Kusmi Tea
Marylebone High StreetTea makes a wonderful gift, and Kusmi Teas exotic and colourful packaging means you don’t even need wrapping paper.
With its fashionable Gallic style and visual flair, I had assumed that Kusmi was originally a Parisian company.
But as I discovered on their website, Kusmi was started 140 years ago by a P.M. Kousmichoff, the son of a Russian peasant. There is a London connection as his son came here in 1907 to hone his tea blending skills.
After a long history involving escaping from the Reds and surviving being run by arty-types, Kusmi now have a branch on Marylebone High Street.
The shelves of the small shop are stacked high with a huge range of teas in the distinctive Kusmi tins and packets; including several interesting-looking Russian blends.
Friendly staff will help you choose; there are teas to taste and rows of open tins of leaves for you to sample the aroma. I bought a fuchsia pink tin of green rooibos for £13.60, mainly because of the tin, but the tea was good too.
My pot of white tea was huge. Served in a Curve teapot (also on sale); it came with some delicious melt-in-the-mouth orange-y biscuits.
A tea-timer was set on the table with three a different colours of sand. Green – 3 mins, orange – 4 mins, yellow – 5 mins. My white tea was five.
That could also refer to the price; I was slightly shocked when I got the bill, that it the tea cost a fiver (there was no price list); but I guess this is Marylebone and white tea is expensive. It was also trés bon pot of tea.
There was also a range of wonderful sounding tarts and cakes; I would check the price before ordering though, as not on the menu.
Kusmi Tea is opposite Daunt Books one of London’s loveliest bookshops. So if you can’t find a nice tea gift, books are always appreciated.
Address:
Kusmi Tea London
15 Marylebone High Street
London
Website: Kusmi Tea