I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply plain
water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games (bridge,
etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so people can
pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just recently learned
that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have been reading some of
the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the electric iced
tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from some of the amazon
reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the contents, so I would
like one that does not have that problem since I will be leaving it
unattended most of the time.

MaryL

"MaryL" > wrote in message
...
>I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
>plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
>(bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so
>people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just
>recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have been
>reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the
>electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from some
>of the amazon reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the
>contents, so I would like one that does not have that problem since I will
>be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>
> MaryL

I have never considered one but... Does the maker actually make an iced
beverage? Or do you have to add ice? The ones we sold when I worked at K
Mart some years ago only brewed the tea. I don't need a machine to do that.
Do you even have iced tea drinkers there? If so... How do they take their
tea? My family only drinks plain, unsweetened iced or hot tea but my nephew
married a woman who likes the fancier flavored kind. So we just buy her the
bottled kind. You might be better off just doing that or if they prefer
plain tea, brewing a pot and icing it.

>
> "MaryL" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
> >plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
> >(bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so
> >people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just
> >recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have been
> >reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the
> >electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from some
> >of the amazon reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the
> >contents, so I would like one that does not have that problem since I will
> >be leaving it unattended most of the time.

Why not just leave a jug of it either standing in an ice-filled bowl
or with an insulated ice bucket so they can add some.

Janet UK.

On Wed, 2 Oct 2013 02:59:40 -0500, "MaryL"
> wrote:

>I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply plain
>water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games (bridge,
>etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so people can
>pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just recently learned
>that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have been reading some of
>the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the electric iced
>tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from some of the amazon
>reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the contents, so I would
>like one that does not have that problem since I will be leaving it
>unattended most of the time.
>
>MaryL


I've used and did not like the electrics. Too much work for mediocre
tea. About 6 months ago I bought one of these
http://www.takeyausa.com/flashchill.aspx

Simple to use and makes better iced tea. I put in loose tea or bags,
boiling water, steep for 4 minutes. Add ice and done.

There are other types that are similar at
http://www.teavana.com/loose-leaf-teas/iced-tea-makers
Never tried them so I don't know how good they are.

On 02/10/2013 10:59, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Oct 2013 02:59:40 -0500, "MaryL"
> > wrote:
>
>> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply plain
>> water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games (bridge,
>> etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so people can
>> pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just recently learned
>> that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have been reading some of
>> the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the electric iced
>> tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from some of the amazon
>> reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the contents, so I would
>> like one that does not have that problem since I will be leaving it
>> unattended most of the time.
>>
>> MaryL
>
>
> I've used and did not like the electrics. Too much work for mediocre
> tea. About 6 months ago I bought one of these
> http://www.takeyausa.com/flashchill.aspx
>
> Simple to use and makes better iced tea. I put in loose tea or bags,
> boiling water, steep for 4 minutes. Add ice and done.
>
> There are other types that are similar at
> http://www.teavana.com/loose-leaf-teas/iced-tea-makers
> Never tried them so I don't know how good they are.
>
When I first got married I was given a "Goblin Teas-maid", you set it
then it made the tea then an alarm woke you up. Used it about twice, the
alarm was redundant as the noise of the kettle boiling woke one up!

MaryL wrote:
> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is
> simply plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings
> and/or games (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages
> on the counter so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a
> coffee maker but just recently learned that there are also electric
> iced tea makers. I have been reading some of the reviews on
> amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the electric iced tea makers
> that you can recommend? I have noticed from some of the amazon
> reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the contents, so I
> would like one that does not have that problem since I will be
> leaving it unattended most of the time.
> MaryL

We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us, that we
love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a pitcher of hot tea
(boil the water in the electric kettle) and let it sit, tea bags in,
until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea from it (we do remove the
tea bags at some point) until the pitcher is empty, and then we rinse
out the pitcher and repeat the process.

Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two on
the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium sized
pitcher.

The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
Press coffee in it as well.

-S-

"Julie Bove" wrote in message ...


