Anyone for Tea ?

[katex]

Know we have had threads about types of tea, etc., but wondered if anyone out there actually gets out their tea service anymore.

Mine have been gathering dust for years, not because I tend to drink more coffee, but because so much easier to use mugs when I have visitors.
My mum would have been astounded if I had served tea this way.

Am I just lazy as not so much washing up ? Or is it a declining tradition ?

 

[Gayle]

I have an old tea service that I inherited from my Grandma about 15 years ago when she died and I haven't used it once. I'd be terrified to in case I broke it.

Sorry to have a slight thread wander so early in a thread - someone asked a while ago if there was such a thing as Lancashire Tea because there is a Yorkshire Tea. Well, in answer to that, yes, there is now a Lancashire Tea - I saw it in a farm shop the other day - it has been recently launched to compete with its neighbour from across the border.

Sorry Katex - back on thread now.

 

[Less]

Am I just lazy as not so much washing up ? Or is it a declining tradition ?

No Katex you're not lazy you've just learnt sense, why make extra work for yourself by dragging out all the extra bits of crockery when all you want is a good brew and either a natter or to catch up with accyweb?

The other thing that has declined over the years is Sunday afternoon tea with all sorts of salad lumps and salmon sandwiches followed by the traditional dish of Fruit cocktail covered in carnation milk. (The saying used to be in our house , "you can always tell it's Sunday the butties are cut into triangles!").

By the way though, are you like me and find that when your reading the threads with a brew going next to you, you get carried away and the last mouthful always gets left until it's stone cold? It tastes revolting but you have to swallow it, (I'm sure chav will think of something nearly witty around this point), because otherwise your keyboard is going to end up covered.

Yet again Less has to take drastic action to prevent his keys sticking together!
​

 

[Sparkologist]

I will go with the general concensus; washing a teapot, cups & saucers is far too much like hard work.

What is wrong with a teabag in a mug? You can always hang it up to drip dry, then use it again.
All this brings us to another question that needs answering: How many brews can you force out of a recycled teabag?

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

I too, have a beautiful Royal Albert service....courtesy of my dear departed Gran. I take it down now and then to give it a gentle wash.....but I don't think I would ever use it. I prefer my tea brewed in a bucket of a cup....I use leaf tea and the tea gets better as you near the bottom of the brew....you just have to remember that when you get to the bottom you need to sieve the leaves with your teeth, although I am not averse to swallowing a few stray tea leaves. When I worked in the mill we used to call this 'Tacklers Tea'.

 

[Ianto.W.]

In Yorkshire my home county, a tea pot or mug, is not considered
"broken in" till it's got a good brown crust inside, so yes your'e doin it the
right way Kate. Chin Chin.

 

[katex]

By the way though, are you like me and find that when your reading the threads with a brew going next to you, you get carried away and the last mouthful always gets left until it's stone cold? It tastes revolting but you have to swallow it, (I'm sure chav will think of something nearly witty around this point), because otherwise your keyboard is going to end up covered.

Yet again Less has to take drastic action to prevent his keys sticking together!
​

Always swallow it to the bottom no matter what the temperature Less.

My problem is the fag ash on me keyboard, but can just blow that away.

Re. the triangle butties, my mum never cut the crust off ... too wasteful, only for the posh people

Ian: Crust in the mug ?? Yuk .. mind ya' seen some at work like this and they not what we would consider as 'mucky folk' .. so must be an old tradition.
Think only tea that stains though .. tannin ? Used to get the Vim on this, but could always taste it at the next brew \_____/ Thank you whoever for my dishwasher.

 

[grannyclaret]

My best teaset is Old Country Roses,,but i never ever use it ,it was my mums,and i would hate to break a cup ,I used to like watching Thora Hird on last of the summer wine,she had the same teaset ,,and i am sure its been on corrie too.

 

[WillowTheWhisp]

The only teaset I've ever owned was the pink plastic one I had for my dollies.

 

[shillelagh]

My best teaset is Old Country Roses,,but i never ever use it ,it was my mums,and i would hate to break a cup ,I used to like watching Thora Hird on last of the summer wine,she had the same teaset ,,and i am sure its been on corrie too.

Same here granny. My mum collected old country roses and over the years we bought her allsorts - tea service, coffee pot, sideplates dinner plates etc and now ive got it all up in display cabinets. She only got it all out at christmas and who ever was washing up was so careful because if we broke anything we had to replace it. I found that out to my cost - i broke her vase and had to replace it cost me £33 but i never dropped any of it again!

I dont drink tea never liked it will only drink coffee. Mum always drank tea never coffee and she had a old country roses mug. She said it tasted better in a mug than a teapot.

