BS: Lapsang Souchong

Subject: Lapsang Souchong
From: sophocleese
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 04:26 PM

I'm not all that interested furthering or heatedly attempting to debunk stereotypes but I do like to drink tea. The three kinds of tea that I like to drink are all Twinings brand, Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong. What kind of tea do other Mudcatters like to drink? And how do you make it?

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 04:31 PM

Darjeeling every time - Earl Grey is an anathema

Yorkshire Tea is nice too

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: sophocleese
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 04:32 PM

What is Yorkshire Tea like? I've never tasted it.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: MMario
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 04:37 PM

chinese green - I don't make it, I force my niece to make it for me.

Other then that, I will drink (in order of preference - when drinking tea) 1) any caffienated tea someone makes for me 2) any caffienated tea I have to make myself 3) coffee 4) soda 5)lemonade 6) hot water 7) cold water 8) caffiene free herbal mixes that call themselves tea

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 05:08 PM

Regarding Yorkshire Tea

Tea that "tastes like tea used to taste"

Taylors of Harrogate & Yorkshire Tea Est. 1886 "The Best Cup of Tea in England" as served by Taylors of Harrogate's award-winning Betty's Cafe Tea Rooms, winners of the British Tea Council's "Top Tea Place of the Year" award.

This traditional and refreshing tea has won the loyalty of customers throughout England. Indeed, over 5 million cups of Yorkshire Tea are enjoyed every single day. Taylors' expert tea blender uses his skill and experience to ensure that the special characteristics fo the world's finest teas - taste, strength, aroma and colour - combine to give Yorkshire Tea its rich satisfying flavour

None of the 'has someone squirted perfume in this?' Earl Grey rubbish.

No idea where you live, but any decent search engine should find you someone who distributes this fine brew.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Caitrin
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 05:10 PM

Earl Grey is my personal favorite, brewed very strong with two tsps. of sugar. I also like Darjeeling and Formosa Oolong.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 05:22 PM

I dont drink tea (Banished to the colonies for it) Assam tea is full bodied and an excellent cure for cold weather blues. Darjeeling has always been known as a fine tea. Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: sophocleese
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 05:34 PM

Okay Guest I'll have a look for it, here in Ontario, Canada. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:05 PM

You can order Yorkshire Tea, from GoodWoods, here, in the States.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:25 PM

G'day sophocleese,

Many years back I worked in cost accounting at the Sydney factory of British Leyland. An elderly Pom (Englishman to any Yanks out there) at the next desk always made his own tea - despite the fact that this was the era when British businesses still had tea ladies - and it would be one of Twinings' "Varieties" tea bags. Thes had six different teas so he could chooose that most to his taste that day.
However, the one he could never enjoy was Lapsang Souchong and he gave me a half dozen tea bags of this. I tried it and decided it had a decided aura of road scrapings ... and threw the others into my emergency billy can in the car (a bag of rice, small jar of sugar, ditto salt ... and 5 Lapsang Souchong teabags).
Later that year I was in Queensland and stayed at a very remote Youth Hostel: Lost World (below the Lamington Plateau. The last time I stopped there it was unattended (and I had to cross a flooded creek to get there). Now it had a resident Warden, an English artist called Tony Wedd. In chatting with him, tea came up and he despaired of ever again seing his favorite ... LAPSANG SOUCHONG! I told him I had 5 tea bags of same and he was more than welcome to it.
The last I saw of the Lapsang was Tony carefully 'cutting' it back with domestic 'Bushells' to eke out the tiny supply ... so I guess it is chacun a sa gout.
(I must admit that I can become enthusiastic about Twinings' Russian Caravan - black and unsweetened as tea should be!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Glyph
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:35 PM

I never learned to drink coffee which makes me a small minority now that I live in the US. I did most of my growing up in Canada where I learned to drink strong black tea with cream and sugar.

