“A commission of haberdashers could alone have reported whatthe rest of her poor dress was made of, but it had a strong generalresemblance to seaweed, with here and there a gigantic tea-leaf.Her shawl looked particularly like a tea-leaf after long infusion.”

“The usual for me." The usual was a strong infusion of different kinds of Oriental teas, which raised her spirits after her siesta.”

“I explained to him - as I withdrew the cup, ripped open the sachet and dunked the tea bag - that tea was an infusion, which meant that it was vital for the water to be actually boiling when it came into contact with the leaves. He looked at me furiously... I had behaved like this many times before: taking Canute's stance in the path of the great surge of ill-brewed tepid tea that was inundating England.”

“When are you gunna forget that? It was ages ago.'Only last year, actually. Reggie was convinced he had cancer because he had a black pot on his tongue - he switched to tea bags after the doctor told him it was a tea leaf.”

“All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes. ”

“And now it's time for tea. Teatime is teatime. And look who's here, in time for tea.”