Lovely Electric Tea Kettle

For years, I would fire up my gas stove to heat water for tea. I had a lovely whistling tea kettle. I just got used to the wait. It was natural, normal and expected. Pour in fresh water, wait for kettle to fill. Put kettle on stove, wait for click-click ignition of the gas burner. Wait, wait, wait for the rise of steam and the whistle, a Pavlovian love song for tea time.

Then, two years ago, my husband bought EJ (my mother and business partner) and I an electric tea kettle. What was the man thinking? Mother and I don't live in the same house, how could we possibly share it?

"You can use it when you two are testing teas," he said cheerfully. "It'll save a lot of time," my husband added, helpfully.

I really didn't want it. I had a tea kettle at home. The natural thing to do was to leave it at EJ's place, but something funny happened. I used it, you know just to tell him that I did.

And I liked it. I mean, I loved it!

By the time I had my Silver Needle measured out and my cup selected, the water was done. No more eternal waiting for hot water. No more "sorta" hot water from the water cooler down the hall. No more annoying whistle.

I discreetly removed the tea kettle. EJ is fine with water from the cooler and she has a lovely whistling kettle for her much faster electric stove, I rationalized.

The kettle lives happily on at my house. I use it at least three times a day and wonder how I ever survived without it.

Sharing the love of tea,

Dara

p.s. Mine is a Chef's Choice and cost in the ballpark of $60. It has a separate base so you can move the pot without the cord and best of all it has an automatic shut-off for the forgetful.