Don't ask me why but saucers have been on my mind, lately. Perhaps it's the result of a decreasing availability that's bothersome and somewhat perplexing. Just to clarify for people reading this and wondering if there have been visitations by unworldly beings, the saucers in question are the one's that go with teacups and act as receptacles for teabags.
Could be my early British origins in that there are conventions which have remained part of my essential nature. The afternoon tea ritual is part of a daily routine whereby life stops for a half hour or so to sit down for a "cuppa", however, therein lies the problem. Over time it seems to me that saucers have all but disappeared. In conducting some personal research, it appears that your matching tea cup and saucer have been slowly replaced by your pedestrian mugs. Not that there's anything wrong with mugs per se, the choice of coffee drinkers, but tea drinkers need somewhere to place their used teabags and saucers fulfill that need. We tea drinkers have needs or requirements that coffee drinkers don't need to worry about.
For whatever reason, tableware manufacturers appear to have made the decision to eliminate or phase out the need for saucers. Perhaps there was a move to acquiesce to the world of coffee drinkers who are content to consume their beverage of choice out of paper cups. Consuming tea out of a paper cup is sacrilege for tea drinkers - okay - it is for me, anyway. In my view, paper interferes with the flavor and once again, what does one do with the used teabag, which leads me back to my original point.
"Spread the word," a dishware manufacturer might have told his workers, "we're cutting back on the production of saucers. If it's good enough for coffee drinkers - it's good enough for them teabag soakers."
"But what are they supposed to do with their used teabags?" a worker and tea drinker might have asked.
"Let 'em drink iced tea," the dishware manufacturer could have responded off-handedly and hence that could have been the creation and impetus for a new beverage. But I digress.
Thinking back, my grandfather who hailed from Russia, loved his afternoon glass of tea. The act
of sipping the hot liquid slowly until it cooled, was part of a ritual consisting of blowing on the surface for a short time followed by pouring the tea into a saucer and sipping it slowly for the finishing touch. What would he have used had a saucer not been available? A soup bowl? One can only speculate but somehow and knowing grandfather, it wouldn't have sufficed.
When it comes to the subject of tea time and societal correctness, Debretts is one of the best sources, at least in my eyes. Although no mention is made directly regarding the tea saucers and their disappearing act, the source does provide some interesting advice on how to drink tea and the important role of the saucer. According to Debretts, a spoon should be used to stir the tea - this is important - without clinking it against the side of the cup and - still more very important and telling information regarding the saucer - should be placed back in the saucer. Note the usage of the saucer here. Once more saucers are the focus with advice that includes saucers remain on the table and never raised when the cup is lifted up to the lips. Perhaps - pure speculation - keeping the saucer on the table would prevent the breakage of the saucer in case some tableware manufacturers decide in the future to phase out the saucers. But I digress.
I'm wondering why the emphasis on not clinking the spoon against the cup. Is it the noise factor one wonders. Can't speak for others (why would I want to, anyway) and keep this to yourself but I'm guilty of hitting the side of the cup when stirring my tea. Actually I never gave stirring a second thought to be honest and nobody has drawn this faux pas to my attention, or perhaps they were too polite to mention it.
"Excuse me, Eleanor, but you appear to hit the side of the cup with your spoon when stirring your tea," somebody might have but hasn't as yet, asked. To which my response would be, "oh really? Yeah - and?"
"Where there's tea, there's hope." - Arthur Wing Pinero. Along with the return of the saucer.
Showing posts with label tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tea. Show all posts
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Tea talk - so what's the big thing?
Now that the popular TV series, "Downton Abbey", has caught the imagination of people who wanna-be-titled-and-live-in-big-estates-with-servants, tea is hot stuff. We're not talking hot as in serving temperature because that goes without saying, tea has to be boiling hot. The term 'hot' as in popularity and more specifically, the repast of indulging in afternoon tea.
As a confirmed tea drinker, any time of the day or night is a good time to drop a tea bag in a mug and indulge in a cuppa, as the Brits say. Having lived in England during the formative years of my life, tea played an important role. Rules related to savoring the juice of the leaf were clear cut accompanied by a certain decorum. A substantial amount of attention was paid to mannerly conduct including the placement of wrists on the table, stirring the liquid, passing the biscuits and related goodies to the point that it was almost a relief when tea time was over. But I digress.
If indeed the afternoon tea ritual is gaining in popularity as reports indicate, hopefully new tea drinkers won't be penalized for not knowing or following the basic fundamentals of tea drinking. When it comes to tea rituals and every day etiquette, Debretts has it all. In fact, last year I shared some of their advice in one of my blogs: http://myviewscount.blogspot.ca/2012/06/at-last-something-for-tea-drinkers-of.html
The reason for alluding to this subject once again is a recent article I read focusing on the ritual of afternoon tea according to a chain of North American hotels that offers this repast. For example, the article advocates the British concept of pouring milk into a cup before adding tea. Presumably, we're talking here about brewed tea in a pot and not a tea bag. In theory, this is all well and good but, say for example, too much milk is poured into the cup and thereby turning the tea tepid. There is nothing worse than luke-warm tea. Actually, for me, there are worse things like using hot milk in tea. Somehow, biscuits don't seem to dunk well in tepid tea temps. In spite of the accepted norms of tea drinking , it's my findings that milk is best added after the tea is in the cup in order to gauge the darkness of the contents, depending on whether one likes one's tea weaker or stronger. Right tea drinkers of the world?
