THIS IS THE WORST THING

[elisi]

*Watches video*

*Closes tab*

*Burns computer* https://t.co/P5JU9MozTf

— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) May 7, 2020

(Direct link: https://twitter.com/YorkshireTea/status/1258303746313990144)

For anyone non-British, here is Yorkshire Tea's guide to How to make a proper brew

Comments

[elisi]

Well, no there was - instant Lipton tea. It's mentioned briefly at the start - that she has Lipton.
Yeah we have Lipton too, the granule stuff - I don't class it as proper tea. Yes, I'm a snob! *g* But then I got a token from the supermarket to say that I was the No 1 buyer of tea (as in loose leaf tea) of the year, so I feel I have form.

"Real tea" with actual tea leaves and herbs, or loose tea, is more expensive over here. We do have the tea bags - Twinings which is cheaper, but not quite as cheap as Lipton.
Twinings is the cheap option?? Although if you don't have supermarket own brands, I guess it would be. As said, we live off of 'proper, loose tea' but most people just use teabags.

Natural teas don't come cheap and are harder to get or find in the US. You can find them, but usually in health food stores, or tea shops, not in the grocery store and not via online delivery. And you won't find them in most restaurants or hotels.
I feel very sorry for Americans.

I know because I'm a serious tea drinker. I drink tea every day. I have ten different types of tea in my cubicle at work - caffeinated and non-caffeinated and herbal. And have about five different varieties, also various tea bags, and ways to do it.
Sounds like my office. We have a whole drawer full. Although my favourite is Earl Grey.

A lot of Americans are serious tea drinkers - most of the people I work with who are also serious tea drinkers don't touch lipton, and would never drink what is shown in that video.
Gathering by all the Americans reacting in horror - that is quite evident. ;)

they prefer coffee, and find tea tastless (I have a co-worker who hates tea and calls it flavored water)
They should all buy some proper Yorkshire Tea and follow the instructions I linked to. *firm nod*

Knowing how to brew tea is unfortunately also a class divider in the US. So be careful about this topic.
Don't worry, no one in the UK (rightly or wrongly) thinks that Americans know anything about tea. Mind you, the rest of Europe is equally clueless. (And I speak as someone who grew up in another country, who can attest to the fact that British tea is vastly superior to anything brewed elsewhere. Of course, I haven't been to India...) ETA: It's like how people tell me that in America lemonade is A THING, and everyone else does it wrong.

[shadowkat]

Amusing considering, Britain actually supplies very little tea and the world's tea in fact comes from India and China.

Tea is an aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub (bush) native to East Asia.[3] After water, it is the most widely consumed drink in the world.[4] There are many different types of tea; some, like Darjeeling and Chinese greens, have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour,[5] while others have vastly different profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral or grassy notes. Tea has a stimulating effect in humans primarily due to its caffeine content.[6]

Tea originated in Southwest China during the Shang dynasty, where it was used as a medicinal drink.[7] An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century AD, in a medical text written by Hua Tuo.[8] It was popularised as a recreational drink during the Chinese Tang dynasty, and tea drinking spread to other East Asian countries. Portuguese priests and merchants introduced it to Europe during the 16th century.[9] During the 17th century, drinking tea became fashionable among the English, who started large-scale production and commercialisation of the plant in India. Combined, China and India supplied 62% of the world's tea in 2016.

The term herbal tea refers to drinks not made from Camellia sinensis: infusions of fruit, leaves, or other parts of the plant, such as steeps of rosehip, chamomile, or rooibos. These are sometimes[10] called tisanes or herbal infusions to prevent confusion with tea made from the tea plant.

There's also some very good organic teas in the US - Choice Tea - it's organic and fair trade.

And my second go-to brand... Rishi Tea

Rishi can be served hot or cold, which is wonderful and has various brands.

There's also teas that are herbal supplements - such as Blood Sugar tea with mulberry.

And of course.. Harney and Sons

There's many many others. So I think I'll pass on Yorkshire tea.

[elisi]

It's a truth universally known that Britain went around the world beating up other countries and stealing their lunchmoney culture, food & wealth.

There is also the fact that fashions and food changes and evolves. We no longer drink cocoa the way the Aztecs did. So, British tea is now something distinct from elsewhere.

Interestingly, Turkey consumes the most tea per capita (followed by Ireland and the UK.

Anyway, having grown up in Scandinavia, I can attest to the superiority of Proper British Tea. (I have never tried Turkish tea, I might look it up.)

[shadowkat]

Can't comment on Scandinavian Tea - haven't had it. But Scandinavia isn't really known for tea, Vodka yes, tea, no.

But I just had a cup of British tea - Chai from Twinings of London. Followed by a cup of CBD tea. I am kind of versatile tea drinker. Europe isn't known for its tea. But Asia is - and a lot of the US has adopted the Asian brewing standards - due to the immigrant population from Asia. You haven't had tea until you've had Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, and Turkish tea. Also Russian tea is quite good.

[elisi]

Scandinavia isn't known for vodka either, that's Eastern Europe. :)

And the more tea, the better. As long as it's not the horror depicted in the video!

[shadowkat]

It is here...Karlson's One, Absolute, Findlandia...you are obviously aren't into vodka. ;-)

Cheap vodka is Eastern Europe, the good stuff is Scandinavia.

[elisi]

I REALLY am not. Also I'm Danish, where people drink schnaps. (Proper stuff, 45% proof. Not any kind of liqueurs.)

And I will take that compliment. Scandinavians know how to drink.

[shadowkat]

Vodka isn't a liqueur - it's the hard stuff. Not sure ...you got that?

Although I've been told Iceland makes the best in the world by my cousins.

I thought you were from the Faro Islands...

[elisi]

I know what vodka is, LOL. But for a lot of people [not from Scandinavia] schnaps is something sweet. I just wanted to point out how Danes they don't drink a particular hard drink (vodka) as they prefer another (schnaps).

And I grew up in the Faroes, but my family is Danish. Plus the Danes and the Faroese like similar drinks. (Beer & schnaps.) (Wine also of course, but.)

[shadowkat]

Thanks, for the clarification.

[elisi]

I wouldn't say nationality, but culture.

Like how Americans (taken generally) don't have eggcups. British people find this bewildering. On the flipside, then (as I think I mentioned above), then American lemonade is something far superior to what a British person would be familiar with.

You can probably get Yorkshire puddings outside of the UK, but it's unlikely to be a staple part of many people's Sunday dinners etc. Lots of people drink tea. The British & Irish (& Turkish!) drink more than any other country. Ergo, it is a bigger part of the culture.

ETA: You edited whilst I was replying! Anyway, it's not an important thing. :)

[shadowkat]

I've been irritable lately.

[elisi]

No worries. <3