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A question about tea

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Chris Zakes

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Sep 28, 2009, 9:24:40 AM9/28/09
to
I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.

Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
in their tea.

-Chris Zakes
Texas

Considering how many wars have to do with population pressure and limited
resources, "make love not war" may be a self-defeating concept.

Daibhid Ceanaideach

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Sep 28, 2009, 9:36:47 AM9/28/09
to
On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.

It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
(although the late Douglas Adams said "Screw them. I like it with milk")
but the Traditional British Cuppa is usually milk and possibly sugar.
(Stronger, and more likely to have sugar, the lower down the class system
you go, until you end up with "Builder's Tea", where the spoon stands up
in the mug.)

But in general, the clue to something not being accurate is in the phrase
"Dan Brown" 8-)...


--
Dave
"All those with psychokinesis, raise my hand."
The Room With No Doors, Kate Orman

Large Dave

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Sep 28, 2009, 10:31:40 AM9/28/09
to
Chris Zakes wrote:
> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.
>

<puts flat cap on, copy of the Northern Echo in the pocket and reaches
for whippet lead>
Luxury, them's only southern wusses that have lemon in their tea
I remember when I were a lad.....
<takes off flat cap etc.>

IME The vast majority of us English do prefer milk and sugar in tea.
Apparently lemon is nice in Earl (some buggers spilt perfume in here)
Grey tea.

--
Large Dave
Showing off roots

Grymma

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Sep 28, 2009, 11:09:47 AM9/28/09
to
Large Dave wrote:
<snip>

>
> IME The vast majority of us English do prefer milk and sugar in tea.
> Apparently lemon is nice in Earl (some buggers spilt perfume in here)
> Grey tea.

I've tried Earl Grey with milk and sugar, it just didn't work. Definitely
with lemon. O 'course, now I just drink Lady Grey which has the citrus in it
already, and save on a lemon slice...

--
Grymma AFPOh Goddess Of Hangovers; DAcFD, BF (UU)
Dentopedalogy is the science of opening your mouth and putting your foot
in it. I've been practising it for years. HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh

Nigel Stapley

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Sep 28, 2009, 11:25:30 AM9/28/09
to

And the Welsh (1) prefer a little drop of tea in their milk and sugar.

There are two extremes: the type which is strong enough for a mouse to
walk across, and 'shamrock tea', i.e. three leaves.


(1) Me excepted, as I can't stand tea.

--
Regards

Nigel Stapley

www.thejudge.me.uk

<reply-to will bounce>

Gid Holyoake

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Sep 28, 2009, 11:38:43 AM9/28/09
to
In article <Z6adncnTr7_7SF3X...@brightview.co.uk>, Nigel
Stapley generously decided to share with us..

Snippetry..

> And the Welsh (1) prefer a little drop of tea in their milk and sugar.
>
> There are two extremes: the type which is strong enough for a mouse to
> walk across, and 'shamrock tea', i.e. three leaves.
>
>
> (1) Me excepted, as I can't stand tea.

Not all the Welsh.. round by yer it's no sugar and just enough milk to
make it tea coloured.. and let the tea brew properly first too please..
at least five minutes..

--
Gid

Current Project: Bragdy'r Ddraenen Wen
(if it ever stops raining for long enough)

Daibhid Ceanaideach

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Sep 28, 2009, 12:54:38 PM9/28/09
to
On 28 Sep 2009, "Grymma" <Gry...@blueyonder.co.invalid> wrote:

> Large Dave wrote:
> <snip>
>>
>> IME The vast majority of us English do prefer milk and sugar in tea.
>> Apparently lemon is nice in Earl (some buggers spilt perfume in here)
>> Grey tea.
>
> I've tried Earl Grey with milk and sugar, it just didn't work.
> Definitely with lemon. O 'course, now I just drink Lady Grey which has
> the citrus in it already, and save on a lemon slice...

Technically, Earl Grey has citrus in it already as well. The "perfume"
Large Dave refers to is orange oil. Lady Grey is made with oranges and
lemons (say the Bells of, er, Wikipedia...)

Lesley Weston

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Sep 28, 2009, 12:54:55 PM9/28/09
to
Chris Zakes wrote:
> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.

Speaking as I can for every individual person of English origin - you're
right; most English people take milk and sugar in their tea. Except when
it's China tea (Lapsang Souchong, Kee Mun or one of the other fermented
ones), when they take lemon, with or without sugar, unless they prefer
milk. Green tea, when drunk at all by the English, is taken as is,
without any adulteration. If, however, you are of Jewish and/or Russian
extraction, you might drink strong Indian or Darjeeling tea with lemon
and sugar in a glass.

But who am I to argue with Dan Brown, the well-known authority on
everything! How are you getting on with the book? I found the plot so
exciting that I could keep reading it even through the appalling writing.

--
Lesley Weston

The addy above is real, but I won't see anything posted to it for a long
time. To reach me, use leswes att shaw dott ca, adjusting as necessary.

Lesley Weston

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Sep 28, 2009, 12:58:41 PM9/28/09
to
Daibhid Ceanaideach wrote:
> On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey

I forgot Earl Gray. But then I prefer to forget Earl Gray.

Kevin Wells

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Sep 28, 2009, 1:04:01 PM9/28/09
to
In message <vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com>
Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:

>I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
>Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>in their tea.
>


I prefer a very little bit of milk in my tea, but no sugar at all.

It is a class thing with lemon, the upper classes tend to go for lemon.

