WOW!!

When I left for London on Aug. 1, there were just a few helpful responses on this thread. Nothing about anyone having tea at Grannie's house. But look at it now!!!

Heh, heh. We leave London in two more days, and yes, we did have afternoon tea. At Richoux. The girls and i had afternoon tea, my son had cream tea, and my husband ordered an omlette. They like it. Thanks to everyone for steering us to a, erm, second-tier place where we paid a lot but not a whole lot.

Cindy -- rapidly losing perspective on what costs a ''whole lot'' after popping $50 for lunch and $100 for dinner for five consecutive days

fnarf999: about the hobnobs -- I know the milk chocolate ones are still available. But plain (dark) chocolate are the only ones worth eating. If they ever stop making plain chocolate digestives - I don't know what I'll do :(

Janis, run to the store as fast as you can and buy up all the packages you see. Is there anyplace in your home to put a big chest freezer?

I have a friend who filled her house to the rafters with cases of Coke when they introduced the disastrous "New Coke". She was still drinking it three years later!

Do these "teasmaids" have an alarm clock in them that starts brewing at a set time? Does it just boil, or does it somehow get the teabag in as well?

I was I guess a little relieved to discover that "Goblin" and "Swan" are brand names and not descriptions of what they look like. I had a terrible premonition of a gothic porcelain monstrosity of some kind.

hi, fnarf999,

the traditional teasmaid has two majot parts - a kettle one side and a jug/teapot the other. either by setting the alarm, or by pressing the "tea now" button, the device heats the water in the kettle to boiling point, at which point it transfers it into the teapot, in which you should have rem,emberd to put your tea-bags. It then awakens you with a nice hissing/gurgling noise, plus an alarm.

wait 5 minutes and pour!

if you google "swan teasmade" [note the spelling, you'll get the idea.] It looks as if they are available on e-bay if you are really interested.

"goblin" was a now defunct maker of such items, along with small vacuum cleaners - we used to have one of those as well!

Cindy - glad you enjoyed your tea. I have to say that for 5 people, $50 for lunch and $100 for dinner doesn't sound that bad. depends on what you were eating of course!

good luck with the rest of your trip.

regards, ann

Hob-Nobs are vile biscuits for common people. Having them with your tea marks you out as "below stairs" even quicker than putting five sugars in your tea.

Now, a plain chocolate digestive, that's a quality biscuit for quality people.

I have bought a teasmaid (note spelling) from Ebay - now i'm all antsy waiting for it to arrive. It cost £11.50 second hand.

Audere - preparing to say goodbye to early morning kettle boiling misery.

I've always quite fancied the idea; but been put off by thinking that the milk wouldn't be nice, after being out all night ? Or don't you have milk ?

The milk stays in the fridge. The teasmaid lives in the kitchen. Otherwise it wakes you up about 20 minutes earlier than you want with hissing and gurgling noises.

Er - so how is that any easier than going to the kitchen & using the kettle, then ?

Because it's already made - and made by a robot.

Although yopu have spotted the fundamental flaw in their sales appeal.

'Hob-Nobs are vile biscuits for common people.'

I like them.

So how does that equate with my posh pronuciation of 'scone' and grammar school education then?

Could I be a changeling - I know I got left outside Sainsbury's in my pram once ( oh, and it was the 60's, before anyone phones social services...)

(And weren't you supposed to be going to Broadmore today anyway?)

I suspect that you are in touch with your inner-chav.

Hob nobs are too sweet. That's why they are common.

I like Custard Creams too.

And those M&S Viennese thingies.

Should I be booking a personal shopping appointment at Burberry?

Burberry no, Primark yes.

Custard creams are alright at a pinch.

Ginger nuts are a mans biscuit.

I could eat chocolate Bourbons until I burst (I am not proud of this)

What IS the posh pronunciation of scone anyway?

I pronounce it so it rhymes with 'home', that way.

I used to think it was down to differing accents, and scone (rhyming with tong) sounded northern to me. But down here in Kent people seem to say it both ways..

>>I could eat chocolate Bourbons until I burst<<

You didn't have a cameo role in the Fast Show, by any chance?

I'm saying nothing about the ginger nuts.

"made by a robot" Ah, light dawns - a blokey gadget then :-)

RM67, I'm afraid grammar school just doesn't cut it with a Wkyehamist - they think Eton is common :-)

Of the various places I've had afternoon tea in London -- the Ritz was my least favorite. It is perfect if you want to be totally jammed in with hundreds of other tourists (many in large tour groups) snapping pictures of each other through the entire ordeal which is actually timed as to when you are expected to leave to vacate your table for the next ones. Sure it is an elegant setting, but to me it has no relation to a "real" English cultural experience!

There are many better options listed above. My favorite was always Brown's Hotel, but haven't been since their renovation, so I'm not sure if it as elegant and relaxed as it used to be.

You didn't have a cameo role in the Fast Show, by any chance>>>>

I was very very drunk.

And Caroline is right - Windsor Comp is common.

I think I'll pass, thanks.

So, audere, ginger nuts? What color is the hair on your head, then?

I'm afraid I'm a slow, recalcitrant riser, and a teasmaid would most likely be presenting me with lukewarm 20-minute tea instead of piping 5-minute tea. Not quite as nice (unless you need to remove some tar from your vehicle).

Hobnobs too sweet -- custard creams acceptable -- clearly I have much to learn about your biscuit ways.

I pronounce "scone" to rhyme with "own" but I'm fairly sure I'm wrong; is rhyming with "con" more posh?

My inner chav keeps telling me to buy a shiny Adidas track suit, but I keep telling him to pipe down.