A Canadian woman living in Wales has shared her confusion over a common British phrase used when making tea. In a TikTok video, she explained that she asked her husband's friend how he would like his cup of tea, and he replied "as it comes".
"I'm thinking mate, it comes however I prepare it and give it to you, so how do you want me to do that?" she said. Commenters on her video offered explanations, with one saying it is a British way of saying "just make it how you like it because I'm way too polite to give you orders in your own home". Another suggested it means medium strength, a splash of milk and no sugar.
In a follow-up video, the woman said she asked the friend to clarify, and he said he wanted milk and no sugar, but again said "as it comes", referring to the strength. She decided to play it safe by leaving the tea bag in, and serving it with a ramekin and spoon so he could remove it. However, as soon as she handed him the mug, he remarked "oh, you left the tea bag in".
The video sparked debate in the comments, with many Brits saying they would never leave a plain tea bag in black tea. One commenter said "as it comes" normally means the tea should not be too strong or too weak, and advised removing the bag after squeezing. Another said they leave the tea bag in until the cup is empty because they love a strong flavour.