The article also recommends the best way to stir tea would you believe, which would necessitate having a watch or clock nearby. One should hold the tea spoon at the six o'clock angle, moving it back and forth without touching the sides of the cup. This leads one - me - to wonder what would happen, say, if the tea drinker would hold the spoon, say, at the seven o'clock or even eight o'clock position? Is there a penalty involved?
"Eleanor dear," somebody watching me commit the heinous act of holding the spoon at the quarter to seven angle, could comment, "just want to point out that you're holding the spoon in an incorrect manner. I must now confiscate your tea cup as punishment."
I mean - gimme a break!
Last but certainly not least, there is also input focusing on - wait for it - how to hold a tea cup. Really. In case people reading this aren't knowledgeable in this particular area, the index finger should be placed in the cup handle with thumb on the top. Not on the side or bottom mind you but strictly on the top. Thinking further, never really noted as to where my fingers are placed . Furthermore, the bottom of the handle should rest in the third finger. Not the second or pinky finger, but the third finger. Sometimes - keep this to yourself since this could be considered blasphemous by died-in-the-wool tea drinkers - I don't use the handle at all and hold the cup on the side.
There is nothing mentioned regarding the number of spoons of sugar would suffice or the common usage of sugar replacement but there is mention of the practice of blowing on the hot tea to cool it off, considered a no-no. My grandfather who was from "the old country" used to pour his tea into his saucer as a means of getting it to cool down in addition to copious blowing on the liquid, followed by the placing a cube of sugar in his mouth, before taking a sip of tea.. Wonder what the tea etiquette people would say about that!
After reading through the list of do's-and-don'ts and really in the end, a cup of tea is a cup of tea is... It's that wonderful feeling that flows through your body as the tea makes its way to the final destination of the stomach. The manner in which its consumed isn't as important - in my opinion - as the enjoyment it gives. To quote Monty Python: "make tea, not war."
As a confirmed tea drinker, any time of the day or night is a good time to drop a tea bag in a mug and indulge in a cuppa, as the Brits say. Having lived in England during the formative years of my life, tea played an important role. Rules related to savoring the juice of the leaf were clear cut accompanied by a certain decorum. A substantial amount of attention was paid to mannerly conduct including the placement of wrists on the table, stirring the liquid, passing the biscuits and related goodies to the point that it was almost a relief when tea time was over. But I digress.
If indeed the afternoon tea ritual is gaining in popularity as reports indicate, hopefully new tea drinkers won't be penalized for not knowing or following the basic fundamentals of tea drinking. When it comes to tea rituals and every day etiquette, Debretts has it all. In fact, last year I shared some of their advice in one of my blogs: http://myviewscount.blogspot.ca/2012/06/at-last-something-for-tea-drinkers-of.html
The reason for alluding to this subject once again is a recent article I read focusing on the ritual of afternoon tea according to a chain of North American hotels that offers this repast. For example, the article advocates the British concept of pouring milk into a cup before adding tea. Presumably, we're talking here about brewed tea in a pot and not a tea bag. In theory, this is all well and good but, say for example, too much milk is poured into the cup and thereby turning the tea tepid. There is nothing worse than luke-warm tea. Actually, for me, there are worse things like using hot milk in tea. Somehow, biscuits don't seem to dunk well in tepid tea temps. In spite of the accepted norms of tea drinking , it's my findings that milk is best added after the tea is in the cup in order to gauge the darkness of the contents, depending on whether one likes one's tea weaker or stronger. Right tea drinkers of the world?
The article also recommends the best way to stir tea would you believe, which would necessitate having a watch or clock nearby. One should hold the tea spoon at the six o'clock angle, moving it back and forth without touching the sides of the cup. This leads one - me - to wonder what would happen, say, if the tea drinker would hold the spoon, say, at the seven o'clock or even eight o'clock position? Is there a penalty involved?
"Eleanor dear," somebody watching me commit the heinous act of holding the spoon at the quarter to seven angle, could comment, "just want to point out that you're holding the spoon in an incorrect manner. I must now confiscate your tea cup as punishment."
I mean - gimme a break!
Last but certainly not least, there is also input focusing on - wait for it - how to hold a tea cup. Really. In case people reading this aren't knowledgeable in this particular area, the index finger should be placed in the cup handle with thumb on the top. Not on the side or bottom mind you but strictly on the top. Thinking further, never really noted as to where my fingers are placed . Furthermore, the bottom of the handle should rest in the third finger. Not the second or pinky finger, but the third finger. Sometimes - keep this to yourself since this could be considered blasphemous by died-in-the-wool tea drinkers - I don't use the handle at all and hold the cup on the side.
There is nothing mentioned regarding the number of spoons of sugar would suffice or the common usage of sugar replacement but there is mention of the practice of blowing on the hot tea to cool it off, considered a no-no. My grandfather who was from "the old country" used to pour his tea into his saucer as a means of getting it to cool down in addition to copious blowing on the liquid, followed by the placing a cube of sugar in his mouth, before taking a sip of tea.. Wonder what the tea etiquette people would say about that!
After reading through the list of do's-and-don'ts and really in the end, a cup of tea is a cup of tea is... It's that wonderful feeling that flows through your body as the tea makes its way to the final destination of the stomach. The manner in which its consumed isn't as important - in my opinion - as the enjoyment it gives. To quote Monty Python: "make tea, not war."
