Before you start to fight me on what is the perfect cup of tea, relax. I’m not going to really post just a recipe on how to make a perfect cup of tea, but rather tell you a bit about the man who taught me how to make one.
Today would have been my dad’s 81st birthday and for that, we drink tea.
My dad has been gone for ten years and I can believe it’s been that long, but then when I think of all the things that have happened in my own life for the past ten years, I can’t believe it has only been that long. Time, funny thing.
I was 29 when he passed away, and while I’m sure there are many lessons about being a grown-up he would have imparted in the time since then, I think of all the lessons he taught me before:
Study hard. Follow the rules. Get good grades.
Always go for the down-the-line shot. Take one more step into the ball.
Mom makes it better than any restaurant.
Don’t follow the money. If you do what you love, money will follow you.
Take care of your family. Look after your brother.
Ice cream is better with toppings (cereal, his topping of choice).
Take care for pets as you would, if not better than, you would your children (this was an…unexpected lesson because no one could have ever foreseen how much he would love our cat).
The music from the 60s and 70s is really the best music.
Some lessons were more subtle. Once, while we were both sitting on the couch, he asked me if I wanted a glass of water and after saying yes, then told me to get up and get one. I took that to mean that no one else was going to do anything for me- whatever I wanted, I was going to have to work for it myself (even that glass of water). We all still laugh at that one.
And then, how to make a perfect cup of tea.
He was very particular about tea time and he sent me back to the kitchen more than once, twice and three times until I got it just right. It goes like this:
1 standard size coffee cup, filled 3/4 of the way with water.
1 British breakfast blend tea bag, Tetley, preferably.
Microwave, 2:30 (I know, I hear your gasp).
2 teaspoons of sugar.
Just enough evaporated milk or whole milk to make it look like the most beautiful camel-colored coat.
The finished product is equally as cozy.
Best served along side a slice of cake, or a few peanut butter cookies.
I scoffed at this methodology until I grew up to realize that yes, this method does produce the perfect tasting cup of tea. Without fail, every time.
Usually on his birthday, I’d try to come up with a new and fun cake to celebrate. This year, well…pandemic, so here are a few of his favorites (or, those that I created that I know he’s like) from posts past:
toscakacka (Swedish almond cake)
treasure island ice cream cake
meskouta (Moroccan orange cake)
Now, I think, it’s time for tea.
Law school graduation, 2007.
My dad used to drink a cup of tea with dinner every night in the winter. One black tea bag and lots of sugar, and if it was your night to clear the table you could drink the last sugary slurp from the bottom of the cup. He’s been gone 15 years now. ❤
Aww. I love it! That is the best slurp! Thanks for sharing 🙂