QUOTE
If exquisite teacups are missing, then even the most delicious black tea cannot reveal its unique flavor.
Of course, it's not just the teacups, but also the teapots, dessert plates, sugar bowls, and even tea canisters— in the entirety of British society, black tea has already become synonymous with 'afternoon tea' and has driven a social trend. Much of the joy of drinking tea lies in the delicate and elegant feeling brought by the teaware.
The elegant fragrance and profound taste of black tea can only be accentuated with the right teaware to bring out that unique flavor. Regardless of what kind of vessel is used, if one just brews the tea carelessly and drinks it right away, it cannot be considered the proper way of tea drinking. The humanized way of drinking tea that originated in China—savoring the beauty of the tea itself with care—is also found in British tea culture.
The British spirit of tea drinking can appreciate the beauty of black tea itself. With this mentality of pursuing humanized aesthetics, black tea, for the British, has become more than just a beverage; it has become a mode of human culture.
Sturdy and Durable Tea Sets
For the British, tea is an integral part of daily life and not a product of a fictional world. This can be felt through their tea sets. British tea sets are not only exquisite and beautiful but also very sturdy and durable, not easily broken.
A customer once shopped for tea sets in a famous ceramics shop located on a bustling street in Oxford. He accidentally dropped a tea set on the ground, causing a loud noise, and thought to himself that he was in big trouble.
At this moment, a middle-aged saleswoman walked over with a smile on her face and said to him, 'Sir, please don't worry!' The customer quickly looked down and saw that the tea set lying at his feet was completely intact!
'I am really sorry.'
'Not at all! Please don't worry.' The saleswoman said confidently as she picked up the tea set from the ground and put it back on the shelf.
Absolute Coordination of Beauty
For the British, practicality alone is not enough for daily necessities; they also seek artistic value and aesthetic elegance. The beauty of British tea sets is not just about being glamorous and pretty but also having an excellent sense of coordination.
The exteriors of British tea sets are decorated with various patterns of British plants and flowers, reflecting the British love for gardening on the tea ware. Even if you take a walk in any park in other European countries, it is hard to find parks as colorful and diverse in flowers and plants as those in the UK.
The distinctive feature of British tea sets lies in their authentic and natural beauty, free from any artificiality, exuding an air of noble elegance. Therefore, this beauty is not just superficial; it fills you with joy, a joy that never fades over time.
These beautiful tea sets, besides having an indescribable tranquility, also possess a strong sense of realism. This feeling is hard to easily obtain in daily life. When you pour fragrant tea into a wonderful British porcelain tea set, the teacup looks like a Greek statue, with a serene and natural beauty.
Teacups
Among tea sets, the most representative item is the teacup.
The Evolution of Teacups
The term "black tea teacup" today refers to a cup with a handle. However, early European-made teacups and saucers had no handles.
The teacup shapes of that time imitated Japanese and Chinese styles, but to make it easier to drink hot tea, handles were eventually added to the cups.
The European-made teacups of that time not only imitated Eastern styles in shape but were also of uniform size. Today, small coffee cups can still be found, but small black tea teacups are rare. The shapes of teacups are also rarely elongated; most are wide-mouthed to better diffuse the elegant aroma of black tea.
High-Quality Teacups
British-made black tea teacups are of excellent quality, with both the cups and saucers often adorned with a layer of gold trim. This is a unique British custom not seen in other European countries.
This gold trim gives a sense of luxury, appearing elegant without being gaudy. Although some aesthetic views consider silver to look more advanced than gold, the British have never used silver trim in tea set designs.
British black tea teacups, sometimes made of pure porcelain, have a substantial weight and feel quite heavy when held. Cheaper products are lighter but more fragile, making them less economical. Overall, the ideal teacup should be round, wide, and have a certain weight in hand to be considered a high-quality item.
Teacups used during morning tea time are usually large. These large teacups are also called mugs. Small teacups, which feel like they only allow for small sips, are generally not suitable for morning tea.
If you often visit large department stores, you will find British porcelain displayed everywhere. The most famous brands include Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Worcester, Royal Crown Derby, Denby, and Spode. Each of these brands has unique patterns and styles, offering a wide variety of options for you to choose the most beautiful products according to your preferences.
If you decide to buy an expensive tea set, it can be regarded as a family heirloom to be enjoyed by generations. The patterns on British porcelain do not change even after decades. Additionally, if any piece of the set is accidentally damaged, you can purchase it individually, making it very economical and practical.
Porcelain is generally considered a high-end product, but in daily life, there are also beautiful and durable non-porcelain teacups. These teacups are made of pottery. In the UK, middle and lower-grade teacups are mostly pottery products. Although not as delicate as porcelain, pottery is sturdy, durable, and practical, offering a sense of substantiality.