 

[LancYorkYankee]

What is wrong with a teabag in a mug? You can always hang it up to drip dry, then use it again.
All this brings us to another question that needs answering: How many brews can you force out of a recycled teabag?

Do the English really do this? Sounds like something my dad would do but he's half german (the other half is Derbyshire). My mum would never do this. We did always use tea bags. I believe my grandparents generation kinda frowned upon tea bags didn't they?

Just most curious about recycling? We don't need to set up a poll do we?

Brian

 

[Ianto.W.]

Do the English really do this? Sounds like something my dad would do but he's half german (the other half is Derbyshire). My mum would never do this. We did always use tea bags. I believe my grandparents generation kinda frowned upon tea bags didn't they?

Just most curious about recycling? We don't need to set up a poll do we?

Brian

My mum and myself came from Doncaster all our
relatives on her side, worked down pit, no collier worth his salt would dream of using owt bar mashing tea, to this day I use now't else, my
mississ think's im not right uprtairs.
Recycling yes, I stuffed a tulip bulb with tea leaves, and lo and behold I
got a brown filower. Try it with beetroot if you want a purple one. Chin Chin.

 

[junetta]

I'm not too keen on tea but if I did want to have a cup it would have to be from a nice china cup and saucer. 'im indoors puts a Tetley tea bag into a mug, lets it stew for ten minutes or so...............really yucky!

 

[pendy]

We always have tea in cups with saucers, have a few everyday ones, and a few posh ones. I do sometimes have coffee in a mug, particularly at the office, but mostly drink tea (no milk, no sugar, so easy to please). I do use teabags but 'im indoors likes leaf tea so I get that for him. I buy different types of teabag, so I always have a choice, but it is true that tea tastes best out of a white china teacup!

I also like to have the correct glass for every drink - so you can see I have a complex of some sort!

 

[AccyJay]

I'm not really a tea drinker, & can't remember is my mum every had a tea set. I do always make sure that i have tea bags in for guests.

I also like to have the correct glass for every drink - so you can see I have a complex of some sort!

I too have glasses for all occasions, Pints, halves, wine etc, i even have about 6 shot glasses.

 

[Billcat]

While I enjoy tea from a proper tea cup (thanks, Pendy!), I also freely admit to enjoying it from a mug as well. I also quaff iced tea on numerous occasions, but only if it is fresh-brewed. Can't stand iced tea made from powders or syrups!

I do wonder, however, about the utility of having a lovely tea service that one never uses. I suppose one could have it on display, for show only, but isn't it nice to brew up a pot and use the best china once in a while? Make a special occasion truly special!

 

[shillelagh]

Thing is though if you did get the tea service out and it was your grannys or your mum's and what happens if you drop a cup or saucer or god forbid the teapot itself. Thats what id be scared of. I know if its old country roses or something similar you can buy them separate but what if the tea service is 50 year old and out of service? You cant buy another to replace it. I know because i did do that when i was a kid and when i was older i tried to replace it but couldnt find one anywhere. By the way that was the service my mum got for a wedding present - back in 1949. I have one sideplate, 3 cups and 2 saucers left from it. Not bad for 57 years is it?

 

[WiseOwl]

i much prefer chilled beverages, as a child my parents used to say "it is'nt good for you" although to this day I can't think why at the time we did'nt hear about caffiene ect so they were'nt saying it thinking we'd be up all night so my dad must have seen the future anyway old traditions die hard and I still drink corporation pop are cordial (I always have this for grandchildren) but I myself 95% of the time drink water. I do however have a sentimental tea set and surprisingly make a lovely brew to accompany my baked biscuits and cakes (parkin is my speciality). There's an old myth though, those who make the best cuppa, don't drink them themselves My brews would say this saying is indeed correct my mother always used to get me to make tea for all the aunties and uncles weekly visits.

 

[Billcat]

I know if its old country roses or something similar you can buy them separate but what if the tea service is 50 year old and out of service? You cant buy another to replace it. I know because i did do that when i was a kid and when i was older i tried to replace it but couldnt find one anywhere.

Completely understand, and I know folks who display their vintage tea set or even a collection of tea cups. Personally, I'd probably still trot it out for use on special occasions.

Fortunately, it's gotten a lot easier to replace broken or missing items since the advent of the internet. It's always been possible, but it took time, luck, and often was really expensive. The internet has made it much easier to locate the right piece and, as the "market" is now a lot more competitive, I find that I can often get a better price as well. For most of these items, the demand is pretty limited. Some of them even show up on eBay, and the prices there often are reasonable.