TEA CURRICULUM
FOR
VICTORIAN TEA CLASS

The tea curriculum for a Victorian Tea Class can include several topics. It can include tea history, customs for a Victorian Afternoon Tea, tea gardens, teapots and equipment, tea etiquette, and anything else you want to add about tea.

TEA HISTORY

Discovery of tea—lost among folktales
Chinese Story Tellers
Emperor Shen Nung
• Father of agriculture & herbal medicine
• Lived 3,00 years before Christ
• Taught his people value of cultivation land
• Taught wisdom of boiling water for safe drinking
One day leaf from CAMELLIA bush was floating in his bowl of water
Sipping the concoction discovered drink far more refreshing & exhilarating than plain water

618-906 A.D.—Tea’s Golden Age
China was world’s largest empire
• Mecca for traders
• Tea was a flavorful commodity
Tea was pounded & shaped into molds called tea bricks (show sample)
Some of world’s first energy bars were a mixture of tea leaves and
• Salt
• Garlic
• Dried fish
168-1644 A.D.
Black, green, and oolong teas develop
Teapot become indispensable

1650’s
Tea was introduced to English by Dutch traders
Remained a drink for aristocrats until 1650’s
Coffeehouses were an established part of London life
Only places selling tea to drink
Loose tea was stocked by apothecaries for medicinal purposes
Thomas Garway, a general merchant
Was first to advertise tea for sale at his coffee house
His announcement in a September 23-30, 1658 weekly London newspaper proclaimed
“The excellent and by all physitans approved China drink, called by the Chineans Tcha, by other nations Tay, alias Tee.”

He published a lengthy pamphlet entitled:
“An Exact Description of the Growth, Quality, Virtues of the Leaf Tee”
It claimed that tea would cure almost any know ailment.

Considered a man’s drink until King Charles II’s consort introduced tea at court as the fashionable breakfast drink to replace ale 1678 The East India Company began to import tea commercially.
A luxury only aristocrats could afford
Mistakes were made in the preparation of tea
One gentleman had it served up as green; the water in which the leaves were boiled was thrown away.

Many British during the 17th and 18th centuries opposed the introduction of tea.
Following are comments by well-known people of that era.
- Henry Saville: “a filthy custom, causing men to lose their stature and comeliness and women their beauty through the use of tea.”
- John Wesley: it caused “some symptoms of a Paralytick disorder.”
- Dick Wormward: “That beauty and virtue of women will soon be destroyed by the use of tea.”
- William Cobbett: “Tea is an enfeebler of the frame, an engenderer of effeminacy and laziness, a debaucher of youth and a maker of misery for old age.”

Mid 17th Century Dutch brought tea to New York

Popularity in America declined due to an ill-conceived political maneuver
• British govt. levied a special tax on teas destined for colonies
• Colonies protested with a boycott
• As tea sales plummeted---British tried to force colonies to take surplus.
• Dec. 1773—Boston Tea Party
o Dunked tea in harbor
o Set stage for Am. Revolution
Tea is a universal beverage
• Staple in China
• Religious tradition in Japan
• Equivalent of a handshake in Morocco
• Britain’s eccentric way of telling time

Iced Tea
• 1904—St. Louis World’s Fair
• scorching summer
• Richard Blechynden discovered iced tea by accident
• Was attending fair to promote Indian black tea
• No one willing to try steaming brew
• Out of desperation poured hot tea over ice
• Quenching new beverage invented
It is called iced tea not ice tea

Victorian Afternoon Tea or English Afternoon Tea
No one is quite sure when afternoon tea was introduced into England
The ceremony became widespread by the 1840’s
Credit is given to Anna
• 7th Duchess of Bedford
• customary to eat a huge breakfast
• make do with a piddling lunch
• only sit down to a substantial dinner around eight or after
• the duchess used to get what she described as a “sinking feeling” by 5 in the afternoon
• to allay this discomfort she would order tea and cakes served
• this promptly started a fashion amongst her acquaintance
• a fashion that also satisfied a need
• snacking on sandwiches and pastries followed by tea quickly became a habit among the aristocracy
• soon developed into a ritual—usually the pleasantest ritual of the day
• remained essentially a female ritual

