Tea time
Every once in a while, I feel sorry for myself because I don't drink plain ol' black coffee. Oh, I enjoy coffee, all right--the kind that comes candy-coated, beaten to an icy pulp and frosted with cream. But the stuff that comes straight from the pot and doesn't hold up the buffet line? Never developed a taste for it, and now I'm too old to make the effort. So I'm stuck with a caffeine delivery system that sometimes causes problems: tea.Unlike my mocha'd, frappy coffee treats, I like my tea plain and black, whether it's iced or hot. None of those herbal or flavored versions, no thank you. English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, or Orange Pekoe for me--and please skip the lemon. And that's where the trouble starts.
My husband groans and slumps in his chair when I order tea at restaurants. First I have to explain that I want plain black tea--is this available? Of course it is--what kind of establishment do I think I'm patronizing?! If I've ordered hot tea, the assortment arrives for my inspection, usually delivered in an attractive basket. I thumb through, looking for a packet with plain black tea inside. Chamomile, apple, ginger, licorice...no good. I have to ask the folks in the kitchen to try again. If I've ordered ice tea, "no lemon, please," it invariably arrives with a lemon wedge shoved on the rim of the glass and that citrus tang oozing into my drink--ugh.
Once I asked for plain black tea, and the helpful young waiter disappeared for nearly a quarter of an hour. When he returned, he apologized and told me there had never been any black tea on the premises--the kitchen staff wanted me to know that all their tea was a kind of reddish-brown color. Sigh.
When my granddaughter is old enough to sample some tea, I'll pour her a cup from her great-great-grandmother's Spode Buttercup teapot, and we'll have a little party. Maybe she'll learn to love tea as much as I do--enough to put up with a bit of trouble every once in a while to get some of that plain ol' reddish-brown stuff.
posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 2:24 AM
9 Comments:
Terry,
I perfer cold frothy coffees, too--or my favorite, fat free, sugar free "Coffee Shake." I am a tea lover, too, though. Earl Grey with honey is my passion. Let's have a cup in Dallas!
I'd love to have a cup o' tea with you in Dallas, Karen :-). And could you please share your coffee shake recipe again?
I don't drink tea or coffee of any kind, but I understand the "no lemon" thing. I drink water all the time, and even when I order it with no lemon...yep, there's that wedge on the rim. Bleh. If I wanted lemon, I'd order lemonade -- which, incidentally, I really like.
Coffee Shake:
1 cup skim milk
1/2 tablespoon instant coffee powder (I use Taster's Choice Hazelnut)
5 ice cubes
3-5 packets Splenda, depending on how sweet you like it (you might want to experiment)
Whip in the blender until all the ice is chopped up.
Enjoy!
Trish--I love lemonade, too, but not in my tea, LOL!
Karen--thanks for the recipe :-). I'm going to give this a try.
Terry, I do love tea...but I'm not as picky as you. LOL Lemon, no lemon, honey, licorice, earl grey...whatever...I like it! Having tea with your granddaughter sounds fab. What a lovely teapot!
Theresa--isn't it awful how picky I am :-)?
Isn't that teapot pretty? My nana used to fix tea for me in her Buttercup pot when I visited her, and she gave that same pot to me for a wedding present. Later I inherited all her Spode Buttercup china, and I treasure it.
Terry, I feel the way you do! I'm a secret Ty-phoo drinker. Also, Barry's Golden. Not even any milk in it...
You are quite the purist. LOL on the "only have reddish brown stuff."
Beautiful teapot. I love Spode.
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