These days my favorites, in order, are: - Indian chai tea - bancha tea - oolong tea - green tea - spearmint tea (when I can find fresh spearmint)

By the way, I just discovered a great way to clean that sticky stuff that gets on refridgerators and is hard to clean off. As I was check my tea shelf on the spelling of oolong, I knocked over the Tabasco sause bottle which broke and splashed on the fridge. When I wiped it of, the fridge was suddenly amazingly white. Now I guess I better clean the rest of it.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: sophocleese
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:41 PM

Bob Bolton, it is the decided aura of road scrapings that makes Lapsang so delicious. I class its flavour with dark beer, peaty malt whisky, salted licorice, and dark molasses, all of which I like. I'm glad your Lapsang went to someone who treasured and appreciated it.

Glyph,I guess you can't call the colour of the fridge "Cool White" anymore. Maybe I'll try it someday and stop my kids chewing their nails at the same time.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:41 PM

Best tea I know is "teadirect", which as well as getting a fair price to the people who grow it (unlike most of the big tea makers) tastes delicious. And it's sold in Tesco's as well as Oxfam and Traidcraft shops.

Just to challenge stereotypes, the people who market it in England are called "cafedirect", but I don't reckon their coffee is anywhere near as good.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Llanfair
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:44 PM

Earl Grey, Hot, for me. If you like a strong brew, try 2 earl grey teabags and one ordinary tea in a warmed pot. Hwyl, Bron.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: sophocleese
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:45 PM

McGrath Looks like a good place. I used to buy my coffee through Bridgehead but their tea was awful, nice to know there is a way to get good tea as well now.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Quirk Malarkey
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:49 PM

i've been drinking lapsang souchoung for years. i have affectionately called it babylonian sweatsock tea for the same number of years. no one believes me when i say the second cuppa is the good one. --doodlezak

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Callie
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:52 PM

Ahhh! I've found my people! lapsang and Earl Grey are the best 'common' teas. A trip to the supermarket is never complete without lingering by the teas for a whiff.

However, coconut flavoured tea is an absolute aphrodisiac. I know - I've tried it and it's worked!

--Callie

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Mbo
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 07:54 PM

I like Crystal Light iced tea....don't drink regular tea, makes me sick to my stomach.

--Mbo

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 08:00 PM

I'm supposed to stay far away from caffiene, but depending on the mood, I drink: Twinings Prince of Wales, Irish Breakfast, darjeeling, and after that, anything brown. (Instant, Constant Comment, etc.)

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Helen
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 08:03 PM

Twinings Earl Gey, also their Blackcurrant - sorry, all of you purists. I cut them back to half strength with an ordinary/unflavoured tea.

I tried to be patriotic and drink the Australian tea called Narada, but it somehow creates a mild hayfever like allergic reaction in my nose. It might not be the tea, it might be something to do with the chemicals they may or may not be using. Anyway, even though their green tea was very nice I couldn't drink it and still have 2 almost full packets - one gree tea in bags, one loose leaf black tea.

I have this gripe, long running and still relatively unsatisfied: why is it that coffee shop/cafe proprietors wouldn't be seen dead serving instant tea but they have the gall to serve a "pot" of tea made on tea bags - with the tea bag string hanging out blatantly. It's almost like a contempt for tea drinkers. Sorry, but for quite a while now I have been wondering why people don't open proper tea shops as an alternative. Certainly not common in Oz, I haven't ever seen on here, although there probably are some somewhere.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 08:25 PM

Earl Grey? No way! Leave it to Captain Picard. But "chacun a son goat!".

When teabags came out first my mother thought they were a stupid idea, and made terrible tea. But then I found that she was tearing them open and tipping the contents into a teapot.

Tea leaves that you put into a pot with a spoon rather than teabags probably make better tea, but teabags are OK if you heat the pot or the cup and use boiling water. And the tea should look a bit red when it's mashed (or "brewed"). Every time I have a good cup of tea I'm amazed I ever drink coffee - but in fact being a lazy soul, in need of caffeine fixes from time to time, I drink more instant coffee than anything else. And the best song I know about anything non-alcoholic is A PROPER CUP OF COFFEE

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 08:33 PM

I did kinda wonder about Post Top Forum Home Translate.......

