Tea drinkers unite

Thirteenth wrote:

Where I came from, we ice the teas and mix them with syrup.

Is this a real thing? I come from a southern heritage and love "Southern Style" sweet tea but, I have never heard of using syrup. Are we talking corn syrup here or, some kind of flavored syrup? My iced tea is usually made with no less than 1cup of sugar per gallon of strong black tea.

I have been wanting to try the English way of drinking tea with milk in it; what kind of guidelines are there for a normal sized cup of tea when doing this. Also, since I like my tea sweeter should I cut back on that at all, when adding milk?

Tigerbill wrote:
Thirteenth wrote:

Where I came from, we ice the teas and mix them with syrup.

Is this a real thing? I come from a southern heritage and love "Southern Style" sweet tea but, I have never heard of using syrup. Are we talking corn syrup here or, some kind of flavored syrup? My iced tea is usually made with no less than 1cup of sugar per gallon of strong black tea.

Both! Syrup is just the convenient choice if the tea stands wish to make the tea quickly, which is the case always. Real cane sugar is probably the "luxurious" choice. I do the same as you when I make my own. Brew tea by the gallon and mix in the sugar while the tea is still hot. Put it in the fridge over night and I'll have a gallon of delicious iced tea waiting for me in a few hours.

BadMojo wrote:
Haakon7 wrote:
DudleySmith wrote:

I'm afraid that all the tea I've ever had in America has been buttock-clenchingly piss poor. Almost as bad as the chocolate.

My wife insists this is down to the quality of the water and the fact that most Americans don't use water that's just off the boil. They just heat the water with the teabag in it.

Don't know how true that is.

In the US, you have two main problems with good tea. 1) Improper preperation. Not really boiling the water, or letting it cool too much before you add it (to black tea). 2) Bad water.

Cold tea suffers less from the problems if you drink it sweet, but many restaurants that serve cold tea don't clean their tea brewing containers well enough, or they just serve day old cold tea. It's pretty crappy. I relish finding a good restaurant that makes some good tea.

Out of curiosity, is the water elsewhere (such as the UK) much better for brewing tea?

The syrup is usually just a flavored simple syrup. No big deal. Just provides variety.

Tigerbill wrote:

I have been wanting to try the English way of drinking tea with milk in it; what kind of guidelines are there for a normal sized cup of tea when doing this. Also, since I like my tea sweeter should I cut back on that at all, when adding milk?

Get thee a regular size mug/cup, put a splash of milk and one teaspoon of sugar in it, then add the tea out of the pot (which, of course, you made by pouring boiling water into a pot with teabags in it). Welcome to a lifelong addiction; you are now a part of the Empire.

I've noticed that in the Maritimes there is a bit of a conflict between various family traditions as to whether the milk is first or added after the tea. The degree of strife can be both amusing and awkward when one tradition has the other as guests.

hannibals wrote:
BadMojo wrote:
Haakon7 wrote:
DudleySmith wrote:

I'm afraid that all the tea I've ever had in America has been buttock-clenchingly piss poor. Almost as bad as the chocolate.

My wife insists this is down to the quality of the water and the fact that most Americans don't use water that's just off the boil. They just heat the water with the teabag in it.

Don't know how true that is.

In the US, you have two main problems with good tea. 1) Improper preperation. Not really boiling the water, or letting it cool too much before you add it (to black tea). 2) Bad water.

Cold tea suffers less from the problems if you drink it sweet, but many restaurants that serve cold tea don't clean their tea brewing containers well enough, or they just serve day old cold tea. It's pretty crappy. I relish finding a good restaurant that makes some good tea.

Out of curiosity, is the water elsewhere (such as the UK) much better for brewing tea?

If you are serious about brewing tea, you use filtered water. Makes a remarkable difference. I once did a comparison: filtered water gives fresher color and doesn't leave the strange residue on surface once the tea cools down. Was surprised myself how easy you could actually tell one from the other.

Also, heating water with a teabag in it? That is pretty nasty. By the time it comes to boil all the disagreeably tasting stuff is dissolved in water, making it too bitter and overpowering other flavors. Doubly true for teabags actually, as they have finely broken leaves and thus the stuff dissolves faster.

I've noticed that in the Maritimes there is a bit of a conflict between various family traditions as to whether the milk is first or added after the tea. The degree of strife can be both amusing and awkward when one tradition has the other as guests.

What? There's no debate. Tea first.

Milk in before the water? I put teabag and sugar in a mug, pour hot water on, let it sit, then add milk and remove bag. IIRC the crockery reason for adding milk first no longer applies.

You guys are crazy. Hot water + tea, bag or leaves, first, then remove bag or leaves, THEN add sugar or milk or whatever you please, if you add anything at all.

Time for some ABX testing!

NSMike wrote:

You guys are crazy. Hot water + tea, bag or leaves, first, then remove bag or leaves, THEN add sugar or milk or whatever you please, if you add anything at all.

This. You can't argue with science, people.

Never add water to the acid. Sheesh.

Where I come from, tea is what you drink if you don't have or can't afford or be bothered to make coffee.

You know, like when Britain switched to tea.

My method is especially correct for leaves that can be used for multiple steepings. You don't want milk in those, or sugar.

Surely the sugar will melt faster if you pour hot water right on to it, instead of pouring hot water and then losing a few seconds as you spoon sugar in.

