english-tea-and-coffee-culture

Today,whenwethinkofWesternteaculture,weoftenthinkoftheEnglishandbeautifulchinateacups.AfternoonteaPeoplebelievethatanEnglishduchess,Anna,the7thDuchessofBedfordfirstintroducedtheideaofafternoontea.Inthe18thand19thcenturies,theEnglishateonlytwomainmealseachday-breakfastandaheavysupperthatwouldlastforseveralhoursintheevening.Asaresult,peopleoftengotveryhungryduringthelongwaitbetweenthesetwomeals.Tosolvethisproblem,theDuchesscameupwiththecleverideaofinvitingsomefriendstojoinherforanafternoonmealbetweenfourandfiveo'clock.Thismealincludedcakesandsandwiches,andteawasservedtowashdownthefood.Inordertomakethisafternoonmealimportant,finechinacupsandplates,andsilverteapots,knives,forksandspoonswereused.Soonafternoonteapartiesbecamepopular.Today,afternoonteapartiescontinuetoplayanimportantpartinthelifeofwealthypeopleinmodernBritain.CoffeealsohasanimportantroleinBritishculture.PeopleoftenusethewordsWillyoucomeforcoffee?tomeanWouldyouliketocometomyhomeforachat?Normallyseveraldifferentdrinkssuchastea,hotchocolateorasoftdrinklikeorangejuicewillbeservedaswellascoffee,andyouwillbeaskedwhatyouwouldlike.However,youwillnotbeofferedwineatacoffeeparty.CoffeehouseandtheLondonStockExchangeInthe17thcenturyLondon,coffeehouseswerebusyandnoisyplaces.Merchantsandbankerswenttocoffeehousestodotheirbusiness,aswellastodrinkcoffee.InfacttheLondonStockExchangeisbelievedtohavestartedfromthesecoffeehouses.