Monday, June 10, 2013
Tea time with a little ice on the side
|
- A large amount of caffeine is released from tea after the first 30 seconds of brewing. - There are four main types of tea: white, green, oolong, and black In seeking some information about the origins of tea, the Tea Association of the USA has some very interesting tea-related data. For example: - On any given day, about one half of the American population drinks tea. On a regional basis, the South and Northeast have the greatest concentration of tea drinkers. - Approximately 85% of tea consumed in America is iced - Historically, tea is nearly 5,000 years old and was discovered in 2737 BC by Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung, known as the "Divine Healer" - Anna, Duchess of Bedford, is credited with creating Afternoon Tea in 1840. Good thing she did since 'tea time' usually between three and four in the afternoon is a wonderful habit to acquire...really. This site, http://www.teausa.com/14655/tea-fact-sheet is an interesting source of facts and data related to tea and is a worth-while visit. There is also a fun section devoted to the art of tea leaf reading: http://www.teausa.com/14531/reading-tea-leaves Now that that the origins of tea have been explored, let's get down to the basics of the actual creation of a pitcher of the liquid. Here is the basic recipe: 8 cups water 3 orange pekoe tea bags 3/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup lemon juice Slices of fresh lemon to garnish
Instructions:
In a large saucepan, heat water to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and drop in the tea bags. Cover and let steep for 1 hour.In a large pitcher, combine the steeped tea and the sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled. Before serving, garnish with thinly-sliced lemons in the pitcher or on the rim of the glass. Simplicity personified for iced tea aficionados especially since it's iced tea day. Enjoy a glass - or cuppa as the Brits say. |
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
To tea or not to tea. The Downton Abbey syndrome
For the last
couple of years and as is the case with many people who indulge in an afternoon beverage break, I find myself thinking
more about the proper way to serve tea. Usually, tea for me consist of a large
mug with the words, “I heart New York” written across the front in large black letters,
the dropping of a tea bag inside followed by the slow pouring (has to be slow
to bring out the full flavor) of boiling hot water and allowing it to steep for
a few minutes, finishing off with a drop of milk (cold – not hot). I’m giving a
lot of thought nowadays to the idea of switching to using a tea cup and teapot.
It’s not difficult to see why the series has caught the imagination of royal watchers and soap opera followers (like me). How many of us wouldn’t like the experience of owning and wearing splendiferous clothes throughout the day and changing them depending on who rings the bell? Dining would always be a special occasion and take place in the various dining rooms, depending on the time of day and importance of thevisitors. Mornings would call for the silver serving pieces and white linen tablecloths and napkins. Place mats and paper napkins would never do.
“Dearest husband, Lord Tylbor...sweetie,” I would or could respond as a servant pours tea from a beautiful bone china designer teacup, adding a touch of milk, two lumps of sugar followed by a quick stir. “As you will recall, we no longer use butter in favor of “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” due to your cholesterol problem. Besides, we do have a butler to do those menial things like butter passing.”
There are certain rules and regulations to be followed and as mentioned in previous blogs, my favorite source of etiquette is Debretts. When it comes to doing and knowing the right way to conduct oneself, Debretts has it all.
"It is the responsibility of the person who has invited you to brief you on what you should expect. If in doubt, always ask before you attend as codes of conduct and etiquette are strictly observed.
You should arrive on time and dress appropriately, following the dress code on your invitation. Look particularly to the top table for cues as to when to sit down, start eating, leave the table etc. Refrain from leaving the table during dinner. Table manners should be faultless; this really is the time to be on your best behaviour," Debretts offers in the way of helpful advice.
Advice is also available on bathroom etiquette. "When nature calls, either slip away quietly or excuse yourself from the group. Leave it clean, always flush and never discuss." This leads one - me - to ponder why one would discuss one's bathroom habits. I mean, it's not a dinner topic. Thinking further, one could share toilet flushing techniques but that's about all.
Back to Downton Abbey.
All the series characters are interesting in their own right but the one that has stood out as a favorite is Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Her zingers are anticipated as much as the story lines. Here are a few of my favorites accumulated over time.
Having spent
the first six years of my childhood in England, tea has always played an important
role in my life and now with the emergence of Downton Abbey on the TV
screen, I feel a pull back to ye old country customs, be it on a much more
limited scale.
For those of
us who are devoted and confirmed Downton Abbey-ists, we can blame the
BBC and Julian Fellowes for springing Lord and Lady Grantham and the Crawley
family experience on to the TV screen. In essence, it’s a soap opera where the
characters are members of a privileged upper-class aristocratic family and
the internal rivalry of their servants. Viewers like moi, get to share the ups and downs of the various
family members as they live out their lives in ignorant bliss and splendor,
while being served hand-to-foot in the true sense of the word, by servants who
cater to their every need and whim.It’s not difficult to see why the series has caught the imagination of royal watchers and soap opera followers (like me). How many of us wouldn’t like the experience of owning and wearing splendiferous clothes throughout the day and changing them depending on who rings the bell? Dining would always be a special occasion and take place in the various dining rooms, depending on the time of day and importance of thevisitors. Mornings would call for the silver serving pieces and white linen tablecloths and napkins. Place mats and paper napkins would never do.
“Excuse me, Eleanor,” Lord Tylbor would utter while scanning the financial section of the newspaper. “Could you pass me the butter and the marmelade?”
“Dearest husband, Lord Tylbor...sweetie,” I would or could respond as a servant pours tea from a beautiful bone china designer teacup, adding a touch of milk, two lumps of sugar followed by a quick stir. “As you will recall, we no longer use butter in favor of “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” due to your cholesterol problem. Besides, we do have a butler to do those menial things like butter passing.”
There are certain rules and regulations to be followed and as mentioned in previous blogs, my favorite source of etiquette is Debretts. When it comes to doing and knowing the right way to conduct oneself, Debretts has it all.
