The secrets of TEA

Where does it come? How to prepare it? How did it arrive in the UK? Spend a little time to get enough information to learn its qualities and advantages, how to prepare a cup of tea in a proper way and... Relax yourself with a nice typical British cup of tea (with milk, of course)!

Tea existence of tea dates back to 5000 years and is considered to be one of the most preferred beverages all over the world even today. Whether it is consumed hot or cold, tea is considered to be the second most consumed beverage, after water.

Tea with its rich history is still regarded as a high quality and refreshing beverage, inspite of the fact that a lot of new, innovative hot and cold beverages have now flooded the department stores, groceries etc. The delicious taste, soothing aroma, health benefits and often calming effect may be the reason for people taking a liking for this beverage all over the world.

Researches have found out through their various studies, that consumption of tea varieties and tea extracts have given relief to many an ailing. This feature of tea has attracted many researchers, medical professionals, scientists and even health conscious people, who are all seeking wellness from natural products, to suggest and acknowledge that consumption of tea has a lot of health benefits.

With these high recommendations and potentiality for improvement of health, there is a huge demand for tea arising all over the world. . To cater to the rising demands, tea manufacturers all over the world have started producing tea in various varieties, forms, flavors and specialty tea products, to give the consumer greater choices of tea and its products. Due to the increase in production, tea lovers these days are getting to taste new and more alternatives of tea.

All the varieties of teas available originate from the same evergreen plant, the Camellia Sinensis. But around three thousand varieties of the bushes of these plants are grown in the mountain ranges all over the world. The different varieties in harvesting and processing procedures done on the dried tea leaves and buds, resulted in developing various varieties of tea. Many of the world’s best teas are grown in large plantations, also referred as tea estates or gardens. The Camellia sinensis plant, although has a high growth, is normally cut to under three feet in size for harvesting tea. Regular pruning of these plants results in thick growth and makes plucking of the tea leaves easier and more efficient. The major varieties of tea are the black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea.

Black tea commonly referred as red tea in China, Japan and India, is the most popular among the varieties of teas that is easily available al over the world. Black tea has deep red color and comes in wide range of flavors and tastes from flowery and fruity to spicy and nutty. The process of deriving black tea is a tedious one. After picking the leaves, they are exposed to air for about 10 to 24 hours, by spreading it out to let the water in it to evaporate. The leaves exposed to sunlight curls and begin to dry. After complete drying of the leaves, they are rolled into balls and then cooled. When this process is taking place, the leaves creates a chemical change wherein the juices of the leaves emerge and the leaves start to darken. After this oxidation process, the leaves are finally heated to stop the process of oxidation and seal the flavor and aroma in them.

Ir a: http://teaonesite.com/

Are you a beginner learning English? This is a simple explanation to make a cup of tea.

Flashcards and children

If you are dealing with children, you can begin in the simplest possible way. Why don't you use lovely colourful flashcards.Printable worksheets are also really valuable. Card games and bingo games may be fantastic!

They can be used as great posters on the walls; they can be used to be handed out; you can also play in the classroom if you make small copies of them.

Lots of websites offer lots of material, ideas, forums, etc. that the teacher can introduce step by step. Remember a high level of knowledge of vocabulary will be required to cope with the four skills successfully.

It's up to you the way you use them, but remember that children are usually really grateful when they enjoy the activities and sharing materials with other ESL Teachers will be better for us and for our pupils.

How good is your level of English? I friendly typical British gentleman will explain how to make a lovely cup of tea, but your level must be, at least, intermediate.

British Food and Drink are tasty, too!

What do you think when you are told about British cookery? Yes, I know. A huge fatty breakfast too early in the morning; a mere lettuce sandwich which makes you look so miserable; a not-very-desirable dinner too early in the evening; and tea, tea, tea.

But that's not all. As usual, preconceptions are not good. British cookery may be tasty, amazing, surprising, delicious and...rich and varied. The blog you are reading at the moment is designed to make you change your mind and discover historical receipts, lovely flavours, ingredients you'll love, famous cooks who will open their kitchens to show their secrets and so on.

I also intend that, after considering British cookery from a different point of view, the reader can reconsider other aspects of the British way of life, Britons personality, their behaviour, their politeness, their British humour. I'm sure there are also preconceptions in relation to these topics that may be changed if we analize them in detail as we intend to do now about British "fish & chips".

Along the pages, you'll get it, or I hope so, together with information about useful linkers to increase your knowledge of English culture through food and drink.

So, go ahead and good appetite!

Note: Some useful WEBSITES are www.jamieoliver.com, www.jamieskitchen.net, www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128&Itemid=55, www.learnenglish.de/culture/foodculture.htm, pages.eidosnet.co.uk/cookbook/history.html, www.history.uk.com/recipes/index.phpr a:

An expert and his perfect cup of brewed tea

We can learn how to make a cup of tea using basic vocabulary and instructions for our elementary or pre-intermediate students. The intermediate can use a more elaborated video, including more complex explanations and more specific vocabulary. The upper intermediate students dare to follow the instructions of an expert.



