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Eric: Also? Good yet unobtrusive music.
Breaking the Grounds is a cafe in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In fact, it is in downtown Portsmouth. Which means it's about fifteen minutes farther trip than any of the places I usually visit when I go to "Portsmouth." So, between 75 and 90 minutes travel from where I live.
This is the third night in a row I have made that trip, specifically to come to this cafe, where there is free community wifi. And while I have been here, there has been writing.
A lot of writing.
Why?
Well, it's bright.
It's cheerful.
It has more character than the Cafe on the Corner, which is the Dover cafe I've told you about before.
It has much more reliable internet access.
It has cuter baristas with more attitude (I think only one of them's smiled to me, and I don't think she meant it).
None of those are the reason.
They do loose tea.
By the pot. About three cups' worth per pot.
For under two bucks.
And they have Lapsong Souchong.
A Hella Lotta Recluse has been writ under the influence of cheap pots of Lapsong Souchong.
Also, there have been well behaved dogs here, now and again. And I respect well behaved dogs. There's a beagle who's watching me type right now.
Last night, I watched a blind date unfold at the next table as I wrote. I watched the girl acknowledge the presence of her safety friend who was sitting nearby making sure she was safe (he was clearly bored out of his skull). I watched the guy's eyes light up when he saw how cute his date was. Later, I saw the universal facial expression of the guy who cannot believe he has to sit here and listen to this woman. They did end up leaving together. I find myself hoping she had a good time.
The dog is now silently communing with another dog outside in the brisk cold air. It's twenty degrees in Portsmouth, right now, but that dog doesn't care. It's silent communication. Dog wireless.
The writing calls. The Lapsong Souchong has begun to do its work.
Enjoy your evening.
Posted by Eric Burns-White at November 18, 2005 6:11 PM
Comments
Comment from: Andrew Lin posted at November 18, 2005 6:35 PM
Lapsong is an acquired taste. Me, I like it in small doses, blended with other teas. World Merchants' Northwest Tea Time blend gets it about right for me.
Comment from: Kneefers posted at November 18, 2005 6:39 PM
Dangit, I wish I could do something to get in the zone for writing like that. I'm hella behind on my NaNo.
Maybe tea *would* work...
Comment from: SeanH posted at November 18, 2005 6:56 PM
Lapsang Souchong tastes like cigarette ash to me. I can appreciate quality coffee, but my taste in tea is strictly working-class - milky PG Tips with two sugars.
Comment from: Greg Case posted at November 18, 2005 7:12 PM
Eric, I believe you mean "Breaking New Grounds". It moved recently (past year or two, I believe), if I recall, to where Cafe Brioche used to be.
I confess I haven't actually been to the new location, but in the past it was a favorite spot for coffee and muffins or pastry for my family and I. My sister used to know several of the employees by name and vice-versa. Don't know if she still does.
Comment from: Andrew Lin posted at November 18, 2005 7:32 PM
SeanH said:
Lapsang Souchong tastes like cigarette ash to me.
Like I said, an acquired taste.
Comment from: Lyndon W posted at November 18, 2005 7:47 PM
I make tons of tea here at home. It's even cheaper and tastier!
Comment from: gwalla posted at November 18, 2005 9:31 PM
Darjeeling is the one true tea.
Comment from: Eric Burns posted at November 18, 2005 10:05 PM
I had a pot of that tonight, too.
One of Darjeeling, two of Lapsong Souchong. I'm now drinking chamomile in the vain hopes that when I get home tonight, I can actually get some sleep.
It looks like it might be a five thousand plus word evening!
Comment from: kirabug posted at November 18, 2005 11:20 PM
FIVE THOUSAND??
envy. much much envy. But then, the night is still young.
Comment from: John posted at November 18, 2005 11:43 PM
I love coffee shops. I don't care if it makes me a sheep.
Comment from: Miklon posted at November 19, 2005 1:08 AM
Eric, I believe you mean "Breaking New Grounds". It moved recently (past year or two, I believe), if I recall, to where Cafe Brioche used to be.Yeah it's Breaking New Grounds. I've lived in the area all my life and have yet to go there. Portsmouth is a great town. Very indie. I recommend the Friendly Toast. 24 hours on the weekends; pancakes as big as your HEAD!
Good times, good times.
Comment from: gwalla posted at November 19, 2005 2:22 AM
I live only blocks away from an awesome coffee house. It is also a full bar, and therefore serves such things as Irish coffee, Venetian coffee, and steamed amaretto.
It has no sarcastic baristas, but that's a small price to pay for quality boozinated caffeine.
Comment from: Denyer posted at November 19, 2005 4:00 AM
They do loose tea. By the pot. About three cups' worth per pot. For under two bucks. And they have Lapsong Souchong.
Excellent. I take it from that the stuff is a bit hard to find.
Random tea question: lapsang with or without milk?
my taste in tea is strictly working-class - milky PG Tips with two sugars.
If you're having it milky and with lots of sugar you might not notice as much, but give Assam or Yorkshire a whirl if you fancy a stronger taste.
