On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 11:27:50 GMT, Michael Plant wrote:

> Sometimes it's ceremony. Sometimes it's a mug. Occasionally it's the mug
> ceremony. At least you don't use bags. I can't say the same. Now, to look up
> gourmand and gourmet.

I have to confess to using bags as last resorts - such as when at a
conference and the only other thing at the beverage table is coffee,
or I'm out with friends when they decide to stop for coffee. I figure
grousing about the tea will just annoy the people around me, so I just
suck it up and use the bag.

I've also made my own bags of my loose leaf teas for travel. They
don't work so well, so I bought an ingenuitea to take with me on
trips.

As for the gourmand/gourmet dichotomy, a gourmet is a connoisseur -
only the best will do, and it has to be served properly. A gourmand is
just interested in good food and drink. In most instances, I fall into
the latter category.

This is probably why my local shop owner grimaces when I tell him that
we drink scented teas at breakfast.

--
Derek

"Prejudice is opinion without judgement." -- Voltaire