Hoogly Teas, the intriguing tea company based in the South East of England, supplies Alexander House with a range of beautiful blends. Few things in life offer the same dose of comfort as a mug of hot tea, and so at this trying time who better to catch up with than Tina Gloggengieser, founder of Hoogly Teas. PS – As readers of our blog you can save 15% on teas too – code at the end of the feature.

Meet Tina – Founder of Hoogly Teas

Tina, can you please tell us your story – how did you come to sell beautful teas and what inspired the evocative name, ‘Hoogly’?

“I have always been really passionate about food and tea and as a qualified chef I wanted to create blends that are healthy and indulgent, with the Nordic well-being lifestyle in mind ‘Hygge’. Hoogly is the pronunciation of the adjective ‘hyggelig’, it is all about cherishing the simple things in life and making them extra special.

Where are your teas sourced from?
The black teas are sourced mainly from Sri Lanka, Rooibos from South Africa, the green and white teas are from Asia. All the teas are ethically sourced and fairly traded. All the Hoogly teas are hand blended in the South East of England.

Tell us about the power of tea to affect our physical and mental wellbeing.

Not only is tea full of health benefits but the impact it positively has on our wellbeing is huge. Herbal teas helps us to unwind, relax and detox us. Or the black teas give us a great natural pick me up. To be enjoyed any time of the day on your own or bringing friends and families together.

During this difficult time, what teas would you recommend & why to help people –

Dealing with anxiety / to get a better sleep
To help cope with anxiety and get a better night’s sleep I would recommend the Cosy Chamomile and the Chill out Mint. Both Chamomile and peppermint teas have great benefits in relaxing muscles and reducing irritability.

To Stay Focused whilst ‘Working from Home’
To help with staying focused whilst working from home I would drink Green or white teas as they are great for optimal focus and mental energy. I would recommend Sparkling White, Rhubarb and Vanilla or Apricot Blossom.

What’s your favourite cuppa? And what would you have to eat alongside a cup of tea?

My favourite is our Classic Green tea, the tea leaves come from Yunnan which in my opinion is where the best green tea leaves are grown. To eat alongside I have been enjoying some delicious Chocolate Easter eggs over this period!

Our afternoon teas at Alexander House come with a selection of Hoogly Teas. What are your recommendations for which teas to drink with what delicious part of the afternoon tea?

I think for such a lovely occasion try something different, like the Tiramisu, a delicious black tea blend with coffee beans and cocoa. There is a blend on the afternoon tea menu for every type of pallet, from fruity, sweet or oaky which will all compliment your cakes nicely.

When you’re making tea, how long should you infuse the tea for, or does this vary? And how hot should the water be?

For the black teas should be 5 minutes brewing time with boiling water. Green and White teas need to be brewed in 80 degrees water for 3-5minutes. Best way to Get the right temperature is to soak the tea leaves with a little bit of cold water then pour boiling water over it and that should stop the burning of the tea leaves and avoid the bitterness. For all herbal and Rooibos teas, leave in for a minimum of 5 minutes, but the longer you leave the herbal teas the better they get.

Do you have a tea ritual at home? Can you share any advice for our readers on how to create a tea ritual, creating a special moment at home?

Depends what time of the day it is, but just before bed, I like to get in my comfortable clothes, light a candle or two, make sure lighting is soothing and just snuggle up on the coach with a relaxing herbal tea.

To sweeten teas, what are your thoughts on using sugar alternatives – do you have any to recommend?
Personally I never add any sweetness to tea, but for those who do like it extra sweet could add honey depending on which tea it is.

Finally – what’s your view on dunking? To dunk, or not to dunk?!
Not to dunk, I like the teas as pure as possible!

Hoogly Tea is available online at hooglytea.com.

Alexander Hotels guests receive 15% off using ALEX15 at the checkout.