"MaryL" > wrote in message
...
>I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
>plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
>(bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so
>people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just
>recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have been
>reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the
>electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from some
>of the amazon reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the
>contents, so I would like one that does not have that problem since I will
>be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>
> MaryL

I have never considered one but... Does the maker actually make an iced
beverage? Or do you have to add ice? The ones we sold when I worked at K
Mart some years ago only brewed the tea. I don't need a machine to do that.
Do you even have iced tea drinkers there? If so... How do they take their
tea? My family only drinks plain, unsweetened iced or hot tea but my nephew
married a woman who likes the fancier flavored kind. So we just buy her the
bottled kind. You might be better off just doing that or if they prefer
plain tea, brewing a pot and icing it.

~~~~~~~~
The ice is placed in the glass or plastic pitcher before brewing, and the
tea drips from the tea maker into the ice.

Yes, everyone in the groups I have in mind drink either coffee or iced tea.
None of them drink hot tea. In fact, people in this area seem to almost
universally drink iced tea. My sister-in-law has learned to bring her own
tea bags when she visits. That way, she orders a cup of hot water and brews
her own. If she forgets and orders tea, they always serve iced tea. One
problem will be sweetened vs. unsweetened tea. Some want it so highly
sweetened that I don't see how they can stand it. Others want it
unsweetened, and still others use artificial sweetener. So, I thought I
would make plain unsweetened tea and have a supply of sugar and sweeteners
so each person can fix it the way they want.

Some of the iced tea makers are not expensive, and I suspect that buying
bottled tea would soon cost just as much. Nevertheless, I think that may be
the route I will take. That way, I won't have to clean and store the tea
maker, and I can have a small supply of various "flavors" on hand. I also
had some concerns of the tea becoming diluted over the course of an
afternoon or evening as we visit.

MaryL

"Janet" wrote in message
t...

>
> "MaryL" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
> >plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
> >(bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter
> >so
> >people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just
> >recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have
> >been
> >reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any of
> >the
> >electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed from
> >some
> >of the amazon reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the
> >contents, so I would like one that does not have that problem since I
> >will
> >be leaving it unattended most of the time.

Why not just leave a jug of it either standing in an ice-filled bowl
or with an insulated ice bucket so they can add some.

Janet UK.

~~~~~~~~
This is a good possibility. I now think I may do something like this or buy
some of the pre-made bottled tea so I can have several types available. I
already keep an insulated ice bucket on the counter beside pitchers of water
for those (like me!) who prefer water instead of coffee or tea.

MaryL

On 10/2/2013 4:50 PM, Steve Freides wrote:

>
> We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us, that we
> love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a pitcher of hot tea
> (boil the water in the electric kettle) and let it sit, tea bags in,
> until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea from it (we do remove the
> tea bags at some point) until the pitcher is empty, and then we rinse
> out the pitcher and repeat the process.
>
> Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two on
> the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium sized
> pitcher.
>
> The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
> Press coffee in it as well.
>
> -S-

Good method, but I'd get the tea bags out by five minutes so it will not
get bitter. If you want stronger, better to add more tea, not more time.

On Wed, 02 Oct 2013 21:39:26 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

>On 10/2/2013 4:50 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>>
>> We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us, that we
>> love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a pitcher of hot tea
>> (boil the water in the electric kettle) and let it sit, tea bags in,
>> until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea from it (we do remove the
>> tea bags at some point) until the pitcher is empty, and then we rinse
>> out the pitcher and repeat the process.
>>
>> Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two on
>> the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium sized
>> pitcher.
>>
>> The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
>> Press coffee in it as well.
>>
>> -S-
>
>Good method, but I'd get the tea bags out by five minutes so it will not
>get bitter. If you want stronger, better to add more tea, not more time.

Exactly... and better quality tea.

On 10/2/2013 5:13 PM, MaryL wrote:

>
> Some of the iced tea makers are not expensive, and I suspect that buying
> bottled tea would soon cost just as much. Nevertheless, I think that
> may be the route I will take. That way, I won't have to clean and store
> the tea maker, and I can have a small supply of various "flavors" on
> hand. I also had some concerns of the tea becoming diluted over the
> course of an afternoon or evening as we visit.
>
> MaryL

Great idea if your guests expect and enjoy second rate tea. Most
bottled is nasty stuff. I'll have water please.

On 10/2/13 3:59 AM, MaryL wrote:
> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
> plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
> (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter
> so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but
> just recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I
> have been reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you
> used any of the electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have
> noticed from some of the amazon reviews that some of them have a
> tendency to spill the contents, so I would like one that does not have
> that problem since I will be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>
> MaryL
>

In my opinion, this is something invented that itself invents more
problems than it solves. How hard is it to boil water on the stove and
pour into a pitcher over tea bags/leaves to make iced tea? Yet now you
have this task specific appliance that costs money (when you already
have kettles or pots that can boil water in) takes up space to store and
does absolutely nothing that can't be done just as easily without it.

