For the love of TEA

I cannot start my day without a hot cup of tea at breakfast. I like most black leaf teas, but I am particularly partial to a milky Earl Grey.

From late-afternoon I try to limit my caffeine intake and will usually opt for a herbal infusion instead, such as ginger, mint or camomile tea.

For variety, I like a 'chai latte', which is a relatively modern take on Indian spiced tea, using steamed milk. This concoction is available at many cafes and allows me to pretend I'm joining the coffee-drinking population without being fully led astray.

I live in England, UK, where people are mad for tea! Nationally, more than 100 million cups of tea are consumed per day, with individuals averaging 2-5.

Tea drinking is intrinsic to British society as the basis of many cultural norms- both formal customs, and themes in daily life and language. For instance, ‘Tea’ is designated as the evening meal in many parts of the country.

A 'cuppa' is a great comfort, cherished in everyday modern UK. In the cold or on a bad day, 'putting the kettle on' is a tried and tested social device that serves to facilitate resolution by initiating self care and conversation over a shared teapot.

‘Afternoon tea’ is a light meal of tea with snacks served on a tiered stand, eaten around 4pm. Invented by the Duchess of Bedford circa 1840, it was the premise for the ‘tea party’- the formal social gatherings associated with this meal and possibly the most well known tea inspired ritual. These were very prestigious high society events, and showcased fancy cutlery and table settings as well as elegant ‘tea’ gowns.

Nowadays, afternoon tea is not restricted to the aristocracy, but does tend to be considered a rare treat reserved for special occasions. Vouchers are commonly gifted for an ‘afternoon tea experience’ at local tea rooms and hotels.

Tea is linked to Britishness in many literary works. A famous example is the Mad Hatter’s tea party in Lewis Carol’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’.

Disney films use tea as an effective stereotype for character and setting.‘101 Dalmatians’, set in London, has numerous visual references to tea. By direct contrast, ‘Lady and the Tramp’ set in the US, only shows coffee drinking.
The very English ‘Mary Popins’ has another famous tea party - on the ceiling! Characters are also seen to sip or mention tea throughout the film.

In TV, two iconic Sci-fi characters are known tea lovers - The Doctor (from Doctor Who) and Star Trek’s Captain Picard.