Tea Bagging and Biscuits

Biscuits and Tea. An English tradition to the core. People this is not to be missed.

I have been seeing the bits and pieces of tea hospitality throughout the office for the last month or so. But today it hit me. This shit is serious.
Lets start at work. Someone sent out an email saying they had biscuits at their desk so people should come up and enjoy. For Americans- please note- biscuits like you are thinking is wrong. these are not the KFC style or pillsbury biscuits we are accustomed to. These are merely cookies. Cookies of the gingerbread, clotted cream, crunchy shortbread varietal that can yes, be dipped in tea. So i happen to be upstairs sitting across from the guy who sends out the email and within minutes, half the office arrives with mugs in hand, plunging through the biscuits and as I get up and walk down the hall, I hear from behind me people yammering, "whae are thuh biskits? 'Av you tried thah biskits yet? No mate, I need tea first.Cont 'av biskits without tea."

And trust me, this is not bc its merely free food in the office. theres always stufff floating around. its an ad agency for christs sake. this is because someone had promised Cornwall Biscuits and mark my words,all 6 boxes lasted about 5 minutes. Fucking biscuits.

Now to tea. And hand to god this is a true story. When I first started working here, I was required to fill out a form listing how I take my "brew." So of couirse I thought this was a reference to a pub and beer drinking so I said cold and light and refreshing. The HR woman explained to me that this was a tea reference like saying "cuppa" and was important for others to know how to make my tea bc its custom when getting yourself a cuppa, you get one for colleagues too if you feel like it. Wow. I know.
So after the biscuit hullabulloo and tea-teach, I went down with one of my colleagues to make some tea. I asked him to show me how to make proper english tea. He said, "you show me first."
So I grabbed a mug, put a bag of earl gray in it. Filled it with water. "Et voila!" I proclaim happily.
He takes the cup and pours it directly out in the sink.

He said, "that is so far from english tea, I dont even know what that is." I said, "but I used the earl grey, not the green tea. whats wrong?"

He takes a new mug. puts a non-descript tea bag from the high piled mound of tea bags from the large bowl sitting prime target on the kitchen counter (so thats what those are I thought to myself) in the bottom of the mug. Fills it with water. He lets it sit for a sec. Takes a spoon and removes the bag. Then puts in milk, then puts in 1tsp sugar. Hands me the tan concoction. Ive never had tea like this. I swear to you. Usually when I drink tea its when im sick and need caffeine and need to help a sore throat or something. This is certainly not one of my recreational beverages. But it was in fact delicious.

So I give it to the Brits, theyve got tea bagging down. ill still stick to coffee, bc im true to my roots, but Ill admit it,I can see myself induldging in the occassional tea bag from now on. Not bad if you've got the time outside of a sore throat.