Gents, Thank you for your insights and comments concerning the subject of tea.

I have now a hunch that my favourite brew is most probably of the Assam type, information that I shall attempt to learn more about.

Might I suggest that the hotter the weather, the better a hot cup of tea tastes, and it quenches your thirst admirably.

Tea was such a valued commodity here at one time, that the lady of the house would keep the tea caddy locked lest the undeserving servants should help themselves. No joke.
You will notice that many Victorian and Georgian tea caddies available at auction have locks.

Tea bags were introduced in the States in 1908 but we lagged behind until Messrs Tetley made our lives a little easier in 1953.

Folks,

I recall that the Assam area in India is the world's largest tea-growing region. They get a lot of rain there every day and the days are quite hot. I've read that black Assam tea brews up a burgundy-red cup with rich aroma and strong malty taste. Does that sound familiar MG?

I don't own a tea cozy much less a tea caddy Dux. LOL. If I did I am quite sure it would not need a lock. I have seen on TV how they have to painstakingly taste-test the new crop of leaves every year and then blend them so that tea brewed with the new tea blend will taste just like it did previously. That way those who drink a particular brand won't get a shock like MG apparently did. Apparently there is no substitute for human taste buds in this scientific and artful process.

I fired up IL2'46 last night and set up a fictional battle over Normandy between two flights of Spit 9Cs and a flight of 4 He111s and 4 lumbering Gigants. Oh, and there were several BF 109F2s buzzing around as well. The Gigants had no chance at all and soon the bombers were falling in fiery pieces too. This seemed to greatly annoy the BF109s and they proved to be worthy adversaries for a time. We shot down 1 and 3 ran out of ammo or gas and got away.

Folks,

Dux:

If you open a tea bag you will find, in most cases, something that resembles tea dust more than tea leaves. The larger, loose leaves that many aficionados prefer require more space than is available in a bag that would still fit in a teapot or a cup. Only when big tea leaves swoosh around in boiling water can they release all their goodness. Technically tea bags do not offer the space required for a proper brewing process and therefore cannot match the rich flavor of the loose variety.

Tazo black tea was recently highly recommended by the folks at America's Test Kitchen. They tested several name brands. We all know that when it comes to brewing either coffee or tea we should start with good tasting, crystal clear and pure water. I'm not sure that is still available anywhere in the states.

On the other hand our water has tested very high in taste and purity against other cities' water across the country and so I still use that. I used to filter our water but stopped when I realized that a really good filter will clog quickly and have to be replaced often and that is kinda expensive and a poor filter is cheaper but does nothing.

Tea is touted by some as a health drink that they claim helps lower blood pressure, cholesterol and that drinking several cups a day it lowers your risk of stroke. I dunno, I'm no doctor.

JRT,

I remember a comment made by an elderly lady in one of the Ealing comedies when talking of tea-bags.

'Sweepings of the warehouse floor, like as not!'

Probably not far from the truth in some circumstances.

We have also heard that tea has certain medicinal properties which are beneficial to the old 'ticker'!

Folks,

I'd say we have pretty much covered the subject of tea at least as far as our limited knowledge will spread.

I've just returned from a brisk mile walk through the woods accompanied by a 20 MPH wind mostly in my frozen face. The wind chill must be near zero F. Nevertheless there is a full sun drenching us with bright light today and about the same heat you'd expect from a candle stuck in a freezer locker. It winter after all and the cold, crisp air is invigorating. I am so invigorated by the cold that I am going to brew up a very hot cuppa tea when I am done here.

Those poor folk battling a determined winter in the northern states have it far worse than we do. They have to send snow plows out to dig out their snow plows. Here there is no snow and the ice is quickly melting from the trees and bushes. Winter may loose his icy wrath upon us here but he warms and loses his grip quicker.

That useless ranting about winter reminds me about the time the Yorkshire lad LeRoy got a brand new pair of ice skates for his birthday. The young fellow couldn't wait to try them out. Against the protests of his mother he rushed right down to the nearest farm pond. It would have been far better for the impatient LeRoy, who nearly drowned that day, if he had been born in December and not in August.....

JRT,

In Derby today we experienced a very welcome 57f. These balmy conditions contrasted with what it was like just two weeks ago when it was bitterly cold and around 32f.

Won't last long though - just a few days they reckon.

Gents,

JRT,

I was watching a programme about Britain in the forties/fifties. The television jingles of the day took me back just as surely as any of the pop records.

Who remembers;

Rael-Brook poplin - the shirt you don't iron.

The Esso sign means happy motoring
Call at the Esso sign!

John Collier, John Collier
The window to watch...

etc.

Folks,

Dux:

I recognize the Esso sign and the Esso slogan. Of course it is called Exxon now and we also remember "Put A Tiger In Your Tank". Doubtless this particular slogan was especially effective in India.;) I do not recall the others you mention. Several recent programs watched here remind us that there is a huge variance in advertising across the globe even when run by the same companies.

It is a global economy they say and companies in America have their roots dug deep throughout the world affecting many peoples and many cultures. Many of these "American" companies are owned by entities in other countries. Ads must be somewhat tailored to differing tastes and even religious beliefs. Ads must be customized. Some say in the end there will no longer be "countries" only massive "companies" controlling everything across the world.

Humor is universal and in-house or external ad agencies have learned that lesson early so you have noticed much advertising has a humorous theme. This is to make us stop fiddling with the chips and watch; more or less like when Julie Andrews sings "A Spoonful OF Sugar Makes The Medicine Go Down." Believe or not some TV ads are created with an intentional "Irritation value".

Over here a specific brand name liquid detergent had a long running ad campaign on TV that featured a most annoying voice shrieking "Ring around the collar" over and over during the commercial. Clearly if it was done to amplify the retention factor that worked for I have never forgotten it. I do however not remember the product favorably because of the negative feelings that override the main message which was of course, buy me.

Audiences are so fragmented today it is far more difficult and therefore more expensive to reach large numbers of a target group than it was when I was buying TV and radio availabilities. It was hard enough then when there was only TV, Radio and print to consider and some outdoor. Advertisers must and are experimenting with less traditional media such as we see right down below where you read this.