--
Kev Wells http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/
http://kevsoft.co.uk/ http://kevsoft.co.uk/AleQuest/
ICQ 238580561
Motorcycling News http://bikes.kevsoft.co.uk/

Reader in Invisible Writings

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Sep 28, 2009, 3:45:17 PM9/28/09
to
Lesley Weston wrote:
> Daibhid Ceanaideach wrote:
>> On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>>
>>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>>> in their tea.
>>
>> It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
>
> I forgot Earl Gray. But then I prefer to forget Earl Gray.
>
Mind you, putting lemon in Earl Grey is like adding Gin to a Russian
(aka Moscow) Mule* because Earl Grey is already 'flavoured' with
Bergamot citrus fruit oils.

In my experience, Lemon is more common in Black tea when drunk
cold/chilled as a method of 'cutting the tannin' as much as for the
flavour. Peach is also used in this manner.

*apparently Ginger Beer and Vodka with lemon

--
Reader in Invisible Writings.. Something to Ponder upon!

Winterbay

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Sep 28, 2009, 3:48:49 PM9/28/09
to
Reader in Invisible Writings skrev:

The only tea I add anything to is the one called "English Breakfast"
which I find horrible unless some lemon is added to it.

Otherwise I normally drink me tea without any additives apart from the
ones added by the producer...

/Winterbay

Reader in Invisible Writings

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Sep 28, 2009, 4:09:12 PM9/28/09
to
Kevin Wells wrote:
> In message <vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com>
> Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>>
>
>
> I prefer a very little bit of milk in my tea, but no sugar at all.
>
> It is a class thing with lemon, the upper classes tend to go for lemon.
>

A true Brit will drink tea in the range between these two extremes.

1. Stewed, gone cold, perked (warmed) with hot water and or microwave
and by preference some milk but if not get it down you rather than waste it!

2. 'Cause the pot was empty and you were not, pour in some hot water,
swill it around and pour.

Some will demure from the extremes of this range, but most will tolerate
a good 85% of it.

Note sugar or not is always the same independent of where the strength
of the tea lies on the scale from 1 to 2 and the phrase 'as it comes'
uniquely defines a precise point on the scale which is the individual's
ideal cuppa.

My views are my own, I do not have licence to export any other.

Reader in Invisible Writings

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Sep 28, 2009, 4:14:41 PM9/28/09
to
Possibly this is because 'English Breakfast Tea' (virtually unobtainable
in England as it is so similar to Tea which is drunk all day and night)
has a high tannin content which quickly leaves a crust in any pot or cup
that is used to brew it. This level of tannin is very bitter and needs
an acid, such as lactic or citric to neutralise it unless the drinker
likes 'Black Tea'. BTW if someone asks for Black Tea, they usually
expect it to be very strong and tannic tea.

Janaina Rudberg

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Sep 28, 2009, 7:33:01 PM9/28/09
to
Lesley Weston skrev:

> Chris Zakes wrote:
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> Speaking as I can for every individual person of English origin - you're
> right; most English people take milk and sugar in their tea. <snip>
>
This was a problem when I lived in England, not when I made tea, but
when I wen't over to friends' houses.

I don't put milk in my tea unless there's something seriously wrong with
it (like being blackcurrant flavoured), I do, however, take sugar.

They'd ask about the sugar, but put the milk in without asking, so I had
to learn to be very quick about saying "no milk, please".
You'd think I had said "I like it with arsenic", the way some people
reacted.

I also flew with Ryanair once (and only once, but not just because of
the tea), and they didn't even have the option of milkless tea. As far
as I know they're an Irish company, though.

/Janaina

Keith Willshaw

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Sep 28, 2009, 7:39:56 PM9/28/09
to

"Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com...

> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.
>
> -Chris Zakes
> Texas
>

If Dan Brown was accurate that would be a first for him.

Keith


Arthur Hagen

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Sep 28, 2009, 10:27:55 PM9/28/09
to

"Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com...
> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.

Milk is far more common. But lemon is a viable alternative. For some 50
years now, it's not really lemon, but lemon juice concentrate.
And the way to ferret out an American is when they say yes to /both/ milk
and lemon, and then complain about when the lemon curdles the milk. They
don't have the gene for being ashamed of their own ignorance.

Regards,
--
*Art

Arthur Hagen

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Sep 28, 2009, 10:48:05 PM9/28/09
to

"Nigel Stapley" <un...@judgemental.plus.com> wrote in message
news:Z6adncnTr7_7SF3X...@brightview.co.uk...

> Large Dave wrote:
>> Chris Zakes wrote:
>>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>>
>>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>>> in their tea.
>>>
>>
>> <puts flat cap on, copy of the Northern Echo in the pocket and reaches
>> for whippet lead>
>> Luxury, them's only southern wusses that have lemon in their tea
>> I remember when I were a lad.....
>> <takes off flat cap etc.>
>>
>> IME The vast majority of us English do prefer milk and sugar in tea.
>> Apparently lemon is nice in Earl (some buggers spilt perfume in here)
>> Grey tea.
>>
>
> And the Welsh (1) prefer a little drop of tea in their milk and sugar.
>
> There are two extremes: the type which is strong enough for a mouse to
> walk across, and 'shamrock tea', i.e. three leaves.

You forget the important, nay vital, tea known as the tea doctor, or toddy.
The strength of the tea isn't as important as the mix being just below the
temperature of alcohol evaporation. And, especially out west[2], you need
plenty of milk and sugar. Cream and brown sugar won't hurt. A pail to puke
in would also help.