Two distinct teas evolved
High tea and low tea

Low tea or afternoon tea
• Served in aristocratic homes then
• Served on a low table like a coffee table or end table
• Gourmet tidbits rather than solid food
• Finger sandwiches
• Sweets
• Tea bread
• Scones
• And tea of course

High Tea
• Sometimes called “meat tea”
• Evening meal
• Meat
• Potatoes
• Actually a full meal
• And tea of course
• Served at a high table
Low tea served at a low table, such as a coffee table
High tea served at a regular dining table

Later the “tea garden” flourished
Idea was for ladies and gentlemen to take their tea together out of doors and surrounded by entertainments
Temptations were:
• A great ballroom with orchestra
• Hidden arbors
• Flowered walks
• Bowling greens
• Sometimes concerts
• Gambling
• Racing
• Fireworks at night
Gardens were extensive, lovely, and filled with good cheer
Everybody from the royal family down was there
Tea gardens were important places the men and women could meet and consort freely Traditional time for tea is 4:00 p.m.
However any time between 2 and 5 o’clock is appropriate

Equipment:
Unless it is a very formal tea, a silver tray and tea service are not necessary.
Need
• China tea set—teapot, creamer for milk, sugar bowl
• Pitcher of hot water (for those who prefer weak tea)
• Plate for lemon slices
Place the tea tray and china at one end of the table
Necessary number of cups and saucers and teaspoons are on the right
Plates, flatware and tea napkins are placed on the left
Platters of refreshments can include
• Tea sandwiches in fancy shapes
• Various kinds of nut breads
• Cakes
• Pastries
• Cookies
• And any other sweet
The hostess pours the tea and then asks a friend to take her place.
Each guest tells his or her preference
• Weak or strong tea
• Tea with milk, sugar, or lemon
• Or guest puts in own milk, sugar, or lemon
Pourer serves the tea
Guest helps himself to refreshments
If it is a small tea, guests sit down
Otherwise it is a standup affair

Lighted candles add to the atmosphere
Candle etiquette--curtains are drawn when candles are lighted

TEAPOTS
Wine jars were the earliest teapots which held boiling water
Then water was ppoured on the tea leaves in small bowls
Until the 1760’s most teapots made in Europe and America were of silver and intended for the rich who could afford tea
Josiah Wedgewood perfected a method for uniformly coloring the earthenware produced by his company.
Tea superstition: if 2 women pour from the same pot, one of them will have a baby with the year.

FLATWARE
Flatware is flat table utensils
• Knives
• Forks
• Spoons
• Plates
• Platters
• Etc.
All this flatware is not necessary at teas unless you are serving:
• Cake that is very soft and sticky or filled with cream—forks must be laid on the tea table
• knives or butter spreaders if jam or cream is to be eaten on scones or tea bread
• each dish has its own serving spoon if there are dishes with jam and cream where everyone takes a portion
• When seated at a table each place setting should include a knife or butter spreader and a fork. The knife and spoon are on the right side of the plate, with the fork on the left. However, the teaspoon may be placed on the saucer holding the cup.

TEACUPS
Teacups did no always have a handle like they do today. China tea bowls influenced the first European teacups. These dainty little bowls did not have handles or saucers.

Not until the mid-1750’s was a handle added to the cup to prevent ladies from burning their fingers. The saucer was once a small dish for sauce.
Later it moved to its present position under the cup, which is now regarded as incomplete without it.
In late Victorian and Edwardian days, tea drinkers poured their tea into their saucers to cool before sipping and it was perfectly acceptable. This is what writers of the period mean by “a dish of tea.” Today, one would appear to be without manners to drink tea in this way.

When a lady wanted to signal she had sipped enough tea, she would lay her spoon across the tope of her cup. Or, she would turn the cup upside down or tap the cup with her spoon. All this is considered poor manners today.

