous.

Here's Spencer, the contractor, and Louise. "It will be ready on time - honest!"

Perhaps moving tip #1 should be "ensure office is built". Probably more useful than...

Did you know that we're moving office? It's taken us a while to accept that we might just be growing out of our little Ealing Green office - we've become rather attached to it you see cause it's where it all started.

But thanks to your numerous orders for tea gifts, this Christmas has definitively shown us that we're pretty close to bursting at the seems and we might just need a bit more space. This picture of says it all. Spot the space?

We'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you very very much for all your support - and for helping us to get that little bit bigger.

Pictures of our new office to follow soon.

(posted by Sofia)

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I've never won a prize for filling in one those email questionnaires.Until now. So thanks to Firefly Tonics who have just sent me a months supply of their new Recharge drink. It says on the pack "juicy pomegranate and tangy rosehips with enough echinacea and ginseng to get your balance sheet back in the black". Such a smart silver bottle too. So for those very rare moments when I'm not drinking tea this hits the spot and does me some good. Especially at this time of year. Don't think it'll last a month though as others in the office have taken a fancy to it too.

my prize

So I went to see Gordon at the taste of Christmas show on Friday and what a good day it was - sooo much scrummy food to sample.

Highlights are:
1. Getting pretty close to Mr Ramsay - check out this pic.

2. Cooking theatre
We watched Gordon cook pretty tasty-looking winter food live... he was really good actually, really clear with the recipe and steps and why he was adding this to that. I reckon the recipes are pretty do-able too which is nice.

Oh and he gave us a top tip - never add fat when cooking duck. Just put your duck breast in your pan with fat-side down and let it cook in its own fat. Once the fat is really brown, you pop it in the oven (really hot - 220 degrees) so that it cooks really quickly. Then you let it cool slowly in a pan (no heat) whilst you're eating your starter and that releases all the flavour. So there you are.

Click here for his parsnip soup recipe which smelt fab. I'm going to try this pancetta stuffing one - it's making my mouth water!

(posted by Sofia)

This took us all afternoon but finally we have completed a film which would rival any guy ritchie flick.
The lead role is played by matcha - a superpower green tea.

I'm very excited! Had the day off yesterday to do some Christmas shopping and then off to see Gordon Ramsay strut his cooking stuff at the taste of Christmas show this afternoon. Us teapigs got invited to attend the Friday trade afternoon which generally means less people and more space to browse... oh, and the opportunity to assess whether teapigs should exhibit there next year which is of course the main reason for my going.

Anyway, the show's on all weekend and you can get loads of brilliant foodie presents including quite hard-to-find products like this gorgeous thunder vodka which tastes - and smells - like the most scrummy creme caramel ever and there's always special offers on different products. Then you can watch Gordon live and, if you get the expensive ticket, you get dining tokens where you can try signature dishes from top London chefs/restaurants - yum.

Tickets are less if you order them online and here's the website.

Let's see how it compares to other foodie shows - will keep you posted.
(posted by Sofia)