"It is the responsibility of the person who has invited you to brief you on what you should expect. If in doubt, always ask before you attend as codes of conduct and etiquette are strictly observed.
You should arrive on time and dress appropriately, following the dress code on your invitation. Look particularly to the top table for cues as to when to sit down, start eating, leave the table etc. Refrain from leaving the table during dinner. Table manners should be faultless; this really is the time to be on your best behaviour," Debretts offers in the way of helpful advice.
Advice is also available on bathroom etiquette. "When nature calls, either slip away quietly or excuse yourself from the group. Leave it clean, always flush and never discuss." This leads one - me - to ponder why one would discuss one's bathroom habits. I mean, it's not a dinner topic. Thinking further, one could share toilet flushing techniques but that's about all.
Back to Downton Abbey.
All the series characters are interesting in their own right but the one that has stood out as a favorite is Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Her zingers are anticipated as much as the story lines. Here are a few of my favorites accumulated over time.
Cora: "Things are
different in America."
Lady Grantham: "I know. They live in wigwams."
Lady Grantham: "I know. They live in wigwams."
(Upon being told the swivel
chair was invented by Thomas Jefferson) "Why does every day involve a
fight with an American?"
"So that’s Mary’s
replacement. Well I suppose looks aren’t everything."Sir Richard:
"I'm leaving in the morning. I doubt we'll meet again."
Lady Grantham: "Do you promise?"
Lady Grantham: "Do you promise?"
Mrs Crawley: “I take that as a
compliment.”
Lady Grantham: “I must have said it wrong.”
Lady Grantham: “I must have said it wrong.”
"I have plenty of friends I don't
like."
"Last night! He looked so well. Of course
it would happen to a foreigner. No Englishman would dream of dying in someone
else's house."
"One can't go to pieces
at the death of every foreigner. We'd all be in a constant state of collapse
whenever we opened a newspaper."
(Struggling with the newly
installed telephone) "Is this an instrument of communication, or
torture?"
Having watched seasons one through three at least twice I’m looking forward
to the next installment. According to “spoiler” reports, Mary, now a widow,
will get a new love in her life, and being treated to the Dowager Countess's bons
mots is something to look forward to. Meanwhile, there’s always tea in the I heart New York
mug with water poured after a full boil – never tepid – accompanied by a scone
and jam. The Crawleys would understand.
Friday, December 21, 2012
I'm still here - the Mayan apocalypse non-event
So after much hoopla and apocalyptic predictions, I'm still here. I'll go out on a limb here and assume that people reading this are also still in the land of the living. Now that we've established we survived the Mayan 'Long Count' Calendar, what led up to this belief?
According to Wikipedia, "this date was regarded as the end-date of a 5125-year-long cycle in the
Mesoamerican Long Count calendar."
"Now that you've brought it up, what in the world is the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar of which you speak, Eleanor?"
Again, and according to Wikipedia, "The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar is a non-repeating, bigesimal (base-20) and base-18 calendar used by several Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, most notably, Mayan. Using a modified vigesimal tally, the Long Count calendar identifies a day by counting the number of days passed since a mythical creation date that corresponds to August 11, 3114 BCE in the Gregorian calendar."
Furthermore:
the calendar begins in year corresponding to 3114BC
Moves forward in 394-year periods known as Baktuns
Winter solstice in 2012 marks end of the 13th Baktun
Myth of end of the world based on erroneous reading of Mayan tablet carved
1,300 years ago
Archaeologists and Maya experts say text refers to start of a new era
Thank you Wikipedia for your informative background.
To be candid, didn't really give much thought to how to spend the day in 'case-of.' I mean, how does one prepare for an apocalypse, anyway?
Most likely I would have had my usual breakfast of toast and bumbleberry preserves and tea. Somehow, a cup of tea always seems to hit the spot during times of turmoil and an apocalypse would definitely fall into this category. Maybe given the nature of this precursor of doom, perhaps a bowl of cereal would have been in order. My diet most likely would have been forgotten under the circumstances.
Thinking further (again), what would be the correct thing to wear for an apocalypse, anyway? Would casual wear be acceptable or perhaps a more formal look would be proper. Choosing the right accessories would present a problem. Should one wear elbow evening gloves or would that be a fashion faux-pas? What about a/the hat bought in the event that an invitation to the royal nuptials came in the mail, which it didn't? Is it or would it be proper to wear in a doomsday event, instead? Would the royal family care? Would anybody care? The problem is there is no apocalyptic guide to help make these choices easier.
If I had thought about it, which I didn't because it slipped my mind somehow, perhaps the construction of an ark would have been in order. Not that anybody asked me to but one does feel some responsbility for the animals of the planet. Then again, having never had any experience in ark building or any type of construction would have made this difficult. However, should it have been feasible, there would have been the dilemma of whether or not bringing along some species that included snakes, alligators or lions and the like. Snakes do not rate high on my "favorite animal" list. Just can't envision myself rounding up, say...pairs of pythons or cobras or crocodiles.
It wasn't until mid-to-late afternoon that it occurred to me after checking in CNN, Twitter, Facebook and other on-line sources that I, along with the rest of the world, had survived an/the apocalypse. So all the issues of fashion choices, survival equipment has been put on the back burner. At least for now or until another doomsday soothsayer(s) (say that fast after a few drinks) dictates otherwise, at which point I'll sit down and have a cup of tea.
According to Wikipedia, "this date was regarded as the end-date of a 5125-year-long cycle in the
Mesoamerican Long Count calendar."
