Category: Tea Tips

I was having tea (she was having coffee) with a friend of mine one morning. We talked about tea vs. coffee, she just isn't into tea, and loves coffee. Even though she has tried a lot of the teas from Vintage Fork, she's just a coffee lover through and through.  We went into the back room together where the tea inventory is, to show her some new tea flavours. I pulled out the brand new bag of cream of earl grey, I told her how excited people are for this flavour.  I opened it up right there, she got to take the very first smell of the freshly cracked bag. Her eyes lit up and she said, "WOW, that smells incredible, I wasn't expecting that. I need to try this one" At this point I'm excited, Am I finally going to get my coffee loving friend onto tea? Is this finally the tea to end the tea vs. coffee conversation? About 5 minutes later, a cup of cream of earl grey is steeped, and my non tea drinking friend is sipping a cup of black, no additives, cream of earl grey tea and loving it! She best describes the first smell as surprisingly sweet and creamy, light earl grey. The taste was smooth and creamy with very light bergamot flavour and hints of floral. And now I have a friend that's ditched the coffee for the day and moved into the world of tea with me.

At Vintage Fork Tea shop, we have a variety of teas. With so many options, it can be a bit daunting trying to choose just one. Here we’re featuring just some of our 11 types of black tea. Vintage Fork Blend – as the blend named after the shop, it is our most popular and for good reason. It is inspired by the tea served at the Queen of England's annual spring party. It features both black & green tea with a hint of jasmine and cornflower, and is known as one of the most flavourful teas to come from Britain. Lavender Earl Grey – earl grey is a classic and definitely a crowdpleaser. The hint of lavender adds a delicate floral bouquet to the tea, making it the perfect twist on a classic. Pumpkin Spice Chai – with fall sweeping in, this tea includes ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. It’s sure to delight if you’re a fan of pumpkin spice lattes. Try it on its own, or add some milk or cream for an autumn treat. Raspberry Delight – a real fruitful treat! Being one of our many fruity teas, this black tea based tea features rose petals, blackberry leaves, and pieces of raspberry, ingredients that give you an even bigger boost of antioxidants. Add a touch of sugar or sweetener to bring out the berry flavour even more. Decaf English Breakfast – decaf tea can have a bit of bad reputation based on old decaffeination processes that removed all caffeine, flavours, and natural proteins from the leaves. Luckily, some super smart Canadian food scientists, found a better way! Our tea is decaffeinated naturally via CO2, which binds to the caffeine molecules and is flushed with water, removing the caffeine and leaving all the good stuff.

Have you ever wondered if loose leaf tea is really that much better than tea bags from the grocery store aisles? If you're like me, you have. And it turns out that yes, it is! Here's our 3 top reasons why loose leaf is better than tea bags. 1. You have lots of flavour options Loose tea comes in may more flavours and blends than the conventional tea bags. Whether you want to mix different blends for a new concoction or moderate how strong your tea is, the choice is yours. We are always adding new flavours to our shop, and sometimes our customers even choose them! You can see all our tea flavours here. 2. Better health benefits Our loose leaf tea is premium quality. All the original plants are grown at higher altitudes in their native countries, producing a higher amount of antioxidants in the final product. Tea bags, in addition too little to no antioxidants, they may actually have toxins in them. Nicole Feretich from Spoon University explains how some tea bag companies use pesticides in the mass production of their product, and the bags themselves could release harmful chemicals when put in boiling water. It is also very common to find artificial ingredients and added sugar in tea bags. 3. The aroma One of the best parts of opening the sealed bag of loose leaf tea is getting the rush of intense aroma. Letsdrinktea.com argues that leftovers from broken leaves are what most tea bags are made of. Stripped of most essential oils and aroma, tea bags lag behind in taste, scent and nutrients.

