Why do yanks compare American southern accent to English
All tea is not the same, but there are some fairly good teabag products out there (in America you can now buy PG Tips or Barry's from Cork). But why do you call the tea "boiled leaves" ?- The idea is rather to infuse them so they are not bitter. It's the same reason percolated coffee is out of fashion, and drip is in.
Please do not stick a teabag in the microwave if it has a metal staple attached : that can start or a fire or ruin the machine. Mercy !- You children will be the death of me !
I drink tea a lot. Sometimes I cool it by putting ice in it. I never put anything else in my tea. I had lemon once but I didn't like it.
Tea in Britain is taken with milk by the vast majority of people....sugar much less so. When I visited Utrecht Cathedral in the Netherlands with two English friends who live close to Eindhoven over there, we went into the refectory/cafeteria for some refreshments and I went up to the counter and asked the serving lady for "three teas" - I autmatically spoke in English as my knowledge of Dutch is practically zero but that doesn't matter at all as the vast majority of Dutch people are quite conversant in English.
She obviously realised my nationality, even down to my being Scottish as they naturally recognise a Scottish accent, and with a lovely smile she asked me: "You want it with milk I suppose?" I returned her smile and nodded as a matter of course. She duly served me with three fair sized cups each containing a tea bag floating in hot water and a small jug of milk. At least it was wet.....but not quite like it is at home.....
The best afternoon teas I have been served, along with a friend of mine, was that served at a well established tea rooms close to the famous church in Rye, in East Sussex, on the coast of SE England...the former home of the writer E F Benson and several other literary luminaries......a large pot of tea each, milk, sugar, a choice of sandwiches (I had wholemeal bread with smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato and watercress) homemade sultana scones with butter, strawberry jam and whipped cream and slices of homemade fruit cake.....all for £9.99 each. We left the place well sated, and enjoyed the pleasant, courteous service and the company of the great people at a nearby table who had just done the "Mapp and Lucia" trail in the town.
That's a pretty accurate assessment, Jasper - especially in the fast-food establishments where customner turnover is quite rapid.....a teapot with boiling water and floating tea bags......loose tea serving is quite rare now, and many people are happy with that as they don't really like to have tea leaf dregs remaining at the bottom of their cups once the tea has been consumed....unless they want to have their fortunes told by some old mystic lady in a strange costume who happens to be in the vicinity. I'd rather remain in ignorance of whatever may befall me in that respect.....whatever will be will be....I can't ever remember the last time I ever saw soggy tea leaves lying at the bottom of my teacup anyway.
^^ Yup that's a southern American accent.
^^^ No, that's BLACK Southern American accent. Not being racist here, but it's different.
<<Please do not stick a teabag in the microwave if it has a metal staple attached : that can start or a fire or ruin the machine.>>
Actually, no, it doesn't. I've done it for years. Microwave works fine, kitchen is intact.
<<Please do not stick a teabag in the microwave if it has a metal staple attached : that can start a fire or ruin the machine.>>
//Actually, no, it doesn't. I've done it for years. Microwave works fine, kitchen is intact.//
Suit yourself, Uriel. (Some people love to live dangerously.) As long as the staple is immersed in the tea-water it will be probably all right, but you are still taking the risk of sparking or damage to the unit.
http://www.chow.com/stories/10166?tag=rbxcch.2.a.8
For your stapleless delectation, I can recommend Barry's Tea in the bags (Safeway has 'em in the States) and Celestial Seasonings brand for peppermint. No metal, no risk. And use a microwave-safe cup, 'o course. ;}
The only time a British person would place a cup (or more likely - a mug) of tea into the microwave is when the original serving, made in the proper way, had become too tepid for consumption for whatever reason - and there is nothing so unpalatable as a tepid cup/mug of best brew - a couple of taps to the appropriate keys for the prescribed period of time and it is steaming again.
There are various reasons why a cup/mug of tea (or coffee for that matter - I actually drink more coffee than tea although tea is essential first thing in the morning) gets tepid or even cold - the phone rings the second you sit down to sup the steaming brew - how often that happens, that's for sure - (probably someone selling something and who is not on your Telephone Preference System calls barred list) or a mate which renders a cold mug of tea totally of no consequence at all or some canvasser at the door hoping that you will vote for their particular political party in the forthcoming election in which case a cold cup of tea is a major catastrophe and prompts you to tell the unfortunate individual that you will be voting for the Monster Raving Loony Party so please do not darken my door again.....
