I thank you and this man for an attempt to spread enlightenment in the midst of darkness. On my travels, a couple of times, just to mess with the locals, I asked for tea, just to see their consternation. One place, in Mississippi? Or Louisiana... or somewhere, even had tea on the menu! So I ordered it. And the waitress brought a jug of warm water, a cold mug, and a teabag, taking her time in the stroll from the kitchen to say hello to a few folks, hand over a menu and so on...
When she eventually got to me all chance of making anything resembling tea was gone. Your man there missed out an important part of the process. Tea has to be hit with boiling water. Boiling. Not "not quite boiling". You take the pot to the kettle, never bring the kettle to the pot.
And bringing a jug of warm water across the room and putting it into a cold mug? Gak. No wonder americans don't drink tea, if they never get to taste what tea SHOULD taste like.
As for the south. "ice tea", a processed product bought in gallon jugs from the supermarket, too sweet. It's better than drinking coke, safer than the overchlorinated water from the pipes, but... If you want iced tea, you first have to make hot tea properly, decant it off the leaves at the right time and let it cool.
Coming from a tea-drinking Irish family, I agree wholeheartedly. I would never order a cup of tea in any place where the waitress asks, "Do y'all mean hot tea?".
Wonderful! I suspect he was quite right when he said that many Americans don't like tea because they just don't know how to make it. My experience...much of the tea they sell is just plain lousy. I lived in Louisville, Ky. for a few years (many years ago) & we learned quite quickly that you must specify 'hot tea' or you would get iced tea. Even then, you could leave that teabag in the hot water for an hour & it would still look & taste like left-over dishwater. Thereafter, we always made sure to bring lots of Red Rose back with us after a visit back home.
I love this! I was born in Dublin and have been to Cork many times. Barry's Tea is pretty easy to find here in Toronto. And I just love your comment about where the waitress asks, "Do y'all mean hot tea?".
Jake sent me over! I love this video! My daughters friend from Ireland brews the perfect cup of tea. In fact I need to visit her. She lives 30 minutes from me. I always use fresh water tobrew my tea. It is better! Thank you for this share. Anne
When I travel to Paris I miss a good cuppa and when I found a cafe that offered tea I grabbed it even though it was more expensive than a Cotes de Rhone.
I thank you and this man for an attempt to spread enlightenment in the midst of darkness.
ReplyDeleteOn my travels, a couple of times, just to mess with the locals, I asked for tea, just to see their consternation.
One place, in Mississippi? Or Louisiana... or somewhere, even had tea on the menu!
So I ordered it. And the waitress brought a jug of warm water, a cold mug, and a teabag, taking her time in the stroll from the kitchen to say hello to a few folks, hand over a menu and so on...
When she eventually got to me all chance of making anything resembling tea was gone.
Your man there missed out an important part of the process. Tea has to be hit with boiling water. Boiling. Not "not quite boiling".
You take the pot to the kettle, never bring the kettle to the pot.
And bringing a jug of warm water across the room and putting it into a cold mug? Gak. No wonder americans don't drink tea, if they never get to taste what tea SHOULD taste like.
As for the south. "ice tea", a processed product bought in gallon jugs from the supermarket, too sweet. It's better than drinking coke, safer than the overchlorinated water from the pipes, but...
If you want iced tea, you first have to make hot tea properly, decant it off the leaves at the right time and let it cool.
Coming from a tea-drinking Irish family, I agree wholeheartedly. I would never order a cup of tea in any place where the waitress asks, "Do y'all mean hot tea?".
ReplyDeleteWe figure it's too salty after we dumped it in Boston harbor.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I suspect he was quite right when he said that many Americans don't like tea because they just don't know how to make it.
ReplyDeleteMy experience...much of the tea they sell is just plain lousy.
I lived in Louisville, Ky. for a few years (many years ago) & we learned quite quickly that you must specify 'hot tea' or you would get iced tea.
Even then, you could leave that teabag in the hot water for an hour & it would still look & taste like left-over dishwater.
Thereafter, we always made sure to bring lots of Red Rose back with us after a visit back home.
I love this! I was born in Dublin and have been to Cork many times. Barry's Tea is pretty easy to find here in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just love your comment about
where the waitress asks, "Do y'all mean hot tea?".
Jake sent me over! I love this video! My daughters friend from Ireland brews the perfect cup of tea. In fact I need to visit her. She lives 30 minutes from me. I always use fresh water tobrew my tea. It is better! Thank you for this share. Anne
ReplyDeleteWhen I travel to Paris I miss a good cuppa and when I found a cafe that offered tea I grabbed it even though it was more expensive than a Cotes de Rhone.
ReplyDelete