Tea For Two

~ beetleypete

I sent some strong English tea bags to Cheryl Oreglia, all the way from Beetley to California. I was hoping she would enjoy trying them, and it seems they exceeded my expectations.

Living in the Gap

Today I’m doing a mini-post as I have been traveling and haven’t had the proper time to write but wanted to briefly share a recent experience with you all because although I’ve been accused of being verbose (using more words than necessary), I’m quite reticent naturally. Bahaha.

Not that you asked, but the history of tea is quite extraordinary, and the way it spreads across multiple cultures over the span of thousands of years is the same as it spreads today. It is introduced by tea lovers to their friends and neighbors as an extraordinary beverage of choice, something that will enhance one’s experience of living, and transform an ordinary day into a sacred ritual.

What’s not to like?

Most of you probably already know that tea originated in southwest China, likely the Yunnan region during the Shang dynasty as a medicinal drink, because as I found out on Monday…

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70 thoughts on “Tea For Two”

  1. Wow! That’s almost cultural imperialism, Pete! Lol Is “Earl Grey” a traditional kind of English tea? I remember a situation, i had invited a friend to a traditional pub, here in Bavaria. They are famous for their “Bratwürste”, and he ordered in addition a cup of Earl Grey. Was a very funny thing. You should have had a look into the face of the waitress. She was confused, and replied that there would only be chamomile tea or rose hip tea. Lol xx Michael

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  2. I always love the moment, when my sister visit us and we get some real English Twinings Earl Grey.
    We can buy Twining in Germany, but I think it is different. The English tea is much better than the Germans one.

    Drinking tea is also very celebrated in East Frisia. Tea is made from Assam tea leaves. Put some Rock candy in a small tea cup and the tea is poured onto it. It crackles very nicely. Finally, put some cream on the rim of the cup. Of course, the tea is drunk hot.
    According to Wikipedia, the East Frisians have the largest consumption of tea in the world.

    But I still prefer the English Earl Grey. Fortunately, I don’t live in East Frisia :)))
    Best wishes, Irene

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    1. I am glad you enjoy your tea, Irene. Earl Grey tea has Bergamot Oil added, and it is very scented. I don’t actually like it at all, and never drink it 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. I read the whole story about tea on your blog and I thought the story was really lovely.
        First, that Pete sent you the tea and, second, that you drank it with your sister in a little ceremony.
        There is always something special to drink tea. Enjoy life.
        Best wishes, Irene

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  3. I used to drink Typhoo tea but found it too strong so switched to Thompsons. We tried Yorkshire tea but I think it needs Yorkshire water. It didn’t taste right with Southern water. We are on PG tips at present but they are a bit weak. What we need is a taste test! We may never agree.
    I love lemon iced tea when I am on holiday but don’t drink it here. If it stays hot that might change!

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    1. I have used the water from London and here in Norfolk for Yorkshire Tea, and never had any issues with it. I feel it works best not to leave the bag in for too long, then there is no residue on the water. We also add milk after, and I think that helps too.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. Interesting Julie, I’m sure the water makes a difference, we used the facet water here in San Jose and although we don’t know the difference we were charmed by the intense flavor of the tea. It’s really hot here but it was such a treat we’re reenacting the tea ceremony next week! We’re thrilled with our new found passion! Thanks so much for reading and commenting, all my best, C

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  4. Like Phil said above, we have to ice and sweeten it to make it palatable here. We do have many that love it unsweetened, but I can’t, for the life of me, figure out how they get past that dish-water taste our tea has.

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    2. I so agree Ron, Lipton resembles dish-water in many ways, but this Yorkshire tea is wonderful and it’s not just because I shared it with my sister. We both loved the flavor! Apparently my friend Chris found it on Amazon if you have an account that might be a delightful treat for yourself, all my best, C

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      1. RE: Got my Yorkshire tea via Amazon, day before yesterday. Brewed a cup this morning. Wow, spectacular. It is definitely going into a ‘tea-off’ with twinning’s English Breakfast.

        P.S. I make it in an electric kettle with purified bottled water. Don’t know if helps, but can’t hurt.

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        1. Definitely stronger that Twining’s Breakfast, though that has a nice flavour. No need to use bottled water, unless your local tap water isn’t so good.
          Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. News Flash from the Colonies! A fabulous selection of Tea is available, to everyone almost everywhere that the internet is allowed . . . delivering liquid magnificence to your mailbox or front porch.

    No thanks needed. Solving tough problems that help people is my passion 🙂

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      1. Families bicker. . . but it should never come to bullets and bayonets. . . ;-( that said, your cousins in the lower western provinces have been there for Blighty when it mattered most in1917-18 and 1939-45.

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  6. One can’t find real English tea in Texas, I have tried. Lipton tea bags taste like warm dish water, that’s why Iced Tea is the offical drink of my home state. Enough ice and suger and it taste ok.

