Warm and Delicious

I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't enjoy a cup of tea.

In fact, if you were to pop into my office, or walk into my home........if you were to find me hopping into the car for a drive longer than to the grocery store, you would see that my left hand would be sporting a mug of tea. On the sidelines watching my son or daughter play ball...........tea. At a meeting discussing whatever one discusses at meetings that are so important..........sipping tea. Blogging? Yeah, it's here in front of me half consumed already.

Write a sentence, take a sip. Write a sentence, take a sip. Feel the warmth. Feel the comfort. I am definately more in tune when tea is close by.





It was my Mabel, my grandmother who weaned me on the stuff. She always made sure that when I was visiting or staying overnight when I was little that my tiny china cup was filled with the sugary warmth of a good cup of tea just like hers. Whenever she would visit my house when I was growing up, which was very regularly the first thing she would ask my mom............"Andrea, can make me a cup of tea please." It's like she couldn't fully relax until a strong cup of orange pekoe was placed beside her. It's funny how often I think of her when I put the kettle on and smile knowing that I too can't relax until a strong cup of orange pekoe is placed right beside me.

It's a calm settling thing for sure. Pavlovian too, because I always feel more focused and grounded if I have a cup of tea on the go. I'm just conditioned that way.



Years ago when I was backpacking through Europe, I had the toughest time finding a cup of tea that met my standards. In France for example, tea was always served clear with a slice of lemon on the side despite my feeble attempts at trying to explain what exactly I wanted. In Turkey, tea is called chai, and chai is basically any warm beverage. I recall being asked if I wanted a cup of chai and envisioning (salivating actually) for a warm cup of honest to goodness tea, I eagerly replied affirmatively...........and was served this tiny shot glass of warm Tang. Even when I visit the United States, a good cup of tea is hard to find or make. We may have the same namebrands, but the difference in taste is like night and day. Yes, if I ever move to the States, I'd have to arrange for someone to send me teabags from Canada.

Yes, I crave it....................the taste of it and the reflective feeling it produces in me.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was only too aware of the so called affects of caffeine and the other million rules that one has to abide by. I was also aware of my whole body nausea during my first trimester. I felt so rotten for three months that even the thought of a cup of tea would send my system churning. I remember one day in particular. I had just arrived home from working all day feeling just plain awful. But I had one thought............if I could just make a cup of tea, I'll feel better. No sooner had I added the milk to my steeped friend when I looked at the concoction I had made thousands of times before and started to spin into a dizzy faint. Luckily I made it to the couch where I sat in a stupor shocked that a cup of tea of all things could make me feel worse than I did. Luckily that passed along with the first trimester yuks.

Months later..................after 23 hours in labour..........after 9 months of wondering and ruminating over the health of my baby..............my daughter was born. And as she was placed lovingly into my arms, as my husband and I basked in the joy of the miracle of birth, I asked the nurse for a cup of tea.........please................................Honest to God, the memory of that particular cup of tea is etched deeply. Funny, my daughter has turned out to love the stuff too. Must be in the British/Scottish/Irish genes.

I have a china cabinet that houses a few of Mabel's teacups and a cupboard that contains several teapots, but I prefer to make my tea in a mug. It's a control thing, I think..............one that comes from being particular to the strength and temperature of it. It's also more convenient. I find that most people don't know how to prepare the teapot so that the tea is hot and steeped properly when it's poured. I'd rather just make myself a fresh mug of tea..........no fancy herbally perfumey stuff either..................so that I can make it just right.

So, if you happen to see me after a long harried day, looking stressed and worn out assume that I'm parched and in need of a good cup of rescuing orange pekoe tea and please put the kettle on. I promise it will take the wilt right out of me.

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one."
Ancient Chinese proverb