HOW TO HOLD CUPS AND SAUCERS

Place the saucer holding the cup in your left hand. Steady the saucer with your thumb resting on the rim. A left-handed person simply reverses the procedure.

To pickup the cup, put your index finger through the handle, using your thumb and next finger for support. It is an affectation to raise the little finger, even slightly.

The 11th century Crusaders and kinghtly court etiquette used the raising of the little finger. A knight or aristocrat used three fingers to eat and raised the little finger. A commoner used all five fingers to pick up food. The three fingers is still proper today when picking up food, but it is not proper to raise the little finger.

HANDLING THE CUP AND SAUCER AND FOOD PLATE

When invited to tea in a private residence:
• Guests will be served tea by the hostess or friend who is pouring
• Guests will serve themselves food from the tea table
If taking food on a small plate:
• Select finger food that does not require a knife and fork and that is not sticky and easy to eat with your fingers
• Carefully sit down in a chair or stand out of the way of the tea table
• When you want to eat, put your tea cup on a side table, holding your plate in one hand, use your fingers of the other hand to eat your food. When drinking your tea, lift the cup to your mouth, do not lean forward to drink the tea
• When ready for a sip of tea, leave food plate carefully balanced on your knees or if standing, place it on a side table
If table is not within your reach
• Keep the cup and saucer in your hand with the plate balanced on your knees.
• Remove one or two pieces of food from the plate to the side of the saucer and then eat the food from the saucer
• Or place the food on the saucer when you first go to the food table
You may return for more food
Used dishes are never returned to the tea table. Leave the dirty dishes on the side table or place on a tray that is for that purpose.

STIRRING A CUP OF TEA
Stirring tea is done gently and noiselessly.
Do not allow the teaspoon to touch the sides or rim of the cup.
Remove the spoon and place it on the saucer behind the cup, with the handle of the spoon pointing in the same direction as the handle of the cup

TEA SPILLS IN YOUR SAUCER
You can ask for a clean saucer in a nice restaurant or someone’s home,.
In a casual setting it is acceptable to fold a paper napkin and slip it under a cup to soak up the liquid.
Remove the soggy napkin to another dish if one is available.
When your saucer has a few droplets of tea, it is acceptable to brush the cup lightly against the saucer rim before lifting it to your lips.
Prevent tea spilling into the saucer by only filling the cup ¾ full.

NAPKINS
Napkin means little table cloth.
First napkins were the size of bath towels because one ate the multi-couse meal entirely with the fingers.
Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used them to cleanse the hands during the meal.
After such meals it was proper to provide a fresh napkin with each course to keep diners from offending each other, since it was believed they would get sick watching each other wipe their mouths on filthy napkins.

Today the napkin is properly picked up and unfolded on the lap not above the table level.
A large dinner napkin is folded in half with the fold facing the body.
A luncheon or tea napkin may be opened completely.
In nice restaurants, the server is trained to place the napkin on your lap.
Don’t wipe your mouth with the napkin, blot it.
Lipstick is never blotted on a cloth napkin; discreetly blot the lipstick onto a tissue before you begin to eat.
Don’t use the napkin as a handkerchief.
The napkin should remain on the lap during the tea.

Leaving the table temporarily:
• Place napkin on your chair, not on the table
• Push your chair back under the table if the setting is appropriate.

When the hostess is ready to signal the end of the tea, she makes certain all of the guests have finished and then picks up her napkin and lays it on the table.
At end of tea, soiled napkin is laid on the table never on the chair. Also, it is never refolded.

