‘How do you like your tea?’

We love our tea in Ireland. We rank as the second highest tea-drinkers in the world. It may surprise you to read that Turkey gets the top billing; the British are one place behind us.

In recent years we have developed a cultivated coffee culture across the country, but come what may, we will always be known for being a nation of tea drinkers. The British brought us tea more than 300 years ago – and so we certainly owe them for that one! It is no exaggeration to state that tea has kept Ireland sane through the turmoil of the past few hundred years.

Through bad times and good, when nobody knew which way to turn, the answer would be revealed by somebody announcing, ‘I’ll put the kettle on!’. During the poorest of times, there wasn’t a house in the land where a neighbour, a visitor, or even a passer-by, would be asked if they’d like a cup of tea.

‘How do you like your tea?’ has to be the most frequently asked ceist in the homes of Ireland. Be it just a casual drop-in or a momentous happening such as a wake; nobody leaves without being offered a cup of our national beverage.

Being earnestly offered that cup of tea is surely the warmest and most sincere way of saying; ‘I’m glad you’re here.’ I have a nice story to tell you at the end, showing the value placed on the friendly cup of tea offered to a stranger.

Since my early days in Canada, I am primarily a coffee drinker – if the coffee is good! But I equally enjoy tea and if I’m not sure of the coffee, or feel I’m drinking too much of it at that point in time, I’ll opt for tea. Most of us value a ‘decent cup of tea’.

That means no weak tea! It must be allowed to draw and exhibit a golden brown colour before you add milk and sugar… if you take milk or sugar in your tea; a question which will have already been dealt with at this stage.

Some tea drinkers I have known would have carried the ‘decency’ of tea to the extreme. My father was one of such people. The tea pot was always ‘stewing’ on top of the range. The stronger and the blacker, the better he liked it. My mother would regularly remark; ‘you could trot a mouse on your father’s tea!’.

You all know where tea comes from? No Lads, from a red cardboard box with ‘Barry’s’ written on it, is not the answer I’m looking for! Tea is taken from the Camellia sinensis plant. Drinking tea started in China a long time ago, but today the ‘tea-tree’ is cultivated all over the world.

What we regard as real tea in Ireland is only one of many types of tea enjoyed in various countries. Believe me, I have on occasion been served some ‘quare stuff’ on requesting a cup of tea in far flung places.

There is green tea, yellow and white tea, herbal tea; Rooibos, Chamomile, Peppermint, Pu-erh, Oolong… and several more teas you don’t need to know about. Most come from the same plant, but it is what’s done with it after the leaves are plucked that makes the difference.

I told you I would finish up with my favourite tea story, which illustrates the hospitality importance placed on offering a cup of tea to a stranger. I previously wrote this in an article; ‘Confessions of a Political Has-been!’.

I was running in the local elections of 2009 and out canvassing day and night. Coming near dusk one evening and just about to call it a day, we knocked on the door of people I did not know.

We were greeted with courtesy by the man who opened the door and were soon joined by his wife. The couple made name recognition from getting this paper and reading my column. They said nice things and I thought, ‘a sure number one here’. I read it wrong… they were just nice, decent people – like a majority you meet when out canvassing.

The man made intelligent suggestions as to how the council might improve things. I agreed and said that if I got elected I would take his concerns on board. This was the moment to ‘close’ and the guy with me asked if they would give me a number one. As well as being nice – they were also honest!

The man spoke; ‘Ah the way it is, we always voted Fianna Fail – and we’re too old to change now!’ The words had barely cleared his lips when the woman turned to me with a smile and asked; ‘would you like a cup of tea?’!

So now you know the value placed on a cup of tea… just slightly below giving a candidate a vote!

Don’t Forget

No man ever fails until he fails on the inside.