[1]: Not to be confused with rum toddy, which wasnt invented until sailors
discovered rum.
[2]: ... where a good moonshine is one that dissolves shellac. In my
globetrotting experience, only the Swedes[3] do worse than the typical
western bloke with a sixpence, 20 year old formerly-white Vanden Plas, and a
good phlegm to his dialect.
[3]: I think the Swedes call the beverage "teknekt", but the "te" (tea)
part is largely forgotten, while the "knekt" (broken) part isn't.

Regards,
--
*Art

Arthur Hagen

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Sep 28, 2009, 10:57:18 PM9/28/09
to

"Lesley Weston" <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:h9qpp5$2kae$1...@mud.stack.nl...

> Chris Zakes wrote:
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> Speaking as I can for every individual person of English origin - you're
> right; most English people take milk and sugar in their tea. Except when
> it's China tea (Lapsang Souchong, Kee Mun or one of the other fermented
> ones), when they take lemon, with or without sugar, unless they prefer
> milk. Green tea, when drunk at all by the English, is taken as is, without
> any adulteration. If, however, you are of Jewish and/or Russian
> extraction, you might drink strong Indian or Darjeeling tea with lemon and
> sugar in a glass.

Yes, green tea isn't something you normally find in the UK.
And there are two types of tea. There's tea, which is like coffe everywhere
else, in that the taste isn't as important as it being easily drinkable /and
containing caffeine/, and tea, which is served after tea, which is supposed
to be a pleasurable experience, where the host in question wouldn't be
caught dead using tea bags or cold cups. The latter can be quite horrible
or quite good, depending on whether the host is a pretentious sod or a
gourmand.

The best tea I've had was after a (quite appalling) heart and liver pie
served at a friend's home. It turned out that his wife was Indian, and her
father a bigwig in the tea industry Back Home. She wanted perfection, and
damn near got it. I couldn't beleive that tea could be /that/ good. My
friend said "This is why I married her", and I just nodded between steaming
hot sips.
Shame she couldn't make a pie, though. Even the peas bounced off the plate.

Regards,
--
*Art

Winterbay

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Sep 29, 2009, 1:12:59 AM9/29/09
to
Arthur Hagen skrev:

I've not heard of teknekt (or knekt) but there is a drink called
kaffekask which is made by taking a mug, putting a coin at the bottom
and pouring in coffee until you can't see it anymore then you add
alcohol (probably vodka or moonshine or whatever very strong stuff you
have at home) until you can see it again...

/Winterbay

Lizzy Taylor

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Sep 29, 2009, 2:53:13 AM9/29/09
to
Arthur Hagen wrote:
>
> "Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com...
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> Milk is far more common. But lemon is a viable alternative. For some
> 50 years now, it's not really lemon, but lemon juice concentrate.

Not in our house. Lemon means exactly that. My mum keeps a lemon in the
fridge ready to slice for her tea, and no sugar thank you.

Lizzy

Anery

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Sep 29, 2009, 6:17:21 AM9/29/09
to
Chris Zakes wrote:
> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.
>
In a detective story by Agatha Christie, there was a scene where one
of the characters asks another whether they want lemon with their tea.
The answer is something along the lines: no, that's such a stupid
Russian habit.

It was a long time ago I've read it and I don't remember either which
story it was, or the characters involved. It stuck in my mind because
it surprised me at that time.

I don't know whether Agatha Christie is more reliable in matters of
tea-drinking habits of contemporary English people than Dan Brown, and
even if the person in mention was representative of the English
population in ACH's times. Nevertheless, it indicates that at least
offering lemon with tea used to be considered an option.

Anery

Chris Zakes

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Sep 29, 2009, 7:40:56 AM9/29/09
to
On 28 Sep 2009 13:36:47 GMT, an orbital mind-control laser caused

Daibhid Ceanaideach <daibhidc...@aol.com> to write:

>On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
>It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
>(although the late Douglas Adams said "Screw them. I like it with milk")

Interesting, because the tea in question *was* Earl Gray.


>but the Traditional British Cuppa is usually milk and possibly sugar.
>(Stronger, and more likely to have sugar, the lower down the class system
>you go, until you end up with "Builder's Tea", where the spoon stands up
>in the mug.)

"Boiled in a boot" if memory serves.


>But in general, the clue to something not being accurate is in the phrase
>"Dan Brown" 8-)...

<chuckle> I had noticed that.

Chris Zakes

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Sep 29, 2009, 7:53:13 AM9/29/09
to

But... but... he *says* right at the beginning of the book that "All
descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in
this novel are accurate."

Surely they wouldn't let him make that claim if it wasn't true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priory_of_Sion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dossiers_Secrets_d%27Henri_Lobineau

jester

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Sep 29, 2009, 8:46:54 AM9/29/09
to
On Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:53:13 -0500, Chris Zakes
<dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
<snip>

>But... but... he *says* right at the beginning of the book that "All
>descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in
>this novel are accurate."
>
>Surely they wouldn't let him make that claim if it wasn't true.

The book is fiction, therefore nothing printed in it or on it has to be
true.

--
Andy Brown

Carol Hague

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Sep 29, 2009, 8:58:59 AM9/29/09
to
Lesley Weston <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Daibhid Ceanaideach wrote:
> > On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> >> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> >> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
> >>
> >> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> >> in their tea.
> >
> > It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
>
> I forgot Earl Gray. But then I prefer to forget Earl Gray.

Quite right to forget "Earl Gray", whoever he may be, since the tea is
Earl *Grey*.

