Tea? (Part 1)

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TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
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The TerrorVortex
Speicher said:
Oh yes, excellent, thank you muchly. (strangely appropriate as Muchly is a tiger) .

The back is a bit better. I went for a walk this afternoon in the fresh air and sunshine, and feel better for a bit of activity.

Excellent! Glad you're feeling better.:laugh: It's amazing the effect a bright sunny day can have, even if it is freezing cold.
By the way, what happened to the tugboat? Gave me quite a turn when I saw you all feathery.
Tiger? What (or who) is this tiger of which you speak? I saw some earlier today, but I failed miserably to sneak one out. I'd taken a lead in with me and everything.:biggrin:
 

Speicher

Vice Admiral
Moderator
It was pleasantly warm here today, some people in t-shirts. :biggrin:

It would be a very long way for you to fetch Muchly the tiger. She lives in the Ramthambore tiger reserve somewhere in India. Do you remember the series of tv progs about that some years ago?

Time for beddy byes now. :laugh::tired:
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
*accepts tea with gratitude*

@ Speicher:-
Ramthambore? We were there last January. Unfortunately we didn't see any tigers, but we did see monkeys, lots of birds of various types and some antelopey sort of things. Had we known you knew a tiger there we'd have waved.
Indian traffic is something else. A rare chance to cycle with elephants.:biggrin: Also far too high a risk of carrying out personal experimentation into reincarnation.
*hands out tiger rolls*
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Hello all!

*takes off hat, unwraps scarf, takes off coat, leaves gloves on as they are fingerless and Ok to type in*

It's blooming cold out there! But nice and sunny.

A couple of you said you'd like to see Tom's Tea Protocol - I didn't have it in text form, but a friend had a photo. Quoygrew is the name of the site the crew were working on, on Westray, Orkney. The first year, it was discovered that certain members of the team were either too young, or too... not English... to know how to brew large scale tea of the sort required to fortify a team who'd just spent 4 hours shovelling soil in a Force 9... The next season coincided with Foot and Mouth and there were therefore Hygiene Protocols on display detailing the necessary boot and kit disinfecting required. This inspired Tom to produce his tea protocol. Yes, it's laminated, and travelled up to the site each year with all the other equipment!


tea.jpg


If you click to view full image, it should be readable - if not I transcribed it.

QUOYGREW EXCAVATION 2001

TEA PROTOCOL

In order to avoid the causation of unrest, the exercising of Anglo-Saxon expletives and the repetition of the international difficulties experienced last season, it is recommended that the following guidelines should be adhered to when brewing tea:

1.1 A ratio of 7 tea bags to the ½ kettle should be used. It may be prudent to revise this ratio upwards if levels of stress are high.

1.2 Notwithstanding traditional household maxii, it is suggested that the tea bags are added to the kettle whilst still on the boil, and that the boil be maintained for approximately 30 seconds before the removal of the kettle from the source of heat. You are reminded that the tea brewed on site is an Industrial Beverage, as defined in the Stanton Drew Roller Drivers’ Refreshment Best Practice Protocol of 1977, subsection c, para 2.4.2

1.3 Also notwithstanding traditional maxii, the brew should be stirred at both the BEGINNING and the END of the infusion process.

1.3.1 At this point it may be prudent for the brewer to take a small sample – say 15cc – in a white (or tannin lined) vessel, and, having added a dash of milk, (see appendix II: Catherine Bertrand), assess the colour. The aim is to produce a beverage of a strong, loamy hue. As a guideline, Munsell colours 10YR 6/4, 7.5YR 6/6 and 5YR 6/6 were considered acceptable by 86% of roadmenders consulted for the Stanton Drew Roller Drivers’ Refreshment Best Practice Protocol of 1977, which has been taken as a benchmark throughout Northern Europe wherever two or more Steam-Waggons are gathered together. (Those wishing to follow the guidelines therein can safely omit all reference to brasso-soaked rag and agricultural diesel, if brewing in connection with archaeological work.)

1.4 A note on brands: Commercial household brandnames, comprising blended teas, neither flavoured with Bergamot or badged ‘economy’, are good starting points. The reasoning behind this is both strong and thorough, and those wishing to take their study of Industrial Beverage Theory further would be well advised to consult appendices V and VII, ‘Nob Tea’ and ‘Dog Tea’ in the Stanton Drew document.

1.5 Taste. A rounded bitter flavour with nutty undertones and gentle background heat is the aim. Should you be in doubt, ask a senior union official to taste for you.

1.6 Biscuits. At least one brand available should be capable of withstanding dunking and perforce unadorned with chocolate, icing or cream filling. Those new to Industrial Beverage consumption are welcome to purchase training biscuits, but be aware that these will not be covered by dig expenses under the Roxburgh Agreement, 1982.

1.7 Washing the teapot. This will NOT be discussed by ANY dig members, at ANY time, due to the repeal of the Portmahomack Tannin Substance Inhibition Amnesty of 1997.


*Arch waits tapping foot impatiently for pictures of baby elephant, and wonders if she's ever introduced the Tea-ers to Seamus the tiger?*
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Arch said:
*Arch waits tapping foot impatiently for pictures of baby elephant, and wonders if she's ever introduced the Tea-ers to Seamus the tiger?*

You may be taping your foot for quite some while there, Arch. I did get some pics of the aforementioned elephant:biggrin:, but none of them were particularly close:sad:. I'll need to see what I can do with photoshop to crop out the grassy bits and get as much elephantage going on as possible. On the other hand, I did get one of an ostrich from about 4 inches away, as it tried to peck me!

*drinks Earl Grey, finishes breakfast. Still cold*
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
TheDoctor said:
You may be taping your foot for quite some while there, Arch. I did get some pics of the aforementioned elephant:biggrin:, but none of them were particularly close:sad:. I'll need to see what I can do with photoshop to crop out the grassy bits and get as much elephantage going on as possible. On the other hand, I did get one of an ostrich from about 4 inches away, as it tried to peck me!

*drinks Earl Grey, finishes breakfast. Still cold*


An ostrich would do to keep me going...:biggrin:
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Arch said:
An ostrich would do to keep me going...:biggrin:

Each to their own! I'll see what I can get uploaded this evening. I haven't got my camera at work, and the IT chimps would go loopy anyway.
Even if I just get the group shots of the elephants, you can always zoom in and just look at the ickle one.
*regrets lack of 'cute' smiley*
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Well, it's quiet in here today. I just had to hoik the thread up in case it slipped to page two. Is everyone really busy?
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
TheDoctor said:
I'm busy drinking tea. Would you like some?
And can I offer you a roll?;)


Oh, ta, yes.

*in the real world, Arch wonders if refectory is still closing at 3, or at 3.30 now.*

A roll? In the hay? Or have you got pate and cottage cheese again?

*goes off to check refectory*
 
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