I have a list of commuter gripes, as long as both my arms.
Of all the sneezing, the pushing, the high-pitched giggling of a forty year old woman before 7am, the newspaper flapping, table hogging, crap drum and bass being played through tinny headphones, there is one time that I actually enjoy getting on the train.
And that is when it's foggy.
Of all the sneezing, the pushing, the high-pitched giggling of a forty year old woman before 7am, the newspaper flapping, table hogging, crap drum and bass being played through tinny headphones, there is one time that I actually enjoy getting on the train.
And that is when it's foggy.
The train shunts through a tunnel of grey mist and you can't see past the scraggly weeds that border the tracks. Stations appear out of nowhere. You only know you're clattering over bridges by the sound and the rush of cars passing underneath.
Approaching the city, you can't see the tops of the buildings. Everything looks muffled and a bit quiet. It's lovely.
To satisfy my inner love of fog, I was googling pictures of a foggy London (this is the best list I found) and this "tea latte" appeared. And I have no idea these even existed but apparently its a thing in America. Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and sweetened with vanilla syrup.
They are really simple to make. You will need half a cup of strongly brewed Earl Grey Tea. I made mine in a small teapot with four tea bags, as the tea will go bitter if you brew it for too long. Fill the cup up with steamed and frothed hot whole milk and stir vanilla syrup to taste.
Just as a side note, it's a perfectly nice and tasty drink and I tried really hard to like it, but I just couldn't. It boils down to the simple fact that this goes against everything I know and like about tea.
Who puts syrup in tea?
I'm pretty sure I committed a crime doing this on English soil...
I'm fast reaching the conclusion that people are, in fact, arseholes. Not you for doing this to tea, I hasten to add (although you're a total heathen for doing this to tea*) but the sneezy, elbowy, infantile, rustling, table-hogs with poor taste in music.
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*Although I weirdly still want to try it.
Thank you Katie, people are indeed yucky. I feel like I need to write a letter to the Queen to apologise for this. I'm pretty sure I committed treason.
Deletei couldn't do this to my tea (though your pot is sweet!) - i don;t like milky tea to start with, so flavoured milky tea, no thank you.
ReplyDeleteyou've made me all nostalgic for train travel. we don't have commuter trains in tasmania,and they are something i sorely miss!
It was verging on a waste of good Earl Grey but you got to try everything once :) No commuter trains AND a cake rota at your office?! I'm relocating...
DeleteHow fascinating that you found this recipe whilst googling London Fog. I only drink very week floral teas without milk, so I'm not sure this is one for me, but I do love your storytelling and photographs.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jude, I think it's a very American thing which I don't quite understand. I love Earl Grey but this is just a step too far!
DeleteThose photos are stunning, you've made me a fan of fog too. Especially during sunset. I like my tea and coffee as plain as possible, apart from boba (bubble) tea. It seems acceptable then because it's a completely different type of beverage!
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