Comfort and Joy in a Tea Cup

For this 17th Day of the Advent Calendar

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To put into context just how much tea I drink, I was once the answer in an employee trivia contest.

Many years ago, during one of those excruciating “team building” exercises employers favored then, the question put to the staff was “What is Jolene’s favorite beverage?” Everyone answered “Tea!”

So coffee doesn’t feel left out, I also always have one cup in the afternoon. You’d think I’d be as jittery as those stacked teacups in the picture above look, but: No.

I’m also very particular about my tea. It must be black tea, preferably Barry’s Irish tea which I order online — although my market often carries it — people from Chicago will be familiar with the ‘Jewels’.

There is always one sugar added, plus milk, not too much milk and don’t dare put it in the cup before the tea. But I’m not such a tea snob that I’m above tea bags.

Loose leaf and tea bags in my kitchen because I am not a snob. Photo: Jolene

All of this is to say that if there is one item in the food and beverage category that I turn to daily for a sense of comfort and joy, it is tea. My mother gave me tea with milk and sugar in my bottle when I was a toddler because it comforted me. So there it is. The 1950s were different.

This brings us to the whole idea of what constitutes “comfort” food.

The brilliant and very funny writer,

emily nunn

, author of The Comfort Food Diaries: My Quest for the Perfect Dish to Mend a Broken Heart also writes one of the most popular food newsletters on Substack, The Department of Salad: Official Bulletin. She asked an interesting question recently. Can salad be comfort food?

Of course, as is the case with all of Emily’s writing, it’s about so much more.

Treat yourself to reading the entire piece, I’ve linked it here:

Can Salad Be Comfort Food?

In The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy by the great Douglas Adams, protagonist Arthur Dent asks what has become one of the books most famous lines:

Is there any tea on this spaceship?

He feels that in the extraordinary circumstances he finds himself in, “navigating through a very hostile universe in the company of a gang of unreliable aliens”¹ a cup of tea would set things right, bring some normalcy, some comfort.

The holidays can be a stressful stretch of the year, even for diehard Christmas freaks like me.

So my wish for everyone during this week of Advent that is devoted to joy, is that it comes to you with a side order of comfort. ✨

Day 17 of “The Little Town” Advent Calendar

See you tomorrow! ✨

Jolene

1. Quoted from the jacket of the book