[Stitchawl]

You took a current rhythm from out of the sky,
and taught me how to use it as the years went by.
To tie up all your problems and make them believe.
And then to sell them to the people in the street.
It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack.
You taught me all I know and I never looked back.
It's a very strange world and I thank you, Master Jack.


Happy Tuesday, all. Another glorious day in the Land of the Rising Sun. Today will begin with a mug of Ahmad English Breakfast tea and a bowl of muesli with fruit and nuts, and just a dash of apple juice to wet it down.

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I have not read the Spenser novels in ages. They are some good, junky reading.

They are the perfect read for a 3-4 hour flight or train ride. You can finish them in one trip, even while holding a conversation with your seat mate! No concentration needed.

Originally Posted by astra

I would not even attempt to write in Hebrew nowdays. I have forgotten most of it
Looks like they have succeeded in beating it into you

As it's been 50+ years since I was brainwashed, it's amazing that I can even remember which direction it should go!

Originally Posted by phenomshel

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As contrary to common sense as this sounds, I have yet to be able to make decent iced tea from any of the more expensive teas I have purchased. Even those that seem they'd be great as iced tea - aren't. I think I'm doing it wrong. The problem seems to be the amounts.

Nope...

Premium teas are designed to be made by the cup. I make iced tea by the gallon. My "usual" method for iced tea is take four family sized tea bags (and no, I don't know how many teaspoons a family sized tea bag holds), dump them into a Pyrex measuring cup that holds four cups of water, and nuke it for four minutes.

And THERE are your problems. doubled.
First, nuking the water itself, second, nuking the tea. Nuking the water removes much of the oxygen, making it taste very flat. You won't notice it in coffee, but you certainly can in tea. Next, nuking the tea itself is cooking it. You do NOT want to cook tea for drinking.

Believe me, the taste difference is DAY and NIGHT! Try it yourself;
Boil 'fresh' water on the stove, pour it into a cup with a regular tea bag. While you're letting it steep, nuke a cup of water with a tea bag in it. When they both cool down enough to actually taste, see the difference for yourself. You'll never nuke tea water again!

Then I let it sit and steep until it's REALLY strong (for maybe half an hour). Then I add sugar to the still warm tea, dissolve it, and pour into gallon sized pitcher. Add water til the pitcher is full, and i have iced tea. For many obvious reasons, (not the least is that at a teaspoon per cup, this would get very expensive very fast) this is not going to work with loose tea.

I use 'junk' teas for my iced tea. And often make it in a similar fashion, i.e. making a concentrate then diluting it. Often it gets steeped for 2-3 hours if I forget what I've been doing. No problem... Just don't add as much of the concentrate to the pitcher. The real key is NOT to nuke the water or the tea.
Try it. You'll like it.

Next into my mug, some Fortnum & Mason Ceylon! And onward the morn...!

Stitchawl