I wanted to like this tea. I really wanted to like this tea.
I was having a fabulous time on the christening cruise for Oceania Cruises’ Allura. “The Finest Cuisine at Sea®” is Oceania’s tagline, and the cruise line maintains a close alignment with the Jacques Pépin Foundation, so excellent dining and high culinary standards are very much part of the Oceania experience.
Continue reading “Afternoon Tea on Oceania Allura: A Disappointing Experience”
During my last trip to Ireland, I had four afternoon teas in one week. With the exception of one, which was for Mother’s Day, the other three were all billed as a “light lunch.” If you’ve ever been to Ireland, you’ve more than likely been regaled with this concept as a heaping plate of food is placed in front of you.
I’m not complaining. It’s part of what makes Irish hospitality so great, and I love the food.
Continue reading “Afternoon Tea at Aghadoe Heights, Killarney”
What is it about this quintessentially British habit?
I’ve lived in the United States for more than three decades, but I still find myself wandering absent-mindedly into the kitchen sometime between three and four in the afternoon, thinking that now would be a very good time for a cup of tea.
Friends and colleagues invariably smile and tell me it’s because I’m British.
I’ve always resisted that explanation. After all, I haven’t drunk milk in years, so I’m more likely to be reaching for a cup of ginger or herbal tea than a pot of Assam. And, thanks to my years studying nutrition, I’m not necessarily looking for the obligatory cake or biscuit to accompany it.
And yet, there I am. Tea kettle on.
Continue reading “Why Afternoon Tea?”
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