The English Tradition of Tea

One of my favourite things about living in England is having a really great cup of tea. It’s calming, warm and lovely when shared with a friend at the kitchen table after the kids have all gone off to school.


Before moving to the UK, I held some fairly old-fashioned beliefs on what I thought having tea would be like here. First, I believed tea would be a daily event that involved pretty dresses and lace doilies. I thought the tea, heated from water boiled in a copper kettle on an ancient stove, would be served in a fragile, floral teapot with equally dainty teacups and saucers. Petite, crustless sandwiches made of cucumber, egg salad or cheese would be offered along with biscuits and cookies. To sum it up, I thought it would be just the way I imagined it from reading about life during Victorian times. (I'm hopeless, I know).


As much as I like to picture England as it was nearly two hundred years ago, life has evolved here right along with the rest of the world. While you can find tea rooms and hotels that still offer an afternoon high tea, the British tradition of having tea is quite a bit less formal. Even so, it’s still a wonderful part of life here and there are those who are extremely staunch on the requirements of when and how to make a good cup.


“How do you like to make a cup of tea?"


A simple question (or so I thought) I asked my neighbors recently during an evening garden party in our village. I received no less than ten different answers, including a detailed chart on what kind of tea you can drink at specific times of day, and how it must be made. According to one English friend, the only united answers among the British regarding tea are:


Boiling water is essential.
Never hot or warm water.
Never use hot milk.
Never use instant tea.
The rest of Europe (and America, as I understand it) do not know how to make tea.


First, it's fine to use a mug. I've been told that real china is preferred as it makes the tea taste better and warms more efficiently without taking too much heat from the tea.

If using a teapot, there is a crucial first step. The pot must be warmed first with a small amount of hot water. Then the boiling water and tea may be added. A rule of thumb is one scoop of tea leaves (or a tea bag) per person and end with one for the pot. Cute tea cozies, which look like a knitted hat, slide over the pot to keep it warm in between refills.


Water is obviously an essential ingredient. Many here will use tap water but they say it can detract from the taste of the tea. It is better to use filtered water which gives the tea a smoother taste and color. Brits, at least the ones I know, do not use the old method of a kettle on the stove. The modern method is heating water with the use of an electric kettle. I had never seen one of these before but I know now that they are sold in the States. I saw one recently at Williams-Sonoma. Anyway, these are brilliantly efficient and quick.

However you heat your water, the key to making a good cup of English tea is that you must use boiling water. Apparently, the temperature greatly affects the flavour of the tea.
You also mustn’t let the tea bag/leaves steep for long. Personally, I think 1-2 minutes is perfect. Any longer and you end up with an extremely strong, thick tea.


The Great Milk Debate


Do you add milk first before you pour in the boiling water or after you remove the tea bag? Do you use whole milk or semi-skimmed? Do you add a little or more than a little?


One neighbor says, “If I make tea in a mug then the milk goes in after the water and definitely after the tea bag has come out BUT if I make tea in a pot, then the milk has to go in the cup before the tea. Also, if I make tea in a pot, it has to be drunk out of a cup, not a mug.”


Several of our English friends agreed that if you add the milk first before the water it allows the milk to slowly warm instead of being scalded when poured in last. I’ve tried it both ways but can’t really tell a difference. I think it’s safe to say just add the milk if you want it, whenever you feel so inclined.


Finally, you can add sugar, although it’s completely optional.


One of our neighbors says, “Americans are brilliant at brewing coffee but rubbish at making tea.” He says that we usually make the mistake of adding too much milk, when only a splash is needed. (Another example of the milk debate).


Types of tea


When deciding on tea, the options are endless. Most of the time, I am offered a choice of Earl Grey or regular tea. Regular doesn’t have the distinct strong flavor of Earl Grey. I tend to go with a regular brand called PG Tips. Other regular brands include Yorkshire and Tetley. Twinings is a reputable brand for the flavored teas. Again, this is just a tiny tip of the tea iceberg with literally hundreds of options.

My favorite treat...A cream tea.


A cream tea is a pot of tea served with scones, jam, butter and clotted cream. You can order one at coffee houses and cafes. There are two kinds of traditional cream teas...The Devonshire cream tea and the Cornish cream teat.


A Devonshire cream tea, originating from the county of Devon in southwest England, is served with a scone that is topped with clotted cream followed by strawberry jam. A Cornish cream tea is just the opposite using butter, followed by jam, then topped with clotted cream. Either way, if the scones are fresh and still warm, the combination of flavors are heavenly. Perfect afternoon treat especially when shared with some friends.


Warning: For serious tea drinkers only...


This is the schedule I was given if I want to be a proper tea imbiber. (I’m still laughing over this but apparently my friend was quite serious).


Time: First thing in the morning BEFORE breakfast

Type of tea: English Breakfast or Assam

Reason: Strong; wakes you up; Drink WITH milk.


