England and... tea!

In England tea is not only hot water and leaves. A popular English song says that “Everything stops for tea” and this is not a lie. Indeed tea is unquestionably the most popular drink of this country, contrary to other European countries who favor coffee.

• Where does tea come from?

Tea, coming from China, was brought to Europe at the beginning of the XVII century thanks to the Deutsch and Portuguese business. This product was very rapidly adopted by the nobless who liked its tonifying and medicinal virtues. It was even dubbed “The elixir of a long life”. It is in 1645 that the first case of tea arrived in London, but this tea was very strong and bitter because of the 6 months trip so in order to soften it a little bit they decided to add milk or cream, and this how this custom was born.

• What are the English drinking habits?

The English tradition is composed of several teas. Each one is to be drank at a precise moment of the day (Morning tea, Brunch tea, Five O’Clock tea…) and each one has a very precise reason for existing; it could be for its virtues or for the person it is dedicated to (Royal Morning tea: Queen Victoria.) During the day, every visit or event is a good reason for “a nice cup of tea”, in order to take the time to sit down and enjoy the luxury of being able to relax a little bit.

England being a country full of traditions, each drinking gave way to a precise “ceremony”. Indeed, the tea that one drinks in the morning has to be delicate in order to accompany the generous English breakfast (eggs, bacon, cereals, sausages, toasts, baked beans…) The afternoon tea is to be drank at a special table, reserved for drinking tea, along with little cakes and biscuits, especially invented for tea such as buns and scones, and of course milk.

Pouring tea into a cup is also a ceremony, though it is not as rigorous as the Japonese tea ceremony. Indeed, the cold milk as to be poured first, then the boiling tea and then the sugar.

As you can see, it is indisputable that tea is part of English values and culture. Even the Queen, soon after she was crowned demanded the newspaper The Times and a cup of tea! This common habit of drinking tea so regularly sets the English as the 4^th consumers of tea in the world (with more than 2000 cups per year and per person!) after Ireland, Iraq and Qatar.