Potterverse characters and tea.

[Carol]

Montims: 
> why do Americans call it cream, and use a creamer, when what they
mean is milk,please? M

Lee: 
> I agree with you on that, along with margarine being "butter." I
refuse to fall into either trap, but it sure annoys me when others do!!

Carol responds:
I've already answered Montims regarding cream in coffee (we mean
half-and-half, not milk). as for calling margarine "butter," I
sometimes do that at home simply because it's easier and seems less
pretentious, but everyone involved knows that it's margarine, not
butter. And, as I'm sure you've guessed, I prefer margarine to butter,
anyway. Sure, it has some saturated fat but it doesn't have
preservatives, it can be kept out at room temperature without
spoiling, and, IMO, it tastes better. (i still remember going to a
pancake house as a child and loading up my pancakes with real butter,
thinking that it would be a treat. I ended up scraping most of it off.
I had a similar experience with buttermilk, which I expected to taste
wonderful and instead wanted to spit out.)

If I'm in a restaurant and they offer me butter, I always request
margarine instead. Most waitresses and waiters are happy to comply.

Carol, whose grandfather used to call butter "salve"!