“TRADITIONAL TEA"

WELCOME  to teatime ...  Today, I am contemplating my Mother's  Birthday which is February the  twenty-sixth.  In her honour,  I have chosen to drink some traditional tea  from one of her favourite tea cups.

Here it is ...  a pretty pink set that is “crazed" with lots of tea sipping love. I guess “ crazing" makes the heart grow fonder( ha ha) because I love drinking my morning tea from it too.
Crazing is a network of fine lines and cracks  that appear on the glazed surface of some china. Often, it develops during firing or through years of usage and extreme temperatures ... like hot and cold. In this case, I think it adds charm to the term "vintage”. 

I researched the trademark and discovered that mom’s set is  part of the Royal Leighton 

 collection ( 1946-54) in England .  It’s notable characteristics are the thickness of the ceramic  ... even the handle and the cups' lower rim reflects a much heavier pottery than normal. Maybe, that it why it has endured the test of time.

 I love the nosegay of roses that encircle the centre of saucer.

Don’t you think that the pattern is  reminescent of a chintz ?

Chintz or not , the teaset is a brilliant old girl that seems to perk me up , so  I thought that a traditional English Tea would  compliment it nicely. Of course, I did imagined that maybe, my  Scottish Granny might have used a similar blend of tea, in a tea bag many years ago ... BUT ... Did they have teabags then?
 ( Ha Ha)

WELL ... If there is anyone who knows how to make tea, it is the British. Funnily enough, I started to question myself about brewing tea ....  Do I pour the tea over the bag or do I simply drop the teabag into the already filled cup? 

Does anyone know  how long a pot of tea should steep it for  ?

(H-m-m-m-m-m)

 GOODNESS ... I even wondered, if I should squeeze the teabags with a spoon when it was finished steeping? 

 Believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way of making tea, so I asked my ninety-five year old mother, Gracie.

She mentioned, that if you steep it properly, the tea would be mellow and the flavour would shine through, but if you do it wrong, the tea will would be terribly bitter.

After doing a little research, I found what might be a  perfect way of brewing 

"English” tea. 

First boil the water. Add one teabag for every three and half ounces of water. A seven-ounce teacup  should be made with TWO teabags. When the water is between 140 and 185 degrees, you can pour it over the teabags and steep it for approximately five to six minutes. 

IMPORTANT

REMOVE the teabags and DON'T squeeze it. Now, you can pour it into your favourite teacup and add milk if you wish. The tea should be strong but not bitter ...  hot but not scorching and 
perfect with some tasty scones.

"THANKS MOM "

OK, Ladies  “ LET’S HAVE  TEA !!!!

ENJOY !!!!

I am sharing with : Friends Sharing Tea

                               Tuesday Cuppa tea

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