XIV Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2022

The history of tea in England began in the middle of the 17th century. Because of its high cost, it was only available to the nobility. And only in the middle of the 19th century, tea drinking in the country became a national tradition.

The English themselves joke that tea was their secret weapon during the Second World War, and with a smile they call themselves “tea people”. And there is hardly a more distinctive custom in the country today than a cup of this invigorating drink in the morning, afternoon or evening - in short, at any time of the day.

A brief history of tea in England

In colonial England, the problem of excessive alcohol consumption was acute. This was due in part to the fact that alcohol was used to disinfect water, which was the cause of many epidemics at the time. Tea began to rapidly gain popularity as an alternative to alcohol. It was brewed slowly and helped to strengthen the immune system.

In English towns, the first tea establishments began to appear, and porcelain factories were opened. This was also when special crockery and furniture, such as tea sets and tables, were first created for tea. British tea culture was entering its infancy.

Then in England, they decided to combine tea drinking with a passionate and incendiary tango - thus born tea dance. The tradition existed until World War II. This rare act these days can be seen except in some major British hotels, such as the Waldorf Hilton.

Because of modern working schedules, the habit of taking tea at five o'clock, initiated by the Duchess of Bedford, is also gradually becoming a thing of the past.

Five distinctive features

First, the British, like many Russians, mostly prefer to drink black tea. Green is also good, but it is black that underlies all traditions. At the same time, tea with bergamot was and still is the most favorite among the British.

Secondly, for the British, tea is primarily an occasion to socialize. Of course, once upon a time in the past, a tea break was a way of officially taking a break from work and refreshing one's energy. But the more the focus of tea drinking has shifted to the social aspect: people around the world now know that "five o'clock" is when the British put aside all business and have leisurely conversations around the table with cups of tea.

Third, the English, like many Russians, often drink tea with sugar and milk or lemon. The lemon is sliced beautifully in advance, the milk is served in an elegant milk jug, and the sugar is most often in slices, which must be taken with special tongs. It is believed that the British began to add milk to tea in order not to spoil their expensive porcelain. But few people know about another interesting fact: even in England itself for a long time there were disputes about what to pour into the cup first - milk or tea. We've all heard the version about the milk, because, according to historians, it is poured first, to prevent damage to dishes (cracks from boiling and staining substances contained in the black tea). But it's more complicated than that. Yes, milk protects porcelain, and in simpler homes it was actually added before the tea was poured.

Fourthly, in Britain, just as in Russia, it is customary to serve tea with treats. Like the Russian tradition, these treats can be both sweet and hearty, but while we have cabbage pies and large sandwiches on the table, in England all snacks are distinguished by their small size. And sandwiches, tiny salad baskets, and cakes - everything should be for one or two bites, because the English tea ceremony is a refined ritual in understated colors. Despite the apparent restraint, yet it was the desire to satisfy hunger that originally underlay the English tea ceremony. According to historians, the originator of this ritual was Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford, who found it very difficult to get through dinner without an extra "snack". The Duchess instituted a five-hour tea-drinking tradition in her home, but it spread quickly, first among the nobility and then among ordinary people. Afternoon tea was originally a social event for the upper classes. Working class people could not afford the same elaborate treats and rituals, so they settled for an ordinary afternoon meal, which included bread, meat, pies and crackers in addition to tea. Agree, this too is very similar to an ordinary Russian tea party.

Fifth, it was from England came the tradition of drinking tea from cups with saucers, which stuck so well in Russia. According to the rules of British etiquette, the saucer should be left on the table, using only the cup. However, if the tea party takes place without a table (for example, in the garden), the saucer remains in the second hand and is held at chest level.

What does a classic English tea party look like?

When you sit down at the table, the first thing to do is to take a napkin, which is necessarily prepared for you, and put it on your lap, spreading it out so that neither crumbs nor drops get on your clothes.

If you serve yourself or your guest, before pouring the tea into the cup, you should put a special strainer on it, which will allow you to filter the brew. Hot water is not refilled additionally.

After adding milk and/or sugar to the tea, you must stir it very carefully. The movements of the teaspoon are like a pendulum (back and forth), which never touches the sides of the cup.

You should start with the spicy and salty mini-snacks, then try the traditional bun called skona, and only after that move on to the desserts. The scone should not be cut with a knife, just carefully break it in half. This tradition goes back to the days when it was thought that all dishes for an English tea party should be prepared in such a way that they did not require cutlery. Today, however, many Britons use a fork when tasting these tiny snacks.

Holding the cup so that the little finger is not pushed to the side is considered bad manners.

After the tea party is over, remember to gently wipe any leftover food from your lips with the napkin you previously had on your lap.

References:

Традиция чаепития в Англии. https://gurmantur.com/evropa/velikobritaniya/kak-pyut-chaj-v-anglii#:~:text=Англичане%2C%20которые%20следуют%20традициям%2C%20пьют,первому%20завтраку%20в%208%20часов.

Чайные традиции англичан и русских. Что общего? https://tea.ru/blog/article/chaynye-traditsii-anglichan-i-russkikh-chto-obshchego/

Традиции и обычаи: почему в Англии любят чай? https://tea.ru/blog/article/chaynye-traditsii-anglichan-i-russkikh-chto-obshchego/

Английское чаепитие: секреты, традиции, мифы. https://www.westwing.ru/zhurnal/obraz-zhizni/anglijskoe-chaepitie-sekrety-tradici/

Откуда пошла традиция английского чаепития? https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/magazine-russian-41272362