I know "gray" is the spelling on your side of the pond, but names should
be exempt from trans-pond spelling changes, I feel.

--
Carol. www.mullimages.com
"This might as well say "bing tiddle tiddle bong".
It's complete gibberish," - Rodney McKay, Stargate: Atlantis

Carol Hague

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Sep 29, 2009, 8:58:59 AM9/29/09
to
Grymma <Gry...@blueyonder.co.invalid> wrote:

> Large Dave wrote:
> <snip>
> >
> > IME The vast majority of us English do prefer milk and sugar in tea.
> > Apparently lemon is nice in Earl (some buggers spilt perfume in here)
> > Grey tea.
>
> I've tried Earl Grey with milk and sugar, it just didn't work.

I like Earl Grey with milk and sugar. But then I'm a self-confessed
Philistine :-)

Right, all this talk about tea has made me thirsty, I'm off for a cuppa!
:-)

Carol Hague

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Sep 29, 2009, 8:58:59 AM9/29/09
to
Reader in Invisible Writings <markfo...@hotmail.com> wrote:


> Possibly this is because 'English Breakfast Tea' (virtually unobtainable
> in England as it is so similar to Tea which is drunk all day and night)

I see English Breakfast tea in pretty much every cafe I ever go into.
And Twinings have it in their range, which is sold in most supermarkets,
at least round here (East Midlands).

steveski

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Sep 29, 2009, 9:25:30 AM9/29/09
to
Carol Hague wrote:

> Grymma <Gry...@blueyonder.co.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Large Dave wrote:
>> <snip>
>> >
>> > IME The vast majority of us English do prefer milk and sugar in tea.
>> > Apparently lemon is nice in Earl (some buggers spilt perfume in here)
>> > Grey tea.
>>
>> I've tried Earl Grey with milk and sugar, it just didn't work.
>
> I like Earl Grey with milk and sugar. But then I'm a self-confessed
> Philistine :-)

That makes me even more of a Philistine as "Steveski's Old Deeply
Refreshing" is a mixture of Earl Grey and Kenyan tea. My personal taste is
to brew it at Navy strength (quite a bit stronger than "Builder's Tea"). It
goes superbly with a very generous glug of rum :-)

--
Steveski

Lesley Weston

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Sep 29, 2009, 12:32:53 PM9/29/09
to

Just as well you didn't travel with British Rail in the sixties (and
presumably before), and stop for tea in one of the station canteens.
There would be a tray with many large, thick, white, china mugs packed
onto it. The tea lady would first put plenty of sugar into each mug,
then plenty of milk, pouring in one continuous movement over the whole
tray, and then /really/ strong Indian tea from a huge metal pot (either
plain aluminum or enameled brown), also poured continuously. Anyone who
asked for tea from then until all the mugs were gone got one of those.

Lesley Weston

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Sep 29, 2009, 12:39:21 PM9/29/09
to
Carol Hague wrote:
> Lesley Weston <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Daibhid Ceanaideach wrote:
>>> On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>>>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>>>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>>>
>>>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>>>> in their tea.
>>> It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
>> I forgot Earl Gray. But then I prefer to forget Earl Gray.
>
> Quite right to forget "Earl Gray", whoever he may be, since the tea is
> Earl *Grey*.
>
> I know "gray" is the spelling on your side of the pond, but names should
> be exempt from trans-pond spelling changes, I feel.
>
This is the result of a double (triple?) correction. I'm English, so I
spell it "grey", and living in Canada I can since we have the choice of
both spellings of every disputed word and will still be correct either
way. However, Dorian Gray is just that because it's his name, so I
transferred that to Earl Gr*y.

mcv

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 3:11:15 PM9/29/09
to

And that includes the claim that it's all true, of course.


mcv.
--
Science is not the be-all and end-all of human existence. It's a tool.
A very powerful tool, but not the only tool. And if only that which
could be verified scientifically was considered real, then nearly all
of human experience would be not-real. -- Zachriel

mcv

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 3:26:29 PM9/29/09
to
Gid Holyoake <ab...@brynamman.org.uk> wrote:
>
> Not all the Welsh.. round by yer it's no sugar and just enough milk to
> make it tea coloured..

That'd be no milk, then. Any amount of milk in tea shows, and makes it
very non-tea coloured.

mcv

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 3:33:51 PM9/29/09
to
Reader in Invisible Writings <markfo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> A true Brit will drink tea in the range between these two extremes.
>
> 1. Stewed, gone cold, perked (warmed) with hot water and or microwave
> and by preference some milk but if not get it down you rather than waste it!
>
> 2. 'Cause the pot was empty and you were not, pour in some hot water,
> swill it around and pour.

It still amazes me that England has managed to gain a reputation as a
nation of tea drinkers when they inflict such attrocities on the poor
drink.

Not that Netherland (the first European country to drink tea) is any
better, mind you. Until recently, coffee ruled supreme. In the last
two decades, tea has been on the rise again, but people make it with
disgusting fruit flavours, occasionally even omitting the tea completely
(but still calling it such).

Real tea drinkers (pure, no milk, sugar or other crap in it) are rare
enough that people (including some restaurants and cafes[1]) manage to
get away with not offering any pure, black, unflavoured tea at all!


mcv.

[1] Don't get me started on the tea they serve in cafes and restaurants!
A cup of luke-warm water and a bag with way too much tea for such a tiny
amount of water.

Keith Willshaw

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 4:59:22 PM9/29/09
to

"Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:vks3c55uhfd4dch1r...@4ax.com...

