Thursday 27 May 2010

Trying to look hard like Gary Cooper - super duper

Next week Monday, my sister is taking me to have Tea at the Ritz.

For an extortionate amount of money, we have exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes to pretend we are posh and that we do this every day.

Which sort of got me thinking about tea.

Why don’t I drink tea more often? Why do I crave coffee more than a good cup of earl grey or Yorkshire tea? I used to love tea as a child – there were so many ways to make that perfect cup of tea.

My mum’s way was to let the tea brew first then add milk.

Her boyfriend at that time nearly had a heart attack when he saw me do this and said that it was milk first in the cup, then tea bag, then hot water. Needless to say that relationship didn’t last although he was a really nice bloke!

A friend of mine (whom I lost contact with regrettably) was from a Muslim household and she would boil the milk and tea bag together and serve it quite sweet.

Another friend drank only Earl Grey and she had a precise measurement of how much milk to add – too much and it’s spoilt, too little and she’ll send it back.

These days if I do choose tea, it'll be herb tea with honey.

If I ever decide to revert to drinking proper english tea over coffee - at least I could have teapots like these:




Now my next task is to pursuade my sister NOT to wear trainers under her long skirt on the day.

Charlie says: You have tea at the Ritz, I lick the dirt off the concrete. Just as good.

Have a spiffing good Thursday everyone!

31 comments:

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Hi Charlie...

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

Lookatthattail!!!!!!!!!!!

*weeeeeeeeeee*****
oh my...
OK back on track --- tea.
Momma loves coffee, especially flavored coffees and that is her special treat to herself, since she had to give up so much of the stuff she used to eat.

She rarely drinks tea...
She must be missing something...

purrs
>^,,^<
Abby

Pip said...

My mommy starts her day with a good cup of "English Breakfast". She sais it is way better than coffee. She not puts nothing in it. Juss water and tea bag.
You enjoys your tea at the Ritz with your sistor! Is a great way to spends time with someone you loves!
Charlie- don't eats the dirt my friend, it will gives you a dirty mind. *snickers*
TK

Brian's Home Blog said...

Gee, I didn't know that tea could be so complicated. It all smells pretty much the same to me, but Charlie, now that's a good idea!

Theresa Milstein said...

I love the Marmtea pot!

My drink of choice is coffee, so I don't know much about methods of tea brewing. There's a really good chai tea that I get at a local Indian restaurant, but I have no idea how they make it. I've tried various ways, but it's not nearly as good.

The only other time I have tea is when I'm sick.

I've heard there are more coffee places in Dublin now. It was hard to get a good cup when I visited 11-years ago!

Have a great time at Tea the the Ritz. I'm sure you can pull off posh!

The Chair Speaks said...

Love those teapots and Charlie's pom-pom tail. :)
Enjoy your tea at the Ritz!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

OMGoodness, Old Kitty! What great fun you will have! It sounds wonderful (much better than concrete licking...sorry Charlie). I'm an Earl Grey girl and yes, the pot should be heated before you put in the tea and the boiling water. I agree with your friend, too much milk spoils the cup of tea.

I can't wait to hear about your posh adventure. :)

Susan Fields said...

I like tea, but it has to have lots of sugar in it. But I can drink coffee black, so I usually just do that. I grew up on tea, though - it always seemed very sophisticated.

Enjoy your tea at the Ritz - that picture is amazing! Can I come?

umi_e said...

Hi... umie don't drink coffee and seldom drink tea :p

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Cute poofy-tailed Charlie! Please give him a small squeeze for me and enjoy the afternoon with your sister! :)

Katnip Lounge said...

Where to start? I do coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon, and coffee in the evening with a healthy tot (OK, TWO tots) of rum. With various fruit & herbal teas throughout the day.
I couldn't live without my after lunch tea...I brew loose in a tea ball and have some chocolate along side. No milk, I'm a barbarian American!
Tea at the Ritz sounds like a blast! Posh it up.
The Cats point out not only is dirt off the concrete yummy, they groom their unmentionables, too.

Jacqueline said...

Our Mommy drinks tea every day=hot tea every morning instead of coffee (just got almond milk for it, but haven't tried it yet) and unsweetened iced tea during the day...We occasionally drink her iced tea out of her glass when we think she's not looking=Calle especially loves it!...We are "in love" with Charlie's gorgeous floof!!...xo...Calle, Halle, Sukki

Bossy Betty said...

I am a BIG tea drinker! Have fun at the Ritz! We want to hear about it!

fairyhedgehog said...

