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I think the Earl Grey thing is further complicated by what exactly is used as the underlying blend, and how the bergamot is added. One of my two go-to teas is Twinings Earl Grey (endorsed by the current Earl Grey). I have tried the Earl Grey made by Bigelow (an American company that was founded on a popular flavored and spiced tea blend) and find it less appealing. It seems that Twinings adds the actual bergamot peel, while Bigelow uses only the oil.

In case you were wondering, my other go-to is Twinings Irish Breakfast, which produces a nice strong brew that I've come to like better than Earl Grey most of the time.

And leaving the tea bag in while drinking - yeeech! The American standard for delicatessens and other to-go places seems to be put a teabag in a cup, add the boiling water, immediately add any sugar, lemon, and/or milk, and put a lid on the whole mess - double yeeech!

I think there exists a range of really tasty to really awful teas in public places - delis, restaurants, and so on.
Just like for coffee. Starbucks makes really awful coffee and tea. But their brownies (enough calories for the entire family in one piece) are good.
 
I thought you had guns in America so that you could deal with these people?
LOL - but seriously, here Coffee is the big thing.
Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks are huge in this area, and both taste totally different to me, and are both delicious.
Yeah, Ronnie's right. Most Americans use their guns to chase off people who prefer tea to coffee.
 
Wasn't it something about crates of tea being hoiked into a harbour that started the whole thing off with the guns in the first place???
Sorry, my US history is poor.
 
I remember on one of my trips to England, my Aunt took me to the 'cream cakes' shop, where they served tea, coffee and donuts filled with cream.
That was the most delicious coffee I've ever had, with some type of cream (not milk), and the donut was just out of this world!
 
BBC America plays the old British comedy shows such as “ Are You Being Served “ where Mrs. Slocombe and Mr.Humphries talk about the lady with the tea cart or having “ a cuppa “.

Did the British teas customs survive into present day times especially with younger people ?
 
the most delicious coffee I've ever had, with some type of cream (not milk)
Most likely 'evaporated milk' which is an unsweetened, condensed milk product, sold in tins.
Imagine getting regular 'full fat' milk and warming it so that the water in it evaporates off, leaving a much denser milk.
I use it in my coffee. Proper yum.
(interesting side fact: Tins of Evaporated Milk are fortified with added Vitamin D, which is helpful to the immune system)
1668850831206.png
 
I remember on one of my trips to England, my Aunt took me to the 'cream cakes' shop, where they served tea, coffee and donuts filled with cream.
That was the most delicious coffee I've ever had, with some type of cream (not milk), and the donut was just out of this world!
The Mrs works/ manages at a super posh place that's about as traditionally English as you can get (privately owned stately home in woodland since 1934, the old boy who's a Christian pastor was born in the dining room and still lives there with his wife who wins awards for her marmalade. The place was built in the 1700's for the bloke who started Barclay's Bank and Elizabeth Fry who used to be on the back of the £5 note also used to live there). They don't serve lunch but they do tea, cream cakes, scones, mini salmon sandwiches with the crusts cut off etc that the customers can 'take on the lawns'. She brings a lot of that un needed stuff home. At the place, they serve it all on those three teered silver tray things. It's very posh.
 
Look, any tea that isn't a 'builders tea' (strong brew, almost orange in colour, with not too much milk in it, and a bit of sugar) is for pansies and women.
So that's anything that appears to have been created specifically to appear 'artisan' in some way (eg; in a handmade box with a bit of ribbon around it), or anything purporting to be in some way 'posh' (I'm looking at you, Twinings), anything with an odd flavour (I'm looking at you, Earl Grey), and/or anything claiming to be 'tea based' ('herbal' tea, 'green' tea, 'lemon' tea, etc etc)
Also, rule out any 'budget' varieties which are often referred to as having been made with either 'dust', or 'sweepings from the tea factory floor'.
Also, who decided to make 'instant tea' in a glass jar?
I, a semi-normal yet unarmed America (there are a few), was dragged into our local tea shop by the Mrs and another couple to experience “Real Tea”. This place is in a quaint Victorian seaport town literally within sight of the Canadian border so I dubiously figured it was worth a try and attempted to order a black tea. The smiling bobble head behind the counter proceeded to describe the delights of all the blends and herbals on display in fancy decorated jars lining the walls. Finally in exasperation I cut her off and told her, “no, I just want a black tea with nothing in it”. She stared blankly at me for a count of ten and launched into an unintentional version of Monty Python’s Spam skit (we have a XYZ-flavored blend, that’s based mostly on black tea….“. I was ready to walk out and leave the others to their overpriced perfumed pleasures when finally a light came on in the shopkeeper’s eyes and she produced what she called “lumberjack tea” from under the shop sink (I’m not making this up). Not sure what it was but it was unadorned and marginally acceptable. Thankfully we can order P. G. Tips from Amazon. Surely not the best breakfast blend available but it’s affordable and reliable.
 