"MaryL" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "Julie Bove" wrote in message ...
>
>
> "MaryL" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
>>plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
>>(bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter so
>>people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but just
>>recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I have
>>been reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you used any
>>of the electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have noticed
>>from some of the amazon reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill
>>the contents, so I would like one that does not have that problem since I
>>will be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>>
>> MaryL
>
> I have never considered one but... Does the maker actually make an iced
> beverage? Or do you have to add ice? The ones we sold when I worked at K
> Mart some years ago only brewed the tea. I don't need a machine to do
> that.
> Do you even have iced tea drinkers there? If so... How do they take
> their
> tea? My family only drinks plain, unsweetened iced or hot tea but my
> nephew
> married a woman who likes the fancier flavored kind. So we just buy her
> the
> bottled kind. You might be better off just doing that or if they prefer
> plain tea, brewing a pot and icing it.
>
> ~~~~~~~~
> The ice is placed in the glass or plastic pitcher before brewing, and the
> tea drips from the tea maker into the ice.
>
> Yes, everyone in the groups I have in mind drink either coffee or iced
> tea. None of them drink hot tea. In fact, people in this area seem to
> almost universally drink iced tea. My sister-in-law has learned to bring
> her own tea bags when she visits. That way, she orders a cup of hot water
> and brews her own. If she forgets and orders tea, they always serve iced
> tea. One problem will be sweetened vs. unsweetened tea. Some want it so
> highly sweetened that I don't see how they can stand it. Others want it
> unsweetened, and still others use artificial sweetener. So, I thought I
> would make plain unsweetened tea and have a supply of sugar and sweeteners
> so each person can fix it the way they want.
>
> Some of the iced tea makers are not expensive, and I suspect that buying
> bottled tea would soon cost just as much. Nevertheless, I think that may
> be the route I will take. That way, I won't have to clean and store the
> tea maker, and I can have a small supply of various "flavors" on hand. I
> also had some concerns of the tea becoming diluted over the course of an
> afternoon or evening as we visit.

Iced tea is super easy to make. I grew up drinking the instant and that's
fine for me but if you want to brew your own, you can easily do that in a
glass or metal pitcher. Just make it twice as strong as you need it, then
put in the ice. Otherwise, make the correct strength in advance and just
chill it. No need for a tea maker then.

In some parts of the country you can buy premade tea cheaply. Not sure if
you can there. If it were me, I would go that route, buying a gallon of
sweetened and another of unsweetened, and serve them chilled with a bucket
of ice on the side. You might also want to put out lemon wedges and mint.

"Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
...
> On 10/2/2013 5:13 PM, MaryL wrote:
>
>>
>> Some of the iced tea makers are not expensive, and I suspect that buying
>> bottled tea would soon cost just as much. Nevertheless, I think that
>> may be the route I will take. That way, I won't have to clean and store
>> the tea maker, and I can have a small supply of various "flavors" on
>> hand. I also had some concerns of the tea becoming diluted over the
>> course of an afternoon or evening as we visit.
>>
>> MaryL
>
> Great idea if your guests expect and enjoy second rate tea. Most bottled
> is nasty stuff. I'll have water please.'

Perhaps it's because I grew up drinking the instant, but I don't mind the
bottled. I will only drink it unsweetened and that can be hard to come by.
There is some kind that is sold individually in plastic, single serve
bottles and on sale it is around $1 per bottle. It's good stuff!

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

On 10/2/2013 5:13 PM, MaryL wrote:

>
> Some of the iced tea makers are not expensive, and I suspect that buying
> bottled tea would soon cost just as much. Nevertheless, I think that
> may be the route I will take. That way, I won't have to clean and store
> the tea maker, and I can have a small supply of various "flavors" on
> hand. I also had some concerns of the tea becoming diluted over the
> course of an afternoon or evening as we visit.
>
> MaryL