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Hotspur
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 08:36 PM

Assam, Russian caravan, Darjeeling (of course) for black teas... I admit to liking fruit and spice teas a lot, especially black currant and orange spice. Jasmine tea is nice when you don't want anything too dark or bitter.

Teabags make an acceptable cup of tea but you absolutely have to put the bag in the cup first, then pour the boiling water over it. Otherwise it won't steep well.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 10:14 PM

And I thought somebody wanted to talk abou the civil rights movement in Burma!
G.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 10:33 PM

PG Tips for me, little milk and sugar. When my wife and I visit her family in Tuckton, Dorset, Lynne's Mom's first question to me is "cup o' tea, Ern?" And she brings me a big cup of PG Tips with a little too much sugar, but somehow drinking that first cup of tea in that little sitting room, surrounded by English accents, watching The Bill on tv, is always my official re-introduction to England.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 11:45 PM

G'day again'

You may talk of your whisky and talk of your beer,
There's something much nicer that's waiting me here.
It sits on the fire , beneath a gum tree:
There's nothing much nicer than a billy of tea

&c, &c, &c.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: phil jl
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:26 AM

Bob Bolton's posting of the first verse of Billy Of Tea reminded me of Enda Kenny's song in which he laments that he is always offered Earl Grey tea when all he wants 'is a proper cup of tea'.

Does anyone have the words ? It doesn't appear to be in the DB.

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Gypsy
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:33 AM

Now, Lapsang Souchong is wondermous when one is working and needs to be seriously attentive to the task at hand. Twinings, or better please. There is a wonderful persian Earl Grey, available in Berkely, that i love, and is great for the evenings when playing music. If that isn't available, twinings will do. And my personal campaigne: I live in an area where the restaurants serve gold plated coffee....and the very cheapest of teas. And charge the same price! Tea drinkers, unite! Demand a quality beverage when you dine out!

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: JamesJim
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:41 AM

Tea? I believe I must be re-incarnate. I had to be a one of the party dressed as indians at the Boston Tea Party. I can tolerate it when I eat Chinese food, but to think of drinking it at a social gathering, or even alone, without food, makes me gag! Apologies to my English friends. Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:51 AM

OK, time to get serious here, from a dyed in the wool Yank. What is PROPER tea? other than loose leaves in the pot? How strong is strong? What is wrong with Twinings? Is it acceptable in a pinch? What really is Earl Grey? Is it Darjeeling/Oolong with bergamot flavor, or is is bergamot (herbal crap) tea? I have Bergamot growing in my garden and I love the smell/flavor of it, but alone it would be really weak. OK, give over the secret, you Pommies; What is REAL TEA, and HOW DO YOU BREW IT? (warm pot, add leaves, add BOILING water--hard, soft, bottled, etc?) After all,I am expecting bill/sables in June and I want to be able to do it right!! Tea black, or offer milk (cream)/sugar? In the pot or in the cup? and then there is LEMON!

Have pot, have loose Oolong, can get real cream,real lemon, bottled water, HELP!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:53 AM

I don't know much about tea and normaly settle for the cheapest tea bags I can get but my treat for myself is Assam and I make it pretty strong too.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Llanfair
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 04:50 AM

The Bergamot in Earl Grey isn't the herb we have in the garden, it's a citrus fruit that grows in hot climates.
Do the Americans really put cream in tea? No wonder they don't like it much!!!
The making of tea is a very personal ritual, everyone does it slightly differently, to their taste.
The only constant specifications are that the pot/cup should be warm, the water boiling and preferably not too contaminated with chlorine or any other stuff, and the tea left to brew.
After that , you're on your own!!!
Personally, I don't like too much milk, just a drop, and no sugar. Hwyl, Bron.

