Tea Time!

As far as I am concerned, the best thing for an upset stomach is one of the following: saltines, ginger ale, or TEA! And thanks to my sister, I got a great gift in the mail today; three different varieties of loose tea, along with a tea ball. Growing up as I did, in America, with blue-collar parents, I was not exposed to the delights of afternoon tea. Fortunately, today, thanks to the internet/U.S. mail, I am able to get both fine tea and instruction on how it is best prepared. I would like to pass on some of the information that I found today regarding tea. After following directions found on this site, I enjoyed a delish cuppa ginsing peppermint tea. Whether it be with tea bags, or loose tea, enjoy a wonderful cup of tea today! From "The Sip That Civilizes", an excerpt on the history of tea. ***It all started with Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, lady of the bedchamber to Queen Victoria, in the 1830s. She felt some light repast was need to quell the hunger pains that plagued her in the afternoon. Anna persuaded the ladies of the court that tea and snacks should be served around 4 p.m. when energy reserves were low.

Tea, which was imported from China and Japan, was an expensive commodity in Victorian times, and as such provided respite only to the privileged few. Eventually, as tea from India flooded the market, prices dropped and it caught on with members of the working classes, who took their tea later in the day - around 6 - as an early evening meal that might include bangers and mash, Scottish eggs, herring or boiled beef. The term "high tea" is not, as is commonly assumed, a reference to the upper classes. Indeed, the opposite is true. It is called high tea because working families served it on a higher table than did members of the leisured classes, who served their tea earlier in the afternoon on low, decorative tables that encourage conversation. The food served at afternoon tea is meant to be discreet, below eye level. And, like the damask coverings and delicate cups and spoons, it looks light and insubstantial. Finger sandwiches are slender and crustless, pastries and cakes are delicate and lacy. Even the scones and clotted cream, though rich and sweet, seem dainty and sublime. The point is not to feast but to linger, to feel gorged instead on friendship. ***