Conference turris::cooks

according to my friend from London:

first, you buy tetley's or Red Rose tea - loose if possible - bags if
you must.

get a good teapot scrupulously clean and dry.  Use good tasting (in our
case, this means bottled and delivered to your house) water.  Heat a
good amount of water to boiling.  Pour a cup into your teapot (this
is, of course, NOT a metal pot, but a glazed one or good bone china)
and swirl it around to hea the pot and discard the water.  
Add 1 teaspoon tea (or one tea bag) per person and add 1 "for the pot" to 
the warmed tea pot.  Immediately add water so hot it is ALMOST boiling - but 
NOT BOILING and cap the pot.  Wait exactly 4 minutes - not 5, and not 3.  
Pour the tea through a strainer into the cups, or into a pre-heated
(with hot water as above) thermal container to hold the tea...drink
immediately.  

I agree with her - it is wonderful tea and I even drink it up to 30
minutes later (if held in the thermal pot) and it is still good, but
Rene assures me it is already losing it's flavor by then.

    From an Australian acquaintance:
    
    If you drink your tea with milk, pour the milk in the cup first,
    *then* add the tea into the cup.  
    
    

    Will someone explain "high tea"?  I'd love to know what it is, what it
    means and what's the protocol for it.  In other words what are the
    manners needed?
    
    
    Thanks
    Ferne
    

    Well when I was a kid "high tea" was something they had in the north of
    England and Scotland but not down here in the south. It consisted of a
    cooked meal, something like fish and chips, omelette, bacon and egg,
    rather than your meat and two veg., followed by scones, scotch
    pancakes, cakes, etc. Oh and a pot of tea of course!
    
    Mary

    re .1
    
    A metal tea pot is O.K.,but it may lose heat quickly,so use a tea cosy.
    
    Phil

RE: .1

Thanks for your reply! Can't wait to try this.

Laura

.1 has the directions down to a "T"   :-)

my only suggestion would be to use  "P.G. Tips" brand tea  (can be found in most
shops that import products from England) because it "tasts" more like England 
to me.

    Red Rose tea from Canada is different from the tea we have down here.
    My grandmother was from Halifax and the family would smuggle tea down
    to her when they came.  I think it is stronger.  My mother always
    used Salada which is much the same.
    Kris

    I'm an avid tea drinker, and only use Red Rose (if I can't get a real
    imported English brand).  Salada tastes very bitter to me, but I agree
    the Canadian version of Red Rose is much better.  Don't forget to warm
    up your tea cups with hot water also, much the same as warming the pot.

    re: .3
    
    You can get "high tea" at the Ritz in Boston.  I gave a gift
    certificate to a friend as a graduation gift and she loved it.  Tea for
    Two is $45.  (Because it's the Ritz)
    

    My husband grew up in northern Vermont, with his mother using Red
    Rose tea.  Since moving to Arizona many years ago, we have been 
    unable to find Red Rose tea.  Dose anyone know of a mail order place
    to order it from?
    
    Thanks in advance

    Regarding the High Tea at the Ritz.  I would like to go but, my reason
    for entering the note was to learn what was going to be expected of me
    and what were they going to do.  It helps me to know what to expect
    before I go as that keeps down my fear level, at least if I know what
    to expect I might have a better chance of doing it.
    
    thanks
    
    
    

    re: a few back
    
    When I was in England, I drank PG Tips tea all the time, so when I
    discovered a British foods store, I bought some.  It seems to me that
    the "English" tea sold here (US) is different than that sold in England
    (even the same brand).  Is there some regulation regarding processing
    the tea that the U.S. imposes on imports, or something?  Or could it
    have been the milk that made the taste difference? (I do believe that
    milk is processed differently in the two countries.)
    
    Michelle

I agree different process for the milk could make a difference.  Also the water.
It's different in different parts of the US....
Some areas add more chemicals (I'm remembering a trip to Nashville and how 
strong the water tasted there and how the coffee had the same taste...also how
"mineraly" the well water at a friends house tastes)  I know where my family live
in England the water has a lot of chalk in it (the ground too...big chunks!).