Tea can be enjoyed any time - morning, afternoon, and evening. At Vintage Fork, our collection of teas has something that works in your schedule. Here's some of our picks for a day full of tea. For starting off the day – English Breakfast As its name hints, this tea is lovely for starting off your day paired with your favourite breakfast. If you want bit of a bolder tea, try the Irish Breakfast. If you want to avoid the caffeine with the same great English Breakfast taste, try the decaf version. The afternoon pick me up – Raspberry Delight If you’re craving something fruity or sweet in the middle of the day, raspberry delight is an excellent choice. If raspberries aren’t your cup of tea, tropical lemon lime and tutti fruitti are also some of our fruity favourites. When it’s time for bed – Chamomile Looking for a soothing way to end the day? Chamomile is a great choice. Curl up with your favourite book or show and a cup of chamomile before bed. Another great choice is Belly Be Calm, a soothing, relaxing peppermint cardamom blend. Want to add Vintage Fork to your daily routine? Check out all of our teas here! Can’t choose just one? Try our sampler package and select any 3 different teas to try before committing to a bigger bag.

India – Vanilla Chai India is known for their spices, and their tea is no exception. Chai is an integral part of Indian culture, it is virtually impossible to avoid when travelling through any area of the country. United Kingdom/Sri Lanka – Earl Grey Although earl grey is most commonly associated with the United Kingdom, the tea itself comes from Sri Lanka. It was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1830 -1834, Earl Grey, that made this tea so popular that it was named after him. Try this classic with a twist. Our #1 fan favourite, Lavender Earl Grey Egypt – Camomile The best quality Camomile flowers come from Egypt, and have a yellow centre with with flowers -they look almost like a daisy.Camomile tea can be sipped to relieve headaches, nervousness, anxiety, and an upset stomach. A touch of milk adds a lot to your cup of camomile. Japan – Genmaicha Yamasaki This green tea is a specialty Japanese style tea, with fire roasted rice. It also goes by its pet name, " popcorn tea". Legend has it that in the 1400's, a samurai warlord was being served tea by a servant named Genemai. She bumped him and knocked his rice snack into his tea, and it popped when it hit the hot tea. He was so enraged that he beheaded Genemai on the spot. Turns out that after the fact, he actually enjoyed his accidental beverage, and name it after Genemai in her honour. Experience teas from around the world from the comfort of your own home when you order tea from us.  You'll find tea from, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Thailand, Chile, South Africa, Poland, Albania, Turkey, France, Japan, Brazil, China, Taiwan, and more! 

No matter your choice of tea, from a fruity rooibos to a strong earl grey, we have some tips to make your next cup even better. 1. Too cold, too hot, just right Make sure your water is the right temperature for your tea. For example, black teas need a bit more heat than your typical green tea. Lindsey Goodwin from The Spruce Eats has this detailed guide for matching your tea to the perfect temperatures. 2. Choose how strong you want your tea Using an infuser or a tea bag, choose how strong you want your tea. It’s up to you whether you want to steep it for longer or shorter. If you find yourself needing a mess-free helper, check out our mesh infuser with a handy hook to pull it out when your tea is the perfect strength. 3. Mix it up Sometimes, you may wanna switch it up from your go-to vanilla chai or chamomile. You can create your own tea blend. Our top suggestions are:Vintage Fork Blend + Rose PetalsVanilla Chai + Cranberry AppleBlack Currant + Irish Breakfast 4. Keep an eye on the clock Different teas need different amounts of time to steep. Herbals usually need the most time, black teas are somewhere in the middle, and green tea tends to have shorter steeping times. Pull out your phone timer, keep an eye on your watch, or get one of these adorable tea timers from our shop! 5. Adjust your add-ins An extra something can completely change the flavour of your tea. For sweeteners it could be sugar, stevia, honey, or maple syrup. For creamers you can try a splash of dairy milk, cream, soy milk, or almond milk. However, be aware that with more acidic teas, such as cranberry apple, milk can curdle. Ready to try out some new teas or find your favorite go-tos now? Head to our shop to see our wide selection of teas and accessories. If you want a smaller taste, check out our sampler package here. With free same-day shipping in Edmonton (when you order by 1pm), the perfect cup of tea will be at your door before you know it.