Do British people drink tea with cream?
A combination of Clotted cream, scones, and black tea are called "Cream tea" and are widely loved by British people.
The Brits' habit of putting milk in tea extends all the way back to the 18th century, from the time when tea was brewed in pots. Tea was a big deal at the time, and people tended to drink it out of china cups.
While adding cream and sugar to sweeten and mellow out the taste of tea, either green or black, is a fairly common practice, doing so can significantly raise the calorie content of your drink. Dairy products such as cream can also interfere with some of the nutritional benefits of tea.
No, a British person would never put cream in their tea. Usually milk, semi-skimmed or skimmed or occasionally whole, to taste, or perhaps black or with a slice of lemon. Sugar is common and a matter of personal preference.
The British have their own way of doing things (like driving on the opposite side of the road compared to Americans), and that includes how they prepare their tea. The Brits' habit of putting milk in tea extends all the way back to the 18th century, from the time when tea was brewed in pots.
Although typically served with milk, it is also common to drink certain varieties black or with lemon. Sugar is a popular addition to any variety. Everyday tea, such as English breakfast tea, served in a mug with milk and sugar is a popular combination.
If sat at a table, the proper manner to drink tea is to raise the tea cup, leaving the saucer on the table, and to place the cup back on the saucer between sips. It's considered rude to look anywhere but into the cup whilst sipping tea, and absolutely no slurping!
Half and Half, also know as half cream in the United Kingdom, is a blend of equal parts whole milk and light cream. It averages about 10% – 12% milk fat, which is more than milk and less than cream.
Additionally, milk or cream is added simply for taste. Tea, notoriously, embodies quite a bitter taste. This can be a result of over steeping but more frequently is product of picking a naturally bitter tea rich in tannins. Lactose in milk or creamer easily offsets the bitter taste and neutralizes the tannins.
The tradition has since spread throughout Southwest England, with the neighbouring counties of Cornwall and Kent all boasting a long and proud tradition of cream teas.
Why do British people put milk in tea?
People from around the world often wonder why the English drink milk with their tea. The answer is that in the 17th and 18th centuries the china cups tea was served in were so delicate they would crack from the heat of the tea. Milk was added to cool the liquid and stop the cups from cracking.
Cream Tea is a snack most often associated with the West Country, i.e. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. It usually consists of scones, clotted cream or butter, strawberry jam, and of course, tea.
References
- https://artfultea.com/blogs/wellness/best-high-caffeine-teas-what-tea-has-the-most-caffeine
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/history-and-types-of-british-tea-435180
- https://letslearnslang.com/british-slang-for-sexy/
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wagwan
- https://sistersteacompany.com/english-breakfast/
- https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/texte/drink_tea.htm
- https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2014/05/19/germans-drink-more-tea-theres-no-milk-jug-sight
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/08/130827_tews_138_phone_slang.shtml
- https://www.zepbrook.co.uk/whats-new/why-do-british-mix-milk-with-tea
- https://blog.piquelife.com/best-english-breakfast-tea/
- https://www.thescottishgrocer.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-the-perfect-cup-of-tea
- https://www.airdroid.com/teen-slang/no-cap-meaning/
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bruv
- https://www.sipsby.com/blogs/tealover-101/best-lady-grey-tea
- https://www.casita.com/blog/uk-slang-words-every-student-should-know
- https://englishlive.ef.com/blog/english-in-the-real-world/6-slang-words-expressions-will-definitely-hear-visit-london/
- https://www.wkiri.com/today/?p=3786
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/
- https://skymountaincoffee.com/blog/english-tea-times-explained/
- https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/tea-etiquette
- https://www.foodandwine.com/tea/breakfast-tea/earl-grey-tea
- https://www.zesttea.com/blogs/zest-blog/english-breakfast-tea-caffeine-origins-and-how-to-make-it
- https://www.departures.com/lifestyle/food/how-to-prepare-tea-british-way
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6122072.stm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Grey_tea
- https://www.salty-savory-sweet.com/blog/afternoon-tea-vs-high-tea-vs-cream-tea-a-brief-tutorial/
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/uptodate/2009/04/090428_uptodate_bruv.shtml
- https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/english-breakfast-tea/
- https://www.thehealthyjournal.com/faq/do-royals-wash-themselves
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_names_for_the_British
- https://www.englishtealeaves.com/irish-breakfast-p/irb.htm
- https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2021/02/09/what-is-the-most-popular-tea-in-england/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_in_the_United_Kingdom
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oi_(interjection)
- https://www.tandem.net/blog/irish-slang-words-phrases
- https://www.ahmadtea.com/faq/what-are-the-differences-between-english-breakfast-earl-grey-and-english-tea-no-1-blends/
- https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/adding-cream-sugar-cancel-health-benefits-tea-12038.html
- https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/the-british-cream-tea-is-the-afternoon-ritual-you-deserve
