From The Republic of Tea, Mrs. Patmore's Pudding Tea: "This decadent dessert tea has the homemade flavors of vanilla sponge cake drizzled with rich caramel sauce. The full-bodied base of premium black tea lends itself well to a splash of milk, making it a perfect afternoon tea to partner with puddings, scones and shortbread." (This sounds too sweet for me — I just like seeing Mrs. Patmore's face on the tin. Do comment if you've tried it!) $12.25 for a tin of 36 tea bags.
Mariage Frères Tea Jelly, in Earl Grey Impérial: "Created by the Mariage family in the 19th century, these collection of tea jellies, manufactured in the traditional way in copper pans, are a wonderful accompaniment to toast, brioches and scones. The fruit of this ancestral knowledge, this tea jelly, flavoured with the greatest bergamot, combines its subtlety with the splendour of the best Darjeeling teas." €8.50 for 240g.
Fortnum & Mason's Rare Tea Wooden Advent Calendar: "Count down the days to Christmas with a cup of Fortnum’s extraordinary Rare Tea in hand. Our Rare Tea Wooden Advent Calendar really does delivery a merry tea – not to mention a delicious sensation every day." £125 at Fortnum & Mason. There is also a cheaper version, made of paper and holding 24 tea bags; you can find that one at Williams Sonoma in the US for about $57.
For Father’s Day, I’ve made a little list of gifts I’D like to receive (if I were a father). Be gone shaving supplies (hardware and shave cream); I’d be so mad getting “gifts” dealing with a hated activity. No foam or fancy razor or natural-bristle brush ever made shaving fun. Aftershave? That’s a skin-searing/epidermis-destroying liquid. Ties? Weeeeeell…I admit I love ties.
Following you’ll find a quirky array of things to spray, drink, plant, bathe with, rub on dry skin or tie around the neck (the only unscented item here).
We all know about vintage perfumes…but vintage SHAMPOO? I was thrilled to discover that The Vermont Country Store (where I often “browse”) has revived Lemon Up shampoo (“every bottle contains the juice of one whole lemon!”) If your father grew up in the 70s he may love to receive the shampoo/conditioner duo…
I have a love-hate relationship with cologne. I love the idea of the clap of a tart, citrusy cologne and how it wakes you as surely as jumping into a swimming pool. I love the luxurious ritual of a splash of cologne between shower and dress. In Perfumes: the A to Z Guide, Luca Turin summarizes it well:
A good cologne is the perfumery equivalent of a postconcert encore: brief, familiar to the entire audience, which sighs with pleasure when hearing the first notes; and completely devoid of any ambition beyond transient joy. It is also one of life’s absolute necessities, perfume for when you don’t feel like perfume, before going to bed, to splash on your kids after the bath and introduce them to life’s finer pleasures, etc. In short, cologne is a cleanser for the soul.1
How could you not want some of that…