Teapot
A teapot is a common item used in our daily lives, and it doesn't matter if the material is not of the highest quality. Today, even some middle-class families rarely use silver teapots in the morning.
Common Household Teapots
The teapot typically used in an average British household is a brown teapot. This kind of teapot belongs to the category of pottery, so it feels a bit heavy and is sturdy and durable, making it hard for boiling hot tea to cool down quickly. Having such a pot of tea in the morning during winter certainly feels wonderful.
Another advantage of this teapot is that even if it gets tea stains, they are not very noticeable. Since it is a utensil that must be used every day, its appearance must be stain-resistant. Furthermore, compared to green tea, black tea is more likely to leave stains on the teapot. Therefore, even after prolonged use, this type of teapot does not become annoying and is quite convenient. Especially when the fragrant black tea is poured into the teacup, it feels really good.
Economical Teapots
The most economical teapot is probably the stainless steel type. If you ever stay at a mid-range hotel in London, you will see this kind of stainless steel teapot. It is the first utensil to be brought out on the breakfast table.
This kind of teapot is less likely to get tea stains compared to pottery teapots, and its durable material makes it difficult to damage even with rough handling. It is one of the most convenient items for daily use.
Glass Teapots
Glass teapots have a modern and contemporary feel. Usually, if tea bags cannot be placed directly in the cup, you can try putting them into a glass teapot. This not only has an elegant air but also brings out the full flavor of the black tea. Hario, a teaware manufacturer, continues to produce glass teapots with a modern feel. Although this kind of teapot does not require the use of a tea strainer and is very convenient, those who love traditional black tea still do not use it.
Silver Teapots
Traditionalists still prefer to use ceramic or silver teapots. Silver teapots from London's "Paine & Wigfall" are the most famous. They are shaped beautifully and elegantly after years of polishing. Although their price is twice that of ordinary ceramics, they are still worth collecting. Whether made in the 18th or 19th century, regardless of the purity of the silver content or if it is made entirely of pure silver, the price of these silver teapots is astonishingly high.
A silver teapot from London's "Paine & Wigfall," along with a sugar bowl and creamer, forms a set of silver tea ware.
Filter Spoon
The so-called filter spoon is a tea leaf strainer. Anyone interested in tea drinking knows this tool. In most cases, people don't like tea leaves remaining in their cup, so a filter spoon is used.
Although teapots usually have small holes to filter tea leaves, the mesh holes in British teapots are too large, so a filter spoon is needed when brewing tea.
The commonly used filter spoons are those with metal mesh, specifically for filtering Japanese tea, and can be found everywhere. However, this very common filter is seldom used in elegant high-class tea parties. Imagine taking out luxurious high-grade porcelain tea sets to elegantly entertain guests, and then suddenly using a Japanese filter—it's quite discordant. Therefore, high-grade filter spoons are needed in such situations.
High-quality filter spoons do not have metal mesh but instead have countless small holes punched directly into the surface of the filter. The highest-grade filter spoons are made of pure silver, followed by silver-plated brass. Silver-plated items are not as expensive. Stainless steel filters are commonly seen on the market.
Of course, if a metal mesh filter spoon comes with a rotatable base, it can be used in banquet settings.
Wide-Mouth Creamer
This type of bottle is specifically for holding cream (or milk). Only British-style black tea fully utilizes cream, so the creamers used by the British are large. This utensil is also an indispensable part of a tea set.
Although some people like to add lemon slices to black tea instead of cream, the creamer remains at hand. When the British drink black tea, it's customary to have a creamer on the table. In the UK, you can often see many surprisingly large wide-mouth creamers filled with rich milk.
At breakfast, having a creamer is very convenient. Besides using milk for black tea, it can also be mixed with cereal, serving multiple purposes and making breakfast seem more abundant.
| Tips | Source |
|---|---|
| The design of British tea sets has evolved over centuries, reflecting various historical and cultural influences, from the ornate Georgian styles to the more minimalist modern designs. | GOV.UK |
| The typical British tea set includes a teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and cups and saucers. | DEFRA |
| Fine bone china is a popular material for high-quality British tea sets, valued for its durability and translucent quality. | British Museum |
| The tradition of afternoon tea in Britain dates back to the early 19th century, popularized by Anna, the Duchess of Bedford. | Historic UK |
| Wedgwood, founded in 1759, is one of the most famous British manufacturers of tea sets, known for its high-quality ceramics. | Wedgwood |
| British tea sets often feature floral patterns, inspired by the English countryside and gardens. | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| During the Victorian era, the ritual of tea drinking became a symbol of refinement and social status. | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| The Industrial Revolution enabled the mass production of tea sets, making them more accessible to the middle class. | History Extra |
| Royal Doulton, another prominent British ceramics company, began producing high-quality tea sets in the 19th century. | Royal Doulton |
| British tea sets are often decorated with intricate patterns and gold accents, which became particularly popular during the Art Deco period. | British Museum |
Sugar Bowl
The modern way of drinking tea involves adding a spoonful of powdered sugar to black tea. This is popular in both London and Tokyo, especially among young people.
