For those of you who don’t know me I’m originally from England, although I now refer to myself as Canadian since I got my citizenship, yeah!
When many people picture England they think of stately homes, leafy green country roads and quaint little tea shops serving tea and scones.
The country runs not on oil but on tea.
If someone comes to your house, you will offer them a cup of tea within 60 seconds of them crossing the threshold.
It doesn’t matter who is gracing your home, a friend, a workman or the queen they will be force fed tea.
So here’s my confession: I hate tea!
I often joke that the reason I got kicked out of England is my hatred of the national drink.
It isn’t just a small aversion either, I really can’t stand the stuff.
Even the smell of black tea makes me feel nauseous.
Imagine my horror then when I arrived in Canada and realized that people over here are just as nuts about the stuff.
I figured the North American stereotype of coffee and donuts would be true, not that I drink coffee either, but tea seems just as popular.
Whenever I go someplace new or to an event I find myself explaining over and over that I don’t drink tea or coffee.
The baffled expressions are often comical and paired with exclamations of, “So what do you drink?”
We host many events here at the library and more often than not the teapots are dragged out and the kettle clicked on.
It seems we run off tea and cookies here at the library!
I have to admit my tea knowledge is certainly improving as time goes on.
Ten years ago the extent of my involvement with the wretched stuff was making my husband the occasional cup of milky orange pekoe.
I had no idea tea came in so many flavours and varieties.
I guess in the back of my mind I was aware of herbal tea but as my family didn’t mention the “T-word” around me I never really gave it a thought.
Some of the ladies I work with are tea lovers and our cupboard here at the library has a vast assortment of improbable sounding flavours like Lemon Zinger or Sleepy Time.
I consider it personal growth that I can now make pot after pot of tea with impunity.
I have even braved a cup myself.
I was using it as medicine for a sore throat and had to put about a million tablespoons of sugar in it. (I’m not sure that counts.)
This Mother’s Day weekend my new found tolerance for tea will be put to the test with our special event, The Perfect Cup.
All moms are invited to join us at the library Saturday, May 7 at 2 p.m. for a relaxing introduction into the warm world of tea.
Local tea specialists from David’s Tea will speak on the refreshing qualities and history of this popular drink.
Come sample some old favourites or find a new special blend.
Adele Meadow is an assistant community librarian at the Summerland Branch of the ORL. She is now Canadian and working on her Tea-Tolerance levels.
