Posted: May 08, 2000 at 11:17:15: by RobRoy
: Tea is very English, and has a reputation for being soothing, for all that it has a higher caffeine content per unit weight. On the other hand, the other famous caffeine beverage, coffee, is mentioned nowhere in the LR, but, it has an image of producing edginess, stomach discomforts and excruciating headaches during withdrawal that sound very much like Saruman.
: I'll keep my eyes open whenever I venture into Starbuck's.: Did the Numenoreans bring chocolate? Perhaps that's all Sauron and Saruman were looking for, a soothing cup of tea. If you had to deal with Ring Wraiths and nasty orcs all day long, wouldn't you want to relax with a nice cup of soothing orange peoke? Or perhaps some Earl Grey (my tea of choice). I'm certain there was very little quality trade with Mordor (though Rohan did send a lot of horses) especially in tea, pipe tabbacco, ale . . . all the sundries of a comfortable life. Perhaps a lot of pain could have been avoided if Merry and Pippin had just opened up a mini-mart at the Black Gates. -RR
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