Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci

toci > writes:

> Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
> across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
> to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
> novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
>

If I found myself in an English mystery novel, I'd worry about getting
killed. Even tea would be ... secondary.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

On Jun 3, 4:38 pm, Lewis Perin > wrote:
> toci > writes:
> > Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
> > across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
> > to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
> > novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
>
> If I found myself in an English mystery novel, I'd worry about getting
> killed. Even tea would be ... secondary.
>
> /Lew
> ---
> Lew Perin /

A true Englishman will always choose Empire-produced Indian tea over
Chinese.

toci > wrote:
>Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
>across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
>to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
>novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci

Probably an undistinguished Assam and a heavier China Black blend. I
would tend to ask for the China tea, weak with no cream please.

I am told that the current Prince of Wales blends are more or less close
to the common British China-tea blends of a century ago. Although China
teas were a small player in the market by then, there were still people
drinking them.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Lewis Perin > wrote:
>toci > writes:
>
>> Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
>> across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
>> to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
>> novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
>>
>
>If I found myself in an English mystery novel, I'd worry about getting
>killed. Even tea would be ... secondary.

Stay away from the butler and anyone involved in cooking or photography
and you'll be okay.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

(Scott Dorsey) writes:

> Lewis Perin > wrote:
> >toci > writes:
> >
> >> Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
> >> across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
> >> to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
> >> novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
> >>
> >
> >If I found myself in an English mystery novel, I'd worry about getting
> >killed. Even tea would be ... secondary.
>
> Stay away from the butler and anyone involved in cooking or photography
> and you'll be okay.

Would tea preparation count as cooking for our current purposes?
Remember, the English are prone to long steeps.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html
recently updated: San Dao Cha

On Jun 4, 3:07 pm, Lewis Perin > wrote:
> (Scott Dorsey) writes:
> > Lewis Perin > wrote:
> > >toci > writes:
>
> > >> Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
> > >> across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
> > >> to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
> > >> novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
>
> > >If I found myself in an English mystery novel, I'd worry about getting
> > >killed. Even tea would be ... secondary.
>
> > Stay away from the butler and anyone involved in cooking or photography
> > and you'll be okay.
>
> Would tea preparation count as cooking for our current purposes?
> Remember, the English are prone to long steeps.
>
> /Lew
> ---
> Lew Perin /
> recently updated: San Dao Cha

Well, in one case the tea was offered by the person who turned out to
be the murderess. She wasn't a poisoner, however. All of the tea was
offered to the detective or the inspector or the sergeant, so they
weren't in much danger, at least at the end. Toci

On Jun 4, 1:58 pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> toci > wrote:
> >Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
> >across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
> >to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
> >novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
>
> Probably an undistinguished Assam and a heavier China Black blend. I
> would tend to ask for the China tea, weak with no cream please.
>
> I am told that the current Prince of Wales blends are more or less close
> to the common British China-tea blends of a century ago. Although China
> teas were a small player in the market by then, there were still people
> drinking them.
> --scott
>
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

I love undistinguished Assams, but only in the morning. I guess I'd
brave the Chinese in the afternoon. Of course without adulterants:
"blend" scares me enough. Toci

Lewis Perin > wrote:
(Scott Dorsey) writes:
>> Lewis Perin > wrote:
>> >toci > writes:
>> >
>> >> Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
>> >> across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
>> >> to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
>> >> novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci
>> >>
>> >
>> >If I found myself in an English mystery novel, I'd worry about getting
>> >killed. Even tea would be ... secondary.
>>
>> Stay away from the butler and anyone involved in cooking or photography
>> and you'll be okay.
>
>Would tea preparation count as cooking for our current purposes?
>Remember, the English are prone to long steeps.

With sodium cyanide, if Agatha Christie is to be believed.
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Jun 4, 3:09 am, toci > wrote:
> Four different times, by at least two different authors, I've run
> across this choice of tea offered in English mystery novels. It seems
> to be an upper class choice. If I find myself is an English mystery
> novel, what am I being offered, and how do I choose? Toci

It really depends on the moment, don't you think?

If you are on the run, a cup of Guyu Hong is an excellent company to
calm and help focus; if you are on the prowl through the dark night,
nothing may be better to keep you alert than a brisk cup of Praadesh
Gold CTC; but if it is later nights in the library looking up clues,
the Upanishad Spring Thunder is a great friend to keep you alert. A
fantastic morning pick-me-up after late night sleuthing is the Yunyao
Qingzhen; and to celebrate the bulter's the killer, and a mystery
solved, try the Gold Medal Fenghuang Zicha...

Then again, this being in the novel, nothing is really what it
seems...

:")

Good one. I'd still be looking for the Chinese compounds.

Jim

wrote:
>
> Then again, this being in the novel, nothing is really what it
> seems...
>
> :")

In article . com>,
toci > wrote:

>Well, in one case the tea was offered by the person who turned out to
>be the murderess. She wasn't a poisoner, however. All of the tea was
>offered to the detective or the inspector or the sergeant, so they
>weren't in much danger, at least at the end. Toci

"Here's your arsenic dear. And your weed-killer biscuit. I've throttled
your parakeet. I've spat in the vases. I've put cheese in the
mouseholes. Here's your....nice tea, dear."

-Dylan Thomas (who was a Brit, if not an Englishman)