English Culture “Tea Time : From Aristocrats to The Lower Class”
British society has a tradition which remain the same from year to year. The country that implements the monarchical system of government still maintains its tea drinking culture to this day. Every day British people drink nearly 165 million glasses of tea. Therefore, the country led by this queen needed a large enough supply of tea. The tradition of drinking tea has become part of British culture.
The tradition of drinking tea, which is still practiced by the British community, was pioneered by Ana Maria, The Dutchess of Bedford. Because at that time the distance between lunch and dinner was quite far. To get around the time span of 8 hours, Princess Ana asked her maid to serve tea and other light snacks.
Even though it’s only tea drinking, there are some etiquettes that must be observed. One of them is the clothes used must be polite. Participants drinking tea usually also should not rush or immediately finish a cup of tea. The habit of dipping biscuits is also forbidden to do when drinking tea.
Afternoon tea is known as a filler after lunch to dinner. This is what Princess Ana Maria did to get around the long pause. Afternoon tea is usually accompanied by sweet snacks such as scones. This tradition is usually done at a short table and relaxing sofa.
High tea is a tradition carried out by workers in England. Usually, the tea ceremony is held from five in the afternoon to seven in the evening. The serving is heavier when compared to afternoon tea. Usually, the companion to the tea is bread, cheese, or salad. If afternoon tea is done on a relaxing sofa, it is different from high tea. This tradition is usually done at the dining table.
England is indeed a country known for its culture that is still maintained until the modern era. One of them is the tradition of drinking tea which is still ongoing today. In Indonesia, this tradition is also widely applied. Do you prefer coffee or tea?
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