I happened to notice that today is Hot Tea Day, which, strangely enough, falls near the middle of Hot Tea Month. When you think of it, January is a good month for hot tea. It’s a great way to warm up.
If you’re wondering why it is specifically Hot Tea Day, I would suspect it’s because there are a few people, particularly to the south of us, who live in warmer climates that seem to take their tea cold. You know. Sweet tea or iced tea. But around here, hot tea is still king. Or was.
Now I’ll admit that I am not the tea drinker that past generations might have been. I do not have a pot of tea on the stove at all times. And my first thought when someone drops by is not to ask if they would like a cup of tea. Although if you want one, I’d be more that happy to put a pot on for you. And join you in a cup.
But I do remember at my grandmother’s house, there was always a pot of tea on the stove. Unless the pot was being washed at that time, it was on the stove. A wood stove, that was always on. Even in the middle of July, that wood stove was running. It was how she cooked. I can remember that at one point an electric range was installed, but got very little use. Maybe at Christmas when she needed a bit extra capacity due to the thirty or forty people showing up for dinner, but otherwise, she used that wood stove, and at the back of the stove there was always a tea pot. When the level got low, you tossed in some water. If the tea got weak, you threw in another bag or two. But the tea pot was always there.
My parents were similar, although the pot was not constantly on the stove. Although it was never far. And there was a good chance at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, you would find it on the stove and full of that wonderful liquid.
When I was younger, I spent summers working in the woods. If you had reason to drop by a logging camp somewhere, again, you would always find a teapot on the stove. The tea in such places was a bit different. Usually, loose black tea that was boiling all day long, so it might be a bit stronger than you were used to, but still a welcome pick me up.
I will admit, these days I am more of a coffee drinker, but I still enjoy a good cup of tea. There are many different types to choose from. I don’t mind a nice orange pekoe, but my favourite would be Earl Grey. Although I don’t have a replicator like Captain Pickard on Star Trek. And I have discovered that standing in front of the microwave yelling “Earl Grey, hot”, does not really work. Technology still has a ways to go.
Even though I may not always have a pot on the stove, there are times when it’s nice to put the kettle on. There’s just something comforting about a hot cup of tea.