When we talk about tea, it is mostly associated with British lifestyle as most people in UK enjoy tea on a daily basis. According to www.blackteaworld.com, tea was first introduced in Britain in 1600s and it has been going strong for centuries.
It all started when the British East India Company was formed in 1600 and monopolized the trade between Britain and Far East. Tea had been introduced to Europe but still uncommon in Britain. However, that slowly changed after Charles II married Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess who loved tea. From that day on, tea has become the ‘in’ drink among monarchs and wealthy classes. In 1664, the British East India Company first imported tea from China and by 1750, millions of pounds of Chinese tea were imported annually. The popularity of tea has spread widely in Britain. In the mid-1800s, the British started importing tea from India as well, starting with Assam and then spreading to other regions and later Sri Lanka.
Ordinary tea drinking in Britain doesn’t usually involve fancy teaware. They boil water in a regular kettle and pour the tea in a mug. Fresh milk or sugar is usually added in the tea. It is also served alongside with biscuits or cake. There are various type of tea such as black tea and black tea blends.
Many british people say ‘cuppa’ which is a shortened version of ‘cup of tea’. The slang word ‘cuppa’ is common in informal spoken or written english as in ‘It’s time for a cuppa!’.
For formal occasion such as tea party or proper tea afternoon, a particular tea sets made of porcelain or silver is used. The set includes a teapot, cups and saucers, a creamer for holding milk, and a sugar bowl, all carried on a tray.
There is also a cream tea. It doesn’t mean a cream is added to the tea. This refers to a pot of tea served with scones, clotted cream, and jam. Strawberry jam is usually used and it is pilled high on top of the scones.
Source : http://www.blackteaworld.com/british-tea-culture.html
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