And what can you do if you are fond of cooking? First, of course, you should know the previous steps. Secondly, get precise information from an expert on tea leaves and brewing tea. If you follow his instructions, you'll feel as the Queen in Buckingham Palace when drinking it.

Boston Tea Party

What was the Boston Tea Party?
On Monday morning, the 29th of November, 1773, a handbill was posted all over Boston, containing the following words: "Friends! Brethren! Countrymen!--That worst of plagues, the detested tea, shipped for this port by the East India Company, is now arrived in the harbor.

But what was this for? Just for tea? Unbelievable! Or not?

Tea is not only a very well-known British habit. Tea is not only a usual drink in many parts of the world. Tea has unleashed important historical moments. Here is one of the most famous and, perhaps, the one whose consequences were of vital importance.



The Boston Tea Party was an act of direct action protest by the American colonists against the British Government in which they destroyed many crates of tea belonging to the British East India Company and dumped it into the Boston Harbor. The incident, which took place on December 16, 1773, was a major catalyst of the American Revolution and remains an iconic event of American history.

These are the mere facts explained in the simplest possible way but, as we can learn from other 'moments' in history, economy, power, politics and so on are also behind them.

As Europeans developed a taste for tea in the 17th century, rival companies were formed to import the product from the East Indies. When tea became popular in the British colonies in North America, Parliament sought to eliminate foreign competition by passing an act in 1721 that required colonists to import their tea only from Great Britain and the East India Company. Because Parliament heavily taxed this tea and charged the East India company tariffs, both Britons and British Americans found that it was much cheaper to buy smuggled tea, which usually came from Dutch sources—tea imported into Holland was not taxed by the Dutch government. The biggest market for smuggled tea was England, but illicit tea was also smuggled into the colonies to a lesser extent.

Tensions between Great Britain and the American colonies arose in the 1760s when Parliament sought, for the first time, to directly tax the colonies for the purpose of raising revenue. Colonists argued that, according to the British Constitution, British subjects could be taxed only by their own representatives; because the colonies were not represented in Parliament, they could not be taxed by that body. Colonists organized economic boycotts against the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767. By 1773, the British East India Company was in financial distress due in part to the colonial boycotts.

As we all can guess, the British Government decided to act and passed the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Company to sell tea to the colonies directly and without "payment of any customs or duties whatsoever" in Britain, instead paying the much lower American duty. This tax break allowed the East India Company to sell tea for half the old price and cheaper than the price of tea in England, enabling them to undercut the prices offered by the colonial merchants and smugglers granting them a virtual monopoly.[citation needed]

I can continue explaining the facts but it's impossible to describe all the problems, the background, the revolts and riots and the consequences of the Boston Tea Party in 1773. So, dear reader, if you are interested, consult the many linkers associated along the text or the websites at the bottom.

Ir a www.bostonteapartyship.com/, www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/teaparty.htm, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm, www.boston-tea-party.org/

P.S.: Isn't this a blog about 'Food and Drink in the Untied Kingdom? Why then a text about The Boston Tea Party? Remember that Boston was one of the main cities of the British colonies in what is, nowadays the United States of America. It was also the origin of a war that ended up not much later with the Independence of U.S.A. Then, The Boston Tea Party is an important part of British history.

British Food and Drink

Traditional Food

What is typical British food? ( Food)
What is ‘bangers and mash’ or ‘black pudding’?
What is ‘spotted Dick’?
What is a Ploughman's Lunch ?
Puddings / Desserts
What food do you eat for pudding?(desserts)
What cakes and biscuits do you eat?
Meals
When do you eat your meals ? (Meal Times)
What is the difference between supper, dinner and tea?
What are your meals called?
What would you eat for a typical English breakfast?
Afternoon Tea and High Tea
What do you eat and drink during Afternoon Tea ?
What does High Tea consist of?
What is the difference between a High Tea and an Afternoon Tea?
Drinks
What do you drink in the UK? (Tea)
What is the national drink of England?
Cheeses
What cheeses do you eat in the UK?
Pies
What pies do you eat in Britain and what are pies?
Eating Etiquette
What are the rules for Eating in the UK? (Manners)
National Foods
What are the traditional foods of Wales and Scotland?
What is the National Food of England ? (National Food)
What Take-Away (Take Out) food do you have?
What is Fish and Chips? (Fish and Chips)
Foods and Festivals
What special foods do you eat during your festivals?
Foods discovered in England
What food was "invented" or discovered in England?(History)

Ir a http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/food/
Ir a www.jamieoliver.com/recipes