As Minion in Charge of Tea

[redbird]

While there is nothing wrong with flavored teas--Earl Gray, vanilla, black currant, whatever you care for--they are not to be the only available tea in any establishment. Any restaurant offering flavored tea to its customers must have at least one plain black tea--an Assam, a Darjeeling, Irish Breakfast, whatever suits the owner and cooks.

Restaurants that bring free pots of jasmine-scented oolong to the table with every meal are exempt from this ruling.

Also, while this edict does not apply to restaurants that sell no caffeinated beverages, any establishment that offers both tisanes and coffee must also have tea, under the same rules as above. "Camomile and Peppermint" is not an acceptable answer to "What teas do you have," although "We have Moroccan mint tea and Lipton" is.

Comments

Hear, hear

[ellarien]

The most egregious example I've come across was in a small Mexican restaurant in California. I wanted a hot beverage with dinner; they didn't have decaf coffee, so I asked for 'hot tea'. They didn't ask what kind, just brought me a mint teabag (not tea with peppermint, just mint) and a cup of hot water. Later I asked for a refill, and got something red and fruity. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't quite what I had in mind.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

J complains mightily when--as seems to happen more and more frequently--he orders "iced tea," and without a word of warning they serve him flavored iced tea.

Assam

[cthulhia]

is the same as Irish Breakfast.

(or damned close)

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

May I request that Earl Grey be classified as "Not Tea"

[redbird]

Denied.

One of my closest friends, and supplier of many good teas, drinks Earl Grey.

[liv]

Yay for minions who do not give in to public pressure. I mean, hey, if you went around being a demagogue there would be little point in having a world dictatorship, now would there?

[rivka.livejournal.com]

No! Noooo!

I couldn't start the morning without my Earl Grey.

Tea: Do not ban Earl Grey

[ailbhe]

Me neither. I like my English Breakfast with milk, and am now unable to take milk. Earl Grey is the next best thing.

But Reading Blend (for Reading, Berkshire, England water) that has been left near badly-wrapped chocolate teabags is also pretty good. I have no idea how I am going to replicate it once this packet is finished.

Re: Tea: Do not ban Earl Grey

[papersky.livejournal.com]

If you take one square of Lindt 70%, or other strong dark chocolate (actually, ordinary Bournville would probably do) and put it in a sealed tin with a quarter of a pound of loose assam tea (or twenty teabags) for about a fortnight, the tea will get a subtle note of chocolate.

Don't do it with larger quantities, because you want to be able to use the tea while the flavour lasts. Use fresh chocolate every time.

I haven't done it for years, in fact I haven't done it since the friend who liked it died, but it definitely works.

Re: Tea: Do not ban Earl Grey

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Ooooooh.

Note to self: acquire dark chocolate to go in the English Breakfast tin.

[calimac.livejournal.com]

"Camomile and Peppermint" is not an acceptable answer to "What teas do you have"

On a related subject, "We have French fries" is not an acceptable answer to "May I have something else in place of potatoes?", though it's one I've actually gotten.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

While having a plain black tea is perfectly reasonable, also having a green tea would also be very nice.

In Britain, a general rule of whether a random cafe is worth going into is whether or not they serve Earl Grey. It doesn't matter if what you want is a sandwich and lemonade, if they serve Earl Grey, everything else will be OK, and if not, not. It's a minimum sign of attention to what they're doing. Of course, it goes without saying that any cafe at all in Hyperborea will have assam, though they may well put the milk in without asking unless you're really specific.