An ancient Chinese proverb says, “a daily cup of tea starves the apothecary”.
It’s no huge surprise then that tea has been one of the widely drunk and important beverages throughout the ages all over the world. It’s more than just a drink. It’s a medicine, it’s a tradition, it’s a reason for people to be together. The leaves might come from miles away but the love of a brew is found all over. In France, Spain and Italy you’re likely to get lemon and sugar but never milk or a biscuit. Further east you’re likely to find more herbal teas. In the UK you’ll get a bag thrown in a cup for a second then milk. India, China and Japan have a huge custom with tea but how does differ around Europe?
Great Britain
Although the leaves come from miles away on the other side of the world, few could fail to notice the immediate association the Brits have with their tea. It’s quite simply as iconic as the Queen. Tea first made it way over here during the reign of Charles II in the 17th Century. Largely through the British East India Company during the colonial occupation of India. It became the drink of the aristocracy and a signifier of British decadence. Now though it’s drunk in every echelon of society, from the building site to the Ritz. It’s not just a drink it’s a time of the day. Tea at three, with cucumber sandwiches followed by scones and cream is as popular today as it’s ever been. In the quaint green parts of the English countryside you’ll find delightful little places called tearooms, where the British love for their tea is more obvious than anywhere. The addition of milk to their tea is what makes tea very different from anywhere else.
Russia
In Russia it’s more about what it looks like than what it tastes like. The majesty of the drinking devices make tea drinking more beautiful than in most countries. They brew the black tea in a teapot, like the Brits, but then transfer it to podstakanniks, which are beautiful silver, nickel or gold goblets that hold a glass inside. They drink from these after meals and serve the tea very strong with a sugar and lemon but never milk. The stronger the tea, the more welcoming the host. The big difference between Russia and the UK is the lack of a bag. Only lose blacks leaves are found in Russia.
Czech Republic
This is perhaps the most interesting of recent developments in the world of tea in Europe. Not a million miles away from the British tearooms, the Czech Republic in recent years has seen a tea phenomenon strike up. A cajovna is where people go, like they would do a bar, to hang out, lounge on the rugs, sofas and chairs and socialise whilst being served a huge variety of teas from around the world all served in their traditional styles. Dobra Cajovna in Prague was one of the first of these tearooms to pop up and following its success the last decade has seen Prague host more tearooms per square miles than anywhere else in the world.
Photo by visualpanic
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