Kokova Magazine

The bank holiday bonanza is nearly over – how to fill your time? Head down to Southbank Centre Square to see and learn a myriad of new and exciting things based around the nation’s favourite beverages.

The inaugural Tea & Coffee Festival is gathering momentum as the event approaches. With an ever-growing schedule of fascinating demonstrations and exhibitors the festival is guaranteed to perk up your weekend. From Friday 6 to Sunday 8 May 2011 : 11am - 8pm daily (6pm on Sunday) with FREE admission.

Whether you are a confirmed tea connoisseur, seasoned coffee drinker or even a caffeine-free individual you are bound to find demonstrations and products to pique your interest and tantalise your taste buds.

Come along to witness a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony courtesy of Postcard Teas (www.postcardteas.com); enjoy a Chinese Tea Masterclass with Canton Tea Co (www.cantonteaco.com); take part in a Latte Art Competition; enjoy a coffee smoked beef or bacon bap, learn the finer techniques of coffee roasting and taste and discover a whole plethora of teas and coffees introduced lovingly to you by passionate experts.

There’ll even be tea and coffee based alcoholic cocktails for the really indulgent!

The Tea & Coffee Festival 2011 is bringing some of the finest, and most discerning, tea and coffee providers and specialists together to showcase their wares and share their knowledge.

Organisations such as Postcard Teas and Canton Tea Company are pioneers in their fields of sourcing the finest teas in the world while helping to safeguard traditional varieties and production techniques and giving the more discerning consumer the chance to enjoy the real deal.

Companies such as Dark Fluid (www.darkfluid.co.uk) and Drink Me Chai (www.drinkmechai.co.uk) will be offering the finest coffees and chai in the city and The East India Company (www.theeastindiacompany.com) will provide the history of the subcontinent’s tea history (as well as a superb cuppa of course!).

The perfect cuppa often requires a suitable accompaniment and the festival will also offer complementary foods and desserts such as tea and coffee macaroons, traditional tea cakes, churros with mocha flavoured chocolate, coffee flavoured cheese cakes and more.

Yael Rose explains:

I am learning more and more each day about the variety of tea and coffee products and the fascinating processes that are part of their stories. I am really excited to be able to bring these stories together in the Tea & Coffee Festival while also promoting ethically run businesses and exceptional quality products.

The Tea & Coffee Festival is held in association with Southbank Centre as part of its Festival of Britain 60th celebrations with Mastercard. What better way to celebrate the Festival of Britain than with the perfect cuppa – confident there’ll be one to suit every palate and looking forward to sharing the moment with you.

Tea & Coffee Festival
Southbank Centre Square
(Behind Royal Festival Hall), Belvedere Road
London SE1 8XX
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 May 2011 : 11am - 8pm daily (6pm on Sunday)
Free Admission www.teacoffeefestival.com