Do you MIF or MIL????
One of my first posts ever was about my grandmas. Ying and Yang. When I talk of my grannie in my posts, it is usually my maternal one, a woman who was larger than life and made huge impressions on me growing up. Of Ukrainian/ Rom descent she was flamboyant and earthy and absolutely outrageous for her time. She spit in the eye of convention. I held on to her skirt and blew raspberries.
My grandmother(paternal), on the other hand was mortified that her grand babies would be turned to heathens by this woman and did her best to civilize us, with me, the oldest and a girl, being her prime target.
And that is why I MIF. Milk in first is a true sign of British class, one that my grandmother taught me at High Tea.
My grandmother explained that people of class always put their milk in the cup BEFORE pouring in the tea. It seems that only people of "Class" could afford fine china, which was so delicate that it would crack if hot tea was directly poured into the cup. Thus, Milk in First.
It has stuck with me to this day. When having tea, I always, always MIF, even in my plastic thermos cup.
This post was prompted by cleaning out my China Cabinet this morning and finding our tea cups. Beautiful demitasses .These very cups are the ones my grandma used to civilize me.
They are FINE china, if you hold them up to the sun, you can see through them.
Warm memories. Thank you Grandmother.
I will not embarrass you if the Queen should come for tea.