Aah! Something to write/rant about before I leave for Chicago and leave my audience out in the cold for a week. First, a link to a bloke's post about how to make tea.
And now, my take on it. Drinking good tea is an Indian habit. Yeah, yeah, the Sri Lankans also drink tea. Chinese tea is an abomination we will not go into. Oh, and yes, while the Brits have been known to love tea, who has ever heard of English tea gardens? So, my point being that I have exclusive moral rights to lecture people about tea. Let me take this a few steps further. The best Indian, correction the best tea is Darjeeling, followed by Assam. The South's claim to fame are the Nilgiri tea estates, but when in in Tam-land, do what Tams do and drink your coffee without a fuss. So, I assert my rights as a Bong to lecture and exhort you to drink tea.
So, how does one go about it?
1. Get Darjeeling/CTC tea leaves (or Assam). Tea bags are a Satanic creation. Avoid them. Tea granules are a creation of minor devils. Avoid them too.
2. A saucepan to boil water in. A heater.
3. Boil water in the saucepan.
4. Prepare a kettle with tea leaves. Depending on how strong you want the tea, perhaps one teaspoon, lightly heaped, per cup.
5. Just before the water boils, pour a small amount into the kettle. This is to pre-heat the tea leaves and the kettle and prevent accidental cracking when the boiling water is poured in.
6. When the water starts to boil, pour into the kettle. Stir, close the lid and put the tea-cosy on.
7. Let the tea soak for 3-5 minutes. Stir once more and filter into cups.
8. Add a spoon of sugar/honey and a twist of lemon.
9. Sit back, open up the Anandabazar Patrika or the Statesman and light up the Gold Flake.
10. Sip.
Following this will allow you to enter the blissful world of the Bong for a brief while, provided you are faithful to the ritual. (There are other things involved like cursing the Centre's step-motherly attitude, cursing the fates for Dada's bad luck, etc). If you can keep this up for a lifetime, you will be elevated to the rank of Honorary Bong.
Contrary to rumour, drinking tea does not confer virility or sex appeal.
And now, my take on it. Drinking good tea is an Indian habit. Yeah, yeah, the Sri Lankans also drink tea. Chinese tea is an abomination we will not go into. Oh, and yes, while the Brits have been known to love tea, who has ever heard of English tea gardens? So, my point being that I have exclusive moral rights to lecture people about tea. Let me take this a few steps further. The best Indian, correction the best tea is Darjeeling, followed by Assam. The South's claim to fame are the Nilgiri tea estates, but when in in Tam-land, do what Tams do and drink your coffee without a fuss. So, I assert my rights as a Bong to lecture and exhort you to drink tea.
So, how does one go about it?
1. Get Darjeeling/CTC tea leaves (or Assam). Tea bags are a Satanic creation. Avoid them. Tea granules are a creation of minor devils. Avoid them too.
2. A saucepan to boil water in. A heater.
3. Boil water in the saucepan.
4. Prepare a kettle with tea leaves. Depending on how strong you want the tea, perhaps one teaspoon, lightly heaped, per cup.
5. Just before the water boils, pour a small amount into the kettle. This is to pre-heat the tea leaves and the kettle and prevent accidental cracking when the boiling water is poured in.
6. When the water starts to boil, pour into the kettle. Stir, close the lid and put the tea-cosy on.
7. Let the tea soak for 3-5 minutes. Stir once more and filter into cups.
8. Add a spoon of sugar/honey and a twist of lemon.
9. Sit back, open up the Anandabazar Patrika or the Statesman and light up the Gold Flake.
10. Sip.
Following this will allow you to enter the blissful world of the Bong for a brief while, provided you are faithful to the ritual. (There are other things involved like cursing the Centre's step-motherly attitude, cursing the fates for Dada's bad luck, etc). If you can keep this up for a lifetime, you will be elevated to the rank of Honorary Bong.
Contrary to rumour, drinking tea does not confer virility or sex appeal.
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