"Gavin" > wrote in message
ups.com...

snip

> A delicious irony. I thoroughly enjoy a good afternoon tea, but were I
> to take one today, I'd almost certainly drink coffee instead of tea.
> Reason: I can make a better pot of tea at home than the hotel can, and
> I rarely enjoy a good coffee these days, so would take advantage of it.
and snip

> Cheers,
> Gavin
>

I can definitely understand that comment...I know for a fact I maker better
tea (to my taste) at home than out. For one thing, if it's at a coffee shop
I get it in a paper cup which changes the taste right there. It's usually in
a teabag and even the silk ones or the ones that hang over the edge of the
cup change the taste for me. My theory is that it's too little tea in too
much water (usually 12 ounces) and the milk isn't right, the temp isn't
right...and the loose tea they are starting with is probably not the best
either, or the storage of it.

I will say the one good cuppa that I was eternally grateful to find was a
strong Irish Breakfast blend out of (yes I know but it really was good) a
hot pot dispenser (that was only for tea!!) at that English Muffin place in
Seattle (The Crumpet Shop?) I actually COULD drink a few cups of that and it
tasted good. And they had mugs. It's just a little hole in the wall place
but that's what I'm talking about when I want a cup of reinforcing tea.
Their smoked salmon on an english muffin was pretty good too..

Even in gourmet coffee houses, where they obviously spend a lot of attention
on the taste and quality of their coffee, I see tea really done carelessly.
I got coffee from an independent coffee house this weekend, and they had
tea..."pan-fired" green tea (how's that for generic?) in a clear glass jar
up on a shelf, in 100 degree weather. It's things like that that make it
impossible for me to have tea out...I don't want to throw away my money. It
still feels like tea drinkers are second class or afterthoughts here in the
US. If a shop is going to offer tea they should care enough to do it right,
even if they don't have tons of choices. For someone who is a true tea
drinker, the trendy and flash isn't going to do it. I find myself being so
picky when I go out and see the tea selections...

And as for having "formal tea" out...for me personally the tea with little
sandwiches and doilies thing is really something I want very rarely. I also
have trouble making myself pay $5 for a pot of tea out that is just not that
spectacular. I haven't had the opportunity to visit a real gung fu
establishment though, I think that would probably be a lot better. Has
anyone been to ITC's tea shop, and what did they think?

Melinda