Editor's Note: The Joy of Tea

Jan 17, 2026

I love British tea. My fondness for it (and British rough-cut marmalade) probably dates back to when I was little and my artist parents took my brother and me to London in the late 1960s. Before the winter started, I went searching for the best of the best British tea.

My hunt included research at online forums, conversations with British friends and interview subjects, and tasting a long list of tea brands. When the safari ended, I found three that I loved that are perfect for different times of day.

Just so you know, I drink caffeine-free tea. I’m energetic enough and don’t need the hard stuff keeping me up at night. I also drink two to three mugs of tea a day, so I like to keep what I consume interesting.

So this weekend I thought I’d share the three brands with you: Lyons tea from Ireland (in the morning, after breakfast; it’s black), Barry’s Tea from Ireland (after lunch; it’s a honey brown) and Tick Tock Rooibos Tea from England (in the evening; it’s red).

Satisfying doesn’t even begin to describe the pleasure these three deliver. You’ll find them at Amazon here, here and here.

Oh, and the marmalade that goes on my whole wheat toast? Wilkin & Sons’ Tawny Orange Marmalade from England. Go here.

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What did you miss this week? A rare video of a big band that features your favorite stars playing on TV; a post on Henry Franklin’s 1974 album The Skipper at Home; and my post on Frank Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours, which Blue Note’s Tone Poet series recently issued remastered on 180-gram vinyl.

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Johnny Griffin radio. On Sunday, Sid Gribetz on WKCR-FM in New York will broadcast his Jazz Profiles show on tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin from 2 to 7 p.m. (ET). To listen from anywhere in the world, go here.

And be sure to check out Sid’s platform that holds all of his Jazz Profiles shows. You can listen for free! Go here.

A Sonny Stitt fan in this video reflects on one of his favorite eight-bar solos by the tenor saxophonist…

Eight great YouTube clips of jazz vocalists:

Here’s Ella Fitzgerald singing Hard Hearted Hannah in the movie Pete Kelly’s Blues (1955)…

Here’s Peggy Lee singing Is That All There Is in 1969…

Here’s Lee slow-swinging I Believe in You in 1962. As with all Lee clips, watch how she works her eyes—left, center and right—and curls her mouth. So great. Also note how she sings ahead of and behind the beat in an effortless, hip way…