Is It All A Storm In A Teacup?

 

 

I love coffee, he loves tea and while my husband claims I do make a great cuppa, I've never really got the taste for it.

 

I have drunk tea, of course, sometimes out of necessity to get warm while standing frozen watching a rugby match or speedway meeting -  and then out of a plastic cup which makes it taste even worse. Occasionally it has been out of politeness, served in floral decorated china cups when invited to afternoon tea with the vicar.

 

A two-part programme on tea starts on BBC1 tonight (Wednesday) presented by Victoria Wood. I will see what she has to serve up and try to understand the love many people have for the quintessential British cup of tea. Always seemed to be too much fuss to me. Coffee is quicker, more tasteful and keeps you awake.

 

Everyone in my family is a tea drinker, but it has never been flavour of the month for me. Maybe it is because I was brought up in a generation which still used loose tea rather than teabags, and recall that awful moment when a stray leaf was in your next mouthful. That could be where my distaste for something I really should like stems from. My grandmother always had a slice of lemon in her cup which really did taste like something to treat your cold with.

 

I am told by tea drinkers who know these things that in the United States you cannot get a good cup of tea and it's the first thing they do when they get back to the United Kingdom: put the kettle on for a cup of tea. Seems strange to me when the Americans invented the teabag - how does that work then?

 

Tea in Britain is inextricably linked to being served as afternoon tea in a village teashop, serving gallons of the stuff at street parties to celebrate Royal occasions or elegant dining at the Ritz alongside traditional sandwiches and pastries and a bewildering choice of teas. Of course you also have to remember to let it brew for the right length of time, and hold your cup the right way. As I say, too fussy.

 

One glance along the supermarket shelves today, and the flavours do sound mouthwatering. I tried a strawberry and mango a short time back which smelt wonderful. Tasted like medicine so gave to a friend who swears by green tea as part of her diet. We discussed the merits of this over tea (in my case a cappuccino) and sympathy.

 

I always remember Thunderbirds where Lady Penelope took tea and then spoke to International Rescue using her Regency teapot. That's a good use of a teapot I have always thought.