Most likely 'evaporated milk' which is an unsweetened, condensed milk product, sold in tins.
Imagine getting regular 'full fat' milk and warming it so that the water in it evaporates off, leaving a much denser milk.
I use it in my coffee. Proper yum.
(interesting side fact: Tins of Evaporated Milk are fortified with added Vitamin D, which is helpful to the immune system)
View attachment 60885
Yes, my Mum and Grandmother were addicted to Evaporated Milk, they used it especially in their homemade rice pudding, which I haven't tasted anywhere else since they're gone!
Right now I'm having my Eight O'Clock coffee with cinnamon raisin swirl bread with butter, and would love to know what a 'cream cake' is!
 
and would love to know what a 'cream cake' is!
Basically any traditional cake or pastry which has some element of whipped cream filling.
In the UK we mostly use unsweetened whipped cream but other countries tend to use the sweetened variety.
Sometimes a 'set' custard can be used instead, and the item still be termed as a 'cream cake'.
So, a slice from a larger cake/gateau, or a 'chocolate eclair', a 'cream slice', scones, or even a fruity tart can all be described as cream cakes.
1668861775638.png
 
Basically any traditional cake or pastry which has some element of whipped cream filling.
In the UK we mostly use unsweetened whipped cream but other countries tend to use the sweetened variety.
Sometimes a 'set' custard can be used instead, and the item still be termed as a 'cream cake'.
So, a slice from a larger cake/gateau, or a 'chocolate eclair', a 'cream slice', scones, or even a fruity tart can all be described as cream cakes.
View attachment 60893
It's a sponge cake with at least 1 layer of thick whipped cream in it.
Now I can see why I loved them!!
 
Basically any traditional cake or pastry which has some element of whipped cream filling.
In the UK we mostly use unsweetened whipped cream but other countries tend to use the sweetened variety.
Sometimes a 'set' custard can be used instead, and the item still be termed as a 'cream cake'.
So, a slice from a larger cake/gateau, or a 'chocolate eclair', a 'cream slice', scones, or even a fruity tart can all be described as cream cakes.
View attachment 60893
Ooh cream horns! My fave! They reappeared in Marks and Waitrose a few years ago, but have vanished again. Anybody seen them recently?
 
I think the Earl Grey thing is further complicated by what exactly is used as the underlying blend, and how the bergamot is added. One of my two go-to teas is Twinings Earl Grey (endorsed by the current Earl Grey). I have tried the Earl Grey made by Bigelow (an American company that was founded on a popular flavored and spiced tea blend) and find it less appealing. It seems that Twinings adds the actual bergamot peel, while Bigelow uses only the oil.

In case you were wondering, my other go-to is Twinings Irish Breakfast, which produces a nice strong brew that I've come to like better than Earl Grey most of the time.

And leaving the tea bag in while drinking - yeeech! The American standard for delicatessens and other to-go places seems to be put a teabag in a cup, add the boiling water, immediately add any sugar, lemon, and/or milk, and put a lid on the whole mess - double yeeech!
I love Earl Grey but i have had some seriously grim versions of it. It can taste of soap or washing up liquid if it’s bad. Find one you like and stick with it. I think a lot of people dislike it as they have been given a dodgy one in the past. And it’s named after a well-meaning politician, which is very rare
 
I'm not really a tea drinker. Definitely prefer coffee, but I will occasionally make a cup of loose leaf. Here's the catch, most of them are herbal:chuckle:. I know I just made you all cringe:rofl:.

Do not like Earl Grey - tastes flowery to me. I do like English or Irish breakfast, but those really are about the only type of black tea I like. I don't like the tannin. Green is more preferred if only a regular black tea offered, with white tea preferred over that, though now you're getting into the expensive teas.

Celestial teas are nice with Tetley as my next enjoyable and reliable brand

So, though I prefer coffee, if anyone invited me for a tea, I would be delighted.
 
A cup of Lipton is horrible and bitterly too tannic. So the bags are perfect in summer for a big pitcher of iced tea loaded, thus diluted with ice. I wouldn't dream of using Lipton in winter.
A nice cup of Twinnings is for winter--Assam, English breakfast, Irish Breakfast , or Lapsang Souchong, well steeped.
 
When I say this, true tea drinkers will call this barbaric and uncivilized.

In general in the southern states, the only tea in restaurants is what they call sweet iced tea.

They probably take the cheapest tea and dump sugar in it and serve this brew to you in a large glass full of ice or “iced tea”.

You can get hot tea in Chinese restaurants.

Strangely there is a British Tea Room not too far from me where they train Tennessee Walking Horses where for $30.00 to $40.00 per person one can get cloth covered chairs and tables, hot tea, and small desserts with finger sandwiches on a 3 layer stand.

I guess horse owners have money.
 
Strangely there is a British Tea Room not too far from me where they train Tennessee Walking Horses where for $30.00 to $40.00 per person one can get cloth covered chairs and tables, hot tea, and small desserts with finger sandwiches on a 3 layer stand.

I guess horse owners have money.
30 or 40 dollars sounds like a lot.
 
From what people have said chairs and tables covered in cloth, fine China cups, flower arrangement on table, and one can order more or less expensive food.

The people inside are usually young mothers teaching their young daughters on how to have a genuine tea party.
 
When I say this, true tea drinkers will call this barbaric and uncivilized.

In general in the southern states, the only tea in restaurants is what they call sweet iced tea.

They probably take the cheapest tea and dump sugar in it and serve this brew to you in a large glass full of ice or “iced tea”.

You can get hot tea in Chinese restaurants.

Strangely there is a British Tea Room not too far from me where they train Tennessee Walking Horses where for $30.00 to $40.00 per person one can get cloth covered chairs and tables, hot tea, and small desserts with finger sandwiches on a 3 layer stand.

I guess horse owners have money.
I wouldn’t be too excited about the tea room but i would love to see Tennessee walking horses. Are they the ones that have the special gait? Sorry am going off topic here
 
From what people have said chairs and tables covered in cloth, fine China cups, flower arrangement on table, and one can order more or less expensive food.

The people inside are usually young mothers teaching their young daughters on how to have a genuine tea party.
Sounds pretty standard for a tea room over here, apart from the price tag.
Mind you, tea at the Ritz in London costs £67 plus extras.
 
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