Your ViewsKeep your e-mails pouring in, it's good to know that there are lots of you out there with views and opinions. To help you work out what is what, are now little icons to help you see biscuit related themes. And now you can see at a glance which are the most contested subjects via this graph (requires Flash 6.0 plugin). Please keep your mails coming in to nicey@nicecupofteaandasitdown.com | If you like, you can use this search thingy to find stuff that matches with any of the icons you pick, or use the fantastic free text search, Yay! | Your e-Mails |
Sara Ledwith |
Hi there
Hope you're not developing psychokinetic biscuit-moving powers like the man in Mitchell & Webb last night |
Nicey replies: Yes that was some well observed biscuit humour, and technically correct that he was unable to move Jaffa Cakes using his mind. Also at the end when all the biscuits exploded in a Carrie style finale we again observed that Jaffa Cakes were intact. Also we noted the supermarket scenes were shot in an Asda, and wondered if all Asdas have to have a button next to the eggs which makes loud chicken noises when you press it as ours does. |
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Barbara Williams |
Dear Nicey and Wifey
I'm not sure whether your excellent website covers the topic of Tea Shoppes, but as you are connoisseurs of all things tea related and must on occasions travel about the countryside and find yourselves in desperate need of a cup of tea, I thought you might be interested in our experience in a Tea Shoppe in Shaftesbury, Dorset. We were in the town on Saturday following an ebay run to collect a nice pine wall mounted dresser top and, badly in need of refreshment, we spotted an idyllic looking Tea Shoppe which should remain nameless but can be found in close proximity to the Sherlock Holmes Dolls House and Miniatures Emporium. On enquiring if we could partake of tea, we were informed that they were only doing 'tea and cake' as obviously they didn't want riff raff in who would just order one cuppa and sit there cluttering the place up all afternoon. Which was fine as what we wanted to order was a cream tea plus cake. They did a cream tea with one scone or a cream tea with two scones, so we thought we would order a cream tea with two scones, share the scones and then share a piece of cake. BUT I made the mistake of mentioning the sharing bit at which point the lady in charge rather frostily pointed out their 'sharing policy'. They had little notices on the table saying that their prices were according to portions and if you shared they would add on 25%. This seemed such a bizarre notion that we asked for further clarification. She just repeated 'our sharing policy is as explained on your table'. Rather than quiz her further on whether they had an 'I can't finish all this, will you have some of it?' policy, it seemed easier to settle for the cream tea with one scone and abandon the idea of sharing altogether, but then there was the question of the cake. I can never eat a whole piece, so asked Hubby which we should have, but then I remembered the 'sharing policy' and panicked. Meanwhile the lady was sighing. rolling her eyes and tapping her pencil very loudly on the pad, so I just chose at random. When it came we had to wait until she left the room to share the one scone and cake in case we incurred the additional 25%. Now I can understand a policy of 'Set Teas Only' at busy times, which I believe they apply in the excellent Polly Tea Rooms in Marlborough, or a policy of charging for extra scones, but I find it hard to understand a 25% penalty for sharing. Surely once you have purchased the tea, scones and cake, how you divide it up is a matter for the individual. I think this lady is worthy of a Basil Fawlty Award for Customer Service, although she did do herself out of a couple of quid by not letting us have the cream tea with two scones to share.
Forgive me for boring you with this tale but I do believe this sharing policy needs to be put to the test- possibly by Michael Winner, although he would probably not be inclined to share his scones and cake anyway.
Thank you for your lovely website.
Barbara Williams |
Nicey replies: Gripping stuff Barbara, and I understand your pain of random cake choice under pressure. It is best to get these things off your chest, otherwise the resentment could lead to to some nasty scene years later, such as the wilful taking any unused little pots of jam. |
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Mary Ann Lund |
Dear Nicey,
Thanks for your wonderful website!
Wise as your advice invariably is, I can't agree with your reply to Linda Dunn that a teaspoon is a vital part of tea preparation. By trying to whip the teabag out of the mug without one, you may, as she says, get burned fingers. But there lies the dangerous thrill of the tea-making process. Will you grab it in one, giving barely a tingle to your agile fingers? Or will you be forced to plumb the depths of the mug, risking health and safety in your quest for the lurking bag? Coffee-drinking has nothing on this.
Best wishes,
Mary Ann
(surrounded by Yorkshire tea and Choco Leibniz) |
Nicey replies: More complex psychological constructs and dangerous behavioural responses designed to allay your unwillingness to wash up teaspoons I suspect (are you a student?). |
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Andy Titcomb |
Hello Nicey
I thought you might be interested to see my teapot blog? All the latest teapot news updated virtually every day. It has been in the news locally recently.
All good wishes
Andy Titcomb |
Nicey replies: I think we may have spied a few of your teapots when we were on tea tour in Cornwall the other year.
I took this picture in Lakes teapots next to the quay in Looe. |
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Luke |
Dear Nicey et al,
After many years, my kettle has died. Well it isn't really mine, a friend gave it to me after they got a new kettle. It many ways it was a brilliant kettle, after my previous one. This one had an on/off switch, a removable lid and removable cord. All very useful things in a kettle. Though removing the lid meant you could see how filthy it was inside. Due to the chlorine in the water, it has gone a lovely blue/green inside. Anyway, this afternoon after making one last cup of tea (Queen Mary), it started making loud popping noises and emitting black smoke. Now I am sure that this is not a design feature so is best to say good bye and go bye a new kettle.
Luke |
Nicey replies: Luke,
Very sorry to hear about the loss of your kettle. It makes me want to rush downstairs and make a big fuss of ours. |
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