Time: Breakfast
Type: English Breakfast or Earl Grey
Reason: Still strong; Drink WITH milk


Time: Mid-morning
Type: Earl Grey or Assam
Reason: Refreshing. Drink WITH milk


Time: Afternoon
Type: Lapsang Souchong or Darjeeling
Reason: Serve with a slice of lemon but NO milk.


Time: Evening AFTER dinner
Type: Peppermint tea
Reason: Relaxing and aids digestion. NO milk.


It’s important to know that tea is always offered whenever you enter someone’s home. I think it might be considered impolite if you didn’t offer tea. This includes not just your neighbors and friends, but anyone really who comes to your home including your movers, cleaners, carpenters, plumbers and handy-men. We recently had a contractor over to repair a door. Having learned about this social nicety, I was quick to offer him tea when he arrived (lest I unknowingly offend!). He did his work and then we sat and chatted over tea afterwards. It was the same with our movers. In America, our movers came armed with their two litre bottles of soda or 7-11 Big Gulps. In England, our movers just kept refilling their tea mugs.


I’ve found that taking time for tea is a really nice way to connect with people during the day. It’s more personal and forces me to slow down and be in the moment. It’s also a great way to have some quiet time during a hectic day.


My favorite comment when asking my English neighbors about tea was from my lovely friend Kate who described the tradition succinctly and humorously. “Offering tea is the British way of coping with any crisis. ‘Oh no, the world is about to end! ...Shall we have a cup of tea then?’”

Spring!

We moved to England at the start of the winter season. It was cold, wet and a few times it even snowed. There were several days when the wind would blow at 60 mph and wake us up at night. We did our house hunting those first few weeks driving through a completely frozen world. The trees were covered in ice and the fields white with frost. While I’m not a big fan of being cold I thought that there was a certain beauty to be found in the still serenity of that winter landscape. 

Mid-afternoon in winter

The sun would set as early as 3:45 in the afternoon. We’d have to hurry out to take advantage of as much of the daylight hours as we could. While shopping on a Saturday afternoon in Cambridgeshire, we’d pass vendors selling roasted chestnuts, tea, fried doughnuts, bacon sandwiches and hot pasties. A pasty is sort of like a hot pocket. The most basic pasty is dough filled beef, potatoes, and onions. It can also be made with other ingredients, but the great thing about a pasty is that it’s hot and you can eat it on the go. While not fancy, these were the culinary highlights of our winter wanderings. 

Through those long dark days of winter as I reveled in the beauty around us, I was told repeatedly to “just wait for Spring.” I didn’t really mind the winter, but I nodded agreeably. I love those cold days that were perfect for having a “cuppa” tea,  making a fire in the wood burning stove, and losing myself in a book, movie or playing a game with my family. Winter is the perfect time for this because you don’t feel too guilty about being so lazy. 

Well, a few weeks ago a drastic change occurred around here in what seemed to be almost overnight. Lambs were born in masses, heralding the arrival of Spring, and filling the fields with their silly antics and sweet sounds. 

Spring lambs

Leaves and flowers exploded everywhere in vivid colors practically shouting with their brightness. 

Fields of yellow rapeseed flowers, farmed for it’s oil, coat the land in rolling patches, like an artist swept the ground with a paintbrush of brilliant marigold. 

Rapeseed

Ladybugs are EVERYWHERE, much to my children’s delight as they spend endless hours in our garden capturing and studying them.

 My son and his friend even decided that one would be much safer in one of my kitchen cupboards which I discovered while making dinner several hours later. I was able to free him back to his outdoor ladybug family where I told my son he’d be much happier. 

Even our village’s resident peacock has begun his mating calls, shrieking from the tops of garden walls from sunrise to dusk. Sadly, he’s the sole peacock in this area and his cries are getting pathetic. I think we need to take mercy on this poor peacock and find him a mate! I’ve suggested getting one shipped in, but others here who’ve had to put up with his noise for the last decade think a better idea would be to ship him to a female. 

Temperatures the past few weeks have been in the 60’s and 70’s, a sharp departure from Britain’s usually cold, rainy Spring season. On a recent trip into London, we had a picnic in Green Park, near Buckingham Palace, and were tightly surrounded with Londoners sunbathing, napping, reading, or playing football. Sunny, warm days are enjoyed to the fullest because you never know when it might change again back to cool or rainy... 

Green Park, London

These temperate conditions explain why England is famed for it’s gardens. Plants and flowers grow in profusion here with little effort. 

Red tulips in London

I am not known for having a green thumb. In fact, it’s safe to say that any plant life I come into contact with has suffered a sadly low survival rate. Yet, in England, I’ve found renewed determination to garden and so far I’ve had some surprising results. I’ve planted several varieties of strawberries that are beginning to produce (gasp!) actual fruit! I also have an herb garden that’s easily providing enough bounty to supply both my neighbor’s kitchen as well as my own. All I can think is... It’s a miracle! England is an Eden in it’s own right. 

In the same spirit, it’s time to end my musings.The sun is shining and it’s time to do what people love to do best here. Take a walk or maybe ride a bike...Just be outside and enjoy the day.