>>
>>If Dan Brown was accurate that would be a first for him.
>>
>>Keith
>
> But... but... he *says* right at the beginning of the book that "All
> descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in
> this novel are accurate."
>

I'd hardly expect him to say - hey I made this stuff up :)

Keith


Winterbay

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 5:33:15 PM9/29/09
to
Chris Zakes skrev:

I now feel obliged to link to this wonderful comic:
http://www.reallifecomics.com/archive/090929.html (should redirect to
the start page unless there is a newer one, hopefully...)

/Winterbay

Kevin Wells

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 9:32:48 PM9/29/09
to
In message <vks3c55uhfd4dch1r...@4ax.com>
Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:

>>
>>If Dan Brown was accurate that would be a first for him.
>>
>>Keith
>
>But... but... he *says* right at the beginning of the book that "All
>descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in
>this novel are accurate."
>

But if he has published secret rituals they cannot be secret any longer.


--
Kev Wells http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/
http://kevsoft.co.uk/ http://kevsoft.co.uk/AleQuest/
ICQ 238580561
And did those feet in ancient time

Arthur Hagen

unread,
Sep 29, 2009, 10:24:52 PM9/29/09
to

"Carol Hague" <ca...@wrhpv.com> wrote in message
news:1j6t56c.1f60x7y11ja8aaN%ca...@wrhpv.com...

> Lesley Weston <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Daibhid Ceanaideach wrote:
>> > On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> >> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> >> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>> >>
>> >> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> >> in their tea.
>> >
>> > It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
>>
>> I forgot Earl Gray. But then I prefer to forget Earl Gray.
>
> Quite right to forget "Earl Gray", whoever he may be, since the tea is
> Earl *Grey*.
>
> I know "gray" is the spelling on your side of the pond, but names should
> be exempt from trans-pond spelling changes, I feel.

If you also insist on calling your old kings Eadweard, �thelstan and
Eadmund, you have a point.
And I expect you extend the same courtesy to the apostles Mattithyahus and
Ioannis, king Henri of France, Chiefs Tatanka Iyotaka and Goyathlay, as well
as modern day individuals like pope Jan Pawel II, B�b� Doc and Emperor
Showa.

Regards,
--
*Art

Daniel Orner

unread,
Sep 30, 2009, 11:29:17 AM9/30/09
to
Lesley Weston wrote:

> Chris Zakes wrote:
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> Speaking as I can for every individual person of English origin - you're
> right; most English people take milk and sugar in their tea. Except when
> it's China tea (Lapsang Souchong, Kee Mun or one of the other fermented
> ones), when they take lemon, with or without sugar, unless they prefer
> milk. Green tea, when drunk at all by the English, is taken as is,
> without any adulteration. If, however, you are of Jewish and/or Russian
> extraction, you might drink strong Indian or Darjeeling tea with lemon
> and sugar in a glass.
>
> But who am I to argue with Dan Brown, the well-known authority on
> everything! How are you getting on with the book? I found the plot so
> exciting that I could keep reading it even through the appalling writing.
>

Definitely agree. The same thing was true of Harry Potter for me,
although the writing isn't quite as appalling, and the characters were
more interesting than the plot.

--
http://roleplayingjew.blogspot.com/ - An Orthodox Jew who plays Japanese
role-playing games? Strange but true!

Carol Hague

unread,
Sep 30, 2009, 12:00:39 PM9/30/09
to
Lesley Weston <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Carol Hague wrote:
> > Lesley Weston <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> Daibhid Ceanaideach wrote:
> >>> On 28 Sep 2009, Chris Zakes <dont...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
> >>>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
> >>>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
> >>>>
> >>>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> >>>> in their tea.
> >>> It varies. Lemon is generally the accepted accompaniment to Earl Grey
> >> I forgot Earl Gray. But then I prefer to forget Earl Gray.
> >
> > Quite right to forget "Earl Gray", whoever he may be, since the tea is
> > Earl *Grey*.
> >
> > I know "gray" is the spelling on your side of the pond, but names should
> > be exempt from trans-pond spelling changes, I feel.
> >
> This is the result of a double (triple?) correction. I'm English, so I
> spell it "grey", and living in Canada I can since we have the choice of
> both spellings of every disputed word and will still be correct either
> way. However, Dorian Gray is just that because it's his name, so I
> transferred that to Earl Gr*y.

Ah, sorry - confusion, I can understand, I often suffer from it meself
:-)

Paul Jamison

unread,
Sep 30, 2009, 7:19:27 PM9/30/09
to

"Carol Hague" <ca...@wrhpv.com> wrote in message
news:1j6v8hf.1kl2ygvu1venqN%ca...@wrhpv.com...
It makes me wonder what the Dorian Gray blend of tea would be like. Pehaps
it would stay prepetually warm, but somewhere in a kitchen cupboard there's
a painting of a cold cuppa.

Paul


Bob Larter

unread,
Sep 30, 2009, 11:24:37 PM9/30/09
to
Arthur Hagen wrote:
>
> "Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com...
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> Milk is far more common. But lemon is a viable alternative. For some
> 50 years now, it's not really lemon, but lemon juice concentrate.
> And the way to ferret out an American is when they say yes to /both/
> milk and lemon,

They do *WHAT*?!?

> and then complain about when the lemon curdles the
> milk.

<boggle>

> They don't have the gene for being ashamed of their own ignorance.


