07 March, 2008

Opus 95, From the New World

As a newcomer to the USA, I'm beginning to form opinions on US citizens in their natural environment. This isn't really the best place to discuss my conclusions, but there are some that pertain to tea...


Like the British, it seems that Americans don't know much about tea.

The Twinings and PG Tips teabags with which we are inflicted in restaurants at home are here replaced by "Bigelow" (male gigelo?) and Tazo (Starbucks?) varieties, and they are much the same in their blandness. One kindly young waitress offered us cream to put in our tea, while another sweet soul accidentally (I trust) topped up our breakfast teapot with coffee - this wouldn't have been so bad, but I was trying to brew some of the 2007 autumnal Xizihao in it.

I don't like writing about teabags, so we shall draw a veil over this distressing scene.

---

Now, you're thousands of miles away from your scuttle, but you need a good shave. What do you do? With the aid of a few rudimentary kitchen utensils and a source of boiling water, I give you the Impromptu Hobbes Scuttle, Mk I:


In other news, God bless the soul that invented the outdoor jacuzzi and swimming pool. I'm beginning to understand why the USA didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol:


It's about as sustainable as burning baby seals as a lightsource, but it certainly does feel good.

5 comments:

speakfreely said...

As an American who finds it shameful that we did not sign the Kyoto Agreement, who drives as little as possible, would love to see cars banned from cities altogether, recyles religiously, brings her own bags to the grocery store, refuses to drink single-serving packaged beverages, and only will accept carry-out containers under extreme circumstances, and has decided against having children for reasons that include overpopulation, I must confess this is my one flagrant eco-sin, the hot tub. Our winters are not quite as bad as Montanna, but nearly so. The restorative effects of outdoor hot water are amazing. The tub has an insulated cover, so it's not quite as atrocious as the heated swimming pool you show here, but it still tacked a 9% increase onto our household power consumption when we started using it. Significant.

My condolences to your Xizihao.

David Lesseps said...

God bless the soul that invented the outdoor jacuzzi and swimming pool. I'm beginning to understand why the USA didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol:
It's about as sustainable as burning baby seals as a lightsource, but it certainly does feel good.


DC, thank you! That is one of the funniest things I've ever read on a tea blog. You made me laugh out loud this morning.

I think I'll go throw another seal on the petroleum fire now...

Matt said...

Winter 2001 I believe... I remember the scenery well ... ah who can't resist a little dip in the hot tub.. enjoy every second of your trip at Big Sky.

Increase the peace in the baby seal's crease.

Jamus said...

I think the part that makes me sad most of all is that most people have a pretty meh attitude towards tea, because they think that the dust and fannings they find in those bags of Tazo and Bigelow are all that's out there. If you shop at the stores, that really is all you will see. I blame the Boston Tea Party. I recently turned one of my good friends onto loose leaf tea and it's become pretty much the only thing he drinks now except at a bar. I'm going to be introducing him to pu-erh next.

Also, this post made me chuckle.

Hobbes said...

Dear Carla,

Lei still mentions the time that you wrote about not wanting to buy bottled water for brewing tea, in order to avoid wasting plastic - admirable!


Dear Dave,

What's the calorific value of a baby seal?


Dear Matt,

I can see why you loved the place; it does feel quite special to be here, even though I am told by most that Big Sky "isn't the USA". :)


Dear Jamus,

It's exactly the same in Europe, so I wouldn't worry too much. Perhaps, like coffee, people are slowly coming around to the idea that there is better produce available for them to try. Good luck getting your friend hooked on pu'er!


Toodlepip all,

Hobbes