Subject: Tea - The drink of the Gods
From: Hyperabid
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 04:51 AM

Twinings have recently introdued Lady Grey Tea. Basicly Earl Grey with Lemon Zest which is a real winner in the mornings.

They have also introduced a Jasmine green tea, (the stuff you get srved in chinese restaurants), which personally I find almsot as addictive as chinese food.

Being a strong tea person there is little to beat a pint mug filled with well-mashed Assam with a little milk and three spoons of sugar.

Before you ask I'm not entirely sure how I keep my waistline intact.

Hyp

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 06:42 AM

G'day all,

JamesJim: It would not do you much good to join the "Indians" - they were Boston smugglers of Dutch-sourced tea ditching the opposition product.

PhilJl: I have scanned in the 19th century Billy of Tea and will post it forthwith - tp the lyric req. thread.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BILLY OF TEA
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 07:00 AM

G'day again,

Since the request thread was from Wotcha, - who wasn't in this thread, I will repeat the lyric posting here:

This is the original (published) version from the 1897 Native Companion Songster - a collection of songs gathered by an author and published (a sort of 19th century DT). The lyrics (which have driftyed a little since the first stanza appeared on Dave de Hugard's Travelling Down The Castlereagh LP circa 1968) are:

THE BILLY OF TEA
Anon. (Air@'Bonnie Dundee")

You may talk of your whisky or talk of your beer,
I've something far better awaiting me here;
It stands on that fire beneath the gum-tree,
And you cannot much lick it-a billy of tea.
So fill up your tumbler as high as you can,
You'll never persuade me it's not the best plan,
To let all the beer and the spirits go free
And stick to my darling old Billy of Tea.

I wake in the morning as soon as'tis light,
And go to the nosebag to see it's all right,
That the ants on the sugar no mortgage have got,
And immediately sling my old black billy-pot,
And while it is boiling the horses I seek,
And follow them down perhaps as far as the creek;
I take off the hobbles and let them go free,
And haste to tuck into my Billy of Tea.

And at night when I camp, if the day has been warm,
I give each of the horses their tucker of corn,
From the two in the pole to the one in the lead,
And the billy for each holds a comfortable feed;
Then the fire I start and the water I get,
And the corned beef and damper in order I set,
But I don't touch the grub, though so hungry I be,
I will wait till it's ready-the Billy of Tea.

From The Native Companion Songster.

The tune, Bonnie Dundee is very effective but calls for a good range of voice. The Bushwackers dipped out and used only the first (low) part (as on Dave's short piece, a filler at the end of one side).
I'm sure you will also get the later words - or else I will get around to that version as well.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:11 AM

"Apologies to my English friends. Jim"

You'd better offer a bigger apology to any Irish or Australian friends. When it comes to tea drunk per head both peoples score far higher. (When it comes to Earl Grey Tea, I suspect the Americans might top the list...)

No one's got round to milk first or tea first so far. Now that's something that divides households. I was hearing John Kirkpatrick the other day say how not a day passed when he was growing up without his parents discussing their differences on this point. (I'm a tea first man myself.)

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Jim Krause
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 04:58 PM

I'm more of a coffee man, myself. French Roast, or Mocha Java are the coffees of choice. And they gotta be freshly ground, I mean within the time span it takes to boil 24 ounces of distilled water on the range. But another comes to mind, when I out camping, I like to roast green coffee right over the fire, or camp stove, gind it right there, and brew it loose in the pot, sort of cowboy coffee. I found one of those hand crank grinders that really works.

But as for tea, Asam, or Darjeeling, loose (those tea bags are an abomination) are good with Indian curries, chutneys, etc. Jasmine or green tea, or oolong with Chinese cuisine is the only way to go. And Lapsang Souchang makes my wife barf. I guess some one fixed her a cup about an hour before she came down with a violent attack of the stomach flu. She never did get over it. Earl Grey is for desert. Tea should be brewed 1 heaping teaspoon per six ounces of water, add 1 very heaping teaspoon of sugar, and that's a pretty good "cuppa" as I've seen it referred to. As for putting milk or cream in it, why bother? Just make your tea weaker, that's alll.

