When I hear the word ‘tea,’ I immediately think of England. Cozy parlors. Painted porcelain cups. Little cubes of sugar. Lots of silver and all that. Found the quintessential place in Dartmouth: The Singing Kettle.
Although tea is served all
over the world and some of the places I’ve drunk it, I better not mention. After all, I have a wife, and friends, who say
they bend in a broadminded sort of way, but look at you strangely when you do
even the most innocent things, like pop a beer for breakfast, or point-out you
can see the waitress’ nipples when she’s standing in the sunlight. Closet Puritans.
As I was saying, England for
me is the epicenter of the tea world. Of
course, a couple of billion Asians may feel slightly differently.
Tea hasn’t always been a
cornerstone of English sociability. Got
to the shores in the mid 17th Century and took a while to catch-on.
Samuel Pepys, of diary fame, wrote in 1660 (or thereabouts): "I did send for a cup of
tee, (a China drink) of which I had never had drunk before".
George Orwell (the novelist,
1984) also had some specific ideas about making and serving tea: http://wikilivres.ca/wiki/A_Nice_Cup_of_Tea You’re welcome to read the full list of his
eleven, ironclad rules, but leave you only with this:
“First of all, one should
use Indian or Ceylonese tea. China tea has virtues which are not to be despised
nowadays — it is economical, and one can drink it without milk — but there is
not much stimulation in it. One does not feel wiser, braver or more optimistic
after drinking it. Anyone who has used that comforting phrase 'a nice cup of
tea' invariably means Indian tea.”
In
Devon, where the city of Dartmouth nestles on the banks of the River Dart,
you’ll find the specialty is cream tea.
That doesn’t refer to the added liquid, which is almost always milk, but
to the famous Devon clotted cream.
Clotted cream is rich cream, cooked in a specific fashion to make a
spread with a consistency similar to sweet butter. Clotted cream is served as a topping for
scones or other pastries. Want to make your own scones? One of my previous posts shows you how: http://stroudallover.blogspot.de/2012/02/biscuits-go-to-london-magnificent-cream.html
 |
| Note the clotted cream on the uppermost plate. |
Ah,
the romance of tea. Types range from
dark and strong to light and simple.
You’re missing the point if you resort to bags. Either that or you’re a wearied mother of two
or three or (god pity you) four, in which case a pause is measured in seconds
and silence is more valuable than bricks of gold. Then, ok, even the most fastidious would
understand if you simply put a tea bag in your mouth and sucked.
For
the rest of us: Use loose tea. More flavorful by far. Easier to gauge the strength of the tea. Here’s a handy reference from The Republic of
Tea: http://the.republicoftea.com/library/tea-information/tea-101-how-to-steep-tea/
At
The Singing Kettle you won’t have to worry. Your waiter will advise you on how
long to let the tea steep.
Sugar
or not? Of course the sugar should
always be cubed, not sifted. Stir gently.
How
about milk, as the English usually take it?
Before or after pouring the tea?
Your choice. Let the authorities
quibble over the difference.
A
couple of things I liked about The Singing Kettle, besides the tea, which comes
in several excellent varieties, and the scones, which were perfect. The Kettle was steps away from our Bed &
Breakfast, in the heart of old Dartmouth.
Inside the tea room, the only sounds I heard were the soft, metallic
sounds of teaspoons, and the gentle, subdued tones of conversation. My feeling is, if I want noise and crowds, I’ll
go where the noise and crowds are.
Definitely not for tea.
Did
you know that the English consume more tea per capita than anyone else? But, the other side of the coin is that tea
consumption is going down. Nope, coffee
isn’t taking it’s place. Herb tea and
other healthful liquids are the culprits.
But,
back to Dartmouth! I would talk on and
on about the virtues of The Singing Kettle.
Professional, efficient wait-staff.
Reasonable prices. Luxurious
atmosphere without making you feel uncomfortable in your street clothes, and of
course the scones and clotted cream!
But, I think the photos tell a better story than mere words.
When
you’re in Dartmouth, you will want a break from feverish shopping and a
breakneck pace of sightseeing. The
Singing Kettle is the perfect place to relax, have a cuppa, nosh a bite or two
and remember that you came to Dartmouth for a vacation from life’s cares. Settle back.
Now, one lump or two?
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