A cup of tea is almost a symbol of British culture. As a nation, we are well known for our obsession with this particular hot drink, especially if it it is accompanied by some cake or biscuits. Here are some facts about tea drinking habits in the UK.
1. There is no real tea time
All around the world, everyone thinks that British people drink tea every day at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. In reality, we drink tea at every hour of the day, from the minute we get up to last thing before going to bed. Of course it’s quite likely that a British person will drink tea around the middle of the afternoon, but it’s also common to drink it with breakfast.
2. The perfect partner: scones
Scones are a simple kind of cake, slightly sweet and usually served with jam and cream. They are excellent with tea. In fact, if you order a ‘cream tea’ in the UK, you’ll get a teapot accompanied by a plateful of these little treats. Delicious!
3. Milk in tea
British people nearly always put milk in their tea. This seems strange to people from other European countries, who would rather drink their tea without adding anything to it. In Britain, people add a certain quantity of milk depending on taste and the tea ends up being opaque and brown instead of clear.
People are always shocked when I say that I prefer coffee to tea. Tea really is part of our cultural identity, whether we like it or not!
Do you like tea? What's the most popular drink in your country?