As to brands, I have no loyalties. I just buy the stuff in bulk at the local independent grocery store. Who knows where it came from after it left India?

Subject: Lyr Add: BILLY OF TEA
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 07:15 PM

G'day Again,

Phil jl:

Here are the words you requested of Enda Kenny's Song

EARL GREY
Can't stand the stuff … I like to steer clear of grey areas.

Is it perfume? Is it tea?
Whatever it is it does nothing for me
Should I drink it? Or dab it on?
Can I swap it for a coffee or has all the water gone?

It is hot it is wet.
It is eau de toilette
Is it from the House of Lipton or Chanel?
I only want a cup of tea not this stuff you've given me
If you think I'm going to drink it go to

Help me
Someone call a doctor, call a nurse!
Call an ambulance I'm poisoned
And I think it's getting worse
I only wanted a cup of tea
But I fear that my last mouthful will be the death of me

It is hot it is wet
It is eau de toilette
To my mind it is more toilette than eau
If you want to spoil your day
Add the oil of Earl Grey
I'm reliably informed it's bergamot....

What a mouthful !
Is it perfume? Is it wee?
Whatever it's supposed to be it doesn't taste like tea
Should I drink it or dab it on?
Can I swap it for a coffee or has all the water gone?

It is hot it is wet
It is eau de toilette
Is it Twinings? Is it Tetley? Let me see
Go ahead make my day
But please don't make me drink Earl Grey
All I want is a proper cup of tea


While I am at it, here are the more 'modern' words to Billy of Tea (as sung by the Bushwackers, early 1970s.

BILLY OF TEA

Chorus:
You can talk of your whisky, talk of your beer,
There's something much nicer that's waiting us here,
It sits on the fire beneath the gum tree,
There's nothing much nicer than a billy of tea.

So fill up your tumbler as high as you can
And don't you dare tell me it's not the best plan,
You can let all your beer and your spirits go free
I'll stick to my darling old billy of tea.

I rise in the morning as soon as it's light
And go to the nose bag to see it's alright,
That the ants on the sugar no mortgage have got
And straight away sling my old black billy-pot.

And while it is boiling the horses I seek
And follow them down,, as far as the creek,)
I take off their hobbles and let them run free
Then haste to tuck into my billy of tea.

And at night when I camp if the day has been warm
I give to my horses their tucker of corn,
From the two in the pole to the one in the lead
A billy for each holds a comfortable feed.

Then the fire I make and the water I get
And corned beef and damper, in order.) I set,
But I don't touch the grub though so hungry I be –
I wait till it's ready-the billy of tea.

Their tune is a flattened out version of the first half of Bonnie Dundee, the original collected tune (from back when the 'folk' could still sing!).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:04 PM

Sorcha

One important point in making a good cup of tea, never use water from the hot water tap, always use the cold tap. Something (and this is a subject of discussion and disagreement among tea drinkers - is it the copper pipes, is it because the air has already been boiled out of the water once before you boil it, etc?) in the hot water makes the tea taste terrible. It's not discernible in coffee as far as I know. I've never heard a coffee drinker complain, but try making a pot of tea for a real tea drinker using the hot water tap and watch them screw their face up in disgust.

My sister kept complaining because her hubby complained about the tea she made him and said it was because of this. She didn't believe him until she made a pot for him once making sure he didn't see which tap the water came from. He knew straight away and as far as I know she has never made it again on hot water.

Twinings is better than the cheaper brands, especially for Earl Gray. Don't try cheap Earl Gray or you'll end up agreeing with Enda Kenny.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:02 PM

Ah, we're getting there. I did know about hot tap water, and warm pots.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:24 PM

Hot tap water for anything except washing is a culinary abomination. It's probably a serious health hazard as well.