"Now that you've brought it up, what in the world is the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar of which you speak, Eleanor?"
Again, and according to Wikipedia, "The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar is a non-repeating, bigesimal (base-20) and base-18 calendar used by several Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, most notably, Mayan. Using a modified vigesimal tally, the Long Count calendar identifies a day by counting the number of days passed since a mythical creation date that corresponds to August 11, 3114 BCE in the Gregorian calendar."
Furthermore:
Thank you Wikipedia for your informative background.
To be candid, didn't really give much thought to how to spend the day in 'case-of.' I mean, how does one prepare for an apocalypse, anyway?
Most likely I would have had my usual breakfast of toast and bumbleberry preserves and tea. Somehow, a cup of tea always seems to hit the spot during times of turmoil and an apocalypse would definitely fall into this category. Maybe given the nature of this precursor of doom, perhaps a bowl of cereal would have been in order. My diet most likely would have been forgotten under the circumstances.
Thinking further (again), what would be the correct thing to wear for an apocalypse, anyway? Would casual wear be acceptable or perhaps a more formal look would be proper. Choosing the right accessories would present a problem. Should one wear elbow evening gloves or would that be a fashion faux-pas? What about a/the hat bought in the event that an invitation to the royal nuptials came in the mail, which it didn't? Is it or would it be proper to wear in a doomsday event, instead? Would the royal family care? Would anybody care? The problem is there is no apocalyptic guide to help make these choices easier.
If I had thought about it, which I didn't because it slipped my mind somehow, perhaps the construction of an ark would have been in order. Not that anybody asked me to but one does feel some responsbility for the animals of the planet. Then again, having never had any experience in ark building or any type of construction would have made this difficult. However, should it have been feasible, there would have been the dilemma of whether or not bringing along some species that included snakes, alligators or lions and the like. Snakes do not rate high on my "favorite animal" list. Just can't envision myself rounding up, say...pairs of pythons or cobras or crocodiles.
It wasn't until mid-to-late afternoon that it occurred to me after checking in CNN, Twitter, Facebook and other on-line sources that I, along with the rest of the world, had survived an/the apocalypse. So all the issues of fashion choices, survival equipment has been put on the back burner. At least for now or until another doomsday soothsayer(s) (say that fast after a few drinks) dictates otherwise, at which point I'll sit down and have a cup of tea.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Social tips for social people in the social season. Debrett's knows all!
The social season is on the horizon necessiting some basic table etiquette. When it comes to everything and anything concerning dining and manners in general, Debrett's is the source to consult for advice on the how'to's of eating and conversing at the table.
Seated at a table and once food has entered the mouth, it is important to keep the food within one's mouth with lips closed to prevent other diners from seeing saliva-drenched, chewed-up food. There is nothing more blechy than having to watch - and listen - to a diner carrying on a conversation as food goes down.
Debrett's also suggests to eat at a relaxed pace (whatever that is) and really think about the food. Pondering further about this, one wonders how long one should allow for these thoughts. One minute...three minutes...what is the norm? Should one stare at the food or just glance down between mouth-fulls? Anyone know? But I digress.
- In as far as conversing with fellow diners, Debretts advises that this should be avoided at all costs and avoid directing a question at someone who is in mid-mouthful.
"A smile and an understanding nod will encourage them to swallow without rushing, spluttering or making sheepish gestures."
Really - this is not too practical in my opinion. The idea of dining out with people is to communicate. So big deal - an occasionial spit-up-morsel slips out. One can always take a napkin, dip it in water and wipe away the saliva off the recipient(s) clothing or person and offer an appology.
"Oh - so sorry. Got a little excited telling the story. Here - let me wipe that away," can be offered by the spitter to the spit-ee. But I digress - again.
- One should wait until everyone is served before starting to eat. This has always been a bone of contention for me. On occasion dishes do not arrive at the same time resulting in cool-ish food for the first served. I mean - first served - first finished, necessitating a waiting period until the last person finishes. A solution to this dilemma is to ask the waitress/waiter to keep the food warm until the last person receives her/his meal. That's why they have warming lights, right?
- When it comes to serving tea - this is where Debrett's really has it down pat. A tea pot is handy when serving tea to a group of people, Debrett's shares. Now the rule of thumb is, if a waitress/waiter/host places a teapot on the table without pouring the tea, the person nearest the pot should pour for everyone. This leads one -me - to wonder whether it should be the person on the right or left of the teapot that should handle the pouring honors. Perhaps a coin toss could decide.
- The handle of the teacup (or mug one assumes) should be held between the thumb and forefinger. It is not necessary to hold one's little finger in the air. Biscuits or cookies should not be dunked in the tea. Why - who knows. Neither should tea drinkers make slurping noises.
There is nothing mentioned about what to do if one burps or even how to prevent a burp from escaping from one's mouth. Should an apology be offered? Something to the effect: "oh sorry - I burped." Or should a burp be ignored? Another perplexing issue is how to retrieve a piece of food caught in the teeth. Inserting a finger or nail in the tooth is just not socially acceptable, nor using a toothpick. Neither is filling one's mouth with water and spitting it into the glass. Another issue that springs to mind is the usage of a napkin tied around the neck when eating things like tomato and pasta. Under what circumstances (if any) is it correct to use this? Speaking of napkins, is there any rules regarding the usage of paper napkins to blow one's nose?
These are important issues to ponder!
