Drinking tea today is one of the forms of demonstrating good social skills, knowing ceremonial practices and refined taste. Tea has its own charm and is more than a drink with a refined aroma, toning effect and direct association with the English aristocracy. In many cultures and traditions, tea is a sign of a certain philosophy, attitude to life and style. It was originally used as medicine, but gradually became a pleasant drink, which was taken as a pleasure because of its delicate taste. In the 8th century in China, it was described as exquisite entertainment. In the 15th century, Japan turned it into an aesthetic life norm and gave it a philosophical dimension described in the so-called “Chaism” (from the Japanese word for tea “cha”). It is based on the spiritual tea-drinking ritual of the Chinese Buddhist monks of the southern Zen school. It is an experience that is accompanied by contemplation, enjoyment of beauty in the details that surround us, and this is subject to the arrangement of the premises in which this ceremony takes place.
At the end of the 16th century, Dutch sources claim that in the East is a very popular drink from the leaves of some bush. From the same period are also the first deliveries of tea in Europe from the Ost-Stinadian company. From the European countries, France first began to use tea in 1636. It was followed by Russia in 1638 and England in 1650. A little later, the British founded their own British East India Company and established a monopoly over the tea trade. In 1773, American citizens protested against the high tax on tea imposed by the English colonists. The cargo tea of the three English merchant ships in the harbor is thrown overboard and this event goes down in history with the name “Boston tea drinking”.
According to the British, almost anything can be fixed or cured with a cup of tea. The aristocracy in the 19th century turned drinking tea in the afternoon – about 4 or 5, depending on the time zone – a fashion trend. This is believed to be related to a change in the eating culture, where dinner begins to be served later, around 8 in the evening, which is why there is a rather long break between lunch and dinner. Drinking afternoon tea with something to eat in the company of friends fills this emptiness and gradually becomes a fashion.
Its role in socialization and development of social morals
Drinking tea is a good option for making an invitation to an afternoon gathering or for snacks and brunch. Of course, tea can also be served after lunch or dinner along with dessert, as well as an alternative to coffee. Invitations for this type of gathering do not need to be very formal, they can be sent by phone or verbally. Therefore, guests are not required to provide a specific type of clothing, which would otherwise be described in the invitation. However, sporty dressing is unacceptable. It is good to stick to the so-called “unofficial clothing” /a dark suit with a light shirt and a tie for the gentlemen and a suit or dress in conservative tones for the ladies/.
In practice, there is no special arrangement of the guests when drinking tea and their seniority cannot be observed, as everyone sits around the table with the tea with the bites of a low-furniture sofa and armchairs. If you have an honored guest, it is good to stand with him when welcoming the guests and introduce each of the other attendees. Accordingly, at the end, it is good to say goodbye to the invitees, as the guest of honor is expected to leave the gathering first. In diplomatic and official circles, this rule is followed when collecting tea. /If tea is served at a dining table, the seniority rules of the guests can be followed./
Types of Tea
To the surprise of many, all types of tea are made from one plant – Camellia sinensis, whose origin is China. For serving guests, it is preferable to be tea in a jug filled with hot water and tea leaves rather than bags. Two different types of tea can be served to satisfy the tastes of the invitees and it is good to have a jug with more hot water /someone may prefer the drink to be of lower intensity/. If served at home, tea is served at a low table in a living room or dining room. If you are in a non-domestic environment, the tea will most likely be served at a dining table.
White tea is distinguished by a mild and sweet taste. It is believed to be the most useful, contains less caffeine and is milder in taste than the others. Green tea is most popular in East Asia, rich in caffeine and has many different varieties, differing in taste. Black tea is most popular in Europe and South Asia. Tai is the richest in caffeine and also has different flavors and flavors. Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea that originates from Southeast China and Taiwan and has a slightly sweet taste. Unlike other varieties, the leaves that have begun to wither are harvested for Oolong. Most other varieties are fermented, and in Oolong, tea leaves are ventilated and oxidized, thus conserving the caffeine content: Oolong tea is surprisingly high in caffeine, far more than other varieties.
In our tradition, we call tea and hot drinks made from herbs or various types of dried fruit. They should be taken as potions and are a good option for serving in the evening when additional caffeine intake is not desirable.
making tea
The important rule is to know the peculiarities of the few main groups of tea, so that when preparing them, they show only their most pleasant aromas and delight the guests. With warm teas, it is important to know that only black and herbal teas are brewed with boiling water. Green, white and oolang are brewed with water that has not yet boiled, so as not to burn the tea leaves and emit a tart aroma.
Time to drink tea
In the style of the British, the correct answer to this question is probably that every moment of the day is good for drinking tea, but still the tradition associates it with 5 hours in the afternoon as a transition between lunch and dinner, and then there is the greatest pomp and variety in national practices.
However, there are suitable types of tea in different parts of the day that are recommended to be served. The recommended morning tea is black because it is richer in caffeine and has a pronounced invigorating effect. Green tea and oolang are recommended for lunch and early afternoon. The period of dinner and early evening is suitable for white tea and oolang. It is believed that the exquisite aroma of white tea is a suitable ending even at the most exquisite dinner. Many like to drink a warm drink before going to bed as a waking part of the day, and for this moment, herbal and fruit teas that do not have caffeine are recommended.
serving
An interesting and curious detail is related to the very pouring of tea for the guests. This is usually done by the host, but he or she can invite a close friend to “respons” for pouring tea, which is considered a great honor and a high degree of trust, friendship and closeness.
