Modern Etiquette: Drinking tea as in London

"Tea! Bless the regular afternoon tea! "- Agatha Christie wrote the famous novel" And Then There Were None "in 1939, perfectly summing up the feelings of the British. As for me, the tea can solve many problems: if you are cold - warm tea. If you are sad - tea's any consolation, if tired - will help to gather strength. We know that this is a great way to cheer and cheer yourself up, but absolutely do not follow the traditions of this tea ceremony, so I decided to refresh the memory of the highlights for this British party.

History

Even though we think tea is mostly synonymous with the English culture, in fact it became fashionable only because the Portuguese wife of Charles II of, Catherine of Braganza. She was a fan of this drink since childhood, and brought the concept of the tea ceremony in the royal family in 1662. The tradition quickly spread among the aristocracy, and then came up to the middle classes. Several years later, tea became a popular drink in the London coffee houses that sounds rather ironic.

However, in those years, coffee is not served by women, so that men bought tea leaves for their wives, and that home brewed tea. That's when there was a fashion for home tea ceremony, china, fine silver cups and teapots. In the XVIII century afford tea could only rich people. Sellers were mainly smugglers. But the popularity of the drink is not to slow down, so that by the XIX century there was a tradition to drink tea at breakfast and after dinner.

This afternoon ritual thought of Anna Maria, the wife of the seventh Duke of Bedford, in 1841. She began to drink tea with a spoon of vinegar, not to be hungry before dinner.

During the world wars, tea has become part of the mandatory nutrition, it is specially delivered to the villages. In 1946, George Orwell published an essay called tea "one of the pillars of civilization in the country."

Rules

Although we like to simplify your life teabags, etiquette requires real leaf tea. Traditional afternoon tea called Dardzhilling.

The tea can be poured only fresh, cold water - no secondary boiling. The water in the kettle should always be brought to a boil. Then should be heated cups and teapot to drink is not spoiled cold dishes.

Add the correct amount of tea in zavarochnik - one to two teaspoons per person - before the fill it with water and infuse three minutes.

The iridescent tea cups with a special filter. To do this is to only one person. There is some confusion in regard to the milk on the one hand, it is recommended to pour it in the first place to protect the cup from cracking when boiling water. On the other - it can change the taste of the drink. Experiment and choose what you like more.

Sugar is added to each guest on their own, to taste. Another important point: Brits avoid circular motions with stirring, because they believe it is inelegant. So you can simply move the spoon back and forth, not in a circle.

Each cup should be a special dish. Hold the handle of the cup and in any case do not let the little finger ottopyrivatsya. Drink small sips worth.

served tea and sandwiches. The composition will be acceptable cucumbers, eggs and salmon. Britons also like to submit muffins and scones with cream and jam.

During the tea party the British considered it a rule to drink two cups of tea: one is never enough, but three are superfluous.