I've lit the paper tag on a tea bag on fire in the microwave before, but it didn't do any harm. I really only switch to tea once I've had too much coffee, but it's a cold winter day and I don't have much to spare on heating bills. The only time I add milk is if it's chamomile (homemade or otherwise, although I find that growing and drying chamomile isn't worth the effort). I have tried black tea (lipton, earl grey, and some knock-off brand) with milk and suger and just found that it either tasted completely like watery milk or, if I let it steep for longer to get a flavor, just plain bitter.
As to jelly/jam, I make my own Concord grape jelly (by jar the most popular in the U.S., with apple trailing far, far behind) and blackberry/mulberry jam every year, enough to last us through until the next crop. I don't like mine as sweet as the commercial type and usually only add 1/2 to 1/4 of the sugar in the recipe. My general rule is 4 cups of fruit to 1 cup of sugar, usually with more sugar for jelly and less for jam because of the difficulty of the setting. I did make my own crab-apple pectin once, but it didn't turn out too well.
How's that for boring information from an American?
I think now may be the time to discuss Southern Style ice tea, by far my favorite way to drink it. I just cut down the sugar a lot. What do you think Damian? Quintus? If we can try it with milk and sugar, can you try it with ice, peach/lemon, and sugar? I'm throwing down the gauntlet, boys.
>>I have tried black tea (lipton, earl grey, and some knock-off brand) with milk and sugar>>
Black tea unblended is not so suitable for the milk, Rene (and Earl Grey with milk just tastes like poison). You need a good hearty blend such as PG Tips or Barry's will provide (the Safeway store carries them).
I have had Southern iced tea (even "sun tea") and yes, it's thoroughly enjoyable on a summer's day.
Rene - that was so interesting...imagine that, an American who likes tea, albeit iced - which really can be refreshing on a comparatively rare very hot day here in Britain....it has got up to 39C here you now...in the south of England anyway....and in the shade as well...there..I bet you didn't know that!
Early morning tea routine...
You take your favourite mug...mine has the emblem of the Scotland rugby team emblazoned on it and it is a fair size which is great first thing in the morning.....and pour in some boiling water just to heat it up as this really improves the flavour of the tea......meanwhile set the kettle up to boiling again as you tip out all the hot water in the mug and deposit your own preferred brand of tea bag into it - personally I am not all that bothered which so long as it is a well recognised brand such a Tetleys or PG tips and the like...Yorkshire tea is great.....then pour in the freshly boiled water and then squidge the tea bag around in it to get it up to strength...I can't abide weak tea which I call weasel water which may well suit some dainty old maiden aunt in Morningside but not a randy male swine like me with red blood surging through my veins....continue to slosh about with the spoon before dumping the disgusting looking soggy tea bag in the waste bin or down the disposal unit...then add the required amount of milk, preferably semi skimmed...and stir...I do not take sugar...then slurp away to your heart's content...you are now ready to face the day and all its rigours.....happy in the knowledge that once you get to the office one of the ever obliging lassies there will ask if you'd like a cup of coffee before you set the wheels of journalism into motion...you say yes please...she says fine...go ahead...the kettle has just boiled.....self service as usual.....
Rye is a lovely wee town on the coast of East Sussex, in SE England - I know I've mentioned this before but there is a very historic, very famous tearooms close to the ancient church there, one which has featured in some well known films and TV series....it's called Fletcher's Tearooms and they do the most amazing teas there and the choice of teas available is amazing, and so is the range of yummy goodies to go with the tea...here is a clip (with no sound) of these tearooms which was actually filmed 80 years ago....in 1930. From the outside it has hardly changed at all, and the interior is a lot larger than you would imagine from seeing that clip....fully modernised inside yet still retaining all the quaint, old world atmosphere for which it is much renowned.
The town of Tilling in EF Benson's "Mapp and Lucia" series of books is modelled on the town of Rye as he was twice mayor there in the 1930s.
He died in 1940 and is buried just outside the town. Shorty after his death his former home was very badly damaged by a Nazi German bomb during an air raid in the Battle of Britain that summer but I don't think it bothered him all that much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGMYOmeD7kM
You're shocked by an American who likes tea? It's a very common drink here. In fact, pretty much every restaurant in the US serves iced tea as a standard beverage (we drink 80% of our tea cold). Every grocery store is stocked with multiple varieties.
And I only like Earl Grey with milk in it!