The concept of gin tea is actually quite old. Likely from your grandfather's generation (so quite old at that). It's something my grandfather loved to do, albeit with hot tea, and from what I recall, he picked it up from his father. Which is something I like during the colder months. A good gin with ice cold tea tastes nice provided you can pick up the minor flavors from the gin through the tea. As far as the lime goes, it keeps the palette fresh between sips. I've never been able to find much information on the concept apart from a gin toddy which is completely different, but I think people used a light splash or two of gin in their afternoon cup of tea to spice things up. Have a quick one and not be caught drinking. If I do it, I only do it for 1-2 cups of tea. Apart from my daily coffees, I tend to have anywhere from 4-10 cups of tea spread throughout the day. If I put a splash of gin in every cup, I'd be swish washing around like a fish.
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mobilehaathi
macrumors G3
Black tea? I've certainly had whiskey and vodka teas, but gin? I'm intrigued. I can see this working under the right circumstances.
JamesMike
macrumors 603
Yes. Earl Gray is the only black tea I'd recommend, simply because of the flavor and aromatics being synergistic with the gin. Goes well with sencha and Chinese Chun Mie. Even better if you've got dried edible lavender and jasmine on hand. You want a small splash on gin. A little goes a long way when it's a hot drink. Feel free to add as much as you'd like if it's cold. No single gin brand and variety of gin tastes the same. Feel free to experiment!
For example, I do a modified "healthy" gin and tonic that strays from the norm. I use Hendrick's gin or any other gin with a strong cucumber flavor, cucumber sparkling water (easy to find if you look hard enough), muddled fresh English cucumber, half the amount of tonic water (full amount if you can stand the diet stuff), and ice. Maybe served with a piece of roughened up tarragon and mixed in.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Tea and hot milk? What is that like? Obviously, I have had coffee with hot milk often enough, (and like it a lot), but have never attempted this with tea.
Sweeter than cold milk in hot tea. When you simmer milk, it becomes sweeter. I don't know the science behind it, but it tastes sweeter to me. Gives the tea or in your case, the coffee, a richer taste. I rarely take milk or cream in my tea. You have to get the portion just right with tea. Under milk or cream it, and it looks incredibly vile and tastes a bit strange. Over milk or cream it, and you can't taste the tea. Get it just right and it's lovely. Truly a first world problem.
Don't even get me started on people who put milk or cream first, then the tea. Stark raving lunatics! 😡
Or as dear jkcerda says, "Jail them! 😡"
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Oh, yes, the debate about "milk first" or "tea first". I remember the one - quite heated at times, too, I seem to recall.
Anyway, thanks for the reply - very interesting to read, and not something I had ever considered doing.
I've seen fist fights over it. Alternatively, you can steam your milk, make strong earl gray, add a dash of vanilla and mix it up for something called a London Fog which I've only seen offered in the touristy areas of London and NYC. It's almost unheard of elsewhere. Throw a few ounces of stale ale and a burnt out cigarette and you could call it a Newcastle Fog. Joking, of course.
Russian Caravan tea is quite good with a bit of cream or milk, as well. Good with a biscuit or two.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
In my experience, putting the milk in first seems to lead to 1) a stronger cup of tea, and 2) a hotter cup of tea. But, yes, I do recall the debates - sometimes, extraordinarily heated.
As for myself, well, for both tea and coffee, I add milk to the beverage in question.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
My first cup (well, Le Creuset mug) of Ethiopian (or any sort of) coffee in a week. I made it perhaps a little less strong than I might usually take it.
Quite delicious. And served with cantucci biscuits.
Quite delicious. And served with cantucci biscuits.
Glad to hear you are feeling better and are back with the coffee now!
