Tea Drinking in Ireland versus Japan

Beebie

What does 'A Cup of Tea' mean to you? Have you heard of the traditions 'Afternoon Tea' in Ireland and/or 'Tea Ceremony' in Japan? Why are these nations obsessed with Tea?

Gran Hermano

What does it mean to you Beebie?
Care to share your own thoughts and experiences?

Beebie

Hi Gran Hermano

I guess the cup of tea goes hand in hand with being Irish and Japanese. Personally I enjoy tea but am not obsessed about it, find it humorous akin to Mrs Doyle how its foisted among a person before you get your foot in the door of an Irish home. If you refuse its nearly regarded as an insult. Where does this tradition come from.
In Japan the tea ceremony is akin to a religion, its played out in such a precise manner. The kettle is on without thinking, Tea somehow the cure to all ailments, medical, trauma, grief, stress,.......just curious as to what other feel about tea, it seems to be up there with the pint of black stuff, in fact i reckon it takes centre stage.

Jezek

I don't understand the obsession Ireland has with tea because they are not equally obsessed with the quality of the tea. Now I have not been to Japan but I understand that they are a lot more into quality tea.

I have been to Italy and yes, people there are obsessed with coffee, but coffee there is amazing and somebody making **** coffee could not survive commercially. However most places here just chuck a commercial teabag ( i say commercial as some places put their own leaves into a teabag for ease of use) and just hand it to you and expect payment usually upwards of 2 euro. And Irish people don't seem to mind as long as there is plenty of sugar and milk at hand.

Is there any logical explanation to this?

Jezek

Jezek wrote: »

I don't understand the obsession Ireland has with tea because they are not equally obsessed with the quality of the tea. Now I have not been to Japan but I understand that they are a lot more into quality tea.

I have been to Italy and yes, people there are obsessed with coffee, but coffee there is amazing and somebody making **** coffee could not survive commercially. However most places here just chuck a commercial teabag ( i say commercial as some places put their own leaves into a teabag for ease of use) and just hand it to you and expect payment usually upwards of 2 euro. And Irish people don't seem to mind as long as there is plenty of sugar and milk at hand.

Is there any logical explanation to this?

Personally, the only time I buy tea when out and about is when I need to talk to someone or meet someone or such in a town centre or the likes.

The Tea doesn't need to be exceptional (though it never hurts) as it'd be more the convenience factor that would have me paying.

Jezek

Deleted User wrote: »

Personally, the only time I buy tea when out and about is when I need to talk to someone or meet someone or such in a town centre or the likes.

The Tea doesn't need to be exceptional (though it never hurts) as it'd be more the convenience factor that would have me paying.

Yes but why don't you mind if you are paying for a sub-standard drink ? Or maybe just a very mediocre drink? Or maybe I am seeing this the wrong way round?

Maldesu

I don't think it is so much about drinking tea, but the act of being offered (at least in Ireland).
Getting offered a cuppa from my dad is near kin to being part of the family and he only offers to selective people. The damn teapot is older than me.
Like Japan, its a ceremony or inauguration. I think tea has developed into the idea of being accepted rather than just a beverage to be enjoyed.

Jezek

Jezek wrote: »

Yes but why don't you mind if you are paying for a sub-standard drink ? Or maybe just a very mediocre drink? Or maybe I am seeing this the wrong way round?

Well I've never had bad tea anywhere (though I suppose it would take serious incompetence to feck up something as simple as a cup of tea :P ).

It depends on the price point, I suppose. As I say, it's more the convenience factor that makes me pay. I don't mind spending 2-3 euro on a cup of tea if I've somewhere warm and comfortable to drink it and converse.

If I paid a high price tag, like 7 or 8 euro, for example, and the tea wasn't faultless, I'd simply just never return to the place that sold me it (though that price point for tea would be silly profiteering and would make me go elsewhere anyway).

I once paid €5 for a cup of tea (or something along those lines, anyway) but when I got it it came really well presented and had an open packet of crisps decorated around it and such. I'm sure they could have just given me the tea alone for €2, but I could see why the price point was higher for it (they obviously valued their presentation, which is fair enough).