Saturday 5 July 2008

One for the Tea Ladies

I gather that there are some readers who wouldn't touch a cup of coffee with a barge pole. Fair enough, I understand. I feel the same way about mushrooms and coconut. However, it would appear that you do like to drink tea. (I trust it is the hot variety and not – I can hardly bring myself to say it – iced tea. I'd rather have a bowl of Thai style mushroom soup.)

It is certainly no bad thing to like tea. Actually I probably drink more tea than coffee each day, but will rarely "go out" for tea. Anyway, for tea drinkers everywhere, can I recommend a book that my wife picked up for me today during her hour of leisure? It's a book about the great British cuppa and all that goes along with that. It could equally be about the great Irish cuppa as, I think, the Irish drink more tea per capita than the English. The book is called Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down. If you are from this general area of the world you will instantly understand this cultural reference, nod your head and think, yes, I do like to sit down at some point in the day with a nice cup of tea. It's just what you do.

The book covers everything you need for a basic understanding of tea – the tea bag, the tea pot, choice of cup or mug, etc. But there's more: As the book says, "A cup of tea without a biscuit is a wasted opportunity." So there is an extensive section on all things biscuity with reviews of some of the most popular biscuits – Custard Creams, Digestives, Shorties, Malted Milk, Lincoln, Tunnock's Wafer, Fig Rolls, Hob-Nobs, Party Rings, Mint Viscounts, and much more! Kimberleys get a mention as do Oreos (although Oreos are not looked upon with the same nostalgic charm on this side of the Pond). There is also a shorter section on cakes (including the debate, is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit?), plus a section at the end on the actual sitting down process of the tea break.

Apparently it is a very funny book. I say apparently because I only read the first chapter before my wife picked it up and started laughing out loud from the sofa while she fed the baby and I fed the kids.

The authors also have a website which I have previously mentioned.

Now, have you put the kettle on yet?

12 comments:

Ali said...

Cosmo

thanks for this recommendation. Having read the 5* reviews on Amazon, I think I'll have to get a copy - sounds just up my street!

Cosmo said...

Ali,

You might want to have a quick look in your local bookstore first. My copy was almost half the price it was on Amazon!

Ali said...

Cosmo,

even better than that - I'm a great believer in the public library ...

Nancy Mon said...

I enjoyed the website. I will show this to hubs. He is the hot tea person in our family.

Nick Coke said...

Kerry's also read this - I think you gave it to her as a present. I, too, had to endure the laughing from the couch and random sections being read out. She thoroughly recommends it as a good read!

Anonymous said...

your most sensible blog so far? LOL

Anonymous said...

ps: if you had put it on 'Twitter' I would have read the entry straight away!! just off to have a cuppa without a biscuit or 2

Cosmo said...

Tea4Two,

I guess I could have put it on Twitter, then again, you could always subscribe to my blog and you'd get it straight away!

I subscribe to your blog. I mean, I'm just saying, that's all. You know, family support and all... ;-)

Anonymous said...

excuse me young man but I have subscribed to your blog *stamps foot, hand on hip, wagging finger* LOL twitter is my latest application to delve into and get the hang of :)

Anonymous said...

ooppps subscribe is not the same as having you listed on my site is it? put it down to a 'lack of tea' moment!! I've just noticed a subscribed button on your page will press it and see what happens

Cosmo said...

There is something quite exciting about pressing a button just to see what happens!

That said, I've never actually pressed that subscribe button! I only added it because I use Bloglines to subscribe to other people's blogs. It's quite a useful tool for pulling all the blogs you read in to one place.

Hopefully, if you have pressed the button, your computer is still in one piece!

jsi said...

Tea was meant to have at home, I firmly believe it. I am most relaxed at home and have shared more "real life moments" over a potta tea. I never make it by the cup, and have walked across the kitchen to put the kettle on. Tea ball in hand and tea cozy at the ready, I need to get some milk and Splenda.

And the smooth, cooling feeling of iced tea should never be denied to anyone...it surely can't be the worst thing you have ever done. But from what I understand it is a facination we Americans have with adding ice to everything. And making something terrific even better.

I will say, I only hear you type about coffee, what a relief to know the tea pot is used in equal measure. I'll get that book from the library, thanks for the reference.

Have a great day with your family in worship. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.