Hi there everybody, today I've got a question for you!
There's something that's recently come to my attention, that maybe you can clear up
for me, because I'm just confused.
Apparently tea drinking has become a Goth thing now.
Why?
When did this start?
How did it start?
Because, like, here in New Zealand, everybody drinks tea.
It's just a really normal, boring thing.
Like everyone does.
Every day.
All the time.
Elderly people, and children...
in fact Bell tea recently made a children's one that was strawberry or banana flavoured,
or toffee apple.
Cute flavours for children.
The South Island here is dotted with tearooms.
And you know... cafés all sell it.
Anyway yeah...
I would like someone to clear this up for me.
I've got a few things I'd like to clear up perhaps a few others.
I think this question's been posed to other people, like, when did this become a thing?
Why, how, and blah.
One of the answers that was received was "Oh yes, it's totally a thing.
But we drink it black."
Eurgh!
Eeeurgh!
I don't know... I dunno I had a theory.
Tea without milk, yuck.
I think some people like it that way, but generally you drink tea with milk.
I think tea without milk is pretty disgusting, but that's just my preference.
I also think tea with sugar is a travesty, but probably most people take it with sugar.
I was wondering if it's 'cause people have seen 'black tea', and... that doesn't mean
you drink it black.
There's black tea, white tea, green tea, yellow tea.
And then there's like, infusions and herbals and tisanes.
And so much more, it's a big world of wonderful things.
Black tea generally mean it's drunk black.
And I kinda wonder is that why it's a Goth thing, because it's black?!
Black tea - have it with milk.
Black tea by itself is quite bitter!
I've actually seen quite a few videos on YouTube, little gothic tea videos, saying "yeah here's
like um... today I'm drinking a raspberry tea."
or whatever.
Well first of all, and I'm sorry but, if it's clear and fruity, or herbal, it's not technically
tea.
It's an infusion or tisane. Real teas are ... black tea, white tea, green tea, yellow
tea.
I saw one of those "goth confession" things that said like, "People judge me for not liking
tea."
Which was weird.
I thought, why would you do that to somebody?!
If drinking actual tea is such a quintessentially Goth thing and so important to being cool
now or something...
I mean really, if you object to the taste of tea, first of all, tried it with milk?
You can get all kinds of flavoured black teas.
This is Dilmah Rose & French Vanilla and it's one of my favourites.
I think it's lovely.
There's a huge amount of things you can get, just about any flavour you can poke a stick
at.
Whether you prefer spicy things, or sweet, or whatever.
But that's just flavoured black tea.
You can also get flavoured white tea, and those are actually teas, and not infusions
or tisanes.
I think really a culturally...different thing.
I think this whole tea eing a Goth thing, surely it must be an American thing.
'Cause I've always understood that you couldn't get tea in America.
That if you ordered it, you'd be given iced tea which is sort of .. something else.
If you wanted like, English Breakfast or whatever, you asked for hot tea.
Which is hard to come by.
I understand that's changing, and you're able to get Twinings there now.
And other things which is really good, and has made me less afraid of visiting the States.
Here in New Zealand, the tea section in the supermarket is about as big as the coffee
section.
Like it's just... really normal and... not that special?
I wonder if it's become cool 'cause there's this whole ritual that surrounds it, it's
associated with being very civilised, very sophisticated... and of course you can get
all the fancy doodads that go along with it.
Sugar bowls, pretty teapots and things.
I also blame the likes of Emilie Autumn for making tea cool.
Cause I dunno...
posing with tea bags.
So, I thought, why not, since we're on the subject, maybe I'll tell you what my favourites
are and show you my teapots.
Because: why not.
I have this teapot.
It's not very exciting.
Just plain.
But it's good because it has it's own little infusy thingie inside.
This is the second one of these I've had, cause I actually...
I mean I had one for years exactly the same.
And I lost it.
And I don't know how you lose a thing like that, but I did.
This one's a little bit posher.
My mother has just sent me up for Christmas.
It's very pretty.
For special occasions.
If I'm not making a whole pot, for loose leaves, this sort of affair.
One of these balls.
My fiancé just brought me back from his trip to Australia this trendy doodad.
Some of my favourite teas...
I haven't got all my favourites with me at the moment.
But, I guess like I said, the thing that everybody drinks all the time in New Zealand everywhere.
Constantly forever.
Is... plain black tea.
Which is fondly known as 'gumboot tea'.
Here's a South Island classic: Tiger.
Loose leaf.
I like Twining's English Breakfast is what I generally go for.
I also love Twining's Lady Grey.
Earl Grey is for me more of an every now and then thing.
I'll get it in a café.
Green tea...mmmm.
Yes, no, not really for everybody.
I remember my first time drinking green tea was in Japan and I was 12.
And I drank the whole thing out of politeness, but I was like bleeeuurgh.
So not really for me!
But very full of antioxidants!
Fortunately these days you can now get green tea with all kinds of flavours.
At least here you can.
This is berry flavoured green tea.
You can get orange...
I've got blueberry as well.
I'm a big fan of Red Bush tea.
Really nice and sweet and vanilla-ish.
Caffeine free, so good for before bed or in the evening.
Personally I don't like coffee.
I don't like the taste of coffee.
I really want to like coffee.
I've been trying to make myself like coffee.
I'll drink coffee with chocolate, but I have to choke it down.
I've always been big on energy drinks.
Every day, energy drinks.
They are so bad for you.
So much sugar.
I thought I'd try and switch to coffee, because of the amount of caffeine.
But eeeurgh, coffee.
Yeah..
I guess if someone could clear that up for me.
It's just...
all of a sudden... tea is a Goth thing.
Why?
Why!?
According to whom? Will you be judged if you don't like tea?
Maybe it's to do with Alice in Wonderland?
I dunno.
So if someone could clear that up for me and a bit more info would be nice.
As to... where in the world is it a thing?
When did it start?
Why do you think it started?
Also, remember if you were unaware previously: black tea, white tea, green tea, yellow tea
- actually tea.
Whereas herbals teas and fruit teas - not actually tea.
Infusions or tisanes.
Well, that's all I have to say.
Hopefully this mystery will be solved for me!
Bye!