Time for some tea!

    My grandmother is a Scot from Colonsay, and she says that "high tea" is
    what we call "having leftovers for dinner."  So when I was a kid at
    home, my mom always called leftovers "high tea."  When you're having a
    snack of tea and crumpets and scones and clotted cream in the late
    afternoon, that's "tea" or "teatime."  When you're having leftovers for
    dinner, it's "high tea."  
    
    Also, Re: milk in first or milk in after, my English friend Cathy says
    you can taste the difference, and she's definitely a milk-in-first
    lady. The last time I had tea with her, I tried a cup of each, and I'm
    a milk-in-first person too!
    
    Peigi (spelling is Gaelic for Peggy)
    

    Re: protocol at teatime, I don't know anything about it, except that
    there's usually a choice of a sweet and a savory, such as sweet biscuit
    and small sandwiches. And there's always jam.
    
    Peigi

    My Webster's New Third International Dictionary (unabridged) defines
    high tea as "a meal served between five and six o'clock usu. with meat,
    salad, stewed fruit, cakes or cookies, and with tea." Tea is "light
    refreshments usu. including tea with bread and butter sandwiches,
    crackers, cookies, served in late afternoon" OR "a formal social
    occasion (as a reception) at which tea and other refreshments are
    served" OR "a light late afternoon or evening meal:  supper."
    
    All references above are British in origin.  So, at my house, the
    meaning of "high tea" was as defined above, a light dinner of a lot of
    different stuff.  If you're in England, "tea" can mean anything from a
    light snack to a light supper to a fawncy :) occasion.
    
    

    	I was born a bred in the north of England where the water is soft
    	compared to the hard water down south where I am now. It makes a
    	BIG difference to a nice cuppa.
    
    	Two things about tea ... it tastes a helluva lot better without
    	milk or sugar ( au natrel as it were ) and its a great way to cool
    	down after strenuous exercise. I wonder if that's why the
    	'teasmade' is always advertised in a bedroom ;-)
    
    	Did you know across the pond that here in England Chimpanzees are
    	used to advertise PG Tips. They have produced some of the best
    	advertisments on British TV.
    
    	I wonder if teatime relates to the days of the British Raj. After
    	an afternoon snooze in India, it would probably be frightfully
    	refreshing to have a nice cup of tea brewed from the tips of the
    	leafs of the tea bush from ones own plantation.
    
    	Regards.
    
    	Bill.

    As a life-long tea-drinker (a Brit of course), some tips that might aid
    to the appreciation of this fine beverage - second only to (English)
    beer in my affections:
    
    1. Making the tea ("brewing" or "mashing" is the correct terminology) -
    agree with everything said before re. warming the pot, etc., EXCEPT
    always use freshly BOILING water, literally as close to boiling point
    as you can get it. Hence, always take the pot to the kettle, not
    vice-versa. Use FRESH water, don't re-boil water that has previously
    been boiled - it loses oxygen and the tea takes on a "stale" taste.
    
    2. I prefer a ceramic pot, but metal ones can be OK (sterling silver is
    pretty impressive, but don't necessarily make any better tea) -
    watch out with the metal polish though !
    
    3. Use leaf tea whenever possible. To get the best flavour extraction
    the tea needs to expand and circulate around the pot - tea bags
    inhibit this process.
    
    4. After standing for 3-4 minutes (the tea, not you) stir it around in
    the pot and allow to stand another minute - same reason as 2. (I'm not
    sure the EXACT timing in an earlier note is totally critical!). My father
    insists that the stirring should be with a COLD spoon - again, I'm not
    convinced this is vital, but he's been making it longer than I have.
    
