It’s time for tea.

Google Translate tells me that “It’s time for tea” in Irish is “Am le haghaidh tae”, appropriate today as I’m featuring Irish breakfast tea. You might know there’s also English breakfast tea and Scottish breakfast tea, but what’s the difference? Here’s what the Republic of Tea site says about Irish Breakfast:

Irish breakfast tea also has a strong Assam component, giving it a robust, malty flavor and reddish color. It is stronger than English breakfast tea, but not quite as strong as the Scottish variety. Because of the important role of the dairy industry in Ireland, it is usually served with milk. However, some Irish tea drinkers choose to take their breakfast tea plain, or with sugar only.

Interestingly, in Ireland the term “breakfast tea” is often considered a misnomer. That’s because Irish breakfast tea is actually consumed throughout the day, with many Irish tea drinkers consuming between four and six cups per day!

I drink all my tea without milk and sugar (and all my tea is consumed throughout the day, or at least until about 3 pm if it has caffeine), but I have them if you choose one or the other or both. I hope we’re not running into any national conflicts though, as the cup and saucer are Aynsley English bone china, sourced from my favorite thrift store in Naperville a few years ago. 🙂

Tea-rrific!

It’s that time of month again…no, no, not that time! It’s time for us to have tea with Su all the way over in New Zealand where they have, by the way, brought their COVID-19 numbers down to zeros. Good for you!

Today tea is pu-erh, steeped in my antique Yixing clay pot and served in a beautiful handleless cup that our younger daughter gave me as a gift many years ago. Pu-erh is a fermented tea but don’t worry. It just tastes like rich, black tea, no fizz or anything like that. It’s the only tea that gets better as it ages. You might find it loose or compressed and it’s very good for digestion, so just right for serving with food.

Yixing clay pots are often used to brew just one sort of tea, as they tend over time to absorb the flavor of tea brewed in them. I found this one in an antique store in Seward, Nebraska while attending one of my high school reunions and instantly fell in love.

Of course we need to have something to eat with our tea so I’ve made a cinnamon chip danish. I’ll start cutting and would you grab plates and napkins? Thanks and enjoy!

#virtualteaparty2020