Elite English teas. English tea drinking as art

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The tea ceremony for the British is no less important than, for example, the samurai code for the Japanese. Every English home has tea. Moreover, there is not one variety of this world-famous drink, but several. In British society, tea drinking has its own characteristics and is included in the daily routine of every citizen. English tea has a special place in the lives of the people of Britain and England.

Traditions and customs

The first and second time English tea is drunk in the morning. The rise of the citizens of England begins with a cup of this strong, caffeinated drink. Tea "Ahmad. English breakfast" is ideal for awakening. First, they drink it in order to cheer up and wake up. This happens between 6 and 7 am. Further, English teas are drunk at the first breakfast - around eight o'clock in the morning. At the same time, milk or cream is added to the drink.

The third time the British have tea at noon. An indispensable component of the next breakfast - lunch - is English tea. Traditions dictate drinking a fragrant and invigorating drink at this time, not forgetting a rich table. You can drink tea with hard-boiled biscuitwith egg, with bread and butter, with toast and cinnamon, with macaroons, jam or egg tortillas, with muffins, jelly or sweet tarts.

For the fourth time, the British tea party is quite late. The break is taken in the middle of the working day. He got the name tea brea, that is, a short break for tea.

For the fifth time, the British traditionally sit down at the table at Five-o'clock. At this time, English teas are bottled in millions of families throughout England. Everyone, from simple hard workers to the queen, drink this fragrant drink, called the "English afternoon tea". This is a traditional English black tea flavored generously with milk or cream.

The drink is drunk for the sixth time around 7-8 pm. This is a thick, elite English tea. During this event, an uncountable number of snacks and sweets are served. The house creates an atmosphere of good mood, warmth and comfort. English green tea is also suitable for such a ceremony. It is not forbidden to add cream or milk to the drink. English teas can be consumed at night, according to your preference, but the drink should no longer contain caffeine.

English tea varieties

Assam is famous for its rich and slightly tart taste. Kenyan and Darjeeling varieties are considered elite teas. Ceylon is famous for its unique aroma. Let's talk about these famous drinks in more detail.

Among the elite English teas, Darjeeling occupies a special place and is valued much higher than other varieties. His secondthe name is "tea champagne". "Darjeeling" is made in certain conditions. It is harvested over four seasons, and each of these teas is different in color, richness and taste.

"Assam" is a fairly strong drink. It has a rich taste with an unobtrusive m alt tint. The taste of Assam tea is remembered for its tart and astringent notes. Despite this, such a drink is more velvety and soft, unlike Ceylon varieties. Interestingly, the shade of properly brewed Assam tea is called the “biscuit crust color.”

When is the best time to drink tea?

Drink is best consumed when it has been brewed, because tea that has stood for more than four hours not only acquires harmful properties, but also loses all the taste qualities that are so valued. In addition, the yellow coating formed on the rim of the cup will remain on the walls of your stomach. English teas are tasty and he althy if they have not had time to infuse.

Tea starts

At the beginning of the reception, cups and saucers are placed in front of the hostess or in front of the woman who will pour the drink. If the lady is right-handed, then the devices are placed to the left of the tray, and if vice versa, then to the right.

Tablecloth

During tea drinking, a plain tablecloth is appropriate on the table. It is also permissible to cover the table with material with a soft or small pattern. A disposable tablecloth is not forbidden, but linen is the best choice. She can only close the table or hang from it by 15 centimeters. If athe design has a transparent tabletop, then it can not be covered.

Tea couple

Today, the tea cup and saucer act as a single object, the parts of which cannot be separated. Bowls are absolutely not suitable for European tea drinking.

An interesting fact is that it was the British who came up with the idea to attach a handle to bowls to get the now familiar tea cup.

Plates

In addition to a tea pair, each guest needs a personal plate for sweets. Its diameter should be 17-18 centimeters. The small plate is designed for cookies, cakes, cake slices, sandwiches and more.

Tea set

The classic tea set in England has more than thirty different items. Thus, the porcelain set consists of twelve cups and saucers, a vase for sugar, a jug for milk, a container for jam, a teapot, a tray for spoons, a stand for a teapot, a tin can for measuring and storing tea leaves, a jug for boiling water, as well as plates for lemon, sandwiches or cupcake.

In English culture, in contrast to pot-bellied Russian teapots, elongated forms predominate. A distinctive feature of the cups is a short stem at the base. The metal silver service consists of a teapot, a jug for milk, as well as a spacing on which it all fits. Tongs, teaspoons, napkins, strainers and tablecloths in most cases are not part of the tea service.

Excepttea set, you need a small vase of white flowers, a fork and knife for each guest, a woolen or quilted cover for the teapot, as well as a tea strainer and a stand for it.

Instrument Locations

Plates for cakes and pastries should be placed so that their edge coincides with the edge of the table. Under each plate you need to put a napkin or put them in a napkin holder on the table. The cups should be placed to the right of the plate and slightly oblique. To the right of the saucer or on it put a teaspoon. The cake fork or spoon must be placed to the right of the plate of sweets so that it is located between the plate and the cup.

For dry cakes, tongs should be provided, and for fruit cakes, a special spatula. Holders for ground sugar or a spoon should be in the sugar bowl.

How to hold a cup?

In no case should you leave your little fingers or put your index finger into the eye of the cup. The container is held with three fingers of the right hand. The thumb, index and middle fingers must be involved. The upper part of the handle is held with the pads of the index and thumb. Medium, slightly bent, located under the handle. The ring and index fingers are pressed to the middle of the palm.

If tea drinking takes place at the dinner table, then only the cup should be lifted, while leaving the saucer on the table. If tea is served on a low table, and the guests are seated on a sofa or sitting in an armchair, the tea pair is taken together. That is, they drink tea, raisinga cup with a saucer, which is held at the level of the chest.

Snacks and sweets for tea

On the one hand, English pastries for tea drinking are not something supernatural. If you get recipes, you can easily make it at home. The only requirement is that snacks should be simple, if the cake is too unusual, then it will overshadow the tea.

Cakes are served on the table already cut or cut in the presence of guests. In vases of a classical form, that is, on a high leg, there should be jam. If you want to spoil your guests with sweets, then they should be served in a box.

Besides this, sandwiches are required for tea, as some of the guests may not like sweets or not eat them for their own reasons. For small canapés, the bread is cut into very thin slices. In the cold season, hot sandwiches can be served with tea.

The main quality of a sandwich for tea is that it should be tender and light. The most typical types of this appetizer are cucumber or tomato placed on a thin slice of bread, as well as lettuce, pieces of crab meat or cream cheese on toast.

Bread must be yesterday's. For better spreading, it is recommended to melt the butter first. When the sandwiches are ready, you will need to squeeze them between two plates, and also put a press on the top of them.

Sugar is served on the table of two types: refined sugar and sand. Only the first kind, as a rule, is served exclusively at official receptions.

It is better not to put large pieces of meat and various sauces on the table, because they cannot be kept nice and neat.

Sliced lemon is served on a small plate with a “rose”. Next to it, you need to put a special fork so that the guest can put citrus in tea.

Rum, dessert wine and cognac are quite possible to serve at the tea table. However, at a formal reception, such drinks may not be appropriate.

How to pour tea?

The basic rule of any official tea party is that the drink in the guest's cup must be poured exclusively at the table.

While the owner or waiter pours tea, he approaches those sitting on the right side.

After the guest has poured tea, he needs to turn the cup 180 degrees so that the handle is on the left, then put lemon in it first, and then sugar.