Great idea if your guests expect and enjoy second rate tea. Most
bottled is nasty stuff. I'll have water please.

~~~~~~
Well, that's why I started down this path...I don't drink iced tea myself,
but I was concerned that the bottled tea might not be good. I actually like
water and that's all I drink, but I'm trying to provide what others like.

MaryL

On 2/10/13 5:59 PM, MaryL wrote:
> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
> plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
> (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter
> so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but
> just recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I
> have been reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you
> used any of the electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have
> noticed from some of the amazon reviews that some of them have a
> tendency to spill the contents, so I would like one that does not have
> that problem since I will be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>
> MaryL
>
Most places I've seen where tea is available, it is in the form of tea
bags alongside an electric urn of hot water, a bowl of sugar sachets and
a jug of milk. Provide the cups and saucers and the tea drinkers can
make their own tea.


--

Xeno

"Xeno Lith" > wrote in message
...
> On 2/10/13 5:59 PM, MaryL wrote:
>> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
>> plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
>> (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter
>> so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but
>> just recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I
>> have been reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you
>> used any of the electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have
>> noticed from some of the amazon reviews that some of them have a
>> tendency to spill the contents, so I would like one that does not have
>> that problem since I will be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>>
>> MaryL
>>
> Most places I've seen where tea is available, it is in the form of tea
> bags alongside an electric urn of hot water, a bowl of sugar sachets and a
> jug of milk. Provide the cups and saucers and the tea drinkers can make
> their own tea.

But that would make hot tea and she wants iced.

On 3/10/13 8:05 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Xeno Lith" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2/10/13 5:59 PM, MaryL wrote:
>>> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
>>> plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
>>> (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter
>>> so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but
>>> just recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I
>>> have been reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you
>>> used any of the electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have
>>> noticed from some of the amazon reviews that some of them have a
>>> tendency to spill the contents, so I would like one that does not have
>>> that problem since I will be leaving it unattended most of the time.
>>>
>>> MaryL
>>>
>> Most places I've seen where tea is available, it is in the form of tea
>> bags alongside an electric urn of hot water, a bowl of sugar sachets
>> and a jug of milk. Provide the cups and saucers and the tea drinkers
>> can make their own tea.
>
> But that would make hot tea and she wants iced.

Add ice! ;-)


--

Xeno

On Thu, 3 Oct 2013 03:05:30 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
> "Xeno Lith" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On 2/10/13 5:59 PM, MaryL wrote:
> >> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is simply
> >> plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings and/or games
> >> (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages on the counter
> >> so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a coffee maker but
> >> just recently learned that there are also electric iced tea makers. I
> >> have been reading some of the reviews on amazon.com. Have any of you
> >> used any of the electric iced tea makers that you can recommend? I have
> >> noticed from some of the amazon reviews that some of them have a
> >> tendency to spill the contents, so I would like one that does not have
> >> that problem since I will be leaving it unattended most of the time.
> >>
> >> MaryL
> >>
> > Most places I've seen where tea is available, it is in the form of tea
> > bags alongside an electric urn of hot water, a bowl of sugar sachets and a
> > jug of milk. Provide the cups and saucers and the tea drinkers can make
> > their own tea.
>
> But that would make hot tea and she wants iced.

This isn't brain surgery, it's just iced tea. Put out a water pitcher
filled with strong, prepared tea at room temperature, a bowl of ice,
sliced lemons, glasses etc to make it yourself. Done. Now get on
with the events.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Thu, 03 Oct 2013 20:08:06 +1000, Xeno Lith
> wrote:

> On 3/10/13 8:05 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
> >
> > "Xeno Lith" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>>
> >> Most places I've seen where tea is available, it is in the form of tea
> >> bags alongside an electric urn of hot water, a bowl of sugar sachets
> >> and a jug of milk. Provide the cups and saucers and the tea drinkers
> >> can make their own tea.
> >
> > But that would make hot tea and she wants iced.
>
> Add ice! ;-)

That's how to make the absolute BEST iced tea! She just wants to
provide a beverage, so KISS (keep it simple, s...)

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 10/2/2013 4:50 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>>
>> We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us,
>> that we love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a
>> pitcher of hot tea (boil the water in the electric kettle) and let
>> it sit, tea bags in, until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea
>> from it (we do remove the tea bags at some point) until the pitcher
>> is empty, and then we rinse out the pitcher and repeat the process.
>>
>> Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two
>> on the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium
>> sized pitcher.
>>
>> The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
>> Press coffee in it as well.
>>
>> -S-
>
> Good method, but I'd get the tea bags out by five minutes so it will
> not get bitter. If you want stronger, better to add more tea, not
> more time.

My wife's mother was Welsh, and her father English, and all quite the
tea drinkers. The tea bags went into the pot and stayed there all
