Coffee or Tea?

[Donnageddon]

I like my coffee like I like my women: Cold and bitter.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

They still exist, and are selling Royal Blend on their website (don't know if they'll ship to Japan...) They do have a list of places in Japan that sells their stuff: http://www.fortnumandmason.com/World...kists,670.aspx, but only one in Kyoto:

Thanks for the quick reply, SNCAm. The department store that you listed, Daimaru in Kyoto, was the store I was talking about in my post. The F&M folks had a 10x15 stall in the supermarket section of the store. (Most large department stores in Japan have huge supermarkets in the basement level.) The F&M area carried every one of their blends in three different sized tins, a dozen different gift packs, etc., etc. As of this past Saturday, there was no F&M at all in the store.

Daimaru had the largest display and selection of all the shops in Kyoto and Osaka. 10 years ago I could find them all in five or six different department stores, three different import shops, and a few independent supermarkets carried small selections. Even some of the tea merchants that I do mail-order with have stopped carrying the line. Very odd!

Stitchawl

[kazbates]

COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee. . . did I mention COFFEE!

[Stitchawl]

The results of this poll surprise me. I would have thought that the coffee drinkers far outnumbered the teaists! So why aren't there chains of trendy tea shops on every other corner?

Stitchawl

[Verencat]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

The results of this poll surprise me. I would have thought that the coffee drinkers far outnumbered the teaists! So why aren't there chains of trendy tea shops on every other corner?

Stitchawl

I think tea is more related to a home ritual. You drink tea to relax, to have a moment of peace, it's not something you can rush. Coffee shops exist because most people need coffee to keep them going, wherever they are, and will drink it on the go, not stopping their daily routine to enjoy it. Well it's the best explanation I can come up with...

[lunged]

Tea. Mainly Chinese Oolongs (Big Red Robe rocks), followed by Chinese green tea (if I can get a nice Dragonwell for not too much money or a decent knock-off).

I should add, this is all loose-leaf with nothing added. I drink at least 2 cups of hot tea every day.

[HappyMartin]

One cup of coffee with breakfast and then to the tea. Don't like tea bags. love green tea and rooibos tea. Think the latter might be called red bush or some such outside of South Africa. Green rooibos is wonderful.

Much more variety with teas I think.

[Curly]

Good strong black coffee -- generally we buy Fair Trade coffee or beans from a small local shop.

I don't really like black tea, I do drink herbal teas especially peppermint.

In the UK you get a lot of instant coffee drinkers and when I'm offered a cup of coffee at a friend's house, its usually instant. I really, really dislike instant coffee.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Verencat

I think tea is more related to a home ritual. You drink tea to relax, to have a moment of peace, it's not something you can rush. Coffee shops exist because most people need coffee to keep them going, wherever they are, and will drink it on the go, not stopping their daily routine to enjoy it. Well it's the best explanation I can come up with...

I think it's plausible. But then, I've never been to a coffee shop... I can't stand the smoke

[Curly]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

The results of this poll surprise me. I would have thought that the coffee drinkers far outnumbered the teaists! So why aren't there chains of trendy tea shops on every other corner?

Stitchawl

Here in Scotland we don't have many (if any) chains of trendy tea shops, but we do have many little independent tea shops each with their own character.

[HarryT]

I'm a tea drinker. If I drink more than a couple of cups of coffee in a day I get "the shakes" from the caffeine. I just can't take it.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Curly

Here in Scotland we don't have many (if any) chains of trendy tea shops, but we do have many little independent tea shops each with their own character.

Oddly enough, here too!
There is one really special one we go to, along the mountain side to the east of downtown Kyoto. All sliding shoji walls on two sides that open on to the most beautiful, tranquil garden complete with prize-winning koi! Just like you'd expect to see in a Hollywood version of old Japan. The ambiance is wonderful. (The tea sucks. Pearls before swine, I guess... )

However, there are now at least 2-4 'Starbucks' close to every major train station in Osaka and Kyoto. All the ambiance of a Dunkin' Donuts but their English Breakfast tea is pretty good and comes in large enough cups.

Stitchawl

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm a tea drinker. If I drink more than a couple of cups of coffee in a day I get "the shakes" from the caffeine. I just can't take it.

But I thought tea contained roughly as much caffeine as coffee does. Is that not right?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

But I thought tea contained roughly as much caffeine as coffee does. Is that not right?

I believe it does yes, but perhaps one's body gets accustomed to the particular form of it in tea vs. coffee? Whatever the explanation, though, it's a very real effect - if I have a couple of cups of "real" coffee, my hands start shaking and I just can't concentrate on anything. It's a very odd feeling. I can drink tea by the gallon and suffer no "ill effects" from it whatsoever.

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe it does yes, but perhaps one's body gets accustomed to the particular form of it in tea vs. coffee?

I think that's probably more correct, Harry. The image we seem to have been given is that the only relevant chemical species in coffee and tea is caffeine. That almost certainly has to be incomplete.