Comments on: Still counting down - Random fact #5

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:43:00 +0000

Katie and Valli, thanks for visiting. As I said to Mrs W, it’s not about what your ritual is, just that you have one means that you’re taking the time to say ‘I’m worth it’ (sorry L’Oreal). My mom always said this was the important thing, because if you don’t love and appreciate yourself, how can you have any frame of reference to love and appreciate others. I still always use a teapot, but I also use teabags, only occasionally venturing into a leaf mix. I love the sound of little individual serving teapots. I could use that for my different herbal teas.

By: Valli

Valli — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:44:00 +0000

I’m afraid I have turned into a tea bag dipper or bunger. I have some wonderful antique tea cups and small individual serving tea pots, but save the large tea pot and the “mashed” tea for company.

By: katiez

katiez — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:48:00 +0000

We have gotten in the habit of tea (which is rare, for Americans) At the end of our day, before evening, I make a proper pot of tea and we relax, with a bit of something sweet…we use mugs, though…I’m afraid I can’t get enough in those lovely China cups.
I do use tea bags…but only for my green tea whilst at the computer
Lovely post!

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 15:47:00 +0000

ronell, that sounds gorgeous. I have open shelves in my narrow kitchen but have always yearned for a fabulous old farmhouse kitchen dresser to stack my crockery on.

Ann, I often use the saucers or cake plates but have never used the cups for anything. Probabely because I’ve got my mom’s thing for not tainting the cups. i do use coffee cups or espresso cups for things like my espresso choc mousse though

By: Ann

Ann — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Winderful post! I also have a number of antique teacups left to my by my grandmother. I’m afraid I seldom take them down from the top shelf, though. I have, lately, thought about using them to serve sweets, like bread pudding.

By: myfrenchkitchen

myfrenchkitchen — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 12:35:00 +0000

What a lovely story! I am also a collector of old teacups and enjoy using them mix and match. They hang on a dresser and when having friends over, I’ll ask someone to go and choose 6 cups to their liking…they usually enjoy the “picking”.
And there is just no comparison to enjoying a tea, steeped in a pot! Love your post.
Ronell

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:41:00 +0000

Doesn’t surprise me at all, Marye, and my mom grew up in Northern Rhodesia crawling in and out of tea crates, still redolent with their Far Eastern adventures, so the rituals mean even more to her.

Your special tea blend sounds simply divine. My mom had a special coffee blend too, for her restaurant, which the coffee merchant blended with her over a period of months when she first opened her restaurant. When she was finally atisfied it became our exclusive house blend, but towards the end of her 20 year stint, her unmistakable-tasting coffee began appearing all over Cape TOwn. I guess it just got too good to keep to ourselves.

By: marye

marye — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:15:00 +0000

So would it surprise you to find that we do the same, with the vintage tea cups….
My kids love to sit down to tea in the afternoon. We read aloud, or listen to music, or look at an art book, or chat..and my children have learned to make good tea and to love the ritual of it all.
I created a custom flavored blend when I created our custom roast coffee..
Jasmine long leaf base with blackberry, lemon and rose..It smells like heaven.

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:54:00 +0000

Thanks Mrs W. I don’t think it really matters what your ritual is, as long as you take the time to make it exactly as you like it rather than just making do. I think my mother’s whole point was take the time to treat yourself as though you’re worth it, as well as those you love. So if the teabag does it for you…noones going to argue.

Jeanne, I have come to realise just how many rituals have been passed on to me by my parents. I always thought of us as gypseys because we moved so often and even when we weren’t moving we were rearranging furniture and repainting etc. I now know that the courage and need to constantly change my environment only came from being so safe and secure in my family that external surroundings were just a new challenge. All the little rituals that have become so entrenched were just my mothers way of instilling a sense of family and roots in us, wherever we chose to wander.

Kit, one thing I have realised is that the teapot is as important as the teacup to the final taste of your brew. My mom’s teapot is sacrosanct and no one is allowed to make rooibos or any herbal tea in it, or to wash it with dishwashing liquid. She always washes it out with boiling water only as she can taste anything else that’s been in it. She kept the same teapot for several years after it’s lid got broken, because try as she might, she couldn’t find a new one that made nice tea. Gospel. I think she finally found her perfect pot at a kitchen equipment wholesalers somewhere in Salt River. I wonder where my fussiness comes from?

Thanks Jeni, I think all my posts drag my mother in, whether she is willing or not. When you start to think about it, you realise just how much you have been influenced, even though my parents always brought us up to be independant.

By: The Passionate Palate

The Passionate Palate — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:25:00 +0000

This could be an entry for Apples & Thyme! I love your stories, memories and your mom.
xo