night, adding hot water as the evening went along. The fact that we
usually take them out within a few hours represents quite a bit of
progress for her.

-S-

On Thu, 3 Oct 2013 20:48:34 -0400, "Steve Freides" >
wrote:

>Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> On 10/2/2013 4:50 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us,
>>> that we love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a
>>> pitcher of hot tea (boil the water in the electric kettle) and let
>>> it sit, tea bags in, until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea
>>> from it (we do remove the tea bags at some point) until the pitcher
>>> is empty, and then we rinse out the pitcher and repeat the process.
>>>
>>> Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two
>>> on the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium
>>> sized pitcher.
>>>
>>> The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
>>> Press coffee in it as well.
>>>
>>> -S-
>>
>> Good method, but I'd get the tea bags out by five minutes so it will
>> not get bitter. If you want stronger, better to add more tea, not
>> more time.
>
>My wife's mother was Welsh,

How TF could she be WAS Welch???

>and her father English, and all quite the
>tea drinkers. The tea bags went into the pot and stayed there all
>night, adding hot water as the evening went along. The fact that we
>usually take them out within a few hours represents quite a bit of
>progress for her.

In how many other ways was your MIL a miserly bitch?

On 2013-10-02 09:59:17 +0000, Ed Pawlowski said:

> I've used and did not like the electrics. Too much work for mediocre
> tea. About 6 months ago I bought one of these
> http://www.takeyausa.com/flashchill.aspx

We have something similar but just put bottled water in and put in the
ice box for 4 hours with the equivalent of a couple of tea-bags of
green tea.

For hot tea we have a water-heater that holds a gallon. It's a delight
to always walk in the kitchen and find hot water available for tea.
There are some hipper Japanese ones that allow you to keep the water at
any of 3 or 4 different temperatures Some Japanese green teas are
purportedly best when heated at lower temperatures.

> Simple to use and makes better iced tea. I put in loose tea or bags,
> boiling water, steep for 4 minutes. Add ice and done.
>
> There are other types that are similar at
> http://www.teavana.com/loose-leaf-teas/iced-tea-makers
> Never tried them so I don't know how good they are.

On 2013-10-03 06:49:24 +0000, MaryL said:

> Well, that's why I started down this path...I don't drink iced tea
> myself, but I was concerned that the bottled tea might not be good. I
> actually like water and that's all I drink, but I'm trying to provide
> what others like.

So you have one type of preferred tea for all? Or do you intend to
have a sample of 4 or 5 types of tea and then a tea-maker for each?

On 2013-10-03 03:04:04 +0000, Goomba said:

[ Seems some of this topic see-saws back and forth between hot and iced tea. ]

> In my opinion, this is something invented that itself invents more
> problems than it solves. How hard is it to boil water on the stove and
> pour into a pitcher over tea bags/leaves to make iced tea?

A few minutes each time. I find having a hot-water dispenser takes no
minutes ever. That's a savings! Especially if you drink tea a few
times a day, as I now do.

> Yet now you have this task specific appliance that costs money (when
> you already have kettles or pots that can boil water in) takes up space
> to store and does absolutely nothing that can't be done just as easily
> without it.

It just does it in advance. They're cheap and convenient. I'm down with
cheap and convenient.

On 2013-10-03 15:32:11 +0000, sf said:

> This isn't brain surgery, it's just iced tea. Put out a water pitcher
> filled with strong, prepared tea at room temperature, a bowl of ice,
> sliced lemons, glasses etc to make it yourself. Done. Now get on
> with the events.

That does sound the simplest, unless you need to have 4 types of tea.
Even putting out three containers with glasses and ice seems pretty
easy though.

"Xeno Lith" > wrote in message
...

>> But that would make hot tea and she wants iced.
>
> Add ice! ;-)

Well, duh! But people don't usually want to have to brew the tea then add
ice.

"gtr" > wrote in message news:2013100318372345206-xxx@yyyzzz...
> On 2013-10-03 15:32:11 +0000, sf said:
>
>> This isn't brain surgery, it's just iced tea. Put out a water pitcher
>> filled with strong, prepared tea at room temperature, a bowl of ice,
>> sliced lemons, glasses etc to make it yourself. Done. Now get on
>> with the events.
>
> That does sound the simplest, unless you need to have 4 types of tea. Even
> putting out three containers with glasses and ice seems pretty easy
> though.

If people are going to be that picky then let them bring their own or buy
the bottled!

"Steve Freides" > wrote in message
...
> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> On 10/2/2013 4:50 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us,
>>> that we love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a
>>> pitcher of hot tea (boil the water in the electric kettle) and let
>>> it sit, tea bags in, until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea
>>> from it (we do remove the tea bags at some point) until the pitcher
>>> is empty, and then we rinse out the pitcher and repeat the process.
>>>
>>> Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two
>>> on the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium
>>> sized pitcher.
>>>
>>> The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
>>> Press coffee in it as well.
>>>
>>> -S-
>>
>> Good method, but I'd get the tea bags out by five minutes so it will
>> not get bitter. If you want stronger, better to add more tea, not
>> more time.
>
> My wife's mother was Welsh, and her father English, and all quite the tea
> drinkers. The tea bags went into the pot and stayed there all night,
> adding hot water as the evening went along. The fact that we usually take
> them out within a few hours represents quite a bit of progress for her.
>
> -S-

I made the mistake of leaving the bags in too long the other night. Was
bitter. When I was a kid, we all used the same bag, passing it around. Got
reused probably a dozen times.

"gtr" wrote in message news:2013100318334135629-xxx@yyyzzz...

On 2013-10-03 06:49:24 +0000, MaryL said:

> Well, that's why I started down this path...I don't drink iced tea myself,
> but I was concerned that the bottled tea might not be good. I actually
> like water and that's all I drink, but I'm trying to provide what others
> like.

So you have one type of preferred tea for all? Or do you intend to
have a sample of 4 or 5 types of tea and then a tea-maker for each?

