How does Superman drink his tea?

Written by
Jann Warner

I’m guilty of making tea in large brightly coloured Matryoshka doll mugs (I am aware that this signals that the boughs of my family tree don’t in all likelihood bend with aristocratic surnames!).

Even though we live in a cottage and not a castle, Claude and I realised that if we didn’t serve tea the ‘proper way’, our grandchildren Joshua and Charlotte would not experience a traditional tea party ritual. So, we decided to go all-out and use a tea-party as an opportunity to explain old fashioned manners and etiquette to our young ones.

While serving them tea, yes, from a teapot (that I had to retrieve from the back of the bottom shelf in the kitchen cupboard) at a beautifully decorated table with a table-cloth, tray, and all the appropriate tea-time accoutrements, Joshua announced that he’d like to dress up properly the next time.

Beaming with pride, I enquired, “So what will you wear, Josh?” He flashed me a mischievous grin and said, “Yiayia, I’ll wear my Superman outfit. Charlotte can dress-up as a princess.” While desperately trying to conceal my amusement and a tinge of disappointment (I fully expected him to say he’d be wearing a white shirt with braces, a bow tie, and trousers), I said, “Wow! I’m sure you’ll look splendid, my boy. I just have one question, “Will Superman be drinking tea from a cup or a mug?” “Oh Yiayia, don’t you know that superheroes use flasks!” (I had NO idea! Did you?)

Superman arriving to collect a flask of tea

Although our Superman is brand conscious, he is apparently not as cultured, drinking his five roses tea from a stainless steel flask, albeit one from Cape Union Mart. He prefers it grab and go ‘take-out’ style. He adores my chocolate brownies – preferably ‘take out’, too! Oh well, now I don’t need to shine the tray, arrange the flowers, set the table and dress up, but I’m still going to. Today. Tomorrow. On a whim. Often.

I suspect my passion for tea was instilled at a young age by my tea-loving mother, who was more than happy to serve tea on the hour. One would have sworn that the kitchen clock and kettle were practising simpatico.

My mother believed that there is nothing that a gracious God and a good strong cup of tea can’t sort out! In turn, I’ve continued this belief in my own home. If you were to ask my oldest daughter (Superman’s mother) what she missed most when she moved out, she’ll tell you that it was our family tea o’clocks. She’ll confess that after leaving home, she came close to dehydrating. Seemingly, I should have bought her a kettle as a home-leaving gift!

My first early morning beverage of the day is always a cup of Five Roses Ceylon tea, the stronger the better, with a splash of milk. Thereafter, I drink it often, but black. Do I drink coffee? Oh YES I do, but that’s a story for another day…

We tend to save up all that is splendid for special celebrations – a milestone birthday, a graduation, the homecoming of a loved one, a Superhero swoop-and-scoop. But, in life, each and every moment is momentous, and worth celebrating. Oh, to to see the sublime and the Divine in the simplicity of my extraordinary ordinary living.

It’s nearly tea o’clock, so why don’t you go and switch on the kettle, put out your prettiest tea cup, open the cake tin, cut a thick slice, and raise your cup or your mug (or even your flask) to the ephemeral and the eternal.