Time for Tea... or Coffee

In the US it seems there is a Starbucks on every corner, over 11,000 in fact!  Here in Ireland that number is just a little bit smaller.  OK, a LOT smaller.  25 to be exact, 21 of which are in Dublin or the outlying suburban areas, 2 in Kildare, and 1 in Cork. The 1 here in Cork happens to be in the airport so needless to say I'm not drinking my triple grande skim latte on a regular basis.  However, that doesn't mean I don't get my coffee fix.  I typically use my french press every morning to make my self a few cups, but every now and then I head into town for a cuppa.  Here are a few shots of my different lattes in Cork. 

Cafe Gusto along Lapps Quay

Cafe Gusto Washington St.

Costa Coffee

Another shot of pretty coffee's in Cafe Gusto!

Europe has such an amazing coffee and of course tea culture. Tea time (weather you are drinking tea or coffee) is a lovely experience involving cups and saucers, pretty designs on the top of your latte (pictured above), tea pots, and tiny spoons! People here don't stand in a queue just to grab their venti caramel mocha frappucchino with whip and sprinkles and run out the door.  I think most Europeans would be horrified that Americans even consider that coffee! 

Don't get me wrong, they certainly have to-go cups here, but they seem to enjoy sitting down and savoring the experience.  Adam says his office mates break twice a day for tea, which doesn't do him much good as he drinks neither tea or coffee. I just don't get that, my day is not complete with out that caffeine fix. oh well, his loss!


Did you know Ireland and the UK are tied for second place in highest tea consumption per capita, with Turkey taking the number one spot (Wikipedia factoid, believe it if you want to, sounds about right to me!) I noticed right away how tea seems to dominate coffee here upon my first stroll down the coffee and tea aisle at the store. 75% of the aisle is stocked with boxes of tea, the remaining 25% coffee.  In the states it seems to be exactly the opposite. 


And just across the aisle from tea and coffee the shelves are stocked with biscuits.  For those of you that read this post, you will know that biscuits here are not the fluffy buttermilk kind we know and love in the states.  Rather, biscuits here are cookies, and tea biscuits are unique unto themselves.  Sorry for more comparisons, but the closest thing I can liken a tea or digestive biscuit is a graham cracker...sort of. Bottom line, I LOVE them!

My Afternoon Treat!

So I have assimilated quickly to Irish tea drinking society. I still have coffee first thing in the AM, but around 3 or 4 PM it is time for tea, and of course a biscuit! I like the McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate. As for the tea it's Barry's . People here are particular about their tea brands. Barry's tea is an Irish company which accounts for 40% of all tea sales in Ireland.

Tea Time at Cafe Croissant!

Every home in Ireland has an electric kettle it is practically a requirement. It boils water in under a minute!  

I was just chatting with an American friend and we were marveling at the fact that hardly anyone in the US has an electric kettle. We chalked it up to the fact that they simply don't drink as much tea there.  However, Adam just informed me that it is more likely because US power is 120V, whereas here it is 220V, so they just don't have enough juice to boil the water that fast. 


At any rate, having afternoon tea is such a lovely ritual, I simply cannot understand why Americans don't do it more often.  Give it a try next time you need a break from the stress of work, or the kids, or whatever your afternoon involves; and if you would like I will gladly send you some digestive biscuits!