Thursday, October 27, 2011

Don't tell the Tea Party, but-




Sometimes The Prude shuffles off the coils of cowardice and takes a stance on a controversial issue.
Today, at great risk of offending those of you with a strong emotional opinion on the matter, she proclaims boldly:

Tea is lovelier in concept than on the palate.

It’s true.
The Prude does not approve of tea.

But not for lack of trying.
When she was a little Prude her parents had a tradition.
After Sunday afternoon nap and before Sunday evening church the family would gather around the table for tea and windmill cookies.
It was a lovely tradition and The Prude has fond memories of the table, the gathered family, and the cookies.

She hit Pre-teen Prude years and her best friend gave her a beautiful box of English Breakfast Tea.  Every time the fledgling Prude choked back a cup she would think of her friend.  She still thinks of what’s-her-name when she sees a box of E.B.T.

And then there was the song that made her swoon, just as she was hitting the ‘Maybe boys aren’t the spawn of maggots after all’ stage.
When ‘Toast and Marmalade for Tea” came on the little transistor radio Teen Prude held to her ear (oriented south towards WCFL- AM), her eyes would glaze over, a dreamy smile would play over her mouth and she would imagine herself serving David Cassidy toast and marmalade and tea. Just serving him. His gratitude would be enough.
No thank you David, every bit of marmalade and every drop of tea is for you alone.

All grown up Prude has tried at repeated intervals to like tea. She’s a sucker for pretty boxes and pretty names.
And she knows some teas are good for her.
Green tea, for example. She has tried it flavored with lemon, with mint, and after rubbing an ice cube across her tongue.

Did you know they pack the benefits of green tea in a little capsule now?
Toast and marmalade with David Cassidy might just work if served with a lozenge…

4 comments:

Lisa Lickel said...

Yeah..well, it's okay. But try peppermint. or Tension Tamer, my personal favorite for reasons you can probably guess. And windmill cookies! Ah, I am transported back to Grandma's kitchen in Iowa with the white cookie jar decorated with spoons and gingerbread men, I think. Oh boy, it's gonna be a long day.

bethBA said...

Well, since I was not allowed as a child to drink coffee ("It will stunt your growth"), I was allowed on occasion to drink tea. But I always drowned it with sugar or honey. Recently, as a grown-up, I have expanded my horizons and tried several flavored ones, unadulterated with sweetners. My favorite is Red Rose (the one from Canada)which is very delicate. Last spring our little church had a Ladies Tea and the choices of teas were unbelieveable! and not found it the familar red and yellow boxes!

Abbie Grace said...

I really like green tea, but it tastes really good in hot cider. So maybe you could give that a try?

Lori Lipsky said...

I feel exactly as you do about tea, though I am in the midst of my first lengthened and genuine effort to really, truly give it a chance. It's not working.

Maybe I should try Abbie's idea of blending it with cider.