Tea...

[fajrdrako]

For some reason, I've been hearing a lot about tea lately. Lines on TV about how tea will fix anything - both in Sherlock and Fringe this week.

And of course, I love tea. fairestcat and commodorified recently introduced me to London Fog, which has currently become my favourite treat. Oddly, they make it best at the Second Cup - I'm thinking of the one at Somerset and Bank - where I have never much liked the coffee. Who knew? Usually I prefer the drinks at Bridgehead, and I like the way they present the tea, with its own teapot and infuser.

The worst cup of tea I ever had was at Mystiko, where the food was fabulous. The second worst cup of tea I ever had was at St. Hubert, where I made the mistake of ordering tea again a few weeks later - forgetting the first occasion, or perhaps hoping it was a fluke - and it was even worse the second time. I keep intending to write to these places, to tell them how to make tea that tastes good. It isn't hard. It really isn't. (Hot water is a good start.)

Just found this site: Samovar: Real Ritual which takes it to still new heights.

My favourite tea? Earl Grey, hot, with milk. I also like orange pekoe, and most unflavoured black teas. Don't like any fruit-flavoured teas, of which the worst is rose hip. Anise tea is good. Chai with milk. Ginsing, ginger, cardamom. Peppermint if I'm in the mood - which is rare, and I like it with sugar.

What kind of tea to you prefer?

Comments

[jekni]

We were watching Dr Who the other night - the Christmas Invasion - and of course the cup of tea that Jackie Tyler puts in the flask on the Tardis is what wakes him up just in time!

I like my Earl Grey without milk - have never had it any other way than hot (it always puzzled me that JLP felt the need to specify it hot on the Enterprise) or sugar. Actually the only thing I have sugar in is chai. I have 5 different types of loose leaf chai in tins as well as some syrup and some powder for cooking. I always brew my chai half milk half water, usually in a saucepan on the stove.

I have a couple of fruit/herb teas. My favourite is peppermint which tastes just as good if it goes cold so it's very useful for a consultant who is always on the move. Somehow I never get to finish a hot cup of tea when I'm at a clients. I've never minded the rosehip/hibiscus blend they call Red Zinger but it's not a favourite - I much prefer the Orange Zinger. And ginger tea for digestive reasons along with the peppermint (depending on mood).

[fajrdrako]

Good point about Earl Grey Tea being hot. I assumed that the Enterprise food databanks expect a certain pattern of request - subtance followed by temperature - and it's simplest just to leave it that way for all foods, even though you'd be unlikely to have Earl Grey cold or ice cream hot.

I tried a tea from Kenya yesterday, that I really liked. Must make a note of the brand. It probably can't be bought outide of Kenya, though...