Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 To: anglican@stsams.org From: Scott Robert Knitter Subject: Re: Fuzzy socks (was An Appeal to All Christians) SEE RECIPE: Retro Meatloaf ObAnglican: I had Twinings Irish Breakfast tea instead of coffee. Tea question: on a BBC drama about Northern Ireland the other night, or perhaps a documentary, they interviewed a lady as she made tea. She poured the boiling water over the tea bag in each mug, then almost immediately scooped out the bag with a spoon. Is this normal? I always steep for 3-5 minutes.-- Scott Robert Knitter - East Lansing, Michigan, USA SEE ALSO: Meatloaf Thread ------------------------------ From: "Whiteley, Raewynne" >Is this normal? I always steep for 3-5 minutes. Now I know why I drink tea like I do. My father is from Northern Ireland, and he always made our morning tea. We used a pot, but he and I always gt the first pouring, while my mother (Australian) liked to wait till it got stronger. Now that I use tea bags I do it exactly the way you described, to approximate my childhood tea! Raewynne ------------------------------ From: Scott Hoogerhyde I've been to Ireland twice, once for an extended stay and my experience was just the opposite, i.e., people in Ireland (North and South, Catholic and Protestant) like _really_ strong tea. I'm no tea connoisseur myself but it has always seemed to me that Irish Breakfast tea was stronger than English Breakfast. I think Fredinand and Julian ought to opine on this topic. -- Scott Hoogerhyde Mendham NJ ------------------------------ From: +Tony and Pat Clavier Dear Scott: It all depends which part of England is under review. Now if you are predestined and elected to come from Yorkshire, a good strong cup of tea, or two or three, with thee around to share, is what the doctor orders, and we'll do it, never fear. On the other 'and, them lounge lizards damned to live in Southern climes, sip weak, insipid teas, more green than dark, neatly dressed, beside the park all very posh like the Dame of Sark. It's tea that tells the tale. Up North you'll hear the truth, plain spoken, then it's o'er, while in the South, their mealy mouth, disguises feelings and prolongs the nag. In the North, the vicar's trained to down the tea with relish, while in the South, the Parson sips daintily while balancing cake on't knee. As my great aunt would say, "Soothernere neither speak the language, rise the pudding, nor drink real tea." Warmly, +Tony The Right Reverend Anthony F.M. Clavier ------------------------------ From: "Mary O'Shaughnessy" Ah, HA! A Tea Expert! Maybe His Adorable Grace can explain to me why teacups are so blasted SMALL? I don't understand why nations that imbibe beer and ale by the pint are happy with tiny sips of tea. ------------------------------ From: "Scott R Knitter" Mary O'Shaughnessy asks: > Ah, HA! A Tea Expert! Oh, I think coffee mugs are used at least as often as the dainty cups and saucers. I should know: I watch "EastEnders." :) Scott, who's about ready to head over to the Bridge Street Cafe in Walford and have a nice egg salad on white bread and a big tea. Hope to see Beppe di Marco there. ;^p Or Simon Raymond. Or both. -- Scott Robert Knitter -East Lansing, Michigan, USA ------------------------------ From: +Tony and Pat Clavier Dear Mary: >Ah, HA! A Tea Expert! There you go again, confusing South English customs with the real thing. We Yorkies drink tea out of mugs. Our mouths are much too big to get around one of those little posh tea cups used by the vinegar-mouthed who live in effeteland. ( I do trust that those Americans not in tune with this ancient rivelry will not take me too seriously!! ) Love, +Tony The Right Reverend Anthony F.M. Clavier ------------------------------ From: "Mary O'Shaughnessy" ah. Did I ever say that my maternal grandmother was from Leeds? Maybe that explains my leanings. ------------------------------ From: georgiannahenry Oh, yes. Even Hyacynth Bucket has larger, sturdier mugs for when her neighbor visits. Georgianna ------------------------------ From: +Tony and Pat Clavier Dear Mary: EEE! I knew there was summut grand about thee. Did I tell you that my maternal great-grandfather was a Kerrigan from Cork? That may tell thee summut about me. Carry n like this and one of our Grinches will accuse us of racism! Love, +Tony The Right Reverend Anthony F.M. Clavier ------------------------------ From: "Emy Böning" Having been taught to make tea by my "very high class british" au pair family, you do the following, boil the water, rinse the pot with some of it, bring the rest of the water back to the boil, leave to boil for a minute, while the teapot heats up,,, then empty teapot, thow in tea leaves... (As many as possible....) then the boiling water, leave to get strong enough and then pour.... I like mine very very strong, with of course the milk in the cup first and then the tea!!!! blessings from a tea junky Emy Böning ------------------------------ From: diana smith Subject: teacups (was fuzzy socks) +Tony the Yorkshireman (which Riding?) is absolutely correct when he speaks (I can hear that accent coming through the written words!) of the vast difference between north and south when it comes to tea drinking. When tea was first introduced into England (via Charles II's wife--obAnglican--the Restoration), it was frightfully expensive and only member of court and high aristocracy could afford the new treat. Even when the English East India Company began direct imports, tea remained dear...but regardless, by the mid-18th century, even the lower classes were spending their meager wages on tea, that's how popular tea drinking had become. (Poor dears, it was probably the first time they had ever been warm through and through). But back to the upper crust--they took their expensive tea first in the Delftware tea bowls (no handles), fashioned after the Chinese tea bowls. One had to hold them gingerly, thumb on bottom of bowl, 1st-3rd fingers balanced on the edge, pinky finger up (probably how that custom got started), so as not to burn one's fingers on the hot china. There is a direct connection between these dainty teabowls and the alepots, however: it is thought that handles on teacups appeared because someone thought of the ale mugs and said "aha!" Dainty tea and teacups etc are associated with afternoon tea, which was "invented" by the Dutchess of Bedford and the custom quickly spread