tea – M's Adventures

Mealtimes in Italy

November 26, 2020M's Adventures

Okay, so mealtimes in Italy.

Colazione (breakfast): Breakfast is a cup of coffee with milk like a cappuccino. Maybe a croissant or a sandwich (triangular white sandwiches like the triples in Peru). Italians don’t really eat much for breakfast. They consider the milk in the coffee to be the “food.” But, later in the morning, they will have more coffee. Coffee is a small cup of coffee like an espresso. No coffee in Italy is ever the size of American coffees. Italians will have many coffees throughout the day, although milk in coffee is only for breakfast (so before 11 a.m.).

Around 10 or 11 a.m., Italians might have a small snack with their next coffee.

Pranzo (lunch): Lunch is generally eaten from noon to 2 p.m. but on a Sunday, lunch can be later.

Merenda (tea): At around 3 p.m., Italians (and certainly children) will have a snack. One could have a gelato… or some crackers and cheese.

Aperitivo (happy hour): after work, Italians may have a tapas/mezze style spread. Many judge the bar based on the selection of free nibbles. During the current COVID restrictions (restaurants close for in restaurant dining at 6 p.m.), many people are having aperitivo at 3 p.m. Why not?

Cena “che-na” (dinner): Dinner is generally at 8:30 p.m. or later. One had a snack earlier, thankfully.

Sri Lankan Tea Tasting in Lima

February 3, 2019M's Adventures

Before I took the coffee class, I had already taken a tea tasting class in Barranco at Zaniti (Av. Almte. Miguel Grau 612).

The tea tasting costs 25 soles. The tasting is only Mlesna brand tea, one of the leading brands of tea in the world. This is the only Sri Lankan tea shop in Peru. The teacher was clearly bewitched by her time in Sri Lanka and that shows in her presentation. I have been to tea plantations in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh (although, I never got around to writing about that part because I was too interested in other aspects of Sylhet) so I sort of understood her fascination.

The store is filled with artwork, cups, plates, bags, and many other things to buy. It is a bit like an artists collective as the artists also own and work in the store.

I’d say to go on a South Asia kick and eat at Dhaasu before or after…

When Tea is Lunch – Meal Times in Lima

June 18, 2018M's Adventures

A breakfast sandwich of “pan chicharron” or pork roast and sweet potato.

Meal times are slightly different in Lima. For breakfast, Limenos eat a sandwich and cup of coffee for breakfast (desayuno), in the 7-9 times frame. Like the Colombians, they don’t eat sweets early in the morning so the idea of pancakes in the morning is an odd idea to them. Then, a cafecito (everything is ‘ito”in Lima) later in the morning (the Brits have “elevenses” at 11 a.m.) and in Lima coffee is always served with a mini-cookie.

BiiYs3HqMeQ6hcIZRvgrRd0021TJpRDzjiSEs6A59SPDAVggSBLvrweVCgVA2LfuWSuKg1n0ThFHPicTocAXfuSD3GGcNI37vdNg3h_qHNWDfNeoFyvmwN2UCMrmXhm9J1nyLFtrlNFW9byMfcL74EG6gKBqAJh8DF1gnRqgEplclYKn57px9gH_GK — Ceviche – only for lunch!

Lunch (almuerzo) is from 1-2:30 p.m. (12 for those who work early shifts) and usually includes rice, protein, salad, and soup and/or a side dish — and don’t forget that potatoes are a vegetable.

Then, from 4-6 p.m., when the cold tea-time cold winds move in, there is “lonche” — a version of the word “lunch” — which involves something warm to drink like tea, coffee, chocolate, plus a sandwich. The sandwiches are usually the triangular shaped sandwiches like large British tea sandwiches. It’s the local version of high tea.

Dinner (cena) is from 8-10 p.m. which means that many restaurant do not even open until 7:30 p.m.

Note: Knowing the meal times can help you get in without a reservation.

Oh to Breakfast

January 20, 2018M's Adventures

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals (well, so are: brunch, elevenses, lunch, sobremesa, linner, high tea, supper, dinner, natmad “nightmeal”, and stumble-home-greasy-and-spicy-mouthful…). Some people consider eggs to be a vital part of a “breakfast” and others consider a piece of bread dipped in coffee to be the start to the day. In some countries, soup is it. In Vietnam, it’s pho (as in my photo from New Mexico, USA) and in Colombia, it’s a broth with rib meat and potatoes. In China and Thailand, the breakfast “oatmeal” is a rice porridge soup… I hereby advocate for more soup for breakfast!

And palta avocado! (It’s delicious in soup too!). Photo from El Pan de la Chola in Lima.

Buying Tea In Sri Lanka – Rainy Weather Drink

November 1, 2014M's Adventures

The monsoon in Bogota makes me want to drink lots of tea. Also, I want to watch British shows while cradling my teacup of Earl Grey tea. Of course, in many places like Sri Lanka, they drink tea even when it’s not raining.

The tea shop business card. — The tea shop sales staff in front of a wall of tea for purchase.

When I was in Sri Lanka, I went on a tea shop tour and discovered that the finest tea, made from “silver tip” leaves (the pale newest leaves at the top of the tea plant dry to a silverish color), is too subtle for me. I like Earl Grey. Maybe I’m just a sucker for the bergamot.

A cup of silver tip tea at the tea shop.

I also heartily suggest that people try using real loose leaf tea. The aroma alone will make you a convert. Enjoy a cuppa!