~~~~~~~
If I use a tea maker, I will have one type of plain tea and a supply of
sugar and other sweeteners so everyone can sweeten (or not), as they prefer.
If I buy bottled tea, I will get a variety. Right now, I'm leaning towards
Janet's suggestion. That is, I may make a pitcher of plain tea and have
sugar and other sweeteners available. I don't like tea, so I'm no even sure
how to brew "good-tasting" tea, but it should not be difficult. I started
out planning to get an electric tea maker because that is what one of my
friends uses. However, I have reconsidered. It seems rather complicated to
clean and store it away when it will only get used when I have guests. I
already do that with an electric coffee pot (again, only used for guests
since I do not drink coffee), and it's easy to overdo appliances that are
seldom needed.

MaryL

On Thu, 3 Oct 2013 18:37:23 -0700, gtr > wrote:

> On 2013-10-03 15:32:11 +0000, sf said:
>
> > This isn't brain surgery, it's just iced tea. Put out a water pitcher
> > filled with strong, prepared tea at room temperature, a bowl of ice,
> > sliced lemons, glasses etc to make it yourself. Done. Now get on
> > with the events.
>
> That does sound the simplest, unless you need to have 4 types of tea.
> Even putting out three containers with glasses and ice seems pretty
> easy though.

I'd just put out "black tea" aka: orange pekoe (of a decent quality),
if you want to make it more complicated - go for it.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

"MaryL" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "gtr" wrote in message news:2013100318334135629-xxx@yyyzzz...
>
> On 2013-10-03 06:49:24 +0000, MaryL said:
>
>> Well, that's why I started down this path...I don't drink iced tea
>> myself, but I was concerned that the bottled tea might not be good. I
>> actually like water and that's all I drink, but I'm trying to provide
>> what others like.
>
> So you have one type of preferred tea for all? Or do you intend to
> have a sample of 4 or 5 types of tea and then a tea-maker for each?
>
> ~~~~~~~
> If I use a tea maker, I will have one type of plain tea and a supply of
> sugar and other sweeteners so everyone can sweeten (or not), as they
> prefer. If I buy bottled tea, I will get a variety. Right now, I'm
> leaning towards Janet's suggestion. That is, I may make a pitcher of
> plain tea and have sugar and other sweeteners available. I don't like
> tea, so I'm no even sure how to brew "good-tasting" tea, but it should not
> be difficult. I started out planning to get an electric tea maker because
> that is what one of my friends uses. However, I have reconsidered. It
> seems rather complicated to clean and store it away when it will only get
> used when I have guests. I already do that with an electric coffee pot
> (again, only used for guests since I do not drink coffee), and it's easy
> to overdo appliances that are seldom needed.

My mom used a Melitta for coffee.

In article >, gravesend10
@verizon.net says...

> >My wife's mother was Welsh,
>
> How TF could she be WAS Welch???

Advanced Grammar Tutorial

In Wales, the natives are Welsh not Welch, and use the past tense of
verbs when speaking of dead people or past events.


Janet UK

On 10/3/2013 11:22 PM, Janet wrote:
> In article >, gravesend10
> @verizon.net says...
>
>>> My wife's mother was Welsh,
>>
>> How TF could she be WAS Welch???
>
> Advanced Grammar Tutorial
>
> In Wales, the natives are Welsh not Welch, and use the past tense of
> verbs when speaking of dead people or past events.
>
>
> Janet UK
>

So in Wales, some people speak the Celtic language which is Welsh. Would
this be the correct usage? Thanks.

Who speaks Welsh in Wales? Would the average young person speak it to
his peers? Is it the language of the old people? Thanks again.

