h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tea, just tea and only tea.

As a Brit who has lived abroad for the best part of the last 10 years I would like to stand up for the greatest of all hot drinks, Tea.

It is perfect drunk to warm you up on a cold day or to cool you down on a hot day.

The only problem is that most non Brits don't know how to make it. (I believe that Mr Douglas Adams himself wrote a wonderful essay on this subject.) First of all it must be made from the leaves of the tea plant. Herbal infusions are wonderful in their place but they are not what I expect to get when I ask for a cup (or a pot) of tea. Secondally it must be made with boiling water. Taking water that has been heated to 98 degree out of a coffee machine is not good enough as it means that the tea will taste foul. Thirdly it should be strong enough for the spoon to stand up in. Tea is not a drink for wimps.

If you can get past these major problems then you have a fair chance of getting a reasonable cup of tea outside of the UK. However if in doubt take your own with you. I can recommend Sainsbury's red label, Marks and Spencer's extra stong or Ringtons. Ringtons is the best but it is also the hardest to get hold of.

Roz.