Tales from the Teapot

I thought my first entry into the Blogosphere should be accompanied by a nice cup of tea. I make no excuses, and like most of my countrymen, I love tea...and some McVities chocolate biscuits wouldn’t go amiss either. The objective of my blog is twofold. First, it is an outlet for my own thoughts and creative writing, and I make no apologies for Tales from the Teapot being self serving. Second, I hope any followers will enjoy my unique, English-tinged view of the world.

Anyway, in the view of the British anything can be cured by a nice cup of tea: a mild cold, a hangover, wars, pestilence, famine; you name it. Sadly, Hitler didn’t care for Mr.Chamberlain’s tea. All Neville got in return was a rather worthless piece of paper and the rest is history.

While Americans may complain about our food, misguided criticism in my opinion (that will be the topic of a future blog), we (Brits) have every right to criticize their tea. It is a well-known fact that Americans are not big tea drinkers and the quality of tea reflects that fact. Their dislike for our sublime brew can be traced back to December 1773 when a group of rebels disguised as Indians dumped a consignment of British tea into Boston Harbor, which, according to the character George Banks (remember the father in Mary Poppins?), "made the tea undrinkable. Even for Americans."

So what's my favorite tea? For everyday, I love the English Breakfast tea from a supplier on the island of Jersey (just off the coast of France) called Coopers. Not only is their tea superlative, their customer service is excellent. We usually order the catering pack of 1100 tea bags. And they will ship to the States. When you call just ask for Kathy. In terms of specific variety, I love Darjeeling. It is often called the champagne of teas. It is a very mild tea, so I will often mix it with a stronger blend.

Thanks for "tuning in" to Tales from the Teapot. Check back regularly for updates and be sure to warm the pot.