[reedf1]

My Texan mom was visiting me in London and we went to a bit of an upscale café. My mom tried to order an iced tea, the server politely informed her that they did not serve iced tea. She then proceeded to say "Oh darlin', in that case I'll have a glass of ice and a cup of tea."

[wheels]

I ended up with my first hot tea ever by ordering tea in Mexico, as I would have in Texas. I was very confused when I got a mug of water and a tea bag. I was 15-ish. I'd literally never heard of anyone drinking tea hot. (This was in the mid-90s, so reading stuff on the internet wasn't much of a thing.)

Europeans, on the other hand, seem to be baffled by the concept that iced tea is just, you know, cold black tea, not a soft drink you buy at the store. I've seriously had people ask me how to make it.

[GJim]

> I got a mug of water and a tea bag.

This drives me spare when visiting the US!

Pour the boiling water (> 90 C) onto the bloody tea! Preferably loose tea in a teapot, but a bag in a mug will do.

Why in gods name I'm brought a mug of lukewarm water with sperate teabag, even in a five-star hotel, and expected to get a decent brew of strong black tea is beyond the wit of my understanding..... And don't get me started on having to flag down a waiter to ask for a teaspoon and milk jug every-sodding-time!

(At this point, somebody from the USA will invariably post claiming to be a tea connoisseur, and tediously explain why lukewarm brews are superior and the proper Indian/Chinese/Japanese/Antarctic way of doing things and that British drink shite tea. My response to this is "bugger off").