So now I'm wondering about coffee aficionados. To the best of my knowledge, coffee lovers pour their coffee into a mug, add cream/milk and drink. Sometimes life works best without rules but when guidelines are necessary, we can always consult Debrett's.
Seated at a table and once food has entered the mouth, it is important to keep the food within one's mouth with lips closed to prevent other diners from seeing saliva-drenched, chewed-up food. There is nothing more blechy than having to watch - and listen - to a diner carrying on a conversation as food goes down.
Debrett's also suggests to eat at a relaxed pace (whatever that is) and really think about the food. Pondering further about this, one wonders how long one should allow for these thoughts. One minute...three minutes...what is the norm? Should one stare at the food or just glance down between mouth-fulls? Anyone know? But I digress.
- In as far as conversing with fellow diners, Debretts advises that this should be avoided at all costs and avoid directing a question at someone who is in mid-mouthful.
"A smile and an understanding nod will encourage them to swallow without rushing, spluttering or making sheepish gestures."
Really - this is not too practical in my opinion. The idea of dining out with people is to communicate. So big deal - an occasionial spit-up-morsel slips out. One can always take a napkin, dip it in water and wipe away the saliva off the recipient(s) clothing or person and offer an appology.
"Oh - so sorry. Got a little excited telling the story. Here - let me wipe that away," can be offered by the spitter to the spit-ee. But I digress - again.
- One should wait until everyone is served before starting to eat. This has always been a bone of contention for me. On occasion dishes do not arrive at the same time resulting in cool-ish food for the first served. I mean - first served - first finished, necessitating a waiting period until the last person finishes. A solution to this dilemma is to ask the waitress/waiter to keep the food warm until the last person receives her/his meal. That's why they have warming lights, right?
- When it comes to serving tea - this is where Debrett's really has it down pat. A tea pot is handy when serving tea to a group of people, Debrett's shares. Now the rule of thumb is, if a waitress/waiter/host places a teapot on the table without pouring the tea, the person nearest the pot should pour for everyone. This leads one -me - to wonder whether it should be the person on the right or left of the teapot that should handle the pouring honors. Perhaps a coin toss could decide.
- The handle of the teacup (or mug one assumes) should be held between the thumb and forefinger. It is not necessary to hold one's little finger in the air. Biscuits or cookies should not be dunked in the tea. Why - who knows. Neither should tea drinkers make slurping noises.
There is nothing mentioned about what to do if one burps or even how to prevent a burp from escaping from one's mouth. Should an apology be offered? Something to the effect: "oh sorry - I burped." Or should a burp be ignored? Another perplexing issue is how to retrieve a piece of food caught in the teeth. Inserting a finger or nail in the tooth is just not socially acceptable, nor using a toothpick. Neither is filling one's mouth with water and spitting it into the glass. Another issue that springs to mind is the usage of a napkin tied around the neck when eating things like tomato and pasta. Under what circumstances (if any) is it correct to use this? Speaking of napkins, is there any rules regarding the usage of paper napkins to blow one's nose?
These are important issues to ponder!
So now I'm wondering about coffee aficionados. To the best of my knowledge, coffee lovers pour their coffee into a mug, add cream/milk and drink. Sometimes life works best without rules but when guidelines are necessary, we can always consult Debrett's.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
How to make a decent cup of tea in case Kate and William come to call
This is the week when all eyes, especially the media, are on England in anticipation of the royal nuptials. We are inundated with news about who is invited and who will be attending (not me), what they will wear and the wedding menu. Most likely the celebrants will be drinking tea, although coffee could be an option.
Being a born-Brit and raised on tea at an early age, over the years I have bemoaned the lack of a decent cup of tea served in some restaurants. The secret to a good if not at least decent cup of tea is to start with really briskly boiled water. Although this might seem simplistic, in my experience many restaurants can't seem to go beyond luke-warm at best. Coffee does not have to be boiling hot but in order to make a good cuppa as the Brits say, hot water is a must. None-boiled, tepid water is easy to detect by the thin white-ish foam floating on the surface. In fact, a quick glance at the water surface would be advisable before inserting a tea bag into the small tea pots. Frequently at restaurants, a signal to the waiter to replace tepid water for boiling water results in a bewildered look that says, 'lady -hot water is hot water is...' In my opinion and in my experience, tea will not properly steep if water is luke warm. Really. Tea should never be served in a styrofoam cup because it dilutes the flavor and most importantly, it's just not...done. But I digress.
My grandfather who came from Russia, used to drink his boiling-hot tea in a thick glass with a dollup of jam swirling around the bottom. One of my grandmothers also from the old country, used to hold a sugar square between her teeth followed by gulps of tea. Tricky but effective to obtain the full flavor of the tea.
Everyone is getting in on the Kate/William wedding celebrations including tea companies and Twinnings tea, which happens to rate high on my favorite list, has even created a special blend in honor of the occasion. According to the blurb on their site:
"To celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton the master blenders here at Twinings have developed a wonderful light tea, which is a White Earl Grey Tea with light flavours of Rose Petal.
Best served without milk (although, that's our choice, you are welcome to add a drop of milk according to your taste), this bright, sparkling amber coloured tea is perfect for your Royal Wedding Tea Party."
In other words - a very perfume-y flavor, perhaps not robust but refreshing none-the-less. Good tea as I view it, is like a good wine. Smell-taste-swish and swallow.
This leads one to wonder how many people are having Royal Wedding tea parties. More to the point, at what time would one hold a celebratory tea party, given the time varients around the world, since tea is usually takes place in mid-afternoon. For many people, the wedding ceremony will take place in the middle of the night but any time is a good time to drink tea.
