Sherlock Holmes's Birthday

[Carol the Dabbler]

2 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

We were sort of Republicans for 10 years.

And only 370 years ago so fairly recently for us.🙂

I assume you're talking about the Cromwell era?

But yeah, you guys do seem to have long memories -- haven't forgiven Guy Fawkes for over 400 years!

 

[HerlockSholmes]

3 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

I assume you're talking about the Cromwell era?

But yeah, you guys do seem to have long memories -- haven't forgiven Guy Fawkes for over 400 years!

 

Be fair Carol, we’ve forgiven the USA for throwing all that tea in the river.😀

[Carol the Dabbler]

4 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

Be fair Carol, we’ve forgiven the USA for throwing all that tea in the river.😀

Harbor.  But true enough!

 

 

[HerlockSholmes]

😀👍

[Hikari]

On 1/14/2022 at 5:28 PM, HerlockSholmes said:

Be fair Carol, we’ve forgiven the USA for throwing all that tea in the river.😀

Have you?  🙃

I don't have 'scientific data' as such about this but I think the fact that tea is considerably less popular in the United States than coffee can be directly traced to the Incident in Boston Harbor, 1773.  Actually that was the culmination of a long-simmering grievance against His Majesty King George III for the Stamp Act, enacted 8 years previously that made the price of certain goods imported from the mother country and her dominions exorbitantly expensive.  I'm not sure why coffee was not likewise affected, since it comes from the same regions as tea.  Neither crop is indigenous to North America.  But ever since then, hardcore patriots eschewed tea as the beverage for Tory sympathizers and coffee became Americans' choice.  In recent years, tea culture has really taken off in the States.  "Downton Abbey" may have helped there, and I see that coffee is gaining traction in the UK.  So maybe our two countries have in fact gotten past our little kerfluffle.

[Carol the Dabbler]

3 hours ago, Hikari said:

I don't have 'scientific data' as such about this but I think the fact that tea is considerably less popular in the United States than coffee can be directly traced to the Incident in Boston Harbor, 1773.

I had been under the vague impression that coffee came along later, but Wikipedia makes the same claim that you do, and backs it up (in a footnote) by quoting a letter from John Adams (who some years later became the second President) to his wife Abigail:

I believe I forgot to tell you one Anecdote: When I first came to this House it was late in the Afternoon, and I had ridden 35 miles at least. 'Madam' said I to Mrs. Huston, 'is it lawfull for a weary Traveller to refresh himself with a Dish of Tea provided it has been honestly smuggled, or paid no Duties?'
'No sir, said she, we have renounced all Tea in this Place. I cant make Tea, but I'le make you Coffee.' Accordingly I have drank Coffee every Afternoon since, and have borne it very well. Tea must be universally renounced. I must be weaned, and the sooner, the better.

Near as I can tell, coffee was OK because it was imported directly from the Caribbean, rather than via Britain, which would have imposed the Stamp Tax on it.  I've also read that Americans made considerable use of various herbal teas at that time, and used honey or maple syrup instead of sugar, for the same reason.

 

[HerlockSholmes]

On 1/21/2022 at 6:56 PM, Hikari said:

Have you?  🙃

I don't have 'scientific data' as such about this but I think the fact that tea is considerably less popular in the United States than coffee can be directly traced to the Incident in Boston Harbor, 1773.  Actually that was the culmination of a long-simmering grievance against His Majesty King George III for the Stamp Act, enacted 8 years previously that made the price of certain goods imported from the mother country and her dominions exorbitantly expensive.  I'm not sure why coffee was not likewise affected, since it comes from the same regions as tea.  Neither crop is indigenous to North America.  But ever since then, hardcore patriots eschewed tea as the beverage for Tory sympathizers and coffee became Americans' choice.  In recent years, tea culture has really taken off in the States.  "Downton Abbey" may have helped there, and I see that coffee is gaining traction in the UK.  So maybe our two countries have in fact gotten past our little kerfluffle.

Coffee is really popular here Hikari as you know. So much so that I’d be interested to see a nationwide poll on who prefers coffee or tea? I reckon that coffee might win with tea being strongly supported by older people. My mom, who is 78, won’t touch coffee and my aunt, who is 83, will only drink coffee that’s so weak and milky that’s it’s barely recognisable as coffee. My dad was the same. He hated coffee but drank tea by the gallon.

Of course instant coffee is still popular here and many don’t experience real coffee unless they go to places like Stabucks (I know that you have shared in Starbucks Hikari😃)or Cafe Nero. Most basic cafes near to where I live still serve instant coffee and some of it is close to undrinkable.

I don’t own a coffee machine myself although I love real coffee but for 2 cups a day at most it’s just not worth it so I make do with coffee bags which are much closer to a real coffee taste imo.