The one who spills the tea must fill each cup separately and when it is ready, serve it to the guest. Only then does the pouring into the next one. It is not a good idea to pour a lot of glasses, then start handing them to the guests. If the tea leaves are placed directly in the jug and not in a special stand, a strainer can be used when pouring into the individual cups to prevent the leaves from getting into the guest cups.
sugar, milk, lemon
The milk and sugar are placed in a small jug and a sugar bowl, respectively, which is passed from one guest to the next. It is good to know that they are all added after the tea has been poured, not in advance, although even the English do not have a consensus on this matter. It starts with the milk, if one of the guests uses, then add a lemon – never both at the same time, because the liquid is crossed! Sugar in most cases is served in the form of lumps and it is added last to the glass. The already prepared liquid is mixed carefully and silently with the tea spoon, and it is practical not to make several rounds of the glass in a circle, but to stir by passing through the center of the bottom of the glass without resting on the walls. In this way, the sugar that would remain at the bottom of the cup will be able to mix easily with the tea and no noise will be made. Adding these ingredients to the tea is a matter of taste, so it’s quite normal to prefer to drink the tea pure. Green, white tea and oolang are best to drink pure, because that’s how their delicate aromas are felt. Milk, lemon or sugar can be added to the black one. If the lemon is cut into slices, it is placed in the glass and gradually releases a taste while sipping. If the lemon is served in large pieces, it must be wrapped in cheesecloth, so that when it is squeezed, it does not spray drops to the sides and the seeds do not fall into the tea. If there is no special clip for squeezing the lemon, this is done with your fingers, then the squeezed lemon is left in the plate or in another designated for this. If you have doubts about what to do, you can always follow the example of your host or housewife.
How to drink tea
He sits in our designated place – on a low piece of furniture or on a chair, we put the napkin on our knees, take the cup of tea together with the plate in our left hand in an open palm, holding with our thumb. It is good to serve the tea in porcelain cups, as well as to give additional plates in which to leave the tea taken out of the cup of leaf tea or in a bag / this applies in cases where each guest pours his own tea, otherwise the care for this the hosts/. Porcelain cups were originally made in China and did not have a grip handle. This convenience begins with the production of the Messen porcelain in 1710. The cup itself, held by the handle with the thumb and forefinger and held with the rest of the fingers of the right hand, we bring to our mouth without bending, without making sounds, sipping small sips. If when trying the tea, it seemed too hot for our taste, we wait before drinking again. Between the individual sips, we return the cup to the saucer in our left hand. Only after we have finished our tea do we leave the cup and saucer on the table. Usually, each guest is offered an extra cup of tea, especially if two types are served at the table. In any case, you will be offered a second glass because one is considered not enough. It is not a manifestation of good taste then ask for a third.
How to eat the different salty and sweet things that are served together with the tea
Along with tea, various savory and sweet cakes, sandwiches, cakes, etc. are served. These different types of little pasta cakes are challenging as a way of eating. In any case, they are torn or broken into separate bites, they can be spread with butter or jam with the special knife for spreading bread, then put in the mouth by hand. They don’t stick with a fork!
Traditional Scones are also served in the UK – round small cakes that are eaten spread with cream or jam. They are placed in the individual plate, nibbles are plucked, which are spread with butter or jam and eaten in this way. Here again, the rule of following the behavior of the hosts is very useful. For the afternoon tea, the bites are served on a special stand with three levels, with the pasta placed at the top, the sandwiches followed and the sweets are located on the lowest level.
Connoisseurs of the taste of tea advise that he should not use food to swallow the bites of food, not to mix with its taste, but to drink after the food is swallowed, so that we can enjoy its aroma. It is also not a manifestation of good taste and dipping biscuits in tea, even if you like to do it when you are alone!
You may also have cutlery placed on the sides of your plate and this is a sign that you will be served some kind of cake that is syrupy or stuffed, so you don’t expect to be eaten with your hands, as is done with dry, pasta.
lastly
When we know these basic features of a ceremonial nature in the preparation, serving and consumption of tea, it is good to know that in different parts of the world there are certain elements that have a typical, local character. If a loan that we are about to travel to a certain region of the world with a different from the European tradition, it is good to prepare in advance and follow and respect the customs of our hosts. Of course, from a historical and philosophical point of view, the tea ceremony in Japan and China has the deepest symbolism. Drinking tea in Russia, Turkey and in a number of Arab countries also has a traditional character and is very widely practiced. To realize how popular this practice is around the world, a statistical study from the beginning of the 21st century, according to which tea is the second most used drink worldwide, helps.
Regardless of what time, where and what kind of tea we drink, it delights the senses with its aroma and toning effect. The way we drink it is a matter of taste and individual preferences. If a person drinks tea alone, he can turn this experience into a moment of directing the mind to one’s inner foundations and the senses to the harmony of the world, as the peoples of the East practice. If we drink tea in a company, sharing this ritual gives us the opportunity to find another topic for conducting a conversation in society like the British.
In any case, it is good to discover the “discreet charm” of tea, and now we have enough time to do this!
The text was prepared by Bilyana Decheva-Guncheva (1972 – 2022), an employee at the Diplomatic Institute since its foundation, lecturer in the courses on protocol, etiquette and ceremonial, as well as a co-author of a study aid on “Protocol and etiquette in the context of the European Union’.
