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English breakfast tea

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A mug of English breakfast tea, served with milk
English breakfast tea tin

English breakfast teaor simplybreakfast teais a traditional blend ofblack teasoriginating fromAssam,CeylonandKenya.[1]It is one of the most popular blended teas, common in indigenousBritishandIrish tea culture,which developed among native populations since their exposure to Asiantea culture.

English breakfast tea is ablack teablend usually described as full-bodied, robust, rich and blended to go well withmilkandsugar,in a style traditionally associated with a heartyEnglish breakfast.

The black teas included in the blend vary, with Assam, Ceylon and Kenyan teas predominating, andKeemunsometimes included in more expensive blends.

Origins and history[edit]

One ounce (28 g) of English breakfast tea

Accounts of its origins vary. Drinking a blend of black teas for breakfast is a longstanding British and Irish custom. The termbreakfast teahas been applied by vendors since at least the late 18th century.[2][3]

The current naming practice is claimed to have originated not in England butAmerica,as far back as Colonial times.[4]An additional account (referencing a period-eraJournal of Commercearticle) dates the blend to 1843 and a tea merchant named Richard Davies inNew York City.Davies, anEnglish immigrant,started with a base ofCongouand added a bit ofPekoeandPouchong.It sold for 50 cents per pound (0.45 kg) (equivalent to $16.35 per pound in 2023), and its success led to imitators, helping to popularize the name.[5]An investigation to find the original Journal of Commerce article failed to locate it but did come upon an earlier reference to the same story in an 1876 edition of theDaily Alta California,citing "a New York commercial journal" and dating the tea's origin to 1844.[6][7]In an 1884 American publication it was noted that "Bohea teas(are) known to trade in this country as "English Breakfast" tea, from its forming the staple shipment to England ".[8][6]

In the UK, the popularisation of breakfast tea has been attributed in part toQueen Victoria.[9]AtBalmoralin 1892 she tasted and enjoyed a blend so named and returned to London with a supply. Despite this particular tea'sScottishorigin, the generic blend subsequently acquired the prefix "English".[10][11][12][13][14][15]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson (February 2006).The Tea Lover's Companion: A Guide to Teas Throughout the World.London, U.K.: The National Trust. p. 54.ISBN9781905400300.
  2. ^https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001057/17860724/005/0003– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)
  3. ^https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/18380321/020/0001– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)
  4. ^ZoeAnn Holmes."English breakfast tea – Food Resource – Oregon State University".food.oregonstate.edu. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-11-04.Retrieved2013-03-26.
  5. ^"History of the English Breakfast Tea".Logoi.com. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-01-10.Retrieved2009-03-12.
  6. ^ab"English Breakfast Tea – Evolving Blend or Invented in NYC?".12 March 2015.
  7. ^"Daily Alta California 5 February 1876 — California Digital Newspaper Collection".
  8. ^""A cup of tea", containing a history of the tea plant from its discovery to the present time, including its botanical characteristics... and embracing Mr. William Saunders' pamphlet on "Tea-culture – a probable American industry"".Philadelphia: Author. 1884.
  9. ^O'Connor, Kaori (September 26, 2013).The English Breakfast: The Biography of a National Meal, with Recipes.A&C Black.ISBN9780857854919– via Google Books.
  10. ^"English Breakfast".Marahtea.com. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-07-18.Retrieved2016-03-15.
  11. ^"A history of breakfast".Yorkshire Tea. 2013-02-14.Retrieved2016-03-15.
  12. ^"What is English Breakfast Tea? What does it have to do with breakfast?".MrBreakfast.com.Retrieved2016-03-15.
  13. ^"A brief history of Brodie, Melrose, Drysdale & Co Ltd".Brodies1867.co.uk. 2015-01-11.Retrieved2016-03-15.
  14. ^editor (20 January 2015)."Breakfast Tea".www.brodies1867.co.uk.{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help)
  15. ^Gumbrell, David (April 3, 2019).LIFT!: Going up if teaching gets you down.Critical Publishing.ISBN9781912508518– via Google Books.

External links[edit]

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