I also tend to have around 2 or 3 cups of tea a day but I’m almost ashamed to say that I don’t use a tea pot (even though we have 2) I simply make it in the cup which would have real tea aficionados up in arms. I also like Early Grey and other teas like Darjeeling but I hate those fruit teas. I like tea to taste like tea.

Ive just read that Instant Coffee was invented by a New Zealander. I’m guessing that if it had been an American he’d have been deported and disowned.😃

[Carol the Dabbler]

2 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

I’d be interested to see a nationwide poll on who prefers coffee or tea? I reckon that coffee might win with tea being strongly supported by older people.

I'm amazed to hear that!  Coffee is still the clear winner here, I believe, though things may be different just across the border in Canada (where Red Rose tea used to advertise itself -- maybe still does -- as "Canada's cup of coffee").

2 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

Most basic cafes near to where I live still serve instant coffee and some of it is close to undrinkable.

That's interesting.  I'm not a coffee drinker (nor a tea drinker) myself, but American diners are legendary for their coffee, and I doubt that even a little sandwich shop could get away with serving instant.  Tea, on the other hand, nearly always comes in bags over here.

2 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

I don’t own a coffee machine

There are lots of simple devices that reportedly make good coffee.  One aficionado of my acquaintance uses a set-up that reminds me of an oversized laboratory flask -- it's called a carafe [link].  As I recall, you fold a coffee filter into a cone, rest it in the neck, put your ground coffee in there, pour hot/boiling(?) water over it, and let it drip for a while.

2 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

I make do with coffee bags

I'm not sure those are even legal here!  OK, I see that Folger's makes them, but that same Amazon search page [here] brings up mostly bags for storing ground coffee (presumably marketed to those who grind their own).

2 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

Ive just read that Instant Coffee was invented by a New Zealander. I’m guessing that if it had been an American he’d have been deported and disowned

I doubt that would have happened!  Americans love their coffee, true, but we also love convenience.

 

[Arcadia]

On 1/25/2022 at 7:23 AM, HerlockSholmes said:

I don’t own a coffee machine myself although I love real coffee but for 2 cups a day at most it’s just not worth it so I make do with coffee bags which are much closer to a real coffee taste imo.

Herl, let me introduce you to the Stainless Steel Pour Over Coffee Maker! I don't drink enough coffee to warrant a coffee maker either, but a friend gave me this device a few months ago and it's fabulous. You set it on top of your coffee cup, put coffee grounds in it, and pour in hot water. Makes one perfect cup. Ridiculously easy to use and clean.

Here's a link to one that's almost identical to the one I have (mine has a fancier design on the cone  ) Hopefully they're available somewhere across the pond. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stainless-Steel-Coffee-Filter-Pour-Over-Cone-Maker-Double-Layers-Mesh-Reusable-Paperless-Dripper-Rubber-Grip-Home-Office-Travel-Use-1-4-Cups/642593986

[HerlockSholmes]

On 1/25/2022 at 3:06 PM, Carol the Dabbler said:

I'm amazed to hear that!  Coffee is still the clear winner here, I believe, though things may be different just across the border in Canada (where Red Rose tea used to advertise itself -- maybe still does -- as "Canada's cup of coffee").

That's interesting.  I'm not a coffee drinker (nor a tea drinker) myself, but American diners are legendary for their coffee, and I doubt that even a little sandwich shop could get away with serving instant.  Tea, on the other hand, nearly always comes in bags over here.

There are lots of simple devices that reportedly make good coffee.  One aficionado of my acquaintance uses a set-up that reminds me of an oversized laboratory flask -- it's called a carafe [link].  As I recall, you fold a coffee filter into a cone, rest it in the neck, put your ground coffee in there, pour hot/boiling(?) water over it, and let it drip for a while.

I'm not sure those are even legal here!  OK, I see that Folger's makes them, but that same Amazon search page [here] brings up mostly bags for storing ground coffee (presumably marketed to those who grind their own).

I doubt that would have happened!  Americans love their coffee, true, but we also love convenience.

 

https://www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/coffee-bags
 

These are the ones that I used Carol. I get the ones in the black box although the other 2 are ok. The black ones seem stronger to me.

[HerlockSholmes]

On 1/26/2022 at 1:19 PM, Arcadia said:

Herl, let me introduce you to the Stainless Steel Pour Over Coffee Maker! I don't drink enough coffee to warrant a coffee maker either, but a friend gave me this device a few months ago and it's fabulous. You set it on top of your coffee cup, put coffee grounds in it, and pour in hot water. Makes one perfect cup. Ridiculously easy to use and clean.

Here's a link to one that's almost identical to the one I have (mine has a fancier design on the cone  ) Hopefully they're available somewhere across the pond. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stainless-Steel-Coffee-Filter-Pour-Over-Cone-Maker-Double-Layers-Mesh-Reusable-Paperless-Dripper-Rubber-Grip-Home-Office-Travel-Use-1-4-Cups/642593986

Thanks Arcadia, that sounds interesting. I’ll certainly look into it.👍