Tea Talks
Hi, welcome to our tea blog!
We are Kirsten and Niels, owners of tea specialty store Het Kleinste Huis. In 2014 we started a small tea shop in the smallest house in Amsterdam. Our range has grown slowly from about 65 varieties to more than 200 varieties now.
In recent years we have been able to get people, from all over the world, excited about our teas and shop.
To us, tea is more than just a cup of hot, flavored water. We would like to share our knowledge about tea with you through this blog.
In this blog we will discuss the different types of tea, the medicinal properties of tea and the best way to make tea.
And for those of you who can't visit our tea rooms, we'd like to share some of our tea and pastry recipes with you through this blog.
But also stories about the smallest house in Amsterdam will not be missing!
To keep this blog as organized as possible, we have divided the articles into different categories, from recipes to health, from tea to our house.
We wish you a lot of reading pleasure!
Kirsten and Niels.
Do you want to prepare loose leaf tea at home?
That's very simple! To make loose leaf tea you only need a few basic elements. Tea leaves, hot water and something to put your tea in.
However, there are a few things that need some extra attention, such as the temperature of the water and the brewing time of the tea. We've listed it all here for you!
Last week one of our nicest customers, Chloe, came by for a pleasant conversation at our tea table.
Chloe started a podcast last year where she interviews people who play a role in her life. Today it was my turn and I was allowed to elaborate for more than half an hour about one of my great passions ... tea. Follow our conversation on Spotify!
I think every parent encounters this at some point. Isn't there a better alternative to lemonade or fruit juice for your kids? Even the healthy drinks are often still full of sugars and artificial additives. Tasty, but not really healthy. Offering only water is not always an option either. As a mother of two young daughters, I was always faced with this dilemma. Fortunately, as the owner of a tea shop, the solution was close at hand!
The days are getting shorter, the evenings longer. There's nothing better than sitting on the couch with a blanket, the company of one of the cats and a London Fog Latte. London Fog is an alternative to the traditional Earl Grey. The warm tones of vanilla, lavender and cinnamon provide a very cozy feeling!
One of my favorite 'feel good' teas, especially now that autumn is really upon us! Originally a traditional black tea with cloves, cinnamon and cardamom from India, it is now hip and trendy in the rest of the world.
In this blog I explain how you can quickly and easily make your own Chai Latte.
If there has ever been a black tea with a very distinct taste and smell, it is Lapsang Souchong! The untraditional taste with a pronounced smokiness and hints of whiskey, wood and tobacco. For me, Lapsang Souchong is a delicious tea that fits those beautiful autumn and winter days that you spend with a book and a blanket on the couch.
White chocolate and Matcha tea are a perfect match. The taste of the chocolate combined with the real taste of matcha is simply divine! Not to mention the great color!
In a few simple steps I'll explain how you can make this treat yourself!
What many of you probably don't know is that the small house on Oude Hoogstraat 22 in Amsterdam, has been in our family for generations. More than 60 years ago, my mother started her first art shop in the tiny building. And now, decades later, Niels and I run our tea company from there.
The next few days are all about a birthday, lots of sun and beach. As a thirst quencher I always make a few liters of iced tea. Even our daughters love this drink. Refreshing and healthy!
Read on to find out how you can make iced tea quickly in an easy way.