I have just returned from Ireland where I was visiting my family and I can promise you I don’t think I have ever had so many cups of tea.
The Irish LOVE their tea, and long may it continue as there is nothing better in life than sitting in a warm kitchen, taking a bit of time out while sipping a good cup of tea and solving the worlds problems. (I actually think that a lot of the world’s problems would be much better solved if they were being discussed over a good cup of tea in a warm Irish kitchen instead of in conference rooms of the White House and 10 Downing Street, but that is a different matter entirely…).

Now, I have always known how good tea is to drink but I had no idea that you could also use the leaves for all sorts of things. On the flight from Paris to Dublin my toddler had a gunky eye and the lovely (Irish) air hostess suggested that I wipe it out with a cold tea bag. I have no scientific understanding of the medicinal value of the common black tea bag but I thought it was worth a try. I tried it and her eye cleaned up instantly! Now it might have been getting better on its own anyway, but I reckon the tea bag trick cannot do any damage and certainly is much nicer than squirting antibiotics into her eyes…

- Emilie