Tea and hard water

In Bordeaux we have hard water because of the geology. (Could be worse - in Blaye they have heavy water because of the nuclear power station. Boom boom!)

When the kettle furs up you get crunchy tea. Yum!

Enter the secret weapon - those tea-pots with a plastic filter insert for putting leaf tea in. You put your tea bags in the filter thing, pour your water in through the filter and the crunchy bits collect inside the filter thing and not in your cup.

Simple!

(Oh no - that reads like the tips letters in a magazine. Sorry!)

Comments

minternational said…
Nevertheless, the combined ranks of fans of Les Davey appreciate such splendid life-enhancing material appearing occasionally. We salute you; we truly do.

Err, what about the coffee?
10:25 am
Alan said…
For one of those drip filter coffee maker gizmos - you have to run vinegar through it.

Other things (plungers etc.) are ok because the filter that filters out the coffee grinds filters out the crunchy bits.

Instant coffee? Pour the water from the kettle very gently. Very, very gently.
11:03 am
MartinY said…
You lived in Hemel, well Abbots Langly, so you must have had hard water there! We always used a tea strainer for the coffee - or any other water from the kettle. Now we use one of those water filters you can buy almost anywhere before we put the water in the kettle - Wonderful!! no more bits!
7:50 pm
Alan said…
I lived in Abbot's Langley and in Hemel (Warner's End) but it's so long ago I can't remember crunchy bits in the tea.

I do rememeber the scum floating on the top, though. I think I always will.
7:57 pm
Anonymous said…
If you're worried about crunchy bits in instant coffee, try pouring the water through a fine mesh type of tea strainer.

I had used to work as a magazine household tips adviser! (And if you believe that, you'll believe anything).
10:14 pm
Alan said…
It appears that many French people have a great disgust for instant coffee. In one of our classes this term we seemed to be studying lots of books about depression (!) and in one (Un homme qui dort) there is a reference to a bowl of Nescafé. The lecturer said "Nescafé. What is your reaction to that?"

I thought "Posh!" We normally buy own brand!

She said "It's disgusting, isn't it. Who ever fancies a cup of Nescafé!"
10:38 pm
Anonymous said…
I'm seriously beginning to wonder about your suitability for your adopted land - OWN BRAND COFFEE??? Don't dare go to Italy!
2:03 am
Alan said…
Hey! It's FRENCH own brand!

And I don't think they make it just for us Daveys.
7:46 am
Anonymous said…
Yes, maybe, but you watch the purchasers, if they're French. They stand in front of an adjacent brand, look furtively around the aisle then slip it under something else in their trolley. Then, when they get to the checkout, it's immediately put into a carrier bag. And they're probably only using it for cooking!!

Your turn again.......
11:57 am
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