Perfect pairings: the best teas to enjoy with your summer reads
Kick back as the expert team at Newby Teas recommend the best teas to pair with your summer read, for that perfect feet-up-in-the-sun moment.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that there are few things in life better than sitting down to a good book with the perfect cup of tea. So, we teamed up with the expert team at Newby Teas to get their advice on the perfect tea to pair with your summer read. Read on for their recommendations.
With the warm summer breeze upon us, whether sitting indoors in the cosiness of your living room or outdoors in your local park within its luscious verdure, there is nothing more comforting than sitting back and enjoying a captivating book and fine cup of tea. Whether you sip your favourite tea to delight in whilst reading as a ritual or to keep focused on a thought-provoking read, a book with tea is an impeccable combination in every setting.
In honour of this textbook union, we have paired five page-turning reads with five distinctive Newby teas to create the ‘perfect blend’.
English Breakfast & The Light Years
by Elizabeth Jane Howard

Elegantly constructed and articulated with grace, The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard captures twentieth-century English life flawlessly in this modern classic, an ideal pairing with the quintessential English Breakfast. This rich black tea blend offers a full-bodied cup with an ever-appealing malty taste, smooth hints of citrus and a spicy aftertaste. English Breakfast tea supposedly owes its popularity and its name to Queen Victoria. The monarch was said to have fallen in love with the reviving blend of strong black tea leaves during a stay at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle. Today, the classic amber cup is still ever-popular.

Earl Grey & Blue in Chicago
by Bette Howland

With Earl Grey brings fragrant citrus aroma with sweet hints of bergamot, and with Blue in Chicago brings a bittersweet collection of short stories from remarkable American writer, Bette Howland. Her tales radiate an ardent commitment to the lives of everyday people and the charm and beauty of the everyday. This collection can be enjoyed seamlessly with a balanced and full-bodied cup of quaint Earl Grey.

Masala Chai & The Glass Hotel
by Emily St. John Mandel

Emily St. John Mandel’s captivating The Glass Hotel, explores themes of greed and guilt, fantasy and delusion, and the countless ways we quest for meaning in our lives. Keep riveted in this novel of calamity and survival with a unique and complex blend of Masala Chai, a dark-amber cup with a fragrant aroma, sweet and spicy taste and full-bodied finish. It is the perfect match.

Green Sencha & The Kindness Method
by Shahroo Izadi

Feel enlightened with a compassionate guide by Behavioural Change Specialist, Shahroo Izadi to mapping your habits, setting your own goals, and learning how to treat yourself with the kindness you truly deserve. A dynamic and empowering read, The Kindness Method too truly deserves a whole-hearted brew such as Green Sencha to be indulged beside it. Green Sencha offers a smooth light-green cup with a subtle fresh fragrance and balanced with hints of rice. A pairing that will leave you feeling both refreshed and uplifted.

Silver Needle & Dear Reader
by Cathy Rentzenbrink

Moving, amusing and joyous, Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink is an exquisite read exploring how books can change the course of your life. It is the ultimate love letter to reading and to finding the comfort and delight in stories. This beautiful book is perfectly complemented by the luxurious Silver Needle. This esteemed blend is a fine white tea carrying eloquent notes of melon and honey, with a slightly creamy, grassy and delicate taste, and invigorating finish.

This article was written by, and created in partnership with Newby Teas.