    5. If you can get them over there, try the named varieties of tea, such
    as Assam or Darjeeling. The commercial brands, PG Tips, Tetley, etc.
    are blends of different teas, using much smaller, inferior quality
    leaf - often literally the dust that's left behind after the drying
    process. Compare the leaf sizes, particularly AFTER brewing, and you'll 
    see the difference. Look for Earl Grey too - it's a perfumed blend
    (flavoured with Bergemot oil) and really refreshing - but NO milk or
    sugar with this, please (lemon if you really must).
    
    6. All good teas are better appreciated black and sugar-less, but I
    have to admit to needing milk in the commercial brands.
    
    Hope this is helpful - good mashing !
    
    Jim
    

Howdy!

Just wanted to make sure I understand this. If I warm the tea pot with
boiling water, then use *almost* boiling water to make tea with, I will
need to make two batches of water? Also, since I will *add* almost
boiling water to the tea pot, this water will need to be made in a
different pot rather then the tea pot... so does it matter if this is a 
metal pot?

Thanks again for your help!
Laura

    There should be a gag here about MUDDYING the water, but I won't pursue
    it !
    
    Let's take it one step at a time...
    
    (Terminology: in the following, KETTLE = vessel in which you boil
    water - construction irrelevant; POT = tea-pot = vessel in which you
    brew, and from which you serve, the tea - ceramic or metal)
    
    1. Fill your kettle with fresh tap water and set it to boil.
    
    2. Once the  water is hot (but not yet boiling) pour a small amount
    (say a cupful) into the teapot. Swill this around the pot a while then
    tip it away - this should warm the pot sufficiently. Leave the rest of
    the water to continue heating.
    
    3. Now add the tea to the pot. One teaspoonful per cup plus one more is
    the "standard" measure, but this implies that you then add only the
    right amount of water for that many cups of tea. In practice most
    people make a full pot, so experience will tell you how much tea you
    need for the size of your pot, and your preferred strength of tea.
    
    4. By now the water in the kettle should be boiling, so now fill the pot
    with the boiling water and leave to "mash".
    
    5. As per previous note, stir after 3-4 minutes, wait a further minute,
    pour and ENJOY.
    
    Just to add further to the confusion, it is a point of furious and
    heated debate amongst tea-drinkers as to whether the milk (if used) 
    should go into the cup before or after the tea. Proponents of each
    method will argue their corner strenuously, but no-one has been able to
    prove the case conclusively either way. The best bet is not to use
    milk!
    
    Hope that's cleared the water (or the tea).
    
    Jim
    

Jim,

Now I got it!! Thanks! 

Laura

    
    I'm a tea lover (yes I'm a Brit too!) Darjeeling and Earl Grey being my
    favourites, but there are some nice herbal teas around too.
    
    Re: .19
    I read somewhere that re-boiling water increases the nitrate content,
    so besides tasting awful, its not good for you either.
    
    
    Jackie

    I was wondering if there was any truth to the notion that the longer
    you steep your tea, the less caffeine the tea will have?  I remember
    hearing that as you steep the tea [in almost boiling water] it 
    releases a certain chemical that, in affect, neutralizes caffeine.
    Anybody know?
    
    Thanks.
    Mark
    P.S. Is Mr. T related to Mr. Coffee?!?! ;-)

That is completely backwards.  The longer you steep tea, the more caffeine and 
other alkaloids you extract.  There's no magic "caffeine neutralizer" in tea.

--PSW

    
    I'm looking to purchase 'loose tea', and have only see it
    in catalogs.. are there any stores that might carry this?
    Am in the Mass/souther NH area.
    

Places that sell bean coffee tend to have this as well.

Purity and Super Shaw's supermarkets sell loose tea as well as bags.

The Mousetrap in Brookline Liquor Mart (on Commonwealth Ave. in Allston) sells 
loose tea.

--PSW

    It's usually in tins.  Also, chinese grocery stores sell a 
    wide variety of loose teas.
    
    (Can't think of the common brand name for loose tea in tins --
    Bigelow?)
    
