We certainly are a nation of tea lovers. There’s nothing that a nice cup of tea can’t fix. Catch up with friends? Have a nice cup of tea. Need a boost? Have a nice cup of tea. Bereavement? Have a nice cup of tea. Some say that it was Britain’s Secret Weapon during the war (at the time Britain bought all the tea available in Europe, making it one of the top 5 purchases of the war!) Where did this British love affair with tea start? The earliest mention of tea in English literature was in a letter in 1559 from an agent of the British East India Company who asked for a “pot of the best sort of chaw” (Chah being Cantonese dialect for tea), but it wasn’t until 1660 that it was first sold in coffee shops in London.Originally thought to have medicinal benefits, it soon became popular among High Society when Charles II’s wife, Catherine of Braganza introduced it to the ladies of Court. The invention of Afternoon Tea is said to be credited to Anna Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford. Often hungry between lunch and dinner, she asked for bread, butter, cakes and tea to…