We were supposed to have tea at the Ritz for my Beloved's 50th (three years ago) but we've yet to do so!

You must post pictures!

Ann said...

LOL! Don't we all have our tea rituals! Mine is small dash of milk in a china mug! Must be a china mug. Tea made and left to draw in the pot under the tea cozy. Acutally sipping it now as I sit in my Irish kitchen catching up on my blog reading recovering from jetlag. Enjoy your tea at at the Ritz. Love those cream buns.
PS Talking of shoes got all mine in the case. :)

michico*Adan*Lego-小芥*阿丹*樂高 said...

The last photo!
What a taillllll!!!

Brigid O'Connor said...

Tea at the Ritz, sounds lovely.
I have always wanted to do that, maybe we can have a very posh bloggers meet up there some day, love the teapots.
I am a coffee drinker but do like a good cup of tea, milk last.

Kea said...

Tea at the Ritz! Oh my...I'd have to go out and buy an outfit and shoes and handbag. Seriously. What are you going to wear? (The all-important question.)

I used to drink tea in my 20s, and if regular tea, with a bit of milk and maybe a bit of sugar too. Now if I have tea it's usually Earl Grey or better, Lady Grey or an herbal infusion (not really "tea" of course). No milk, no sugar. And I like my tea weak. Dunk the tea leaves or tea bag for a couple of seconds and that's it. Unlike my mom, who would let it brew for ages, till it was almost as black as coffee. *shudder* LOL.

P.S. Yes, the guy showed up, early actually, and he and his girlfriend have 2 cats, he grew up with cats and dogs in the household. Points in his favour. But I think what he wants to do will be terribly pricey, material-wise. I'll post later, from work, if I get a chance. Gotta get ready to get my butt out the door now! :-)

joanne fox said...

Tea at the Ritz - how posh! We look forward to a full report.

I'm a big tea drinker, but very few people make it strong enough for me. It's just got to be the right side of stewed. And preferably made with Yorkshire tea bags.

Amy & the house of cats said...

Wow Tea at the Ritz - it sounds so fancy! I have a cup of tea every morning before I go to work - usually green tea of some sort (with nothing added). I wouldn't do well over there - milk and tea just do not go together in my mind! If I have black tea it is sugar or lemon or both for me! Though I am pretty sure I would take tea with milk over coffee! I just never got the taste for it!

And oh Charlie, you have such a cute floofy tail going on there!!

Jenny Woolf said...

Enjoy your tea! But why do they put a time limit on it? (or do you have a train to catch)?

And blimey, if your sister can't wear trainers and a skirt at the Ritz, when can she? :) at those prices people can wear what they like.

Anonymous said...

Charlie I think dirt licking is underrated!

Talli Roland said...

Tea at the Ritz?! What are you going to wear? It's oh-so-posh!

My husband puts the teabag in he cup, adds a sprinkly of cinnamon, pours the hot water, lets it brew, then adds milk. Weird, I know!

Please let us know how they do it at the Ritz!

Milton said...

Wow, tea at the Ritz!! Now that's posh.

Muttie loves Earl Grey. I drink it too when it's cool enough.

Milt x

Anonymous said...

I'm definitely a tea drinker. The taste of proper coffee is good, but it makes me twitch!

Pip said...

Come be a Cow Kittie with us Charlie! Go to http://samandy007.blogspot.com
We can be in a club together.

Musings of a Mother said...

Can I come pleeeease? I love afternoon tea - I don't actually drink tea but I love the sandwiches with no crusts, scones with clotted cream and miniature cakes. Yummy. Enjoy and make sure you bring something home for poor Charlie x

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the experience!

Now I MUST have that Marmite teapot.

notesfromnadir said...

I am so looking forward to reading about Tea at the Ritz! How posh can you get? Too bad they have to remind people not to wear jeans!

I can't drink tea with milk only lemon. I also discovered I can't have tea w/ my oatmeal as that requires milk & milk & lemon DON'T mix!

Kari said...

Ooo! We are tea drinkers! And strong and dark is just how we like it. We use our old Brown Betty. We swear it brews the best tea ever.

Anonymous said...

I struggle with the concept of tea having a time limit!

Anonymous said...

I loved this post! I'm rediscovering tea, after being dick addicted to coffee for years and being diagnosed with a kidney problem :p. I know, I never listen when there's still time.

I boil my tealeafs with the milk and water. And add sugar while boiling.

Loving tea these days :)