Adrian C. Sinnott's Traveling Sketches

My accent is very faint but you can tell I’m Irish because I’d much prefer a good cup of tea to most other drinks. Unfortunately, there are very few places to get a decent cup of tea in America. One of the most important parts of the process is making sure that the water is ferociously boiling. Usually it’s the water from the coffee maker and, more often than not, flavored with the coffee of the day. So, I can see why it never really took hold here.

We just returned from a short trip to the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, Connecticut. One of the former partners now owns Harney & Sons Tea based in Millerton, New York. So, I was pleasantly surprised to have finally found an exception to the rule (the food was good, too).

I say, what a treat!

If there’s one thing you should never do, it’s give your mom a toaster for Mother’s Day . . . even if the kitchen needs one. Save it for the week after. Bring her flowers, chocolates, tickets to a show, a hug, anything but a kitchen appliance. It’s the same as getting a “To Do” notepad (appropriately filled in) for your birthday, Father’s Day or Christmas.

Sorry if this advice comes to late. If that’s case, remember to run the burn under cold water and get medical attention.

Come into the kitchen, let me show you how this works . . .