On 10/2/2013 10:50 AM, Steve Freides wrote:
> MaryL wrote:
>> I don't drink either coffee or tea. My "beverage of choice" is
>> simply plain water! However, I sometimes have groups for meetings
>> and/or games (bridge, etc.), and I want to be able to leave beverages
>> on the counter so people can pick it up whenever wanted. I have a
>> coffee maker but just recently learned that there are also electric
>> iced tea makers. I have been reading some of the reviews on
>> amazon.com. Have any of you used any of the electric iced tea makers
>> that you can recommend? I have noticed from some of the amazon
>> reviews that some of them have a tendency to spill the contents, so I
>> would like one that does not have that problem since I will be
>> leaving it unattended most of the time.
>> MaryL
>
> We have an electric kettle, a relatively recent purchase for us, that we
> love. We loved iced tea - our procedure is to make a pitcher of hot tea
> (boil the water in the electric kettle) and let it sit, tea bags in,
> until it's cooled, then we just make iced tea from it (we do remove the
> tea bags at some point) until the pitcher is empty, and then we rinse
> out the pitcher and repeat the process.
>
> Room temperature tea by the pitcher full keeps well for a day or two on
> the counter. We use TJ's Irish Breakfast tea, 3 bags to a medium sized
> pitcher.
>
> The electric kettle is a nice multi-tasker - we boil water for French
> Press coffee in it as well.
>
> -S-
>
>

The Europeans have a big advantage in that their power outlets are 220V
and the plug-in appliances are capable of supplying 2400 Watts of power
which is useful if you're boiling water in a hurry. Our system is pretty
lame in comparison.

dsi1 wrote:
> On 10/3/2013 11:22 PM, Janet wrote:
>> In article >, gravesend10
>> @verizon.net says...
>>
>>>> My wife's mother was Welsh,
>>>
>>> How TF could she be WAS Welch???
>>
>> Advanced Grammar Tutorial
>>
>> In Wales, the natives are Welsh not Welch, and use the past tense
>> of verbs when speaking of dead people or past events.
>>
>>
>> Janet UK
>>
>
> So in Wales, some people speak the Celtic language which is Welsh.
> Would this be the correct usage? Thanks.
>
> Who speaks Welsh in Wales? Would the average young person speak it to
> his peers? Is it the language of the old people? Thanks again.

Welsh children are given the choice (at least last time I heard) of
going to school up to the 6th grade in Welsh, or in English. Many, many
young people speak Welsh fluently, including a young man in his 20's I
ran into here in the US about a year ago. There was a significant
separtist movement in Wales, and the option to go to school in Welsh was
one of the results.

My wife's mother's family came from the North, from the island of
Anglesey, near the town with the longest name in the world, usually
referred to as Llanfair P.G. My wife's grandmother barely spoke
English, and my wife's mother's and Aunt's first language was Welsh.
Being from Anglesey is at least somewhat like being a hillbilly here in
the US - my wife's grandmother had such a thick, country Welsh accent
that when my wife first opened her mouth in a Welsh language class she
took in NYC in the 1980's, the teacher laughed out loud and asked her
where she's gotten that accent from - very sing-songy.

When we visited the house her grandmother had lived in before moving to
the US in 1984, the house still had no electricity or running water.
When we visited again in 2005, it had only just been given those things
about a year or two prior - it was a magical visit. The owners were
nice enough to let us in and show us what they'd done, and they also
showed us and asked us about a picture they'd found, which was a family
photo that included my wife's grandmother that no one in the family knew
existed.

The average young person would likely not speak Welsh to his peers, but
there's 50/50 chance or so that he'd be able to.

-S-

gtr wrote:
> On 2013-10-03 03:04:04 +0000, Goomba said:
>
> [ Seems some of this topic see-saws back and forth between hot and
> iced tea. ]
>> In my opinion, this is something invented that itself invents more
>> problems than it solves. How hard is it to boil water on the stove
>> and pour into a pitcher over tea bags/leaves to make iced tea?
>
> A few minutes each time. I find having a hot-water dispenser takes no
> minutes ever. That's a savings! Especially if you drink tea a few
> times a day, as I now do.
>
>> Yet now you have this task specific appliance that costs money (when
>> you already have kettles or pots that can boil water in) takes up
>> space to store and does absolutely nothing that can't be done just
>> as easily without it.
>
> It just does it in advance. They're cheap and convenient. I'm down
> with cheap and convenient.

Our espresso machine has an instant hot water dispenser - very nice, and
we do use that to make hot tea sometimes, but we drink enough of it that
it's usually better for us to make it by the pitcher.