The only thing remaining is the menu for the tea party and whether or not guests would consider attending at 3 a.m. in the morning. Be that as it may, the menu could include finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off of course because - well - don't quite know why but presumably they look better, scones with jam and cream, tarts (I'm partial to lemon tarts), petit fours and of course, a pot of boiling hot tea brewed in a tea pot.
So cut the crusts of the sandwiches, bake some cakes, pull out the best china and invite your nearest and dearest for afternoon or middle-of-the-night tea. Kate and William would be pleased.
For those who really enjoy tea and would like to try their hand at growing their own at home:
http://the-tea-site.com/growing_tea_at_home.php
Being a born-Brit and raised on tea at an early age, over the years I have bemoaned the lack of a decent cup of tea served in some restaurants. The secret to a good if not at least decent cup of tea is to start with really briskly boiled water. Although this might seem simplistic, in my experience many restaurants can't seem to go beyond luke-warm at best. Coffee does not have to be boiling hot but in order to make a good cuppa as the Brits say, hot water is a must. None-boiled, tepid water is easy to detect by the thin white-ish foam floating on the surface. In fact, a quick glance at the water surface would be advisable before inserting a tea bag into the small tea pots. Frequently at restaurants, a signal to the waiter to replace tepid water for boiling water results in a bewildered look that says, 'lady -hot water is hot water is...' In my opinion and in my experience, tea will not properly steep if water is luke warm. Really. Tea should never be served in a styrofoam cup because it dilutes the flavor and most importantly, it's just not...done. But I digress.
My grandfather who came from Russia, used to drink his boiling-hot tea in a thick glass with a dollup of jam swirling around the bottom. One of my grandmothers also from the old country, used to hold a sugar square between her teeth followed by gulps of tea. Tricky but effective to obtain the full flavor of the tea.
Everyone is getting in on the Kate/William wedding celebrations including tea companies and Twinnings tea, which happens to rate high on my favorite list, has even created a special blend in honor of the occasion. According to the blurb on their site:
"To celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton the master blenders here at Twinings have developed a wonderful light tea, which is a White Earl Grey Tea with light flavours of Rose Petal.
Best served without milk (although, that's our choice, you are welcome to add a drop of milk according to your taste), this bright, sparkling amber coloured tea is perfect for your Royal Wedding Tea Party."
In other words - a very perfume-y flavor, perhaps not robust but refreshing none-the-less. Good tea as I view it, is like a good wine. Smell-taste-swish and swallow.
This leads one to wonder how many people are having Royal Wedding tea parties. More to the point, at what time would one hold a celebratory tea party, given the time varients around the world, since tea is usually takes place in mid-afternoon. For many people, the wedding ceremony will take place in the middle of the night but any time is a good time to drink tea.
The only thing remaining is the menu for the tea party and whether or not guests would consider attending at 3 a.m. in the morning. Be that as it may, the menu could include finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off of course because - well - don't quite know why but presumably they look better, scones with jam and cream, tarts (I'm partial to lemon tarts), petit fours and of course, a pot of boiling hot tea brewed in a tea pot.
So cut the crusts of the sandwiches, bake some cakes, pull out the best china and invite your nearest and dearest for afternoon or middle-of-the-night tea. Kate and William would be pleased.
For those who really enjoy tea and would like to try their hand at growing their own at home:
http://the-tea-site.com/growing_tea_at_home.php
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Study reveals no buzz from morning coffee
Once again, this is one of those "huh?" articles since a study focusing on coffee was done no less by Brits. Given the reality that Brits are known for their love of tea, it's sort-of - well -weird that they are involved in this type of research. Actually, and at least for me, the results are somewhat confusing.
Researchers working out of Bristol University found that drinkers develop a tolerance to anxiety-producing and stimulating effects of caffeine.
Uh - duh! This is not news, people!
Then the report goes on that caffeine only brings people back to baseline levels of alertness - not above them. Whatever that means...
According to researcher/scientist, Peter Rogers of Bristol's dept. of experimental psychology(!), although heavier coffee drinkers feel that morning caffeine high, evidence suggests that it's actually the opposite and instead they experience withdrawal and fatigue. So if we understand this correctly and it's not easy, that first morning caffeine upper so-to-speak, really is a downer and the reason for morning fatigue.
More information we perhaps may-but-not-necessarily need.
"The authors also found that the genetic predisposition to anxiety did not deter coffee drinking. In fact, people with the gene variant associated with anxiety tended to consume slightly larger amounts of coffee than those without the variant, suggesting that a mild increase in anxiety may be a part of the pleasant buzz caused by caffeine."
This could mean that people who come from families with somewhat nervous personalities or dispositions, enjoy coffee. At least this is my interpretation.
Anyway, more background info. can be found here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602211940.htm
As a tea drinker, mainly, but a coffee enjoyer too, my first morning cup of tea and/or coffee is a necessity in spite of these - well - convoluted findings. There is nothing like the sensation of the hot tea/coffee liquid as it hits the stomach, circulates around the body and finally makes it to the brain. Right?
Researchers working out of Bristol University found that drinkers develop a tolerance to anxiety-producing and stimulating effects of caffeine.
Uh - duh! This is not news, people!
Then the report goes on that caffeine only brings people back to baseline levels of alertness - not above them. Whatever that means...
According to researcher/scientist, Peter Rogers of Bristol's dept. of experimental psychology(!), although heavier coffee drinkers feel that morning caffeine high, evidence suggests that it's actually the opposite and instead they experience withdrawal and fatigue. So if we understand this correctly and it's not easy, that first morning caffeine upper so-to-speak, really is a downer and the reason for morning fatigue.