TEA ACCOUTERMENTS
Tea infuser are used to contain leaves and permit easy removal of used tea leaves
• Some teapots have infusion baskets also called filters
• When using wire-mesh infusers, called tea balls, only fill 1/4 full as tea expands 4 times its size.
• Avoid cute infusion devices made of metal. These leave a metallic taste in the tea. They also are not large enough to allow the tea leaves to open properly.
• Tea strainers are designed to be held above or to rest on top of the cup to catch leaves that escape from the teapot when the tea is poured. I still use one because of the ritual. It forces me to slow down and enjoy the entire process.
• A mote spoon or mote skimmer is usually made of silver with holes in the bowl. It is used to transfer tea leaves from the caddy to the teapot and also to skim off any stray leaves, or “motes,” that may have escaped into the cup. The sharp point on the end is used to unblock the teapot spout if it gets clogged with tea leaves.
• Caddy spoon are used to measure tea into the tea pot. They have short handles so they will fit in the tea caddy.

POURING TEA
(Refer to booklet on pouring tea)
• Tea is always served by the hostess or friend.
• Tea is always taken by the guest directly from the hands of the pourer.
• The pourer asks guests if they prefer strong or weak tea?
o Strong tea—pour the cup ¾ full, then ask milk, sugar, lemon?
o Weak tea—pour cup ½ full leaving space for the addition of hot water. Then ask milk, sugar, lemon?

SUGAR AND LEMON REQUESTS
Add sugar first, otherwise the citric acid of the lemon prevents it from dissolving.

SUGAR
Sugar cubes are preferable, not only for the ritual of using elegant sugar tongs, but for their neatness. Decorated cubes are available and add a fanciful touch to your tea.
Allow cube to rest briefly and then stir gently and noiselessly.

LEMON
• Agreeable with most black teas
• Offered thinly sliced (never in wedges)
• Placed on a dish near the milk and sugar
• A lemon fork (with splayed tines) is provided.
• When pouring another cup, remove the only lemon first and replace with a fresh slice.
• Never use milk and lemon together as the milk with curdle.

DO NOT
• Put lemon slice in cup before pouring tea. Tea is always poured first.
• Place a lemon slice on the edge of the saucer in anticipation of adding it to the cup later.
• Transfer the lemon slice from the cup of tea to the saucer as it will cause a puddle and you will drip tea in your lap.
• Use a spoon to press the lemon slice after you place it in the cup. Untouched, the oil from the peel and the juice from the fruit will provide the desired essence.
• Fill the cup with tea almost to the rim as it causes tea to spill.

FINESSING THE FOOD AT TEA
• Scones are simple biscuits, often made with currants
• Correct methods for eating scones
o Slice through the scone horizontally. Put a small amount of jam and cream on your plate as it is improper to put it directly on the scone. Take only the amount of topping needed to eat one scone and spread one small piece at a time.
o Slice through the scone. Lift off the top piece. Using the knife spread only the bottom half first with jam and then cream. Pick this half of the scone up with your hand.
o Slice through the scone on your plate, lift off the top piece, and break off a bite-size piece with your fingers. Use your knife to spread on jam, then cream.
o If you don’t want to use your fingers, slice through the scone, spread with jam and then cream, then use fork and knife to cut off bite size pieces.

CREAM
• Called clotted cream, Devon cream, Devonshire cream, or whipped cream. The first three names describe the same super-rich cream imported from Devon, England. If you serve whipped cream, it should be freshly whipped.

FINESSING A TEA BAG
• Remove a tea bag from wrapper and put it in the teapot. Then pour the water and allow to steep until it reaches the strength you like.
• Don’t pick up the tea bag by the tab on the string and jiggle it up and down to hasten the process.
• Do not remove the tea bag from the teapot.
• Ask your server to place the tea bag in the teapot before pouring in the hot water. You will get a better infusion.
• When a cup of hot water is served with the tea bag placed on the saucer. Put bag into water and ask for another saucer to put your tea bag on or you will have your cup sitting in a puddle of tea.

DISCUSS BREWING A POT OF TEA DISCUSS TEA CONCENTRATE GOING OUT TO TEA
• Cream tea—scones, jam, clotted cream, choice of tea
• Light tea—scones, sweets, choice of tea
• Full tea—full 4-course menu includes finger sandwiches, scones, sweets, and dessert, and choice of tea. The addition of finger sandwiches (savories) as a first course gives this tea the title of “full tea”.
• Royal tea—choice of tea and the 4-course menu, and a glass of champagne or sherry.