Tea is a game of inches. Hooah!

1Dgaf wrote:

Surely the sugar will melt faster if you pour hot water right on to it, instead of pouring hot water and then losing a few seconds as you spoon sugar in.

My understanding is that the water becomes more saturated with milk, sugar and tea, it gets slower about diffusing the tea from the bag, so the strongest tea is rendered by going bag and water only to start. Then again, not everyone desires the strongest tea.

In South East Asia, instead of using sugar and milk, its pretty common to add condensed milk to a cup of strong tea. Makes a very nice morning drink. Condensed milk is very sweet so 1-2 teaspoons is all you really need, no need for sugar or milk.

They also use it in coffee. Condensed milk if you've never tried it, has a unique taste. You can also add it to hot water and you've got a sweet milk drink. I love the stuff.

emyln wrote:

In South East Asia, instead of using sugar and milk, its pretty common to add condensed milk to a cup of strong tea. Makes a very nice morning drink. Condensed milk is very sweet so 1-2 teaspoons is all you really need, no need for sugar or milk.

They also use it in coffee. Condensed milk if you've never tried it, has a unique taste. You can also add it to hot water and you've got a sweet milk drink. I love the stuff.

I would get both tea and coffee versions regularly a few years ago. Chicago is full of SE Asian restaurants.

I do this, too. But not because I'm from Asia - it's because I'm from BF Egypt in Alaska. I also voluntarily consume Spam and pilot bread.

Coldstream wrote:

This. You can't argue with science, people. :D

There's a thread in P&C that proves otherwise.

Am I the only one here that doesn't drink their tea with milk? Just hot water + tea, then sugar/honey. Once it's ready, just sip and enjoy.

I'm actually kind of interested to try this blue agave nectar that my folks gave me. Given to me because it doesn't go well with coffee.

Out of curiosity, what are your reasons for drinking tea? Is it cultural or are you the only one in your household that drinks it?

Me: I just prefer the tea over coffee. I don't know what it is, but I can drink coffee in larger quantities than I can with tea. Tea actually makes me slow down and enjoy it. I'm the only one in my family that enjoys hot tea (from the south it's only served iced). They probably think I'm trying to be an elitist or different for the sake of being different but meh. It's just like with alcoholic beverages, I prefer a good sipping liquor over beer.

bilbodiaz wrote:

Out of curiosity, what are your reasons for drinking tea?

Flavor.

bilbodiaz wrote:

Am I the only one here that doesn't drink their tea with milk? Just hot water + tea, then sugar/honey. Once it's ready, just sip and enjoy.

Nope, this is how I usually drink tea. On rare occasions, I'll add milk, but usually not.

bilbodiaz wrote:

Out of curiosity, what are your reasons for drinking tea?

Primary reason: I don't like coffee, but I do like an early morning hot drink.
Tea also offers some nice health benefits, and lets me be a little creative with loose-leaf blends. Nothing like mixing a little pinch of peach oolong with green pekoe on the fly. Or adding cardamom to Earl Grey for an especially fragrant tea.

bilbodiaz wrote:

Am I the only one here that doesn't drink their tea with milk? Just hot water + tea, then sugar/honey. Once it's ready, just sip and enjoy.

No milk enters my tea either, nor sugar for that matter unless it's iced. Agave or honey can be a nice touch to some teas but it's very rare for me to use either.

Out of curiosity, what are your reasons for drinking tea? Is it cultural or are you the only one in your household that drinks it?

My entire family minus me is very hooked on pekoe, tea is a long lasting tradition on both sides of the family. As per earlier in the thread I only began to really explore tea as replacement for booze. The breadth and depth offered in the tea world is still proving more than sufficient to occupy my palate with countless new wonders. My thanks again to tuffalobuffalo and others for steering me towards this road.

krev82 wrote:

My thanks again to tuffalobuffalo and others for steering me towards this road.

I need to visit a tea shop soon.

There was a piece in the paper on pairing tea and cheese today. That's not one that would have crossed my mind, I'm still rather skeptical but I'm willing to give it a shot. Here's the article;
tea and cheese pairings, pass the kettle.

krev82 wrote:

There was a piece in the paper on pairing tea and cheese today. That's not one that would have crossed my mind, I'm still rather skeptical but I'm willing to give it a shot. Here's the article;
tea and cheese pairings, pass the kettle.

Tea not only makes everything better, it goes with everything.

krev82 wrote:

There was a piece in the paper on pairing tea and cheese today. That's not one that would have crossed my mind, I'm still rather skeptical but I'm willing to give it a shot. Here's the article;
tea and cheese pairings, pass the kettle.

That's awesome! I've had Lapsang Souchong tea before (I think I've mentioned it earlier in the thread). I'll bet it goes great with a blue cheese as they say.

Valdeon Spanish blue and Lapsang Souchong

This black tea is smoked with pine needles and can be an acquired taste.

The verdict: When paired with the Valdeon, a powerful blue, it was like two puzzle pieces came together. Ms. Gold refers to the match as a “remarkable counterpoint,” and it was. A total impress-your-foodie-friends pairing.

This experience was eye-opening for me. Finding your perfect cheese-tea match may rival the comfort of chicken noodle soup. And best of all, no one will bat an eyelash if you take a swig of Lung Ching Dragonwell before noon.