Pop? Soda?

[RegistrationMark]

That stuff inside cola cans is called pop here in Minnesota. I saw an interesting geographical map of the US, detailing who uses "pop" or "soda" in their dialect.
Texans call it Coke, even if it's Sprite they're offering you.
So what do YOU call it?
Mark

 

[BobRaney]

Here in Bean Town I have always called it tonic.
I never liked it so I started drinking beer.

Miller Time,
Bob

 

[j0ckser]

sorry about the digression to tea, but someone else started it first... LOL.
i nuke my tea water in cup too. kettle uses much more power, and isn't as readily available, and nuking does a nice job of heating the cup (don't want the heated water to cool and loose the ability to "get at the tea").

BACK TO TOPIC
i also shy away from pop/soda. beer or fruit juice for me or even... water!

per ardua ad astra

 

[KenCunningham]

Back to tea. The water should be boiling as suggested above and the tea should be allowed to 'mash' (colloquial alert!) or brew for a time before pouring. Then, there's the time-honoured debate as to whether to put the milk in the cup first (MIF), or add it afterwards. I'm a MIF myself.

 

[Mike Lewis]

For the benefit of any Americans who want to make a decent cup of tea:

http://www.veg-world.com/articles/make-tea.htm

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[TheRambler]

Thanks j0ckser and MikeLewis for the link. I drink tea all the time, I like it better than coffee, pop, soda or coke, but didn't know there was so much to learn about it.

For more information you can read A Nice Cup of Tea by George Orwell, and the British Standar 6008:1980 (or ISO 3103), a method for preparation of a liquor of tea for use in sensory tests. I hope you can surprise your girlfriend now mjldba.

 

[Stella740pl]

Ken,

I'm a MIF myself.
I am a NMNS person - no milk, no sugar, no other sweetener goes in my tea. And preferably no bags.


Mike,

For the benefit of any Americans who want to make a decent cup of tea:
Only large leaf loose non-flavored tea goes in my stainless steel (used to be porcelain some time ago) teapot at home, boiling water goes on top of it, and stands to brew for 7-10 minutes. Then poured into cups to taste, with more hot water added to the cups.
But once a day, in the morning, I have brewed coffee with cream (MIF whenever possible) and no sugar (no instant coffee for me, please, if possible).

But when not available, I am not that finicky, can drink tea from bags, instant coffee, etc.

As for soda, coke, fountain drink, soft drink, or whatever else (never hear anyone call it pop or cola) - none for me please. I don't drink them, don't keep them, don't offer them. Oh wait. I do drink unflavored, unsweetened varieties. On occasion, I may flavor it myself with just a little fruit juice. I had to figure out how to explain what I need in different countries, since what is called seltzer water or club soda here, often is called soda water, sparkling water, carbonated water, fizzy water, and many other things in other places.

 

[mjldba]

surprise her, I will. Thank you Rambler

 

[Mike Lewis]

Stella,

We seem to have identical tastes in beverages. You're a little more patient than I when it comes to the length of time to let the tea brew, and I'm less enthusiastic than you about stainless steel teapots (give me good old fashioned china any day). But, apart from that, I agree with you in every particular.

Mike




__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[Stella740pl]

Mike,

I'm less enthusiastic than you about stainless steel teapots (give me good old fashioned china any day).

I wasn't, too, so I can understand. I came upon it by occasion.

When my old teapot broke, for some time - can you believe it - I couldn't find one. Do all people use bags these days? Not that I couldn't find it at all, just I couldn't find one for everyday use: not included in big sets of dishes AND in the size suitable for my family. Then I found this one and decided to give it a try. Apparently, tea brews stronger in it than in the good old fashioned china. Later, I found what I was looking for, but keep it for special occassions - it is pretty. The stainless steel one seems less pretty, more practical to me now: big, strong, doesn't break, the lid is attached to the body, and the brew is stronger.

Stella

 

[jsaxe]

Just to throw another log on the fire, Prof Paul Fussell insists that in some parts of the American South, cola-soda-pop-tonic is called, "dope" or "dopes". I can't confirm that, just read it.

By the way, anyone have a kellnex, I just spilled starbucks on the xerox...

jsaxe

Mundus Vult Decipi

 

[SantaMufasa]

JSaxe,

Shouldn't it be:

By the way, anyone have a kellnex, I just spilled strabukcs on the xorex...?

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I can provide you with low-cost, remote Database Administration services: see our website and contact me via www.dasages.com]

 

[mjldba]

By the way, anyone have a kellnex, I just spilled starbucks on the xerox"

Sure, got some right here. Let me rip-open the velcro fastener and get them for you.

 

[blutekhnd]

Dopes must refer way back when it had a dash of cocaine and was supposed to be a medicine. Dr. Pemberton's Pick-me-up good for headaches, and the doldrums.

 

[j0ckser]

back to tea - much more interesting than soda/pop/junkfood

i prefer my antique silver (sterling not solid) family-heirloom-was-lost-now-found teapot. as for stailess steel, i've not heard of that used for tea pots, but i think it would be excellent. interested to learn just how long it resists staining.

per ardua ad astra

 

[KenCunningham]

Stella - is that a samovar you're using for tea?

 

[mjldba]

Most local Chinese restaurants use stainless steel tea pots.

 

[Stella740pl]

Ken,
Samovar? You got to be kidding. I've seen those mostly in museums, sometimes in specialty tea shops, rarely used, mostly decorative. Tea pot and a kettle can do the job nicely.

j0ckser,
interested to learn just how long it resists staining.
What kind of stains do you mean? It doesn't rust, that's what matters to me. All other stains, including tea stains, can be cleaned with one cleanser or another.

 

[AnotherHiggins]

Stainless steel is pretty good at remaining stain-free.

Here's how.

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Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.

 

[Mike Lewis]

On the vexed question of what teapots should be made of ... I don't wish to question anyone's taste or jundgement, but perhaps I can give my take on why I don't like the stainles steel variety.

Over the last few years, almost every cafe, restaurant and tavern here in the UK has gone over to using these blots on the tea-time landscape. They typically have a hinged lid, which rapidaly works loose, leaving a gap for the steam and heat to escape through. The spouts are minuscule, which means you only have to tilt the pot to a very slight angle in order for the beverage to come slurping out over your scones. And the fact they are made of metal means they are unpleasantly hot to the touch.

Their only redeeming feature is that you can stack several dozen of them into an industrial dishwashing machine. Also, they're cheap. That's why the catering industry likes them.

And I know it's irrational, but I genuinely believe the tea tastes better when made in a genuine china or earthenware pot, which is surely what nature intended.

My ideal pot is made of earthenware, and has an long curved spout. To pour the tea, you have to explicitly tilt the pot to a meaningful angle. You can't do that by accident. The tea stays warm longer, and the container has absolutely no effect on the taste.

For good, strong tea, I use a good, strong pot -- a dark brown one, of the type that used to be ubiquitous over here, but now has to be hunted down in specialist cookware shops. For delicate china teas, I prefer my delicate emerald-coloured china pot. The only metal around is the tea strainer.

Anyway, that's my opinion. But I will always respect other people's tea pot preferences (especially when they are offering me a cuppa).

Mike




__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[mjldba]

tilt the pot to a very slight angle in order for the beverage to come slurping out over your scones"

Just thinking about that make me cring!!