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I can drink across the broad spectrum of teas with equal delight. However, these days I prefer without sugar and rarely ever with milk. This stems from an afternoon I spent with a tea merchant in one of Beijing’s hutongs. I wondered into his shop, stayed a couple of hours. We chattered away and I left a totally changed tea fan. In fact since then, I’ve virtually eliminated dairy (even reduced cheese consumption) and where possible, use leaves, not bags.
That said about bags, I’m currently being wowed by an Empress Grey you can get from M&S and the last stash of a rice tea from Myanmar.
Of course, it’s all about the water....which is why I find tea made with water from the Thames Valley or a cuppa made in the US, are often ruined by the H2O.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Drink up to 12 cups each day. Splash of skimmed milk, no sugar, nice and strong and made in a pot if possible. Don't forget to warm pot first and keep it warm with a tea cosy.
Agree with PlanetHonneywood, water quality very important. When we had a new kitchen, we included one of those boiling taps with scale control and water filter fitted. Almost instant tea, just let it brew a few minutes and squeeze and remove tea bags before poring.
Be very careful ordering tea when out, a dash of milk is often half a cup of full fat topped up with boiling water and dipped with a tea bag or alternatively stewed and scummy tannin.
Drink up to 12 cups each day. Splash of skimmed milk, no sugar, nice and strong and made in a pot if possible. Don't forget to warm pot first and keep it warm with a tea cosy.
Agree with PlanetHonneywood, water quality very important. When we had a new kitchen, we included one of those boiling taps with scale control and water filter fitted. Almost instant tea, just let it brew a few minutes and squeeze and remove tea bags before poring.
Be very careful ordering tea when out, a dash of milk is often half a cup of full fat topped up with boiling water and dipped with a tea bag or alternatively stewed and scummy tannin.
Best drink of the day.
[Post edited 10 Apr 2020 9:49]
I always ask them to leave the teabag in if I’m buying it out somewhere.In my opinion there is nothing worse than milky tea.And even some of my family put the milk in the cup first before putting the hot water in.Heathens.
I used to think tee total was a misspelling of tea and meant that you just drank tea and no booze. Actually it's because the bloke who formed the first abstinence society had a stammer and said people should t-totally abstain from drink. Not a lotta people know that.
I always use loose leaf tea whenever I make myself a mug of tea at home and have done the last couple of years (Mrs CR doesn't drink tea). I only ever use tea bags at work now for convenience.
I'm no tea connoisseur but the difference between the brew that you get from loose tea and what you get from a tea bag is like night and day IMO, a much brighter taste. Those of you still using bags at home, try buying some loose tea next time you shop, you'll be surprised.
I always have Waitrose Assam loose leaf tea which is excellent but sadly none available since lockdown. I've bought a kilo bag of Assam from a company called Hatton, via Amazon which I await with great hope as I'm only a day or so away from resorting to bags.
I used to think tee total was a misspelling of tea and meant that you just drank tea and no booze. Actually it's because the bloke who formed the first abstinence society had a stammer and said people should t-totally abstain from drink. Not a lotta people know that.
I did a sponsored month of no drinks but water for the RNLI.Its such a natural thing to get home from work and put the kettle on for a cuppa.Or first thing in the morning.It was hard work for most of that month.
I drank so much tea in the first twenty-five years of my life that my stomach can no longer cope with caffiene. Haven't had a cuppa in nearly two decades now and I hate you all, you swine.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I used to think tee total was a misspelling of tea and meant that you just drank tea and no booze. Actually it's because the bloke who formed the first abstinence society had a stammer and said people should t-totally abstain from drink. Not a lotta people know that.
I don't actually care if that's true or not I'm going to steal it and quote it
I can drink across the broad spectrum of teas with equal delight. However, these days I prefer without sugar and rarely ever with milk. This stems from an afternoon I spent with a tea merchant in one of Beijing’s hutongs. I wondered into his shop, stayed a couple of hours. We chattered away and I left a totally changed tea fan. In fact since then, I’ve virtually eliminated dairy (even reduced cheese consumption) and where possible, use leaves, not bags.
That said about bags, I’m currently being wowed by an Empress Grey you can get from M&S and the last stash of a rice tea from Myanmar.