--
W
. | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------

Reader in Invisible Writings

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 1:57:08 AM10/1/09
to
Arthur Hagen wrote:
>
> "Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com...
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
> Milk is far more common. But lemon is a viable alternative. For some
> 50 years now, it's not really lemon, but lemon juice concentrate.
> And the way to ferret out an American is when they say yes to /both/
> milk and lemon, and then complain about when the lemon curdles the
> milk. They don't have the gene for being ashamed of their own ignorance.
>
> Regards,
Reminds me of the part in Pyramids where the Tsortians combine Dejeli
customs that don't go together in an attempt to look more sophisticated
with the opposite effect!

--
Reader in Invisible Writings.. Something to Ponder upon!

Kathleen

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 6:13:47 AM10/1/09
to
Arthur Hagen wrote:

>
> "Chris Zakes" <dont...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:vkd1c5ltt18ltchmg...@4ax.com...
>
>> I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." In it, there's a scene
>> where a passionate Anglophile asks someone if he wants milk or sugar
>> in his tea. The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>>
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>
>
> Milk is far more common. But lemon is a viable alternative. For some
> 50 years now, it's not really lemon, but lemon juice concentrate.
> And the way to ferret out an American is when they say yes to /both/
> milk and lemon, and then complain about when the lemon curdles the
> milk. They don't have the gene for being ashamed of their own ignorance.

I call bullshit.

I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.

Arthur Hagen

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 8:00:43 AM10/1/09
to

"Kathleen" <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:yh%wm.28583$bP1....@newsfe24.iad...

You /must/ be American to read "say yes to" as "request".

Americans aren't ever faced with the choice of "milk, lemon?", so when they
get that choice, they can end up saying something like "yes, please" or "a
little of each". Which the host will be gleefully honourbound to oblige.

Americans can deduce that "one lump or two?" refers to sugar. But will have
no concept of how big a sugar cube is, relative to their customary bags of
sugar, or their (rarely seen) US sugar cubes which are about four times the
size of European ones.

Regards,
--
*Art

Nigel Stapley

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 8:48:31 AM10/1/09
to

That's like 'extra virgin' olive oil - it stays on the shelf for much
longer.

--
Regards

Nigel Stapley

www.thejudge.me.uk

<reply-to will bounce>

Michael J. Schülke

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 10:18:44 AM10/1/09
to
Kathleen schrieb:

> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>
Well, Richard Feynman did, somewhat famously. And wrote a book about it.

Regards,
Michael

Lesley Weston

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 11:16:54 AM10/1/09
to
I don't mind Rowling's writing - it's orders of magnitude better than
Brown's. But HP is written for children, and somehow that fact is much
more apparent to an adult reading them (this adult, anyway) than it is
in any of TP's books for children, so I didn't bother to read HP after
the first one. I love the movies, though.

Kevin Wells

unread,
Oct 1, 2009, 1:29:08 PM10/1/09
to
In message <5IRwm.20975$lR3....@newsfe25.iad>
"Paul Jamison" <pjam...@cox.net> wrote:

I've got a four port USB hub that is a tea coaster with a warmer on to
stop the tea from going cold.
>

I am a lesbian trapped in a big ugly males biker's body.

Rudolf

unread,
Oct 8, 2009, 12:28:42 AM10/8/09
to
The correct way to brew tea for an Englishman is to find a teapot that
has been properly priced at an antiques faire, slip the little gummed
price tag under the lid of the pot and boil it with a bone. A small
bone will do, nothing special, best acquire it from a well-established
garden corgi. After heating the teakettle over a peat fire, shake a
few leaves from the greenest of your garden weeds into the pot with a
shake or two of pure Darjeeling leaves. Take an old coin and torch it
until it begins to emit sparks, toss it into the pot and add water
quickly. Breathe in the vapours, and when you point out the epicurean
delight to said Englishman, bash him in the back of the head with the
teakettle with the other hand, and take his money.

You must be Irish or Australian to pull this off correctly. If not
done with the greatest of refinement, the Englishman may not
appreciate the joke and will have his butler fetch the police.

This does not work if you have been reading James Joyce, or quoting
him in any fashion. Really, there must be limits.


On Sep 29, 12:24 am, Chris Zakes <donti...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
[snip]


The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>
> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
> in their tea.
>

>         -Chris Zakes
>                 Texas

Reader in Invisible Writings

unread,
Oct 8, 2009, 2:01:43 AM10/8/09
to
Rudolf wrote:
> The correct way to brew tea for an Englishman is to find a teapot that
> has been properly priced at an antiques faire, slip the little gummed
> price tag under the lid of the pot and boil it with a bone. A small
> bone will do, nothing special, best acquire it from a well-established
> garden corgi. After heating the teakettle over a peat fire, shake a
> few leaves from the greenest of your garden weeds into the pot with a
> shake or two of pure Darjeeling leaves. Take an old coin and torch it
> until it begins to emit sparks, toss it into the pot and add water
> quickly. Breathe in the vapours, and when you point out the epicurean
> delight to said Englishman, bash him in the back of the head with the
> teakettle with the other hand, and take his money.
>
> You must be Irish or Australian to pull this off correctly. If not
> done with the greatest of refinement, the Englishman may not
> appreciate the joke and will have his butler fetch the police.
>
> This does not work if you have been reading James Joyce, or quoting
> him in any fashion. Really, there must be limits.
>
>

? & !!! & !!!!!

also #@%#@*@#! TOP POSTING!!!!

