Fic: The Perfect Cup of Tea

[dragonyphoenix]

Note: Written for a prompt at Giles Shorts: last minute
Note: Edited to fix my tea-making and label mistakes. I'd meant to add a warning that I didn't know how to make a proper cup of tea - read: I made Rupert's process up - but somehow I spaced it. It's been that kind of a week. Although it's nice that no one has complained he wouldn't use Earl Grey in his perfect cup of tea. I couldn't resist having Xander snickering at the Star Trek reference.
Edit: Gillo wrote a lovely response to my story: Tea Parties Suck

The big bad, as the children would call it, had been defeated, the books put away, and the library closed. He’d sent Buffy out on one final patrol, but that was a mere formality, so safe that even Willow and Xander had tagged along. Rupert felt sure that he could relax for the evening.

He could, finally, after weeks of making do with inferior American blends, take the time to brew the perfect cup of tea. Once the water was boiling, he swirled a portion into the teapot to warm it and only then added the tea, loose leaf of course. Rupert couldn’t quite work out why Xander snickered each time he saw the Earl Grey label. The exact steeping time depended upon a variety of factors including the humidity in the air, the cooling rate of the water, and the freshness of the leaves. Rupert took careful notice of the teapot, inhaling to catch the subtle variants in the aroma that would tell him when the tea was nearly ready. The last minute was of the utmost importance. Almost there, just a bit more.

The children barged through the door. “Giles, there’s a problem.”

Rupert poured the tea and set the strainer aside before Buffy could realize that she didn’t have his full attention. He often had to feign equanimity with the children, but not this evening. After all, even if he didn’t have time to enjoy it, he had brewed the perfect cup of tea.

Comments

[gillo]

No!!!!!

The water for tea MUST be boiling. Every Brit knows that. You pour a little in the pot before it reaches the boil, then swirl it round, empty, add the leaves and then the water which must be fully boiling.

Otherwise this was fun. But the use of not-boiling water for tea is why we cringe at the way Americans and Europeans make it!

I love Giles at last relieved to have a moment away from the children to savour the important things in life.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Um, American here. I honestly zap my chai in the microwave. Yes, I'm that lazy!

[il_mio_capitano]

The horror of it all!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the feedback. I do like to get things right but am sometimes to excited to be as careful as I should be.

[gillo]

Some things are just very serious. ;-)

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

What Gill says. Also, you have "the Earl Gray label." The tea is Earl *Grey*.

[gillo]

Good catch. I think I was so outraged by the water I missed the Earl. Earthquakes in Eldon Square may result from my lese-majesty!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Okay, fixing, fixing! I'd hate to be causing earthquakes. ;-)

And I'm impressed by the number of grumpy Giles icons you have.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Uh, I thought I'd corrected Earl Gray to Earl Grey. Darn it!

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Ah, lovely look at Giles and his tea.


Gabrielle

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm quite pleased with it. *grin*

[gillo]

I really want to stress that I like it. It's just that tea matters, dammit!

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

Lovely drabble, always knew Giles has his own tea ceremony.
Besides, now you know how to get lots of comments from brits)

[gillo]

Some things are sacred!

;-)

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Every cup is sacred
Every cup is great
If a cup gets wasted
God gets quite irate.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

ow you know how to get lots of comments from brits. Yes, don't dis tea. Also, don't refer to what they call sweets as candy from an English character's PoV. ;-)

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

And football, don't forget football!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the comments have been fun. I was under the impression that Giles, at least at the office, didn't make tea properly but I wasn't aware of that bit with Post.

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[gillo]

Two teapots? That's a new one on me. I've only been a Brit for 58 years, mind you...

A very high proportion of people use teabags for convenience, but may well choose the loose leaf variety if it's a special varietal - Oolong, say, or Darjeeling.

[double_dutchess]

Lovely drabble. Giles knows what's important!

I must confess my own tea making habits probably wouldn't pass muster with Giles, as I tend to make a whole pot (1.5 litres...) with one measly tea bag. But I *do* boil the water, mind you!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

That he does.

Cup. Microwave. One bag of tea. That's my process. *grin*

[double_dutchess]

Now that's truly barbaric :-)