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    1. The Lipton Tea sold outside Britain is famous for being very week. We had it in a hotel in Turkey, and had to use 3 bags to make a drinkable cup. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  7. I buy boxes of PG Tips (240 bags/box). After boiling tap water (too expensive to routinely use bottled water), I pour it into an insulated Talhydration jug with a capacity of 64 fluid ounces (1.9 liters), where three tea bags await. I then leave the attached lid half off to aid in cooling, which takes most of the day. Once the tea has cooled to the point where it is merely warm, I open the lid completely and put the jug in the refrigerator. An hour or two later, when the tea is cool (if not cold), I close the lid completely. Although I can drink hot tea, I much prefer iced tea. I don’t add cream or sugar. It’s probably true that three tea bags diluted in 64 fl. oz. of water is a bit weak, but these boxes of PG Tips are imported from England, and are only available (as far as I know) at Raini’s, a shop that specializes in foods from India and the U.K. They run $17/box, unless on sale. So why PG Tips? My wife’s preference (she drinks her tea hot). I should add that I’ve begun using tongs to squeeze the bags a little (previously, I stirred vigorously), but also don’t bother to fish the bags out of the jug. I just leave them in. In fact, sometimes I’ll leave the old bags in the jug, and add three new ones when brewing my next batch. I read online that tea bags can be used more than once. I’m probably being too frugal (tea bag reuse; insufficient number of tea bags/jug), and doing everything wrong start to finish. But it’s a lot healthier to drink tea (however prepared) than sugary soda pop. (Of course, I also drink lots and lots of water.) Finally, I should mention that a jug of tea only lasts me two days.

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    1. It is okay to leave in the old tea bags, although we don’t do it, as that increases the levels of Tannin. PG Tips is a hugely popular brand here, but I prefer Yorkshire Tea, as it is a stronger blend.
      It sounds as if you have your tea-drinking sorted, David, but I never drink iced or cold tea, as I much prefer it piping hot.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. Hi David, wow, you have the process down! I imagine iced tea in the summer is quite refreshing, but I’m enamored with the hot tea, and the ritual of boiling, steeping, and steaming my face as I sip! Thanks for sharing your process, warmly, C

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  9. I’ve had Yorkshire tea before. It’s really good. There used to be a little British shop in the neighborhood (the owner also ran a restaurant next to it – the food was great, with authentic British dishes) and I got some there. Sadly they closed up a few years ago as the owner had to return to Britain for a family emergency. As far as I know they haven’t returned. I miss that little shop and restaurant ☹️

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    1. Sad to hear it closed, Jeanne. I would love to send everyone over there some Yorkshire Tea, but the problem is that the postage costs four times more than the box of tea bags. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. Oh what a loss Jeanne, sorry to hear your source of good tea closed down. I looked up tea shops and found one in my area, they sell tea and tea sandwiches! It might not be authentic English tea but in a pinch it might be worthy, I’m going to stop by and see what they have. Hoping you find another source of tea because as we head into winter it warms the soul, C

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        2. Horizon offers an awesome ‘Organic’ cream by the pint (or gallon at Costco. . .), but not available at TJ’s (though TJ’s do sell an organic version, sadly, it curdles pretty darn quick compared to the Horizon). The Horizon is the closest thing I have found to English cream Neighbor. Well worth the extra cost. Linardi’s should have it, or Safeway.
          Cheers!

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            1. Well, apparently I’ve been corrupted. . . Organic cream isn’t Heroin, but my thinking? It is habit-forming.
              For the sake of your Nationalism, for the sake of Britain, and more importantly, for the sake of your self-esteem? If you haven’t started, don’t Pete. Organic cream is just not worth all that.

              I am going to discuss all this with my analyst later in the morning during our ‘walk and talk’.

              Spoiler alert: As my analyst gets Organic cream with his molasses and brown sugar oatmeal every morning? And, I should share that it’s his favorite thing. . . He may give me a pass on this strait away. Labradors are like that! 😉

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      2. Pete – Got my Yorkshire tea via Amazon, day before yesterday. Brewed a cup this morning. Wow, spectacular. It is definitely going into a ‘tea-off’ with twinning’s English Breakfast. 🙂 May the best ‘Cuppa’ win!

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    2. Hey Jude, I’m a new fan, what a flavorful experience, Nancy and I made plans for tea on her next day off, we’re adding cucumber sandwiches, which Fraggle kindly sent a recipe! Can’t wait! Thanks for the comment, warmly, C

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      2. Hi Cheryl. I am a Yorkshire born lass, hence my comment, but I actually loathe tea! I am very definitely a coffee drinker. But there are lots of great tastes from Yorkshire including Yorkshire Puddings, Pontefract cakes and Wensleydale cheese to name a few 😊

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        1. You, my dear, are a smart lady!

          That precise bit of thinking is my thought as to why the British Royal Navy spent so much time developing such a fabulous footprint in the tropics through the 16th-17th centuries!

          Now, admittedly, the challenge is scraping together the means to get there. A few weeks spent on almost any island in the shallow waters of the Caribbean sea would likely help make the harsh UK winters more tolerable.

          In absence of that option?

          Being that I reside in a warmer climate most of the time, I have found when in Blighty in N-D-J? Draw a very warm bath. as the tub fills, brew a nice cup of tea, dig up a few jam tarts or biscuits and place them on a bath side table just before you slide in, to be consumed leisurely as the deep penetrating warmth returns your bone marrow to normal.

          This is the best substitute I know of for not being able to get to the Caribbean.

          But really, there is no substrate for getting yourself to an island in the Caribbean for a few weeks. The air, the atmosphere, the breezes of that time of year. And there are so many to choose from 🙂

          *Disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been associated with a holiday company, travel aggregator, a travel agency, travel provider, accommodations company, Air BnB, or airport car hire service”.

          I’m just a guy who knows what’s been good for himself, and hopes it works for you 😉

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            1. “Britannia” joins in the efforts of climate change! Wooo Hooo! That’s a load off my conscience.

              Guess now we’ll have to drop that old Roman moniker now and tear down the monument. But wait, they only do that madness in the states 😦 Well then, Carry on Britain!

              Or was it “Carry on England”? Will have to pop off to the internet to check up on the mid-’70s to see.

              Loved the ongoing stage show. . . Simply Brilliant.

              Cheers!

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