- https://www.thehealthyjournal.com/faq/what-american-accent-is-closest-to-british
- https://www.britishcouncilfoundation.id/en/english/articles/british-slang
- https://finestenglishtea.com/how-to-make-english-tea/
- https://theculturetrip.com/europe/ireland/articles/irish-slang-terms-you-need-to-know/
- https://www.tandem.net/blog/british-slang-words
- https://www.o-cha.net/english/teacha/culture/blacktea2.html
- https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/yankee/
- https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/food-and-drink/the-best-english-breakfast-teas-of-all-time/
- https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/9-british-slang-words-need-know/
- https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/side-effects-tea-empty-stomach-morning-8062122/
- https://simplelooseleaf.com/blog/loose-leaf-tea/strong-tasting-teas/
- https://www.food.com/recipe/the-perfect-cup-of-tea-british-style-230372
- https://www.vahdam.com/blogs/news/pinky-up-or-not-is-their-a-correct-way-to-hold-a-teacup
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_tea
- https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english-thesaurus/shut-up
- https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-diuretics
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_breakfast_tea
- https://uk.style.yahoo.com/how-the-queen-takes-her-tea-092449241.html
- https://quinteassential.co.uk/blogs/blogs/how-to-drink-earl-grey-tea-enjoy-your-perfect-cup
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/20/bloody-no-longer-commonly-used-british-curse-word/
- https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/consumer-trends/infographic-how-do-brits-take-their-tea-/542547.article
- https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/10/the-queen-advised-to-give-up-daily-drinking
- https://parade.com/1293790/marynliles/british-slang-words/
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g186216-s604/United-Kingdom:Important.Phrases.html
- https://teafloor.com/blog/english-breakfast-tea-benefits-for-your-health/
- https://www.farmersalmanac.com/irish-take-tea-20739
- https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/11/24/how-do-british-tea-drinking-habits-compare
- https://foodcrumbles.com/a-typical-british-high-tea-on-the-bitterness-of-tea/
- https://www.eurocentres.com/blog/15-ways-say-drunk-british-english
- https://www.dictionary.com/e/british-slang-words/
- https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/what-is-half-and-half-and-how-to-make-it-from-scratch/
- https://tecompanytea.com/blogs/tea-atelier/adding-milk-to-tea
- https://dragonflytea.com/blogs/our-blog/all-about-english-breakfast-tea
- https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/british-slang
- https://www.gymglish.com/en/gymglish/english-translation/innit
- https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/how-the-queen-takes-her-tea-092449241.html
- https://www.quora.com/Do-British-people-add-cream-and-sugar-to-their-tea
- https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/blogs/life-around-world/what-exactly-british-teatime
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/466560/tea-consumption-by-style-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
- https://teaswan.com/blogs/news/english-breakfast-tea-vs-earl-grey-tea
- https://www.teacupsfull.com/blogs/blog/the-royal-debate-to-add-milk-before-the-tea-or-after-we-pour-the-tea
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lush
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/tea-calories
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/1155/bws/english-breakfast-tea
- https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-english-breakfast-tea-7374.html
- https://www.tea-and-coffee.com/blog/english-breakfast-tea-all-you-need-to-know
- https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/national-tea-day-drinkers-milk-splash-definition-cup-average-5ml-poll-results-a8314676.html
- https://celsalangues.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/it-aint-right-innit-about-language-register-in-english/
- https://maduratea.com.au/blogs/tea-news/earl-grey-tea-the-timeless-tea-with-a-colourful-history
- https://www.hackberrytea.com/blogs/tea-education/irish-vs-english-what-will-you-have-for-breakfast
- https://www.bestproducts.com/lifestyle/g41229845/queen-elizabeth-favorite-products/
- https://www.latinoleadersmagazine.com/janfeb-2019/innit-story
- https://senchateabar.com/blogs/blog/english-breakfast-tea
- https://www.rd.com/article/why-brits-put-milk-in-tea/
- https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/yeet/
- https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/11-british-english-phrases
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1453_uptodate3/page8.shtml
- https://pumphreys-coffee.co.uk/blog/do-you-put-milk-in-earl-grey-tea/
- https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/innit
- https://www.christinascucina.com/how-to-make-proper-cup-of-tea-british/
- https://verdanttea.com/can-you-put-milk-in-tea
- https://www.goodlifetea.com/blogs/news/why-do-we-add-milk-or-cream-to-our-tea
- https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/62157/is-there-a-name-for-how-the-irish-use-so-so
- https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/innit
- https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/tea-blog/when-do-you-add-milk-to-tea
- https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/why-put-milk-in-tea/
- https://www.hackberrytea.com/blogs/tea-education/english-vs-irish-what-is-your-breakfast-tea-of-choice
- https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3106840/why-do-british-love-tea-so-much-thank-royal-family-how-tea
- https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/youre-having-giraffe-starter-guide-uk-slang
- https://www.31daily.com/queen-elizabeth-afternoon-tea-recipes/