We have spoken a bit about our partners in some of our previous blogs. Here at Comins collaboration & partnership is very much at the heart of what we do and we partner with all types of people from tea farmers through to British designers and makers and of course selected cafes, restaurants, hotels and food stores.
When we started Comins Tea House we had a clear vision - to make it simple for people to find & enjoy great tea. We wanted then, and still do now, to enjoy great tea in the types of places that we enjoy visiting. Starting, establishing & running a business in the UK is not an easy task, but if you have a strong ethos, a great team and great products sourced well & prepared with love and care then it can be extremely rewarding. As our business grows one of the most enjoyable aspects has been meeting some extraordinary people, hearing their stories and learning about what drives them and their businesses. We thought you might like to hear about these people and places too so over the coming months we will share more of these stories alongside our further flung travels and other tea tales on our blog. So, first up is Urvashi Roe & her new venture The Library Cafe in Enfield, London....
About Urvashi | We first saw Urvashi when she took part in the 2011 2nd series of The Great British Bake Off on BBC1 & met her when we replied to one of her tweets asking for tea for her first 'Pipedream' pop up supper club after she had finished the show. We loved her cooking style and ingredient choice and thought she would appreciate our take on tea. She did, and Rob ended up meeting her in central London after one of our shows and providing her with some of our First Flush Darjeeling and Silver Needle tea for her very successful pop up which included some amazing botanical treats [see photo below]. Last year Urvashi and her family visited Comins where we shared and talked tea and since then her plans to open her own establishment progressed quickly with the opportunity to take over the cafe at Enfield Library.
What we love about the library cafe | Urvashi opened the doors to the The Library Cafe on the 25th February this year with the vision of offering something completely different to what is available on the high street. Her exciting and varied menu which changes weekly is based around local produce with the library providing literary inspiration and local people providing vital input in terms of what they would like to see & enjoy on the menu. I visited this weekend to launch their range of Comins Loose Leaf teas and had the pleasure to meet lots of local tea lovers as well as train and share tea with the great team that Urvashi has working with her. I was treated to some tasters of the delicious menu [could not resist the fresh pea and feta on a homemade pancake] The setting is open and bright with the cafe opening up onto a grassed area where customers can sit & relax in the summer enjoying Urvashis wonderful creations, For us it feels like something great is happening at The Library Cafe . Urvashi and her team are creating a place to meet, stop, relax & connect with friends, family & the community over great food and drink. An oasis in this part of London and the perfect place to enjoy a #cupofcomins.
Enjoy a #cupofComins | The Library Cafe will be serving :-
Golden Tip Assam |Our Assam tea is a black tea from the Khongea estate in India. Assam tea has a rich and malty character, known for it's body and bright colour. It is a great choice if you like your tea strong.
Sencha Karigane | Our Sencha Karigane is a green tea from Uji, Japan. This tea has a mild, sweet taste & a wonderful fresh aroma.
Alishan Jade Oolong | Comins Alishan Jade Oolong Tea is a delicate, fragrant and lasting tea from the Wang Ting Tea Garden, Jiayi County, Taiwan.
Dong Ding Amber Oolong |Our Dong Ding Oolong tea is from the ShanZhiCui garden in the mountains of northern-central Taiwan. This tea has a rich floral taste and natural sweetness.
Chinese Silver Needle | Chinese Silver Needle is a white tea from Fuding, Fujian Province China. This tea has a elegant, soft, sweet taste and a fresh aroma. An ideal tea for any time of the day. So next time you are in the area make an appointment at
The Library Cafe & be sure to call in if you are in the area and try a #cupofcomins with some of Urvashis delicious treats!
