Whuh?

[webofevil]

Was looking for small illustration for herbal tea post. Found this. Realise I've apparently been making tea all wrong.

Comments

[offensive-mango.livejournal.com]

Gah, have you never read George Orwell's famous treatise on tea-making?

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. Secondly , tea should be made in small quantities - that is, in a teapot. Tea out of an urn is always tasteless, while army tea, made in a cauldron, tastes of grease and whitewash. The teapot should be made of china or earthenware. Silver or Britanniaware teapots produce inferior tea and enamel pots are worse; though curiously enough a pewter teapot (a rarity nowadays) is not so bad. Thirdly, the pot should be warmed beforehand. This is better done by placing it on the hob than by the usual method of swilling it out with hot water. Also a pregnant woman should be doing all this whilst naked; I should probably have mentioned that earlier. Fourthly, the tea should be strong. For a pot holding a quart, if you are going to fill it nearly to the brim, six heaped teaspoons would be about right. In a time of rationing, this is not an idea that can be realized on every day of the week, but I maintain that one strong cup of tea is better than twenty weak ones. All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes - a fact which is recognized in the extra ration issued to old-age pensioners.
. . . etc.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

But where's Orwell's stipulation that it then be poured at a weird angle by a naked pregnant lady, eh? Was that bit considered a bit too racy for 1930s Britain?

[offensive-mango.livejournal.com]

Just there--right before "fourthly." Though he doesn't specifically require the angle.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

You know what? I'm so familiar with that chunk of text that I missed your joke bang in the middle of it. This makes me crap and you unreservedly excellent.