> On Sep 29, 12:24 am, Chris Zakes <donti...@gmail.com> wrote:
> [snip]
> The correct answer--according to the book--is lemon.
>> Is that accurate? *My* understanding is that the English prefer milk
>> in their tea.
>>
>> -Chris Zakes
>> Texas

Ferd Burfle

unread,
Oct 8, 2009, 6:28:52 PM10/8/09
to
Arthur Hagen wrote:

> Americans can deduce that "one lump or two?" refers to sugar. But will
> have no concept of how big a sugar cube is, relative to their customary
> bags of sugar, or their (rarely seen) US sugar cubes which are about
> four times the size of European ones.

We do that because it lets us put way more LSD on 'em.

-Ferd Burfle
--
Poop, once slung, can never be unslung. Given enough time, it will
decorate the slinger.

Message has been deleted

Rgemini

unread,
Oct 10, 2009, 7:33:36 AM10/10/09
to
Chris Zakes wrote:

> "Boiled in a boot" if memory serves.
>
>

Long ago I had a holiday job in the toolmakers workshop of Leeway Prams.
The men there made the tools that were used to make the prams. It was
full of lathes, milling machines and other exciting stuff. My job was to
sweep up, fetch and carry and make the tea.

It was possibly the most exciting way to make tea ever: heat a brick
until red-hot[1] in the kiln and then put it into a big galvanised
bucket of cold water which came to the boil *really fast*. Add a handful
of tea leaves and stir. Serve by dipping mugs into the hot tea, add milk
and sugar and voila! Engineer's tea!

[1] I remember it as "red hot" but it may just have been "very hot"
because I'm not sure that it would have been safe to use a red hot
brick, even by the very pragmatic safety standards of the early 1960s.


Rgemini, reminiscing

Richard Bos

unread,
Oct 24, 2009, 5:47:40 PM10/24/09
to
Winterbay <peter....@gmail.com> wrote:

> I've not heard of teknekt (or knekt) but there is a drink called
> kaffekask which is made by taking a mug, putting a coin at the bottom
> and pouring in coffee until you can't see it anymore then you add
> alcohol (probably vodka or moonshine or whatever very strong stuff you
> have at home) until you can see it again...

I've heard of that, and come to the conclusion that you either have very
weak coffee in Sweden, or very small mugs. Or luminous coins.

Richard

Winterbay

unread,
Oct 25, 2009, 5:24:10 AM10/25/09
to
Richard Bos skrev:

The experiments I've seen on the subject makes it very clear that the
point is to get as much booze as possible into the coffee since you can
never get the coin to be visible again unless you have a mug that is a
lot wider at the top than at the bottom.

/Winterbay

Larry Moore

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 10:16:26 AM10/26/09
to
On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>

Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?

--
Location: 43 58 8 N by 80 58 45 W
Growing zone: lowest 48-hour temperature -25C
Built: 1835 Renovations: 1910, 1952, 2006.

Kevin Wells

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 12:54:08 PM10/26/09
to
In message <5vadnd670pinMnjX...@wightman.ca>
Larry Moore <ljmoor...@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
>> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
>> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>>
>
>Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>

Cold tea is revolting.

Useless Fact 02 In the artic the sun sometimes appears to be square.

Esmeraldus

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 3:40:55 PM10/26/09
to

"Kevin Wells" <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote in message
news:fc4c60b0...@talktalk.net...


> In message <5vadnd670pinMnjX...@wightman.ca>
> Larry Moore <ljmoor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
>>> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
>>> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>>>
>>
>>Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>>
>
> Cold tea is revolting.

Pretty much the entire American south disagrees. :-/

--
Stacie, fourth swordswoman of the afpocalypse.
AFPMinister of Flexible Weapons & Bondage-happy predator
AFPMistress to peachy ashie passion
"If you can't be a good example, you'll just have to be a horrible warning."

Larry Moore

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 6:28:11 PM10/26/09
to
On 2009-10-26, Esmeraldus <muclu...@mypacks.net> wrote:
>
>
> "Kevin Wells" <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote in message
> news:fc4c60b0...@talktalk.net...
>> In message <5vadnd670pinMnjX...@wightman.ca>
>> Larry Moore <ljmoor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
>>>> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
>>>> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>>>>
>>>
>>>Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>>>
>>
>> Cold tea is revolting.
>
> Pretty much the entire American south disagrees. :-/
>

I remember a commercial iced tea that had orange peel and spices.
Chilled with ice, sweetened with honey and with a slice of lemon,
it was rather refreshing on a hot summer day.

Kevin Wells

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 6:22:18 PM10/26/09
to
In message <hc4u0q$grh$1...@mud.stack.nl>
"Esmeraldus" <muclu...@mypacks.net> wrote:

>
>
>"Kevin Wells" <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote in message
>news:fc4c60b0...@talktalk.net...
>> In message <5vadnd670pinMnjX...@wightman.ca>
>> Larry Moore <ljmoor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
>>>> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
>>>> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>>>>
>>>
>>>Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>>>
>>
>> Cold tea is revolting.
>
>Pretty much the entire American south disagrees. :-/
>

Well they are wrong.

I am always right. :)

You can grow old but you don't have to grow up!

Ferd Burfle

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 8:34:20 PM10/26/09
to
Esmeraldus wrote:
>
>
> "Kevin Wells" <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote in message
> news:fc4c60b0...@talktalk.net...
>> In message <5vadnd670pinMnjX...@wightman.ca>
>> Larry Moore <ljmoor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
>>>> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
>>>> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>>>
>>
>> Cold tea is revolting.
>
> Pretty much the entire American south disagrees. :-/

Yebbut . . . that's mint tea, not real tea.