    Peigi

    Ed Hyder's Meditteranean Marketplace in Worcester sells a variety of
    loose teas in tins.
    
    Lychee is my fave...
    
    Edd 

And if you're willing to take the drive, there's a wonderful tea shop called 
Special Teas in Grafton Center that sells a nice variety of loose tea (and 
lunch, breakfast, sometimes dinner, and a few other assorted items.)

joan

    The Coffee Connection also sells loose teas!
    

    Hi -
    
    My daughter is studying the Japanese tea ceremony (chado) and is 
    looking for the thick green tea used in the ceremony. So far, she's
    checked Joyce Chen's in Amherst, and they said they could not get it.
    
    Any ideas where I might find it in the greater Boston, southern NH
    area, or by mail? 
    
    Thanks,
    
    Kate
    

    
    I'm not sure if this store is still there, but when I lived in the area
    there was a place in Sudbury, MA--Right on rt.20 called DUCK SOUP.
    
    They were the best oriental grocer in the area.  I did alot of my
    shopping there, and they had a huge selection.
    
    There is also a new oriental grocer on rt. 9 in Framingham, right near
    Walter Dyer Leather. Not sure of the name.
    
                                                            

    There is a tea catalog which should have what your daughter wants.
    
    Don't have the info myself.  
    
    Laura
    

    
    Try calling the 2 Japanese Restaurants in Nashua.
    
    One is the OSAKA, I don't know the name of the other.
    

 Osaka Tea Garden and the Tokyo (both on DW Highway).

    I would recommend the Midori res. on 101A.  I had an exchange student
    living me for 1 year and these people were great about this kind of
    stuff.  If I remember correctly I asked them where to get the tea - and
    they gave us some -- our student so very graciously shared this
    beautiful ceremony with our family and friends.
    

    Does anybody have a special secret for getting tea stains out of mugs?
    I have some mugs that are in desperte need of help.
    
                                       Thanks,
    
                                       Alice

    Elbow grease, wshing up liquid and a plastic scourer.
    
    Bleach, leave stand for a couple of hours.
    
    Dishwasher does a great job on my mugs.
    
    Angus

re: .39

>    Does anybody have a special secret for getting tea stains out of mugs?
>    I have some mugs that are in desperte need of help.
    
Alice:

Try Efferdent denture-cleaning tablets.  I've used them with great success
to remove coffee stains, they'd probably work on tea stains as well.

-Hal

    I take mine home once a week for a trip through the dishwasher - comes
    right off!
    
    /Charlotte

    I've put my mugs through the dishwasher many times and it doesn't touch 
    them. It is only  one set of mugs that are stained. Maybe it is the finish 
    on them that stains easily. I like the efferdent idea.
    
                                      Alice
    
    

    Toothpaste or baking soda also helps.
    

    
    Baking soda, slightly damp, and a facecloth....

Cream cleanser, or powder cleanser ... normal everyday kitchen 
cleaning things. I dunno what brand names you have there. Jif, or 
Ajax, here.

~Sheridan~
:^)

         I've always found that tamarind gets rid of tea stains and 
         you can use the juice afterwards to enhance your sauces!
         
         Ian
         
         

    A product called "Dip-it" is to rid cups, pots, etc. of tea/coffee 
    stains... sold at most grocery stores.

    
    Salt and Hot water.....

    Baking soda & water to soak, or some on a damp rag, and scrub!
    
    Monica

    Thanks all,
    
    I tried the baking soda and water it worked great. I let it sit for a 
    couple of nights and the stains wiped out easily.
    
                                               Alice

    Many months later... 
    
    I use Softscrub with bleach for cleaning tea and coffee stains, 
    it takes only a minute and works wonders.  The cups look brand new
    again... just rinse well afterwards.
    
    Nancy

    Just try Dishwasher detergent and hot water, let it soak as couple of
    hours. The detergent contains bleach.
    
    Ken