There is a saying that "never say yes to an invitation to tea from an Englishman, or else one person's day will pass", so you can imagine how much they like tea.
Tea is not only one of the most important parts of British culture, it also permeates every aspect of British life. If you really want to use afternoon tea to reflect your distinctive elegance and erudition, then you must come to understand its culture and etiquette.
British tea originated in China?
When it comes to the origins of British tea, there is a strong relationship with China.
The first time the British came into contact with tea was in the 17th century, when the Portuguese princesses brought the habit of drinking tea to the British court; and these teas came from China during the Kangxi period. After the 18th century, tea gradually became a universal drink, so the demand for Chinese tea in the UK at that time can be said to be huge.
In 1868, there was a statistic that the per capita consumption of tea in the UK was 3.52 pounds, of which Chinese tea accounted for 93%, and Indian tea accounted for 7%.
And only 20 years later, the British tea consumption habits have undergone a very big change, per capita tea consumption increased to 5.73 pounds, but the proportion of Chinese tea has declined sharply to 11%, Indian tea and Ceylon tea gradually replaced the status of Chinese tea, why would produce such a big change?
It turned out that British businessmen for Chinese tea in the British market in the monopoly position has been nagging, Chinese tea merchants in the Sino-British trade in the market initiative, the British tea market price is also subject to Chinese tea merchants, which is not conducive to the further expansion of the British commercial market.
And Chinese tea is very expensive, the British are naturally not dry, so they began to actively import tea in their own colonies, namely Indian tea and Ceylon tea.
Not only that, but they also started experiments in tea cultivation in their colonies. So by the end of the 19th century, the monopoly of Chinese tea in the Sino-British trade gradually ceased to exist, and the British tea market began to be occupied by tea produced in India and Ceylon.
High Tea or Low Tea?
Drinking a cup of tea how there are high and low points? In fact, the High and Low here do not refer to the height of the class, but the height of the table and chairs.
In the mid-eighteenth century, when the British liked to eat a hearty breakfast and dinner, lunch was very simple. Because of the long interval between meals, so some aristocratic women began to eat dessert at four or five in the afternoon, slowly drinking tea and chatting.
This habit led to everyone to follow suit, so tea in the afternoon as a ritual of the upper class prevailed for a while, and soon after the rapid popularization of the civilian society, and gradually formed a distinctive national characteristics of the British tea culture.
The upper class will sit on a low sofa or armchair when drinking tea and chatting, so Low tea generally refers to the upper class in the afternoon at three or four o'clock to enjoy the afternoon tea, and pay attention to a lot.
And the working class usually use afternoon tea on higher tables and stools, so High tea refers to the high table in the dining room to enjoy, prevalent in the general public.
And because dinner didn't usually start until 8pm at the earliest, it was served as a pre-meal snack to replenish energy after a hard day's work, so High tea, also known as Meat tea, was actually already very much like a full meal, and was usually eaten at around 5pm.
Nowadays, however, there is hardly any distinction between Low and High. The most orthodox English afternoon tea time is usually around 4pm, usually to fill a belly that won't be ready for dinner until 8pm.
How to enjoy afternoon tea like a lady and gentleman?
Authentic English afternoon tea is very rich, delicate and small, usually served on a three-tiered confectionery china plate.
The bottom tier is filled with savory treats such as sandwiches and handmade cookies, the middle tier is filled with scones, a traditional English afternoon tea treat, and the top tier is filled with desserts such as fruit tarts.
The order of serving is also from bottom to top, with savory foods first to open up the taste buds.
The scones are cut horizontally with a knife, spread with jam and clotted cream, and eaten with your hands instead of a knife and fork. First spread the jam, then spread the clotted cream, eat a bite, and then spread the next bite.
The traditional English afternoon tea is dedicated to Keemun black tea (Keemun), Earl Grey (Earl Grey) and Ceylon black tea (Sri Lanka Tea ). However, with the popularity of afternoon tea, flower tea and milk tea are now often used as afternoon tea.
The tea cups and the tea tray must be together at all times, and the tea tray must be held up when drinking the tea
The teaspoon must not be placed in the tea cup, but on the tea tray. If you put the teaspoon in the teacup, it suggests to the hostess that you don't need more tea. If you want to drink milk tea, add the milk first and then add the tea.
From the time of ancient Rome, well-bred ladies and gentlemen used three fingers to eat, while the common people used the palm of the hand. So the three-finger etiquette is still required to be observed when holding food and handling cutlery.
In traditional etiquette it is necessary to pinch the stem of the cup with the thumb and forefinger, and not to stick the fingers into the rim. However, it is important to note that the tail finger should not be cocked.
When you sit down, place your napkin on your lap, and when you get up, place it on your chair. When stirring with the teaspoon, make sure you move the teaspoon back and forth halfway around the cup, so it doesn't swirl.
If you want to host your own afternoon tea and invite your friends over, you'll need to know these details.
The teacups, sugar pots, and milk jars needed for afternoon tea should all be ready before your guests arrive, and the teapot should not be taken to the table until after your guests are seated.
The orthodox English teacup is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, and is placed with the lugs facing to the right and a teaspoon attached. The teaspoon must be placed under the lug at a 45 degree angle, with the handle facing away from the body.
Because the English afternoon tea is black tea, the tea strainer becomes an essential tool, and the use of the strainer also becomes the most elegant gesture of the English afternoon tea. As for the tea set used to place the lace tea towel covered with a wooden plate, is the hostess for afternoon tea into the gorgeous atmosphere of the small ideas.
This explanation, you are not on the British afternoon tea and even their tea culture, have some different understanding?
Tea to a certain extent reflects the British values of individualism, that is, individual-centered, independent, introverted and quiet temperament, which is precisely one of the greatest characteristics of the British national spirit.
At the same time, the elegant afternoon tea culture also reflects the British people's sense of self-superiority, and overriding the other national supremacy of the happy.
Finally, to give you a British royal etiquette experts in the afternoon tea etiquette tutorial, quickly learn this set of gentleman and lady afternoon tea drinking method