The approach of Halloween means it's time for the return of tea brack. Yum! Try out this tea brack recipe for All Hallow's Eve. "Put the kettle on!" A phrase used every day in every house in Ireland.
Everyone knows it means "Make a cup of tea!" Are you a Barry's tea family or a Lyons one? Tea covers all ails - sympathy, encouragement, a little chat, family crises, bereavement or celebration. What would we do without it? Our emigrants ask that Barry's tea is sent to them in their new homeland but then complain that it tastes different. "It's the water" is the usual explanation.
But tea also tastes different whether you use tea bags or tea leaves. Whether it's Barrys or Lyons. Whether you put the milk in first or last.
Whether you drink from a china cup or a mug. Whether you use a teapot or not. And don't forget about the tea cozy.
The Irish drink a higher grade of tea than our neighbors in the UK. This is apparently because during WWII the British had to make do with a cheaper blend which they then grew accustomed to, and so never changed back once the war was over. We know full well that you can drink a cuppa at literally any time of day or night, with just about any snack, but some do go better than others.
An old favorite is a tea brack, also often enjoyed by that rare species known as non-tea drinkers. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! Using a small loaf tin (an old-fashioned 1lb tin) How much do you love a slice of brack with a.