Aren't there any Japanese Mudcatters? I mean they take the tea ceremony even more seriously. (I gather you don't even need to drink it, it's the preparation ritual that's important. Like the fella I knew who'd go to enormous pains getting his guitar into absolutely perfect tune at te start of a session. Then he'd put it down, poick up his drink - not tea - and wouldn't touch it again for the rest of the evening.)

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: sophocleese
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:27 PM

Not just hot tap water. Water that has been boiled once or twice already will have lost a lot of its original oxygen bubbles and they are what help bring the flavour out when you're steeping tea. Fresh cool water which you bring to the boil once and then pour over the leaves in a warm pot.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 10:15 PM

Well McGrath, you mentioned it - it is milk last for me and yes it does cause dissagreement in the family as my mother is under the misguided impression that it should be the other way round ;-)

Bob, loved the Earl Grey song - it quite accurately describes my feelings towards the stuff.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: JamesJim
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 11:18 PM

Okay, McG of H! My apologies to all tea lovers, no matter your nationality. You know what really turns me off about tea? Just the thought of adding milk or cream to it. I suppose that is supposed to make it more palatable/tasty, but I find it quite unappealing (hope I haven't offended another whole group of friends). Of course, we all have acquired tastes. Mine are more akin to Kentucky Bourbon and Derby Pie (we're getting ready to celebrate the 126th running of the Kentucky Derby in a few weeks). Cheers to all and please enjoy your tea! Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Gypsy
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 12:54 AM

Yuck! The only place that milk or cream have in a caffinated beverage is if that is a Chai, or some version of a latte, which is a creature unto itself, and bears no semblance to its ancestors. I prefer tea, will drink GOOD coffee on occasion, but with no additions.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:58 AM

Wow Gypsy, you are sounding as bad as I am with whisky. I like my additions in tea and coffee but to pollute say a Lagavulin with other other substances (although a drop of water, not ice, is acceptable) is sacrilidge.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 03:04 AM

Also, in addition to sophocleese's instructions: use the boiling water to swill around in the pot to heat it up, then tip that lot out, add the tea leaves and then make sure the water is still boiling or bring it back to the boil briefly so that it is at its hottest when you pour it into the pot. An old saying is to bring the pot to the kettle and not the kettle to the pot - to make sure you get it at its hottest.

After you have poured the water in, leave it to brew for a few minutes and then pour into the cups. I have started a habit of warming the cup too especially in winter, but I like it really hot.

Milk and sugar are a matter of preference, and everyone has a definition of the perfect cuppa - mine is hot, a little milk, no sugar, and not too strong, not too weak. I can't imagine putting cream in tea - coffee, yes, because it has a sort of oily base in the bean, similar to chocolate, but not tea.

Speaking of chocolate, who told me recently - was it at the 'Cat? - that the world's chocolate supplies have the potential to dry up with the increasing loss of arable chocolate farming land in the right climates? gods spare us from that calamity.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Jim Krause
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 05:36 PM

Bob Bolton, By any chance is Billy of Tea sung to the melody of The Mountains of Mourne? You know, it does work.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: Kara
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 05:44 PM

I gave up tea when I gave up smoking pot.

Subject: RE: BS: Lapsang Souchong
From: GUEST, Mr. Tea
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 07:28 PM

Me ma always put the milk in first. She said the cup didn't get brown with the tannin as quick. Apart from that reason, I see no other advantage in it. I drink it out of a pint mug, three sugars, and milk. Eight or nine times a day
I'm drinking it now!
While we speak!
It tastes better, of course, with the cream of the milk.
Straight from the cow.
None of that oul' 'pastuerised' rubbish!
After a good fry with beef sausages, thick rashers of green bacon, two fried eggs on a fried soda farl, fried mushrooms, fried tomatoes, a bit of black pudding.
And a pint of sweet tea with the skin just about to form on the top.

I like Lyon's, but any old leaf will do, as long as you can run a mouse over the top of it, it's good enough for me.
The BEST thirst quencher known to man.
Even better than the Real Thing!
Love the stuff!

Mr. Tea.