amongst her friends. But nothing beats a good high tea, a specialty of the rural north, where hearty food and cake appear on the table, washed down by steaming mugs of hot tea, strong enough to trot a mousie on! (Typhoo tea, for example). Diana who, amongst other talents, is an expert on tea, who thinks that one day she'll write the definitive history of tea drinking in Britain) Diana Smith Washington DC ------------------------------ From: "Heather L. Mina" > Is this normal? I always steep for 3-5 minutes. Ohhhhh noooo!!! Not the Great Tea Debate again!!! Oh wait, it's much more entertaining to listen to than some of the other threads I've seen. Never mind. Just no bloodshed, okay? After all, it's only tea, right? Grinning impishly, Heather ------------------------------ From: "Cady A. Soukup" In high school I was privileged to be able to visit Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), and visited a "high mountain" tea estate (somewhere around or over 6,000' in elevation) where the matron of the house prepared tea for us by BOILING the (very strong local) tea leaves in water for about a minute. It wasn't until about 4 years later that the penny dropped as it were & I realized that we were so high that "boiling" water wasn't up to the usual "boiling" temp, and her way to make tea was compensation for that. The estate that we visited (owned at that time by native Sinhalese) was the estate that a friend of my parents had been born & raised on (her visiting aunt, upon seeing my slides of the estate, was quite excited about it & told me much of the history of the area; the aunt was a native-born English snob who looked down on her own neice since she had been born "in the colonies"). We were treated to quite a tour of the tea plantation & "factory" where the tea was brought, fermented, aged, tasted & prepared for export. I've been a strong-tea drinker ever since. And a good cup (LARGE MUG) of strong Ceylon Broken Orange Pekoe always brings back that lovely time in late adolescence when the Girl Guides of Ceylon took me in, pampered me, and ushered me about a lovely, magical isle. May the New Year bring you at least a good cup of something you love to share with those you love, HUGS all around!! (a new line dance for Grace?) Cady ------------------------------ From: Scott Robert Knitter >The longer you steep tea, the more tannin you get. I understand that drinking very oversteeped tea can be harmful (dare I say fatal?). With tea bags, I shall cut it back to three minutes tops. ------------------------------ From: Evelyn Rowe Dear Diana, Are you an antelactarian or a postlacterian? Evie ------------------------------ From: RKonopka > But it all boils down (sorry) to a matter of taste. Literally. The longer > you steep tea, the more tannin you get. And, don't know if it's folklore or not, but my Irish relatives assure me that the longer the tea steeps, the more tannic acid is released the more caffeine is destroyed. So strong tea is less likely to give you the jitters than "weak" Northern Irish tea. (However, it may give you horribly acid stomach and stained teeth if consumed in excess!) Richard ------------------------------ From: "James Handsfield" > Are you an antelactarian or a postlacterian? Well, I'm not Diana, and I rarely drink tea. I drink coffee -- with nothing in it. If I wanted milk or cream, I'd drink some milk or cream. When I drink coffee, I just want coffee. ObAnglican: I once had high tea with Lady Baden-Powell in her grace and favor apartment at Hampton Court Palace. Peace and blessings. Jim Handsfield ------------------------------ From: Chad Wohlers Speaking as a chemist. this doesn't make a lot of sense. It basically depends on tannins destroying caffeine, which I don't think they do. It's true that tannins are acidic and caffeine weakly basic, so some neutralization will occur, but this won't destroy the caffeine itself or reduce its activity. After all, there are much stronger acids in your stomach, and the caffeine seems to make it past them. OTOH, a previous suggestion that you can remove the caffeine from tea by soaking it in hot water for 30 seconds does make a lot of sense. Caffeine is quite soluble in water, while the tannins, and presumably many of the flavor components are not. So the caffeine is extracted into the hot water before everything else you want in the tea has a chance to dissolve. Chad Wohlers Ph. D. Chemistry currently in Brevard, NC ------------------------------ From: Chuck Chace << ...by the mid-18th century, even the lower classes were spending their meager wages on tea, that's how popular tea drinking had become. (Poor dears, it was probably the first time they had ever been warm through and through). >> Yes, and in some places in Britain, tea is still used as a substitute for central heating. Chuck Chace, who never used to drink tea - until spending one too many chilly days on vacation in London. ------------------------------ From: EDuncan > As for the tea, it has caffiene, which is not good for your blood pressure. I've always thought of tea as the perfect drink. Even though it has caffeine, it is relaxing and warming. And the Buddhist Tea Ceremony is wonderful to watch. Evelyn Duncan ------------------------------ From: diana smith >> Are you an antelactarian or a postlacterian? Generally an antelactarian. Milk in first or last is supposed to be a class distinction (part of Jessica Mitford's "U" and "non-U" distinctions)-- lower classes put milk in first and upper classes add milk later. But I've never gotten anyone to admit to that. I have observed that when milk is put in last, one must stir it; not so with milk in first...and so that uses a teaspoon, which then must be washed...and if you have servants to do your washing-up, then why not put milk in last? Who cares? In the early years of tea drinking, milk was generally put in first because people were worried about cracking the china cups. And then we have Mongolian tea, which is churned with rancid yak butter and eaten in bowls. Yum. More than you wanted to know, right? (What scares me is that I can churn this trivia out without having to look it up) Diana Diana Smith Washington DC ------------------------------ From: "Jon A. Egger" All this tea talk has made me get out all my favorites...jasmine, Earl Grey, Constant Comment, green tea...so, thanks to you all, I'm back to drinking tea and loving it! brudder jon westmo