Real Tea

jdbythesea · Post by **jdbythesea** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 6:45 pm

Living in Leeds you are so lucky. The second main ingredient to a decent brew is the type of water that's added. I've just had a few days down in that London and my Yorkshire Gold tea tasted nothing like as good as it does up north.Nowadays, home for me is on the Yorkshire coast and even here the water is not in the same class as it is in Leeds. I have to use tea bags suited to hard water but I miss a proper cup of tea. It never tastes as good as it does back home in Leeds.JD

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 7:18 pm

Sorry for going a bit off topic but with the mention of water it reminded me that a few months before Yorkshire Water was privatised I began to notice that such as pans were scaling up with lime, which was something that hardly ever happened before. It was obvious that the previously soft water (at least in my part of Leeds) was now hard water. That was presumably from being sourced from water draining limestone moors (hence hard water) rather than water draining sandstone moors (soft water). Since the change I've had to descale pans on a very regular basis. I'm sure it will have had an effect on the taste of tea.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 9:56 pm

It's a fact that the type and quality of water used has a marked effect on the tea brewed up.Fortunately in most of Leeds we've got good quality soft water that is ideally suited to the task. Which part of Leeds do you live in Leodian?Since the debacle of 1994(?) when Yorkshire Water had a non-stop convoy of tankers running betwixt Kielder Water in Northumberland and Eccup Reservoir to ensure that the taps in Leeds didn't run dry, they have set up a impressive grid system that allows water to be moved around the region to wherever it's needed. This means that should Leeds normal supplies (Eccup gets much of it's water from the reservoirs of the Washburn Valley, via the River Wharf) run low water from elsewhere in the Yorkshire Water catchment area can be piped in. I think some of West Leeds might get water initially intended for Bradford...

book · Post by **book** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 10:18 pm

I think the Washburn Valley source starts at Scar House up and beyond Pateley Bridge then runs down to Swinsty and Fewston. Does it then make its way to Eccup?

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 10:58 pm

The water from the Washburn valley is piped to eccup directly. There is an abstraction from the wharfe. A compensation reservoir (Angram?) releases water to the whafe. Eccup can now be supplied by the Ouse as well. Scarhouse and the Nidderdale reservoirs supply bradford graviy feeding the waterworks directly.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 10:59 pm

For the last few months now, I've noticed an increased smell of chlorine in local water supply....Has anybody else noticed this ????I live e.ardsley..............it affects taste of tea too...not quite same as used to be.

book · Post by **book** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 11:06 pm

Haven't noticed it but I heard a report that kids teeth were the worst in the Country in Yorks so maybe it's to counter tooth decay.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 20 Mar, 2012 11:07 pm

raveydavey wrote: It's a fact that the type and quality of water used has a marked effect on the tea brewed up.Fortunately in most of Leeds we've got good quality soft water that is ideally suited to the task. Which part of Leeds do you live in Leodian?Since the debacle of 1994(?) when Yorkshire Water had a non-stop convoy of tankers running betwixt Kielder Water in Northumberland and Eccup Reservoir to ensure that the taps in Leeds didn't run dry, they have set up a impressive grid system that allows water to be moved around the region to wherever it's needed. This means that should Leeds normal supplies (Eccup gets much of it's water from the reservoirs of the Washburn Valley, via the River Wharf) run low water from elsewhere in the Yorkshire Water catchment area can be piped in. I think some of West Leeds might get water initially intended for Bradford... I live in north Leeds. The change from soft to hard water before the privatisation was noticeable and it is still hard water today (at least in my water supply). As the Washburn Valley mainly drains a sandstone area my water should be very soft, so there must be a considerable input of water coming from limestone areas.

keyholekate · Post by **keyholekate** » Wed 21 Mar, 2012 12:16 am

I like Twinings tea and like it the colour of rusty iron.Twinings have quite a history and if you ever happen to be on the Strand in London there is their little tea shop and museum where you can sample hundreds of different teas,apparently this little shop has been there since 17 something.As a kid when my Mum went to other peoples houses she always took some tea .I don't really know why ,maybe lots of people did this? Tea leaf reading was popular when loose tea was used and a neighbour used to read my Mums cup to much amusement from everyone watching.For example bubbles on the surface of your tea means that money is on its way. If any leaves were floating on the surface visitors were imminent and how many leaves was how many days they were away.She used to say if two teaspoons were accidently placed on a saucer that meant you would have twins and a teaspoon upside down meant news of ill health. . . when our neighbour finally left our Mum used to say what a" load of balloney "lol.I haven't had loose tea for years ,maybe I haven't forgotten how much mess they made all over the pots in the sink.We used to get tea delivered from Ringtons,are they still going?

Richard A Thackeray · Wed 21 Mar, 2012 12:31 am

I don't insist on many brands, usually being more than happy with supermarkets own labels, but I do insist on 'Yorkshire Tea' bags.Then it's usually left in till it starts to corrode the spoon, and it's got to be 'black, no sugar!'(SWMBO has it so weak that I usually just show the tea bag to the water, and that's strong enough!) raveydavey wrote: Jogon wrote: I know this is sad, but fave, most comfy mug, pictured. Ha ha - I've got a 'Haynes' mug too - although mine is the Escort XR3i one though I've got the Series 3 Land-Rover tin mug at work (sadly I don't have the full size Landy at home any more though)