More information we perhaps may-but-not-necessarily need.
"The authors also found that the genetic predisposition to anxiety did not deter coffee drinking. In fact, people with the gene variant associated with anxiety tended to consume slightly larger amounts of coffee than those without the variant, suggesting that a mild increase in anxiety may be a part of the pleasant buzz caused by caffeine."
This could mean that people who come from families with somewhat nervous personalities or dispositions, enjoy coffee. At least this is my interpretation.
Anyway, more background info. can be found here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602211940.htm
As a tea drinker, mainly, but a coffee enjoyer too, my first morning cup of tea and/or coffee is a necessity in spite of these - well - convoluted findings. There is nothing like the sensation of the hot tea/coffee liquid as it hits the stomach, circulates around the body and finally makes it to the brain. Right?
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tea drinkers rejoice!
As a tea aficienada and an occasional coffee drinker, this news doesn't come as a surprise. Researchers at the European Journal of Clinical Nutrician have conducted tests or did research showing tea doesn't dehydrate. Actually, I have to confess that this thought never entered my mind, being that I'm a 3-cup plus tea imbiber. If anything, it's a wonderful sensation when the hot liquid hits my stomach.
Drinking three or more cups of tea per day is as healthy as drinking water, plus it has extra health benefits like protecting people against heart disease and some cancers. This is a bonus for we tea imbibers who are accustomed to our daily afternoon tea break along with a cookie or two, which isn't healthy but good. Nothing like dunking a biscuit in hot tea and taking it out just at the right moment before it disintegrates into a pile of mush at the bottom of the cup. But I digress.
Clinically, it 's the flavonoids that promote health. Seems that the polyphenol antitoxidants found in many foods and plants that are the key to preventing cell damage. Tea also replaces fluids and contains antioxidants. I'll drink to that!
So who exactly are the tea drinkers, you're probably wondering. Tea people tend to be in the 40-plus age range.
Actually, I've been drinking tea since childhood and am not worse for wear, although some people might dispute this. My dentist claims that my not-white-anymore teeth are a result of tea stains, but then he wants to bleach my teeth. Pass thank you since I'm going to continue drinking tea, anyway.
Tea isn't as socially fashionable as coffee with its fancy options like your cafe macciato, expresso, cafe au lait or cafe breva. Also, a real tea drinker would disdain to drink their favorite beverage in a paper cup as do coffee drinkers. A real tea drinker uses a china cup with a saucer. Anything else is uncivilized.
The UK Tea Council - http://www.tea.co.uk/ is a great site with lots of interesting information including suggestions that include the location of local tea rooms located in the UK, recipes including green tea ice cream plus interesting facts and helpful hints like how to fix a broken nail with a tea bag no less!
"Cut a piece of paper from the corner of a dry tea bag, place over the tear, apply a tiny amount of clear nail polish to the paper and press on top. Allow to dry and finish off by filing into shape." It pays to carry around a used tea bag in one's purse or pocket for such an emergency.
There are also interesting tidbits everyone would find interesting, like 98% of people (in England) take their tea with milk while only 30% take sugar. Perhaps the other 70% use a sugar replacement sweetener - go know! There is also a section on tea customs - bits of information that anyone would want or need to know!
There is a section focusing on how to make the perfect cup of tea. Ask me about it - I know.
Drinking three or more cups of tea per day is as healthy as drinking water, plus it has extra health benefits like protecting people against heart disease and some cancers. This is a bonus for we tea imbibers who are accustomed to our daily afternoon tea break along with a cookie or two, which isn't healthy but good. Nothing like dunking a biscuit in hot tea and taking it out just at the right moment before it disintegrates into a pile of mush at the bottom of the cup. But I digress.
Clinically, it 's the flavonoids that promote health. Seems that the polyphenol antitoxidants found in many foods and plants that are the key to preventing cell damage. Tea also replaces fluids and contains antioxidants. I'll drink to that!
So who exactly are the tea drinkers, you're probably wondering. Tea people tend to be in the 40-plus age range.
Actually, I've been drinking tea since childhood and am not worse for wear, although some people might dispute this. My dentist claims that my not-white-anymore teeth are a result of tea stains, but then he wants to bleach my teeth. Pass thank you since I'm going to continue drinking tea, anyway.
Tea isn't as socially fashionable as coffee with its fancy options like your cafe macciato, expresso, cafe au lait or cafe breva. Also, a real tea drinker would disdain to drink their favorite beverage in a paper cup as do coffee drinkers. A real tea drinker uses a china cup with a saucer. Anything else is uncivilized.
The UK Tea Council - http://www.tea.co.uk/ is a great site with lots of interesting information including suggestions that include the location of local tea rooms located in the UK, recipes including green tea ice cream plus interesting facts and helpful hints like how to fix a broken nail with a tea bag no less!
"Cut a piece of paper from the corner of a dry tea bag, place over the tear, apply a tiny amount of clear nail polish to the paper and press on top. Allow to dry and finish off by filing into shape." It pays to carry around a used tea bag in one's purse or pocket for such an emergency.
There are also interesting tidbits everyone would find interesting, like 98% of people (in England) take their tea with milk while only 30% take sugar. Perhaps the other 70% use a sugar replacement sweetener - go know! There is also a section on tea customs - bits of information that anyone would want or need to know!
There is a section focusing on how to make the perfect cup of tea. Ask me about it - I know.
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