April Goodwin-Smith

unread,
Oct 26, 2009, 11:31:21 PM10/26/09
to
"Larry Moore" wrote ...

> Kathleen wrote:
>> I am both American and a tea drinker
<snip milk & lemon issues>

>
> Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>

Yes.

April.


Reader in Invisible Writings

unread,
Oct 27, 2009, 3:08:24 AM10/27/09
to

It's a matter of temperatures and intention.

Normal tea gone cold is revolting...

Iced tea at gone warm* is tolerable.

Mind you, it its tea, I'll drink it - If its food I'll eat it.**

*warm meaning the same as cold above, i.e. room temperature.

**I find buffets a moral nightmare due to the (almost) inevitable amount
of food left over. That's because I'd prefer the food to go to my waist
rather than to waste, but there is slightly too much of the former these
days!

Lesley Weston

unread,
Oct 27, 2009, 10:16:36 AM10/27/09
to
Kevin Wells wrote:
> In message <5vadnd670pinMnjX...@wightman.ca>
> Larry Moore <ljmoor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 2009-10-01, Kathleen <khhfmde...@charter.net> wrote:
>>> I am both American and a tea drinker and I have never once seen or even
>>> heard of somebody requesting both milk and lemon in their tea.
>>>
>> Our of curiousity, do you drink your tea hot or iced?
>>
>
> Cold tea is revolting.
>
>
Of course it is if it's supposed to be hot tea and has milk in it. But
tea that was always intended to be iced and contains no milk is very
refreshing.

Lesley Weston

unread,
Oct 27, 2009, 10:18:39 AM10/27/09
to
Reader in Invisible Writings wrote:

<snip>

> **I find buffets a moral nightmare due to the (almost) inevitable amount
> of food left over. That's because I'd prefer the food to go to my waist
> rather than to waste, but there is slightly too much of the former these
> days!

Sounds like there's rather too much of the latter as well.

Richard Bos

unread,
Nov 11, 2009, 3:58:45 PM11/11/09
to
Reader in Invisible Writings <markfo...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Ferd Burfle wrote:
> > Esmeraldus wrote:
> >> "Kevin Wells" <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote in message

> >>> Cold tea is revolting.
> >>
> >> Pretty much the entire American south disagrees. :-/
> >
> > Yebbut . . . that's mint tea, not real tea.

Not necessarily, and not necessarily.

Iced tea can be made with citrus tea, as well (and, less succesfully,
other flavours) - and mint tea is not necessarily not real tea. If mint
tea is made the Moroccan way, with real (usually gunpowder) tea _and_
real mint, it's good stuff. Some mint "tea" is made with mint alone, and
that is indeed not real tea, but not all mint tea is that sort.

Of course, "mint" or "citrus" tea, made with (possibly non-real) tea and
fake or second-rate herb or fruit flavourings, is also quite disgusting,
and even more so when iced.

> It's a matter of temperatures and intention.

And of who made it. Home-made iced tea is great stuff for a hot summer
afternoon. Factory-bottled IceTea*(tm) is rotgut under all
circumstances. It comes pre-sugared and pre-carbonated - that should
tell one all one needs to know.

> Normal tea gone cold is revolting...

Normal tea gone _cold_ is drinkable, provided it was strong enough when
it was hot. Normal tea gone tepid, that's revolting.

> Mind you, it its tea, I'll drink it - If its food I'll eat it.**

Wot'esed.

Richard

[3-point type, white on yellow, at the bottom edge of the label]
(* noactualteawasinvolvedinmakingthisproduct-madewithextractonly)

Janaina Rudberg

unread,
Nov 11, 2009, 4:54:58 PM11/11/09
to
Richard Bos skrev:

> Reader in Invisible Writings <markfo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ferd Burfle wrote:
>>> Esmeraldus wrote:
>>>> "Kevin Wells" <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote in message
>>>>> Cold tea is revolting.
>>>> Pretty much the entire American south disagrees. :-/
>>> Yebbut . . . that's mint tea, not real tea.
>
> Not necessarily, and not necessarily.
>
> Iced tea can be made with citrus tea, as well (and, less succesfully,
> other flavours) - and mint tea is not necessarily not real tea. If mint
> tea is made the Moroccan way, with real (usually gunpowder) tea _and_
> real mint, it's good stuff. Some mint "tea" is made with mint alone, and
> that is indeed not real tea, but not all mint tea is that sort.
>
When I lived in Spain, I spent some time with a group of Moroccans. I
liked the mint tea (although I found it a bit too sweet, even though I
usually take tea with sugar), right up until the second cup.

These particular Moroccans (and no, I have no idea if they were
representative of the country as a whole) left the mint leaves in the
tea, and by the second serving the tea could most aptly be described as
'bleurgh'.

Before that, however, it was quite nice and not like the 'mint tea' you
can buy around here, which I would describe more as infusions.

/Janaina

steveski

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Nov 11, 2009, 7:10:44 PM11/11/09
to
Richard Bos wrote:

> Reader in Invisible Writings <markfo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Normal tea gone cold is revolting...
>
> Normal tea gone _cold_ is drinkable, provided it was strong enough when
> it was hot. Normal tea gone tepid, that's revolting.

I make my tea (Steveski's Old Deeply Refreshing) REALLY strong - mentioned
upthread, somewhere - and while most people think it's too strong hot, they
think it's just right when cold. This is 3 Kenya blend spoons and 3 Earl
Grey spoons in a 1 1/3 pt. mug (about 660ml).

--
Steveski

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