Is cantucci the same thing as biscotti or is it a type of biscotti? Currently having some espresso. Did a bit of shopping today in between my hardware store run and doing some maintenance. Spotted elderflower liqueur and edelweiss liqueur. The latter is difficult to find in the US. Easier in Europe, I'd imagine. Naturally, I picked up a few bottles of each. Also picked up something interesting. I don't recall the name offhand and can't be buggered to go look at the bottle, it's something D'Rosio liqueur made from young, fine rose petals and vanilla bean. I have a few floral cordials/liqueurs a Dutch friend of mine shipped over months ago. These are fantastic laced in cakes, simple syrups for moistening sponges, and in drinks.
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I've always seen it the other way. Hot tea first so it warms the cup up and make it as strong as you want, then however much milk you want it. Milk in first chills the cup and then you have this lukewarm liquid that isn't appetizing. UK builders and their teabags seem to be quite finnicky about them, too. Tea first, then milk. Otherwise you don't get "proper extraction" according to them. Though I'm not sure why it matters with the amount of bags they'll use and 20 lumps of sugar.
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Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Cantucci are those double baked hard almond (and honey) biscuits - I suppose you could say that they are a form of biscotti - indeed, they are described as "the king of biscotti", and, - while they can be dunked into coffee (something the Italians disdain, but I, not being either Italian or a purist will happily indulge in - idea, I will consume them with coffee without dunking), they are really supposed to be dunked in Vin Santo (the gift I received also contained a bottle of Vin Santo - a sort of style of Italian dessert wine).
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Oooooh; Don't argue with Brits about tea. This is A Red Line, a somewhat funny red line in a country not remotely obsessed by food, or cuisine otherwise.
Cuisine is not something Brits will normal contest - and will readily concede the cuisine high ground to other cultures - but tea is an entirely different matter. Tea is viewed - and consumed - with a reverence and ritual normally associated with religious devotion.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Sipping a nice Ethiopian coffee, with some Italian cantucci biscuits.
JamesMike
macrumors 603
Long hellish day at work.
I sat in the kitchen wondering whether to make some Moroccan mint tea or a pressing of Kenya AA. A little light-bulb went off in my head after five minutes of ponder. Why not make both?
I sat in the kitchen wondering whether to make some Moroccan mint tea or a pressing of Kenya AA. A little light-bulb went off in my head after five minutes of ponder. Why not make both?
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Sometimes, making both is the only good answer. But - not necessarily at the same time.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Afternoon tea, or afternoon coffee (Ethiopian for preference) due shortly.
AVBeatMan
macrumors 603
Spent the past hour or so cleaning my machine. Ran the cleaning cycle, popping the little tablet into the portafilter then soaking a new water filter for 5 minutes before snapping the arm that holds it back into place in the water tank. Now enjoying a latte made with fresh "Fruit and Nut" beans from Pact. Lovely....
[doublepost=1493141961][/doublepost]If anyone in the UK would like to try Pact Coffee they have provided me with a £5 voucher. Not sure it'll work outside the UK.
http://www.pactcoffee.com/sign-up?voucher=DAVID-6EE3AD
[doublepost=1493141961][/doublepost]If anyone in the UK would like to try Pact Coffee they have provided me with a £5 voucher. Not sure it'll work outside the UK.
http://www.pactcoffee.com/sign-up?voucher=DAVID-6EE3AD
Mug of Kenya AA, drip through SS sieve, while reading an article discussing David Attenborough's memory loss. After Dickie died a few years ago, I suspected David's health would begin to falter.
JamesMike
macrumors 603
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Hope you enjoyed the Kenyan AA (an excellent coffee); very sorry to learn of David Attenborough's memory loss, I hadn't known that.
Some Guatemalan coffees can be brilliant.
I'm three days behind in news. It does make sense. There was a rumor a while back that the BBC asked him to do the narration of Planet Earth's next installment after Planet Earth II began airing.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Now, that is something I hadn't heard either; if true, - and it appears to be - following your post, I checked myself online, and saw it reported in a number of newspapers - and I must say that I am very sorry to learn of it.
Well, Ethiopian coffee next up.....