Of course, it’s all about the water....which is why I find tea made with water from the Thames Valley or a cuppa made in the US, are often ruined by the H2O.
Oh god the water, couldn't agree more. I drink a ton of tea here (US) but nothing compares to that first cup of tea when you get back across the pond, heaven.
My Mrs mum is German, she uses German tea, I tried it out in Berlin as well and can confirm it is fûcking awful. Always take a box of PG tips round when we visit.
favourite cheese mature Cheddar. FFS there is no such thing as the EPL
I feel suitably inspired now to give loose leaf tea a go next time I visit the supermarket.
I've had a plant based diet now for over two years and it's been a lot of trial and error to find an alternative to that classic dash of milk. My best solution so far is the Oatly brand Whole Oat Milk which allows the flavour of the tea to come through and probably best reflects that otherwise time-honoured combiantion with semi-skimmed. Does anyone else use an alternative or found a better solution to cows milk?
Also, Brian McCarthy, have you tried Rooibos tea? It's caffeine free and pretty decent!
Phil, a mate of mine here in the States, was born and brought up in Moscow and, if you're not aware, they love their 'char' (cha, chai whatever), over there. He'd done a bunk from the USSR in 1974 and his first stop after getting out was in Vienna, where himself and his girlfriend, who were blown away by just walking the streets, noticed a strange sight at a sidewalk cafe.... to this day he still views the teabag as his symbol of the 'free west'.
I always have Waitrose Assam loose leaf tea which is excellent but sadly none available since lockdown. I've bought a kilo bag of Assam from a company called Hatton, via Amazon which I await with great hope as I'm only a day or so away from resorting to bags.
Seconded. Waitrose Assam loose leaf is / was the business.Nearest I've got in bags from the supermarket is Twining's English Strong Breakfast but it doesn't cut the mustard. Miffed.
I feel suitably inspired now to give loose leaf tea a go next time I visit the supermarket.
I've had a plant based diet now for over two years and it's been a lot of trial and error to find an alternative to that classic dash of milk. My best solution so far is the Oatly brand Whole Oat Milk which allows the flavour of the tea to come through and probably best reflects that otherwise time-honoured combiantion with semi-skimmed. Does anyone else use an alternative or found a better solution to cows milk?
Also, Brian McCarthy, have you tried Rooibos tea? It's caffeine free and pretty decent!
Like you, I shifted to a more plant based diet about five years ago. I did it for a variety of reasons, but I’m not 100% vegan, but I’d say around 80-85% overall.
But these non-dairy milk products are in my view, a bit of a con. If you check the nut content of some, it’s about 2% in some. So while I need some liquid for my morning porridge, I don’t use it in tea. Two reasons: firstly with nothing added, you just get the full undiluted flavour of the tea. I’m assuming if you’ve gone plant, you’ve also reduced salt, sugar and bad fats as well, and seen your palate return (try it neat and see). Secondly, for the reasons explained to me about how cows’ milk affects tea, I suspect nut milks do the same especially if the nut milk is ‘over-processed’ if you get my drift.
Namaste
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Like you, I shifted to a more plant based diet about five years ago. I did it for a variety of reasons, but I’m not 100% vegan, but I’d say around 80-85% overall.
But these non-dairy milk products are in my view, a bit of a con. If you check the nut content of some, it’s about 2% in some. So while I need some liquid for my morning porridge, I don’t use it in tea. Two reasons: firstly with nothing added, you just get the full undiluted flavour of the tea. I’m assuming if you’ve gone plant, you’ve also reduced salt, sugar and bad fats as well, and seen your palate return (try it neat and see). Secondly, for the reasons explained to me about how cows’ milk affects tea, I suspect nut milks do the same especially if the nut milk is ‘over-processed’ if you get my drift.
Namaste
That's fair enough. I find that the taste of black tea on its own is too bitter for me so I have always needed that dash of something to take off the edge. You're right, the nut based milks don't work with tea at all and coconut milk is even worse. Oat milk has been my best option by far for a classic cuppa. And it has the lowest carbon footprint to produce!
I have ventured into other teas recently though like Rooibos and Green, neither of which need milk. Based on previous comments I will check my local Waitrose next time I do a shop for their Assam too...
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