Time for tea

After spending three-quarters of the day at my desk, on the phone and hammering the keyboard, I slipped out this afternoon for a catch-up with my good friend Linda at a local pub's new tea-room. Wise decision. We had naughty scones, jam, cream and cake, and a good natter, and both enjoyed it thoroughly. No calories involved, of course. As if!

It was the Dutch who first brought tea to Europe, and to England, and it has been a favoured drink of the British since the 17th century. It was on sale in the City of London, at one Thomas Garraway's store, in 1657, and Samuel Pepys mentioned it in his diary in 1660.

I was intrigued by one of the blends of tea on the menu this afternoon, called Blue Lady. Apparently 'this exotic blend' of black tea and flowers is named after the Blue Lady spirit who roams the haunted village of Pluckley in Kent. Sounds like an interesting place to visit. Unfortunately, as I hate tea, I wasn't tempted to try it, and my friend preferred the Earl Grey. So we didn't discover how exotic it was. I had a delicious cappuccino, much nicer than horrid old tea, even if it is rather un-English of me to say so.

This lovely little quote was in the wall of the tearoom, and I couldn't resist passing it on for those who do enjoy tea:

"Tea! Thou soft, thou sober, sage and venerable liquid, thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart-opening wink-tipping cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moment of my life, let me fall prostrate."
Colley Cibber, 'The Lady's Last Stake', 1708.