One thing I have missed in the heat of summer is my nightly mugful of tea. It became a ritual years ago – likely due to a lingering need to retain a bit of British culture after returning from my semester in London. [Ironically, I became a coffee drinker across the pond.] But when I returned, coffee felt all too American, and I treasured a steaming mug of tea – with milk and sugar, as I had learned at my first formal afternoon tea.
sugar overload: sweet tea + crystallized ginger
That late afternoon was passed with my family, who were visiting for several days. It was a raw November Saturday – gray skies, of course. We reserved our table at Fortnum and Mason, and chatted away two hours with individual pots, splashes of milk, and cubes of sugar in the raw.
Of course, there were three-layered platters of finger foods, each component posing on the appropriate silver tier, the triple-decker then placed on a starched white tablecloth. I was nineteen, but I felt mature and refined, living a double life that involved this elegant afternoon one weekend and a could-be-cleaner hostel bed another.
loose nilgiri tea + freshly ground nutmeg
As a family, we slowly worked our way through the towers we’d each selected. Classic sandwiches – cucumber and cream cheese, egg salad and watercress. Petite scones – buttery, moist, with just enough crumble. And individually chosen desserts – petit fours, raspberry tartlets, miniature terrines of chocolate mousse. Each palm-sized selection felt like a taste of the culture and a collection of moments to always remember.
sweet and simple: bee’s knees peanut butter + peach apricot tea
Tea is not so much of an event now, but it doesn’t need to be. I can drink it – plain and unsweetened, as I now prefer – at New York tea houses with mismatched charm or a wonderland of tea selections. One of these days, I will also go for a true crumbly scone, with a side of jam and clotted cream.
indian tea box + shot of liquid viennese chocolate
In the meantime, the nights are catching a September chill, and I’ll enjoy the return of an evening mug, coupled with a few bites of sweetness – the ideal close to a quiet weeknight.
Are you a tea drinker?
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what a lovely tea spread. I’ve missed my tea this summer too! I’ve been getting iced green frequently, but this morning since it was a bit chilly I got a big hot cup of spiced tea from caribou and it was incredible. I love tea. Glad you do too :)
oh yes. I love tea. And I drink tea exactly as you do!
i drink coffee in the morning.. but if I have coffee in the afternoon , my body shuts down, and I start shaking and .. gahh. not good. I need substance!!! or just … tea:)
Vanilla Roobis is one of my favs.
Peppermint
and Ginger
I am a HUGE tea drinker! We have like 30 different kinds at my house. I’m sure it isn’t the best to optimize the freshness of the tea, but we go through it fairly quickly and I love the variety!
I’m a coffee drinker, but you can bet I appreciate a good cuppa tea as well!
tea drinker? yeah~ here you have one! I think I have at least 10 varieties of tea bags in my pantry! I have at least 2-3 teas a day! It feels so good to have a cup of warm drink, a perfect excuse for a break! :)
I LOVE tea, and when the weather is cold, I usually enjoy a hot mug of it daily with my afternoon snack. It’s so calming, and really helps me to slow down for a few minutes in the afternoon. I can’t wait to start having it when the weather is cooler!
I am such a tea-drinker, although oddly enough have never had it with milk. I guess I prefer the Oriental varieties of green and white over an English Early Gray… no offense ;). An herbal one in the evening is wonderful as well though, perfectly calming and warming, what more could I want.
I love tea! English Breakfast or Assam, sweet with milk. So comforting (recommend trying it with honey!) Huge coffee fanatic too ;)
I love herbal teas. Chamomile is a classic fav. A lot of brands make really tasty herbal blends. And I love going out for a fancy tea when I’m in England.
It was a semester in London for me, too, that transformed me into a tea drinker. I usually choose coffee when at Starbucks or the like, but at home it’s strictly tea (with milk and sugar, natch).
And cream tea — tea served with a scone, clotted cream and jam — is one of my favorite Brit experiences. Since I don’t go back too often, it’s something I try to do a few times while over there. :)
Plain green tea for me, cold or hot. And I can’t stand sweet tea anymore. Last weekend at a wedding, I tried British Rose Tea. I had a sip and that was it – too sweet for me.