Upon The Making and Drinking of Tea

Now I don't know if this is completely true, because I have never been there, but I am given to understand that in America, a kettle is not a standard piece of kitchen equipment! I hear rumours of water being heated in microwaves! I really cannot get my mind to quite imagine such a world, but I suppose it must be true!

In my kitchen, a kettle is a necessity. In my first kitchen, we started with an electric kettle, and then switched over to a whistling kettle that you use on top of the gas hob. I loved my whistling kettle. Yes, it took longer to boil, but it was just the most cheery sound in the world. Now we have moved into a flat that does not have gas, so we are back to an electric kettle, and although I miss the look and the whistle of our old kettle (it is in storage!) the speed of electric does make up for it.

When I was growing up, we never made tea in a pot, it was always made in a bag in the mug. Yet Carl's family always made tea in a pot, again with bags. Somehow tea does taste better made in a pot. I have a blue teapot for every day use, and I generally use bags just for ease, but I do have some leaf too that I enjoy using on occasion. I also have a beautiful Royal Doulton tea pot that I use for special occasions....although that might mean that I am just in the mood for pretty tea things, not necessarily that it is a birthday or christmas!

I actually have an entire cupboard of tea things...pretty cups and saucers, tea plates, tiered cake stands, milk jugs, cake forks, sugar bowls....such bliss!

We usually drink decaffeinated tea for everyday, but I also adore Whittard Rose tea. I have to be really, really in the mood for Earl Gray, but am quite partial to Lady Gray. When I last had afternoon tea out, it was at Liberty, and I had the breakfast tea despite it being the afternoon, and it was fragrant and beautiful. I am also quite partial to chamomile tea, particularly in the evening.

So that is my answer to what kind of tea I drink...just the menu plan to go now!