What do you know about afternoon tea?

Some time ago, an American lady posted a video on Tik Tok to teach you how to make English tea, but it was despised by the British, which alarmed the embassies of the two countries and almost triggered a diplomatic storm.

Let's first take a look at how this young lady operates.

From the video, we can clearly feel American minimalism.

How to save trouble? Take the cup directly and connect it with cold water at the faucet, then heat it in the microwave oven, add milk, pick up the sugar jar and add sugar directly in a "dumping" way, and it is finished.

What a waste of time!

Such an uncontrolled operation makes people feel uncomfortable at every step.

No wonder some British netizens said after reading it:

I am sad to see her drinking a cup of tea like this.

This has nothing to do with "English tea". This is junk tea.

Later, this incident even alarmed the British ambassador to the United States and convened the armed forces. Of course, gathering soldiers is not a war, but to show Americans how to make an authentic cup of English tea.

Several key points are clearly marked in the video:

No microwave! Boil water, make tea and add milk!

Seeing this, the American ambassador to Britain couldn't sit still. He said that coffee is a weakness of the British. Come on, I'll teach you how to make coffee. The operation was as fierce as a tiger, but I made a mistake in my busy schedule and made a cup of instant coffee.

I think of Mrs. Wang in the wife circle of "Standing at Thirty with Nothing", who lives on the top floor of a high-end villa and thinks she is noble. She invited a group of rich girls to have afternoon tea in her home and put the oil painting "Water Lily" bought by Monet at a high price in the living room to support herself. But Gu Jia laughed at her ignorance of high tea and low tea, and insisted on being arty.

It's ridiculous and pathetic.

The traditional afternoon tea culture can be traced back to1England in the early 9th century. That's when British people usually only eat two meals a day. The traditional dinner doesn't start until 8:30-9:00, so I'm often hungry at night.

According to legend, Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, was often bored in long afternoons, so she ordered her servants to prepare some toast, cream and refreshments to pass the time, which was also a meal, and sometimes invited relatives and friends to have tea and chat.

This practice later became a common practice in aristocratic circles, and gradually formed an elegant and comfortable "English afternoon tea culture".

Authentic English afternoon tea is usually from 4 pm to 6 pm, and the tea set is more exquisite. This must be a beautiful bone China teacup. Teapots must be made of silver instead of porcelain.

The upper class is hungry in the afternoon, and the working people of the lower class are even hungrier after a day's work. So they also add meals to themselves before meals, so there is the so-called high tea and low tea.

In addition to the difference in table height, it is more important that high tea is aimed at ordinary farmers and servants. They have to eat bread, meat, cheese, pies, etc. At the end of the day's work, they have to use a big table.

Afternoon tea is enjoyed leisurely by upper-class people on the sofa and coffee table in their living room. It is often accompanied by unlimited sandwiches, scones and other exquisite cakes and fruits. It is more of a social need.

Scones are different from ordinary bread. Its flour is more delicate, so it tastes better. There is an English proverb that afternoon tea without scones is like dinner without knives and forks. This shows the status of scones in English afternoon tea.

Moreover, tea should be eaten from salty to sweet, and if it is taken in the wrong order, it will also make a joke. For example, after dinner, someone brought a bowl of mouthwash with a few rose petals floating on it. You feel fresh, neck-like, and swallow a glass of water. Only to find that everyone sitting here is looking at you with an embarrassed smile.

Of course, the refreshments in English afternoon tea are all cut into delicate pieces, which is convenient for guests to eat directly with their hands without moving their knives and forks. Therefore, there will be a bowl of clean hand water after eating.

We all know that British nobles attach great importance to identity. Therefore, when attending these afternoon teas, men and women will specially wear dresses, even white gloves and hats. Only in this way can we respect our master.

English afternoon tea is usually black tea with milk and sugar.

For example, in The Three of Us, Mr. Jiang Yang mentioned that during their study in Oxford University, teachers and classmates often invited each other to their apartments for tea.

The most common communication between classmates is to have afternoon tea. Teachers always invite afternoon tea at their home, and students invite them in the dormitory of the college. They taught me and Zhong Shu how to make tea. Heat the teapot first, and each person uses a teaspoon of tea: one teaspoon for you, one teaspoon for me, one teaspoon for him and one teaspoon for the teapot. Four people use five spoonfuls of tea, and three people use four spoonfuls. Boiling water can be added repeatedly, and tea is always strong enough.

Later, the two moved to a new home, and Mr. Qian Zhongshu made breakfast and brought it to her bed with a small low table.

Although it is just an ordinary breakfast, we can see how much influence the living habits of the British have had on them.

As for the tea used in English tea, Mr. Jiang Yang also talked about it.

A few packs of tea can remind you of the happiest time of the year, which shows the profound influence of English tea on Qian Zhongshu and Mr. Jiang Yang.

Not just how to make a pot of delicious afternoon tea. Sitting at the sofa and the low table, a group of young talents are unrestrained. They reprimand Fang Qiu, and some cultural genes will unconsciously penetrate into the bones of tea drinkers.

In fact, we don't have to think that the moon in foreign countries is rounder than that in China. If we read carefully, in A Dream of Red Mansions, we describe the daily life of everyone in Houmen during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. We can often see a couch, a chair and several people getting together for tea and chatting.

For example, on the forty-first occasion, Shi Taijun entertained the Grand View Garden twice, and Jin Yuanyang announced it three times. As granny Liu entered the Grand View Garden, the old lady was happy to take granny Liu and others to visit the Grand View Garden.

Of course, what we drink here is wine, not tea. China people really eat tea. There are six or seven kinds of teas mentioned in A Dream of Red Mansions, including Pu 'er tea, Longjing tea, Lu 'an tea, Laojunmei tea and Daughter tea ...? For example, Shi Taijun does not drink Lu 'an tea, but only drinks Laojunmei because it tastes bitter.

What is tea before Ming Dynasty, tea after Ming Dynasty, tea for relieving tiredness, tea for removing dampness and cold, tea for nourishing stomach and tea for removing fire ... China people have a clear distinction, and they have a clear emphasis on the climate of the place of origin, the season of picking, the process of making tea, the time of making tea, and even which kind of tea is suitable for covering bowls and which kind of tea is suitable for using teacups. Tea, tea poetry, tea Zen and tea ceremony have already formed our own unique tea culture, which has far-reaching influence.

Of course, coffee or tea is best.

Just drink tea, read books and live an elegant life.