BIG Cups of Tea

It's funny, but doing something like this can really work as a bit of a mirror for a blogger such as myself. I've noticed that there are a number of themes that keep recurring, that I wouldn't have really thought that I spent that much time considering. I'm thinking about this, because I'm going to write another breakfast-oriented post now. And I thought a disclaimer might be a good thing. Because I'm really not obsessed with breakfast. It's true, I do believe it to be the most important meal of the day, however I don't necessarily consider it one of the most important things in my life.

Well, not breakfast in general. What I do, however, consider one of the most important things in my life is related to breakfast. It is in fact the beverage that I consume before breakfast, with breakfast, and fairly solidly throughout the day - Tea.

I love Tea.

Especially good tea. I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to these things. I'm not the sort of girl who will drink any old Tetley's tea-bag bought in bulk and stocked in the office kitchen.

I prefer a mild start to the day with a pot (not a tea-bag) of loose leaf English Breakfast. I should warn anyone who ever stays with me that attempting to speak to me prior to the consumption of the magic elixir does so at their own peril.

Once I get to work, and throughout the day, I switch to a slightly sturdier brew of Irish breakfast. In the evenings I try to cut down the caffeine intake and tend to go herbal - chamomile or peppermint usually does the trick, although I'm trying Calendula at the moment.

With Chinese food I'll always have tea. Jasmine or Oolong, of course. And for those cold winters nights, curled up with chocolate and a movie, a spiced chai with hot milk and honey is truly divine.

Over the years I have experimented with various other concoctions. Madagascan Vanilla, Lap Sang Souchong (couldn't get into that one, sorry), fruit teas and plunger teas.

Of course, like every tea affictionado, I am also quite picky about what my tea is served in. At the top of the tree is a really, really big mug. I have one at home, affectionately known as my "Sunday Mug", that fits 3 normal cup's worth of tea. It's great. Keeps me going for a decent length of time. At work I have a very sentimental mug. It was made for me at an offsite on 2002 with my workmates - we went and did an activity where you sat around a table and took in turns helping decorate each other's blank mugs. First you painted the person's outline, then passed mugs to the left, and painted the hair of that person, then passed left again...and so on and so forth until a masterful portrait emerges from the combined talents of your workmates. then you paint what you drink and how you have it (hot drinks, ok? I know what you were thinking) on the back, so that everyone can make each other drinks back at the office without getting the orders confused.

What I really HATE are those stupid tiny tea cup things that they have at hotels and conference centres. They fit 2 mouthfuls of tea in them, and you can't fit your finger through the handle, so you end up precariously holding on for dear life. hardly worth the effort really.

So, tea lovers of the world unite!

J.