-S-

In article >, lid
says...
>
> On 10/3/2013 11:22 PM, Janet wrote:
> > In article >, gravesend10
> > @verizon.net says...
> >
> >>> My wife's mother was Welsh,
> >>
> >> How TF could she be WAS Welch???
> >
> > Advanced Grammar Tutorial
> >
> > In Wales, the natives are Welsh not Welch, and use the past tense of
> > verbs when speaking of dead people or past events.
> >
> >
> > Janet UK
> >
>
> So in Wales, some people speak the Celtic language which is Welsh. Would
> this be the correct usage? Thanks.

Yes it is.
>
> Who speaks Welsh in Wales?

It's officially a bilingual country and one that sets a very high
value on its cultural traditions. Many roadsigns, public notices,
official documents, Welsh- Assembly (government) communication etc are
in both languages, Welsh first. There's an all-Welsh TV station and the
BBC also broadcasts TV news services and Welsh radio. Speaking Welsh is
an entry-requirement for many jobs in the public sector.

> Would the average young person speak it to
> his peers? Is it the language of the old people? Thanks again.

About 20% of the population read write and speak it fluently; for some
it's their first language, the one most used at home etc. Use by young
people is increasing since 2000 when Welsh language became a compulsory
school subject for all pupils. About a quarter of all schoolchildren in
Wales attend Welsh-medium schools where everything is taught in Welsh.

Janet UK.

"Steve Freides" wrote in message ...

Welsh children are given the choice (at least last time I heard) of
going to school up to the 6th grade in Welsh, or in English. Many, many
young people speak Welsh fluently, including a young man in his 20's I
ran into here in the US about a year ago. There was a significant
separtist movement in Wales, and the option to go to school in Welsh was
one of the results.

My wife's mother's family came from the North, from the island of
Anglesey, near the town with the longest name in the world, usually
referred to as Llanfair P.G. My wife's grandmother barely spoke
English, and my wife's mother's and Aunt's first language was Welsh.
Being from Anglesey is at least somewhat like being a hillbilly here in
the US - my wife's grandmother had such a thick, country Welsh accent
that when my wife first opened her mouth in a Welsh language class she
took in NYC in the 1980's, the teacher laughed out loud and asked her
where she's gotten that accent from - very sing-songy.

When we visited the house her grandmother had lived in before moving to
the US in 1984, the house still had no electricity or running water.
When we visited again in 2005, it had only just been given those things
about a year or two prior - it was a magical visit. The owners were
nice enough to let us in and show us what they'd done, and they also
showed us and asked us about a picture they'd found, which was a family
photo that included my wife's grandmother that no one in the family knew
existed.

The average young person would likely not speak Welsh to his peers, but
there's 50/50 chance or so that he'd be able to.

-S-

~~~~~~
What an interesting message--too interesting to snip any of it. Thanks for
posting it.

MaryL

MaryL wrote:
> "Steve Freides" wrote in message
> ...
> Welsh children are given the choice (at least last time I heard) of
> going to school up to the 6th grade in Welsh, or in English. Many,
> many young people speak Welsh fluently, including a young man in his
> 20's I ran into here in the US about a year ago. There was a
> significant
> separtist movement in Wales, and the option to go to school in Welsh
> was one of the results.
>
> My wife's mother's family came from the North, from the island of
> Anglesey, near the town with the longest name in the world, usually
> referred to as Llanfair P.G. My wife's grandmother barely spoke
> English, and my wife's mother's and Aunt's first language was Welsh.
> Being from Anglesey is at least somewhat like being a hillbilly here
> in the US - my wife's grandmother had such a thick, country Welsh
> accent that when my wife first opened her mouth in a Welsh language
> class she
> took in NYC in the 1980's, the teacher laughed out loud and asked her
> where she's gotten that accent from - very sing-songy.
>
> When we visited the house her grandmother had lived in before moving
> to the US in 1984, the house still had no electricity or running
> water. When we visited again in 2005, it had only just been given
> those
> things about a year or two prior - it was a magical visit. The
> owners were nice enough to let us in and show us what they'd done, and
> they also
> showed us and asked us about a picture they'd found, which was a
> family photo that included my wife's grandmother that no one in the
> family knew existed.
>
> The average young person would likely not speak Welsh to his peers,
> but there's 50/50 chance or so that he'd be able to.
>
> -S-
>
> ~~~~~~
> What an interesting message--too interesting to snip any of it. Thanks
> for posting it.
>
> MaryL

Thank you for the kind words, Mary.

-S-