The size of the sugar bowl is actually similar to that of a wide-mouthed creamer bottle. However, the sugar bowl usually comes with a lid. Whether or not you have the habit of adding sugar to your tea, this accessory is indispensable on the table. Even if it is purely a decorative item, it has become an essential part of the tea set.
Tea Bell
This is a device used to announce tea time. A tea bell can also be used to notify meal times, but in this case, it is called a "dinner bell" or "table bell." The use of a bell often appears in novel scenes.
Especially in luxurious countryside residences, notifying family members of tea or meal times can be quite troublesome, so using a bell is more convenient. These bells come in metal and ceramic versions. Metal bells have a high-pitched sound, while ceramic bells produce a crisp, softer sound. Ceramic bells often feature beautiful floral and plant patterns on the surface, making them delightful to behold.
Today, the decorative value of tea bells surpasses their practical use. If you have a ceramic bell with a white base and patterned design, it adds a better decorative effect to the tea table.
Tea Towel
The original purpose of a tea towel is to wipe tea cups. Tea towels featuring patterns of British plants and birds have considerable aesthetic value.
In England, tea towels with local plant, animal, or beautiful building designs can be found everywhere. Made from lightweight and soft material, they are quite beautiful souvenirs. When given as gifts, they are both generous for the giver and practical for the receiver. Besides being used as souvenirs, some people hang them on the wall as decorations, which is another creative use. The material of tea towels is linen, specifically Irish linen, which is durable and practical.
Tablecloths, indispensable on dining tables, are also made from linen. Laying a patterned tablecloth on the table during tea parties is very elegant. Choose tablecloths that coordinate with the design and pattern of the tea set to achieve the best effect.
Thermal Insulation Cotton Cover
The function of a thermal insulation cotton cover is to keep the teapot warm, making it an essential item for drinking tea in winter. Hot tea is best enjoyed when hot, so a thermal insulation cotton cover is a must-have. In the past, housewives would cut suitable fabrics themselves and design the covers according to their preferred styles. Placing this kind of cover over the teapot results in a cloth doll shape, which is very amusing.
Thermal insulation cotton covers are sold in some department stores and tea specialty shops, and they are very inexpensive.
Tea Canister
A tea canister can also be called a tea tin. When you buy 300~500 grams of black tea leaves, you always want to use a tea canister for storage. Tea canisters are usually made of metal or ceramic.
Tea canisters are not easy to find on the market. They are only available when British tea companies launch special black tea products, packaged in some uniquely shaped, interesting cans or small teapots. Do not discard these small canisters at will; they can be kept to store other tea leaves.
A tea canister should have good airtightness. If the lid is prone to loosen, the best way is to wrap a layer of plastic bag around the canister to prevent moisture.
Black tea sold in British supermarkets or convenience stores is usually packaged in paper boxes. Few people buy canned black tea.
Boxed black tea in Britain is mostly imported from Sri Lanka or India, not local products, making it relatively inexpensive.
Tea Infuser Ball
A tea infuser ball is a porous metal ball in which tea leaves are placed and steeped in hot water to brew fragrant hot tea.
The term "tea infuser ball" cannot be found in the Oxford dictionary, so some people think this device might have been invented by Americans.
In British stores, tea infuser balls are sold with labels marked as "Teaball," but "Teaball" and "Teaborer" refer to the same device. When pouring black tea from a teapot into a cup, a tea strainer must usually be used. However, some people find using this tea strainer troublesome, which is why the tea infuser ball was invented.
This tea infuser ball is convenient, but dealing with the black tea leaves stuffed inside the infuser ball can also be a hassle.
Kettle
This cup-shaped kettle is used for holding hot water, making it quite convenient during afternoon tea or tea parties. In the UK, the traditional tea brewing process always has a kettle nearby, playing a crucial role.
When the tea in the teapot becomes too strong, some hot water must be added to achieve the appropriate strength. Therefore, placing the kettle beside the teapot is a basic rule of tea brewing.
Tray
There are many types of trays, including those made of silver, wood, and plastic, with wooden ones being the most practical.
This type of tray is rectangular in shape, with handles on both ends, making it very convenient to use and widely available. Even wooden trays look very elegant when a layer of white lace is laid on top. The idea of laying lace comes from British households, and over time it has become a basic etiquette of tea brewing.
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