The History of Tea

Tea quickly replaced ale as the national drink of England. In 1699, Englishmen were drinking only 40,000 pounds of tea a year. By 1708, the annual average was 240,000 pounds! The price remained artificially high due to trade monopolies, so tea was often placed in locked chests called tea caddies.

By the 1800s, tea rivaled beer in popularity, even amongst the poor. It was a hot item to warm the often cold meals of the indigents, and boiling the water made it a safe drink.

Although tea is always associated with the English, and vice versa, the beverage has only been an afternoon habit since about 1840. Before that, it was only ordered after dinner when the ladies and gentlemen gathered in the drawing room. By the 1860s, five o'clock became the social ritual for tea, and by 1877, there was even a special costume for it--the tea gown.

Tea soon became a custom in English households--from nursery to drawing room, from middle-class family teas to upper-class "At Home" events. It served to satisfy the stomach between the two o'clock luncheon and the eight o'clock dinner. A 'family' tea included such foods as sardines, potted meats, muffins and crumpets, and was served in the drawing room. If sandwiches were served, the bread was thin, with butter, jam or honey to spread on it. The tea was brewed by the mistress, the butler and footmen having brought her the necessary tools--silver tea caddy, teapot, kettle and heater, and teacups.

Guests arrived from a quarter past four until half past five. At the height of the Social Season, the most pressed ladies usually only stayed for a quarter of an hour, as they were on their way to another 'five o'clock tea.' These teas were grand enough for a buffet table to be set up with refreshments. Cakes, thin bread and butter, fancy biscuits, ices, fruits and sandwiches comprised the food, while big silver urns dispensed tea, coffee, wine claret cup, sherry and champagne-cup.

In early Victorian days, sandwiches were made only of ham, tongue or beef. By the 1870s, cucumber sandwiches were being served regularly. The hostess presided over a small side table near the main buffet. There, she dispensed the ice creams and water ices that had been prepared many hours earlier. But just as the hostess would never make an unwanted introduction, nor would she even think of serving ice creams or water ices in tall ice glasses. Rather, ice plates and paper cups were used. And the guests reciprocated good manners by never asking for an alternative beverage other than what the hostess had provided.

High tea was eaten after a midday dinner--between five and six o'clock--and was likely to be a main meal. High tea evolved from the 18^th century dinner, and eventually replaced it amongst the fashionable. (Dinner was then served as late as eight o'clock.) Another term for "High tea" is "meat tea," as the meal was generally served with meats and other dishes. A typical menu at High tea would consist of Roast pork, stand pie, salmon and salad, trifle, jellies, lemon-cheese tarts, sponge cake, walnut cake, chocolate roll, pound cake, white and brown bread, currant teacake, curd tart and cheeses. While tea was the main beverage, coffee and cocoa were sometimes served at high tea.

Nursery tea was at 4 o'clock. Cake, bread and butter and jam was the usual nursery tea. An iced sponge cake might be served if it was one of the children's birthdays. The parents would join them on this occasion also. Tea in the nursery would be the children's evening meal. They did not dine with the adults.

To brew tea, hot water was poured into the teapot and allowed to sit a few minutes to warm the pot. The water was then poured out, tea placed into the pot, and boiling water poured over the tea. This was steeped five to eight minutes, the tea leaves drained, and the cup of fresh tea served. Only one round of tea was made at a time, as tea loses flavor rapidly. Extra cups were made with fresh tea.