Jane Austen

Tea Time at Reverie: Mr. Darcy’s Pride Oolong from Bingley’s Teas

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Which male characters come to mind when you think of Jane Austen’s novels? How about Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice? Then maybe you’d like to try Mr. Darcy’s Pride, a unique oolong tea offered by Bingley’s Teas. Check out this bold-scented tea that grows more approachable with each brew, at my newest Tea Time at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

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“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Mr. Darcy in a letter to Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Ah, Fitzwilliam Darcy. He may be handsome and wealthy, but at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice his cold, aloof behavior is not the least bit becoming. No wonder Elizabeth Bennet feels slighted by his remarks when they first meet, and later turns down his marriage proposal. His failures and Elizabeth’s pointed criticisms eventually influence Mr. Darcy to see the error in his ways; and by the end of the novel, even Elizabeth sees that he has changed for the better.

Knowing Mr. Darcy’s complexity, I was curious to see how Bingley’s Teas would reflect his character with a tea. Their choice? Mr. Darcy’s Pride, a distinctive…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Longbourn Wedding Tea from Bingley’s Teas

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Happy first day of spring, everyone! How about we celebrate the start of a beautiful season with a tea of promise – a wedding tea? In fact, Longbourn Wedding might be my new favorite from Bingley’s Teas. Check out today’s Tea Time at A Bibliophile’s Reverie to find out why this sparkling white tea is so delicious.

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“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Ah, marriage. It’s the revolving point of Pride and Prejudice. Many of the unmarried characters in the story, including men like Mr. Darcy, feel some kind of social pressure to make that ultimate commitment. Plus, everyone in the Bennet family has different reasons behind their marriage choices, from lust and convenience (Mr. and Mrs. Bennet) to love (Jane Bennet) and mutual trust (Elizabeth Bennet). But in the end, Lizzie and Jane become engaged to their ideal partners – which means it’s time for not one wedding, but two!

So, how do we celebrate such a special event here at Tea Time? With tea, of course! This brings us to our next sample from Bingley’s Teas. Named after the Bennet family’s estate,

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Tea Time at Reverie: Inspired By Jane’s Donwell Abbey Black Tea

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What happens when you combine black tea with a wine often used in Italian cooking? You get Inspired By Jane’s Donwell Abbey, a black tea with cinnamon and marsala wine. It’s not a combination you see much from your typical tea vendor – and as I discovered, it was actually quite delicious. Read my review of Donwell Abbey at A Bibliophile’s Reverie to learn more.

And yes, Donwell Abbey is another tea inspired by one of Jane Austen’s novels. 😉

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“It was a sweet view—sweet to the eye and the mind. English verdure, English culture, English comfort, seen under a sun bright, without being oppressive.”
– Jane Austen, “Emma”

I confess that Emma is one of the few Jane Austen novels I haven’t read. But when Inspired By Jane asked which tea samples I’d like to try, I was immediately intrigued by Donwell Abbey. Named after the the estate owned by Emma’s neighbor (and future love interest) George Knightley, this black tea boasts a unusual yet appealing combination of cinnamon and marsala wine flavors.

Hmmmmm. I do like the sweet, tangy taste of marsala wine sauces in chicken marsala and chicken saltimbocca. So, how will it blend with cinnamon and black tea? Let’s brew some and find out, shall we?

The Basics

Donwell Abbey canInspired By Jane’s Description:“Almost a ‘gentleman’s tea,’ but everyone will love this rich, full-bodied black tea…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Sweet Jane Bennet from Bingley’s Teas

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It’s our last Tea Time of 2015! Today’s is also an appropriate choice for the holiday season, a black-and-green tea blend named after the kind yet reserved oldest daughter of the Bennet family from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Read more about Sweet Jane Bennet from Bingley’s Teas at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

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“Oh! You are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life.”
Elizabeth Bennet to Jane Bennet, in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

No one can deny that Jane Bennet is a sweetheart. The eldest sister of the beloved Bennet family from Pride and Prejudice, she’s kind, soft-spoken, and patient, an optimist who sees the best in people. Maybe it’s no surprise that Jane caught Charles Bingley’s eye – she’s an angel, in both demeanor and physical beauty.

What would an angelic character’s tea taste like, then? If you ask Bingley’s Teas, their answer would most likely be Sweet Jane Bennet from their Jane Austen Tea Series. This blend of black and green tea combines…

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Tea Time At Reverie: Inspired By Jane’s Pemberley Green & Herbal Tea

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It’s tea review time again! And if you’re a fan of herbal tisanes and literary-themed teas, this one might tickle your tastebuds. Head over to A Bibliophile’s Reverie to learn more about Pemberley Green & Herbal Tea from Inspired By Jane – and find out why the timing for this particular review was impeccable from a health perspective.

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“Every disposition of the ground was good; and [Elizabeth] looked on the whole scene – the river, the trees scattered on its banks, and the winding of the valley, as far as she could trace it – with delight.”
– Jane Austen, “Pride and Prejudice”

It’s fall here in the Northern Hemisphere. That means cooling temperatures, leaves falling from the trees, scrumptious dishes featuring apples and pumpkin, and – unfortunately – the dreaded cold virus. I’m just getting over my first cold of the season, and my body’s been craving more tea than usual. Especially herbals. Anything with chamomile, spearmint, or lemongrass is my best friend right now.

Which means it’s the perfect time to introduce you to Inspired By Jane, which offers a line of five teas that pay tribute of the works of Jane Austen. (Yay, more literary-themed teas!) Three of its teas include herbal ingredients, and…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Miss Elizabeth Black Tea from Bingley’s Teas

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Squeezing in a tea review before the month is over. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or of black teas that lean on the fruity or sweet side, Miss Elizabeth Black Tea from Bingley’s Teas might appeal to your tastebuds. Read more about it now at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

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“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well.  The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.”
– Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Out of all of Jane Austen’s heroines, Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice has resonated most with readers over the years. She’s intelligent, witty, and virtuous, she converses easily with others and never resorts to the (*ahem*) embarrassing behaviors of other women in her family, especially her mother and her youngest sister Lydia. Lizzie, however, is fond of her sharp tongue and her ability to read people. That pride triggers her character arc – and a good deal of Pride and Prejudice

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Tea Time at Reverie: Marianne’s Wild Abandon from Bingley’s Teas

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Completely forgot that I could actually reblog my tea reviews from A Bibliophile’s Reverie! So, going forward, I’ll share future Tea Time At Reverie articles here for your convenience. This one was posted about a week ago, and features a delectable black-green tea blend inspired by one of Jane Austen’s characters from “Sense and Sensibility.” Here’s Marianne’s Wild Abandon from Bingley’s Teas!

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We’ve been fortunate to receive samples from a number of teasellers since Tea Time At Reverie debuted in June. While we offer equal amounts of gratitude and enthusiasm to each vendor, we’re super-excited that some of our future reviews will cover select teas from Bingley’s Tea’s Jane Austen Tea Series! What better way to connect Tea Time to A Bibliophile’s Reverie’s main purpose as a book review and literary discussion blog than to talk about teas inspired by Jane Austen’s novels?

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Our first Bingley’s Tea review is based on one of Austen’s most memorable leading ladies. Marianne Dashwood, the middle sister of the Dashwood family, embodies the “sensibility” of Sense and Sensibility. She’s spirited, spontaneous, and hopelessly romantic. A tea named after Marianne would have to reflect her dramatic character. Enter Marianne’s Wild Abandon, a black-and-green tea blend that captures the personality and – of course! – sensibility of…

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