Mrs. Magpie needs little introduction in Kolkata, one of the most loved Cafés with the best cupcakes the city has to offer and some fine food. It has a long list of loyal patrons including me and it’s a place that always puts a smile on my face. I was therefore delighted when Sohini Basu (Mrs. Magpie herself) invited me over on Sunday for a Tea Tasting by Saffron Cup who are making a name for themselves in the city by serving up Authentic Artisanal Teas. Founded by Ruchi and Jai Kejriwal who are as passionate about Tea as I am about food. Jai’s family has been into Tea for over half a century and he was determined to give Kolkata consumers top quality Tea which is focusing on flavor and freshness.
Almost all the teas on offer can be enjoyed without milk and sugar. It was a fascinating insight into the world of tea because over our conversation that afternoon I gathered that all the tea’s offered by Saffron Cup use Natural Oils and over seventy different materials to make some stunning blends for the consumer. When I asked Jai why he had selected Mrs. Magpie he said he was struck by Sohini mirroring his work ethic and the same passion to offer top notch products to Kolkata without any compromise on quality. That certainly sounded like a recipe for a successful collaboration to me!
The minute I walked in the beautifully laid-out table with an assortment of teas and some very tempting Cucumber Sandwiches, Scones, Cookies and Cake caught my eye. Sohini introduced me to Ruchi and Jai and we all settled down for a lovely chat, interspersed with some wonderful teas and delicious food to accompany it.
Since three of the teas on offer could be had either iced or hot I opted to go with trying out the trio of iced teas on a rather hot and muggy afternoon. We began with “Bed of Roses” a rather delicate blend of white tea infused with rose oil and petals. I really enjoyed it and loved the balance, none of the flavors were overpowering. After a while of nibbling on cookies and scones I tried the Lemon Grass Iced Tea – a pure Himalayan herbal infusion, it had some interesting flavors and was a great selection on a hot afternoon. I also was chatting with other guests who tried other teas that I had not and I was given excellent feedback on the Signature Darjeeling and Peppermint Tea which I plan to try on my next visit. I ended my tea treat with a Magic Mango Iced Tea – great tropical flavors and I loved it. The Tea’s I had were excellent and I loved the various flavors, what impressed me the most is the balance in the blends which were perfect.
The Saffron Cup Teas are beautifully packaged and a lovely selection is available at Mrs. Magpie for purchase as well to carry home for the family or give as a gift. The menu is available at both Mrs. Magpie outlets so you’re going to find me there after a hard day’s work with my cup of tea in hand and a plate of my favorite scones in front of me. And please believe me when I tell you that I am smiling at the thought of doing that even while writing it!
Address: 570, Lake Terrace Rd, Near Vivekananda Park, Kolkata – 700029; Ph: 086977 31491; Hours: 9am–11 pm
Rukshana Kapadia is the Founder of https://theculinarycommentator.com/ [1] and for the unabridged version of the above visit her website.