Tea...a beverage that puts the "steam" in Steampunk.

[proteus]

     "Earl grey, hot, black"

"Tea, Earl Grey, Hot"

[Edmund Charles Rutherford]

Ohh...I had forgotten about ginger "tea".  That is amazing stuff if you have a sore throat, or are congested.  Sweeten it with honey, and it's the best thing ever.  I learned to make it while apprenticed to a chef, as it was his favorite kind of infusion to make.  The chef I work with now is also a huge fan of the stuff, and my brother (the sous chef there) makes the best ginger "tea" I've ever had.

proteus:  Thanks for the link to the video!  :-)

[Skeleduck]

Ohh...I had forgotten about ginger "tea".  That is amazing stuff if you have a sore throat, or are congested.  Sweeten it with honey, and it's the best thing ever.  I learned to make it while apprenticed to a chef, as it was his favorite kind of infusion to make.  The chef I work with now is also a huge fan of the stuff, and my brother (the sous chef there) makes the best ginger "tea" I've ever had.

A health food store nearby sells preserved ginger root in syrup, which is too devastatingly sweet to eat as-is. When I'm feeling lazy, however, a spoonful of that mixture in hot water is very satisfying.

[Edmund Charles Rutherford]

Interesting...I shall have to take a look at the local health food store...been meaning to stop by there anyway.  Thanks for the tip!

[Skeleduck]

My pleasure - you might not find the same brand but I hope you will find something similar.

[Nuaie]

A question for those who drink Chai- how do you flavor it? I've recently started drinking tea, and am still messing with flavoring.

[Kryss LaBryn]

I think one drinks chai any way one thinks one will like it! I like mine with milk and sugar when I have it; friends take it either the same, with just sugar, or black. So I suppose it's all in what one's tastes are!

I would like to share a funny little story about the first time I had a cup of Rooibos; it was also the first time I had ever even heard of it. I was visiting my parents and reading in the living room when Mum called in from the kitchen to ask if I would like some Rooibos.

"What?" I asked, as I hadn't a clue what she was talking about.

"Rooibos."

"What?"

"Rooibos."

I finally had to admit that I could hear her perfectly well, but that I hadn't a clue what she was talking about. We shared a laugh, she told me it was a type of tea, we had a cup, and to this day I can't hear the name of it without remembering Mum doing the very British (lol) thing of thwarting incomprehension in her listeners by speaking louder and slower.

"No, no, Mum; I can hear you fine. I just have no idea what a 'Rooibos' is!"  Half thought it might be some kind of a kangaroo thing.

[Bookgal1977]

We have a wonderful resturant in the next city over that has a tea menu of over 100 teas. My friend and I go every friday night for dinner and tea.

My normal daily tea is some kind of black- english breakfast mostly- with milk and sugar. But I have yet to meet a tea i dont like. 

[Hez]

At a local restaurant a friend of mine asked for orange pekoe.  Confusion from the (new) waiter.  She explained that it's a black tea and he apologized saying they were out of black tea.  We were surprised but she ordered mint tea instead.  10 minutes later we were joined by another friend who asked the same waiter what kind of tea they served.  His reply was "Mint, camomile, green, English Breakfast and Earl Grey."  I was impressed by friend A's calmness as she explained that both English Breakfast and Earl Grey are, in fact, black teas and what that means.
To his credit he was grateful for the explanation.  Ignorance is so much easier to treat than stupidity.

[GarethG]

Re. Putting milk into the cup/mug first: If you make tea in a teapot, you can put milk in first, as the tea will have cooled sufficiently not to affect the milk; if you brew your tea in a cup/mug using tea-bags, you should make the tea before you add the milk as the boiling water added to milk will scald the milk! Case in point: I recently stayed at a friend's house as I had had problems with my front door not opening after I came home from work late that evening. I made myself a mug of tea that night, tasted lovely. Next morning, my friend's partner made us all mugs of tea, I could taste the milk had been scalded - difference? I made my mug of tea, then added the milk, he added the milk to the mugs before brewing the tea.

Gareth.

[Bookgal1977]

if you brew your tea in a cup/mug using tea-bags, you should make the tea before you add the milk as the boiling water added to milk will scald the milk!

I can't believe I've been using milk in my tea for years and did not know this! Thank you!

[CaptainMurra]

oh i love my tea, i drink WAY too much than i should, its like a substitute for water...... *goes and makes tea*

ok, now that i'm back, my favourite tea has to be Black Tea, with 1tspn of Sugar and quite a lot of milk. Drinking tea like water requires it to be cool enough to literally gulp down. I also don't mind cold tea, just not cold tea that's been standing there all day.

i like green tea, the powdered stuff mainly, and i sometimes (don't kill me) add milk and sugar to it. same with almost ALL other teas.

i also love the tea that you get in chinese restaurants.... mmmm yum. i think its jasmine tea? But definitely WITHOUT milk and sugar, but only for that tea!

