thoughtful thursday

offered below is the ten commandments of breakfast tea written by a dedicated tea drinker.  much of it made me smile and nod in knowing agreement.  tea is definitely a vehicle for ritual and this article is a perfect example of ritual.  ritual is important in the rhythm of daily life.  ritual offers stability, continuity, acts that cross generations and cultures.  ritual is personal or shared.  there are huge rituals, of course; holidays, weddings, birthdays.  these are benchmarks and anchors as life progresses.  but the small, daily rituals, like the ritual of breakfast tea, is the substance of life.  all of us, at every age, needs a modicum of routine.  children are structured by adults.  ritual helps adults structure themselves and each other.  the ritual of tea is certainly one that occupies my daily routine.  another is bird watching.  and tracking the visits of wild animals, watching sunrises, sunsets and sightings of the moon. as i consider ritual in my daily routine, i find that i consider much as ritual.  ritual offers an openness to whimsey even when those acts don't seem whimsical at all.  but they are.  think about the rhythm of your daily life.  what are you rituals?  is the whimsey revealed?




The 10 Commandments of Breakfast Tea
 by Marcus Stout




No, these have nothing to do with Holy Commandments from atop a mountain, but everything to do with my morning ritual. Much like a warm beer on a hot Summer afternoon, unless I make my tea using all 10 of these commandments, I am left unsatisfied.

Commandment 1: Thou Shall use Loose Tea – Teabags just don’t cut it. It leaves my tea tasting thin and unflavorful.

Commandment 2: Thou Shall Warm your Teapot – A cold teapot will suck the heat out of the water leaving a tepid brew.

Commandment 3: Thou Shall Steep your Tea for the Recommended Time – Too little time and the tea will turn out weak. Too much and it will be too astringent.

Commandment 4: Thou Shall use Boiling Water – If the water is less than boiling, the tea will taste watery.

Commandment 5: Thou Shall rinse your Tea Leaves – Rinsing the tea leaves helps to “awaken” the leaves, therefore ensuring a great cup of tea.

Commandment 6: Thou Shall use 2% Milk – Tea purists will scoff at this one, but I cannot be without milk in my morning tea...only my morning tea. Skim milk is too thin, while whole milk overpowers the flavor. 2% is perfect.

Commandment 7: Thou Shall use Honey – Once again, purists will disagree. This is purely a matter of taste. Honey provides a richness that sugar cannot replicate

Commandment 8: Thou Shall pour the Milk in the Teacup First – This has been highly debated amongst tea enthusiasts for years. I like to pour the milk in first because I use the same cup every day and know exactly how much to pour. It also gives me something to do while the tea is steeping.

Commandment 9: Thou Shall drink out of a Porcelain Cup – Porcelain provides a smooth surface that gives tea a pure flavor. My tea cup may be my most cherished possession.

Commandment 10: Thou Shall drink your Tea Before Brushing your Teeth – Even if I wait 30 minutes before having my tea (which is almost impossible within itself) I can still taste the minty-ness of the toothpaste. An important tip to remember is to make sure you brush your teeth after drinking your tea or your coworkers may hate you all day!