Comment from: Lyndon W posted at November 19, 2005 9:02 AM
I like milk, but that's me.
Comment from: miyaa posted at November 19, 2005 3:14 PM
At this time of the year, I'm pretty much into hot cocoa myself. I do drink Green Tea myself though.
Comment from: Paul Gadzikowski posted at November 20, 2005 9:32 AM
I like milk, but that's me.
Me too. In fact leave the tea out.
Comment from: HydrogenGuy posted at November 20, 2005 3:10 PM
I love Lapsang souchong, particularly mixed with Assam (two teaspoons of A to one of LS). Mmm.
Apocryphally, Lapsang souchong was supposedly Sherlock Holmes's favorite tea.
I'm usually pretty open-minded, but I'm forced to question the humanity of those who profess not to like tea. Usually they're either disguised reptoids, or in league with them.
(Actually, most people who don't like tea either don't like hot and/or caffeinated beverages at all, or haven't had proper tea, ie not the generic crap stuff that's usually the powdered leavings swept into tea bags. Get thee to some loose leaf.)
Comment from: larksilver posted at November 20, 2005 5:20 PM
I like tea, even the oolong stuff in the tea bags. Still, sometimes, my humanity comes into question, as apparently something's off when you love the smell of coffee, but can't stand the taste.
Comment from: Denyer posted at November 20, 2005 6:37 PM
Apocryphally, Lapsang souchong was supposedly Sherlock Holmes's favorite tea.
Yeah, can anyone dredge up an in-story reference for that? Or is it just something ACD mentioned somewhere? I had a quick search but didn't find anything.
Comment from: Robert Hutchinson posted at November 20, 2005 7:12 PM
I suppose I might like "proper" tea, except that I am not the sort of person who would usually go to that much trouble for a beverage.
I have enjoyed drinking a glass of iced tea when it's still piping hot from the preparation, but that's mainly for the perceived sugar buzz. Mmm, throat-coaty.
Comment from: Phillip J. Birmingham posted at November 21, 2005 10:00 AM
as apparently something's off when you love the smell of coffee, but can't stand the taste.
Nah, that's not all that odd. I know lots of people like that. I love coffee, but I noticed long ago that there is an awful lot of coffee that smells much better than it tastes.
Comment from: HydrogenGuy posted at November 21, 2005 10:54 AM
Larksilver: that's actually a fairly common reaction to coffee. I'd say you pass the humanity test for now.
Denyer: it's not actually in any of the stories, hence its apocryphal state. I don't know who came up with it. But its referenced here amoung other places.
I am both a huge tea dork and a huge Sherlock Holmes dork.
Comment from: Denyer posted at November 21, 2005 4:17 PM
I don't know who came up with it.
- Tea sellers (likely, IMO.)
- Possibly based on dramatisations of the stories.
- Possibly from a non-ACD Holmes story.
It's a reasonable supposition, anyway. There is reference to Holmes preferring coffee in the morning but not being averse to tea later in the day... breakfast tea is more the malty blends; plus Holmes smokes quite heavily, so we know he's partial to that aspect of the taste.
I was just wondering if anyone knew if ACD had scribbled anything to that effect in his non-fiction papers about the writing and character creation process.
Comment from: Thomas Blight posted at November 22, 2005 5:58 PM
I have always been a big fan of tea. Preferably with just enough milk to keep a decent heat, but enough that I can guzzle it comfortably without worrying about my tongue burning.
However, my idea of a good tea is Earl Grey. I frankly haven't even heard of most of these tea types you are listing. Except Chamomile, of course, but that's because I work in a Tim Hortons.
I must say that I find coffee utterly disgusting. Being totally engulfed in the smell of it can reduce its appeal. When I work a shift, even my underwear smells of coffee. It gets into my hair as well, the bloody smell. It's like cigarette smoke in that way. Don't even get me started on the taste.
Comment from: gwalla posted at November 22, 2005 6:32 PM
Thomas: Darjeeling and lapsang souchong are from different areas: darjeeling is from the eponymous region in India, and lapsang is from China (the tea plant is very sensitive to different climates, kinds of soil, etc., and produces very different flavors and even colors based on where it's grown). They're both black teas (meaning the leaves are oxidized; green teas are unoxidized and oolongs are partially oxidized). Teas like "Irish breakfast" and "English teatime" are blends of various types. Earl Grey is a blend with an aromatic oil added (usually oil of bergamot, but occasionally lavender). Chamomile isn't technically a tea at all, as it contains no leaves of the tea plant camellia sinensis.
Comment from: larksilver posted at November 22, 2005 10:41 PM
Thomas Blight: That's funny; years ago, I put in some time at a coffee shop, and the smell of the coffee was one of the best parts of the job. I love the way coffee smells, even crappy Folger's out of the can. I just.. can't stand the flavor. Ever. I don't even like coffee-flavored stuff, not even in chocolate. It's a terrible disappointment to me, given that the smell is nirvana.
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