[Uncle Arthur]

A near by Mennonite store handles the most excellent teas in bulk. They have an especially wonderful chai.

[B.Greco]

I just wanted to report my sheer blasphemy. I honesty may get booted for this... I'm going to have to put it in spoilers, its gruesome.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'm drinking Earl Grey,brewed in the microwave in a plastic sports jug from a bag with a little string

Please have mercy on this poor heretic.

[Hez]

I just wanted to report my sheer blasphemy. I honesty may get booted for this... I'm going to have to put it in spoilers, its gruesome.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'm drinking Earl Grey,brewed in the microwave in a plastic sports jug from a bag with a little string

Please have mercy on this poor heretic.

[psn1der]

I just wanted to report my sheer blasphemy. I honesty may get booted for this... I'm going to have to put it in spoilers, its gruesome.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'm drinking Earl Grey,brewed in the microwave in a plastic sports jug from a bag with a little string

Please have mercy on this poor heretic.

You definitely need to see a qualified professional about this.

[Obadiah Askew]

I do not drink as much tea as I would like to, what with keeping a wary eye out for those blasted stones of the Kidney, but I do rather enjoy the Russian Caravan Black Loose-leaf tea that my grandmother introduced me to (and gifted me with my very own 8oz tin from the Grace Tea Co. )

I have also just received a full pound of the Company's "Owner's Blend Premium Congou", a Yuletide gift from my Uncle. (Apparently the company was rather behind due to volume of orders from the Holidays.)

I love my black teas and also enjoy vanilla chai and mint herbal, preferably peppermint. All of which I add a generous amount of sugar to.

Also, how does one go about brewing a cup of tea strong enough to wake the dead without the beverage turning bitter?

[Professor Phineas Brownsm]

I drink enough tea to keep a zepplin crew happy for a week, normal standard tea is as far as i go

[Hez]

(clipped)

Also, how does one go about brewing a cup of tea strong enough to wake the dead without the beverage turning bitter?

North American tea is designed to be a quick brew: the bag is meant to be in the cup no longer longer than 30 seconds so after that you get the bitterness coming out.  British teas are made to be brewed longer and in a pot.  You get a stronger and more complex tea without the bitterness but you do need to allow several minutes for it to steep properly.

This is of course a sweeping generalization and like all such there are exceptions.

[Unsubtle Pete]

Also, how does one go about brewing a cup of tea strong enough to wake the dead without the beverage turning bitter?

Use more tea.

Seriously. Just use more tea for the same amount of time.

[Dr. Madd]

How about Rooibos Ice Cream? I made some the other day.

[bicyclebuilder]

I like my tea (Pickwick English blend) as diluted as possible. Just a couple of shades passed wee color. With sugar.
What I don't like is when the water comes from a coffee machine. Somehow there is always a hint of coffee stinking up an otherwise lovely cup of tea. Fruit flavored teas are also something I don't like.

My mother uses Napoleon candy for a lemon flavour. It's a hard candy so, in order to melt completely, she smaches the candy with a teaspoon. Mom has infected many people with this habbit, so one day I wrote a letter to the candy company, asking for a crushed candy product. That way, all my mother has to do is spoon in some crushed candy. They replied, but had no interest in making the product.
As for Rooibos Ice Cream, I have to try that ones.

[GabrielCrimson]

big mugs of either yorkshire tea or earl grey with way too much sugar and a splash of milk.( after the wayer is poured )

[Hez]

I like my tea (Pickwick English blend) as diluted as possible. Just a couple of shades passed wee color. With sugar.
What I don't like is when the water comes from a coffee machine. Somehow there is always a hint of coffee stinking up an otherwise lovely cup of tea. Fruit flavored teas are also something I don't like.

My mother uses Napoleon candy for a lemon flavour. It's a hard candy so, in order to melt completely, she smaches the candy with a teaspoon. Mom has infected many people with this habbit, so one day I wrote a letter to the candy company, asking for a crushed candy product. That way, all my mother has to do is spoon in some crushed candy. They replied, but had no interest in making the product.
As for Rooibos Ice Cream, I have to try that ones.

Hmm, perhaps you could build her a candy crusher, along the lines of a pill crusher but a bit sturdier and more decorative for the tea table.

[Professor Phineas Brownsm]

Change places!!! clean plates for all!!