My tea of choice is neither herbal nor green, but classic black tea. While I can be quite content with a cup of Lipton’s, my preference is for the English brand PG Tips, a strong black tea in a pyramid shaped bag.
I’m thrilled when I can find a box of 80 in LA for $6 or 7.5¢ a bag, but on my trip to London last month, I found a classic BQ Bang for the Buck that ensures I’m going to enjoy great iced tea all summer long…and hot mugs through the fall and winter too:
At Marks & Spencer, 80 PG Tips were £2.49, which is $3.86 or 4.8¢ a bag.
At Waitrose, 160 PG Tips were £4.18, which is $6.48 or 4¢ a bag.
At Sainsbury’s, 240 PG Tips were £5.68, which is $8.80 or 3.7¢ a bag.
At Poundland, 76 PG Tips were £1, which is $1.55 or a whisper over 2¢ a bag.
But the winner of Berger Queen’s Bang for the Buck/London 2013 was the Tesco Local in Holland Park: 280 PG Tips were £3.14, which is $4.87 or 1.7¢ a bag!
Remember: sometimes you have to buy where you see it, when you see it - but at other times, it pays to shop around!
Ilene Amy Berg (aka The Berger Queen) is a Los Angeles-based television producer, antiques hunter, New York and London lover, and a spirited food adventuress.