THE DON’TS OF TEA ETIQUETTE
• Don’t place items on the table. This includes purses and cell phones. Nothing on the table that is not part of the meal.
• Don’t overload the fork when eating the foods served at tea.
• Don’t chew with you mouth open
• Don’t smack your lips
• Don’t touch your face or head during teatime.
• Don’t tip up the cup too much when drinking tea, but keep it at a slight angle.
• Don’t extend a pinkie when holding a cup
• Don’t reach across the table or across another person to get something.
• Don’t try to remove food from your teeth in the presence of others
• Don’t push your plate away from you at the end of the tea.
• Don’t gesture with a knife, fork, or spoon in your hand. If you are not using the utensil, put it down.
• Don’t talk about your personal food likes and dislikes during tea.
• Don’t place your napkin on the table until you are ready to leave.

TEA TYPES
Green Tea
To create green tea
• Freshly picked leaves are first steamed to destroy enzymes necessary for fermentation
• Then, pliable leaves are rolled, forcing the cellular structure to break down and release their aromatic juices
• A gentle heating or firing follows to reduce water content
• Firing is repeated until leaves are dry
• Last step is grading
o Distinguishing the leaf’s shape & age
o Choicest grade is gunpowder
o Other grades
? Young Hyson—middle-aged leaves—rolled or twisted
? Imperial—older leaves made in gunpowder fashion
? Several lesser grades ending in dust

Black tea
• Instead of steaming, harvested leaves are placed on large, drying trays & allowed to wither until limp
• Depending on type of tea, withering takes place in sun or shade
• Then leaves are bruised and rolled either by hand or machine
o Which gives air & aromatic juices a chance to mix
o Since enzymes and bacteria are present, fermentation can begin in the humid, climate-controlled fermenting rooms
o Fermenting (or oxidation) process takes just a few hours
• Once green leaves turn a coppery red, the leaves are ready to be dried (fired) to stop further fermentation.
• Black tea is graded accd to size, not quality

Oolong Tea
• Halfway between green and black
• Withering and fermentation times are cut
• Evokes qualities of both black and green tea.
• Graded according to quality

OTHER TEAS
Scented teas
• Jasmine
• Chrysanthemum
• Magnolia
• Rose
Flavored teas
• Orange
• Apricot
• Peach
• Black Currant
• Vanilla
Spiced teas
Blending teas
Herbal teas
• Not made from Camellia-sinensis bush
• Any drink made by infusing parts of an herb or plant with boiling water
• In Europe called a tisane
• Different herbals have different effects on the body
o Peppermint settles stomach
o Chamomile relaxes
o Dandelion aid to digestion
o Ginseng long and healthy life
o Hyssop medicinal herb since ancient Biblical times when it was used to heal open wounds
o Echinacea canker sores
Chai
• Indian black tea
• Various spices including
o Cardamom
o Cinnamon
o Ginger
o Pepper
o Cloves
• Usually mixed with milk
• Served hot or cold

TEA AND HEALTH
• Study after study have concluded that both green tea and black tea contain components that appear to protect against various types of cancer
o Cancer of the digestive tract
o Breast cancer
o Lung cancer
o Skin cancer
• Tea may prevent heart disease by lowering the risk of stroke by keeping blood platelets from sticking together, in much the same way that aspirin does.
• Scientists have determined that two cups of tea contain roughly the same amount of polyphenols present in a serving of fruit or vegetables.
o These polyphenols have “antioxidant effect” meaning that they are capable of attacking “free radicals” which can cause degenerative damage to healthy cells and eventually result in disease.
• Tea has a high fluorine content, and drinking a cup after meals may protect against tooth decay. The Japanese have developed a tea toothpaste.
• A recent study at Kaiser Permanente Health Group in California indicates that women drinking as little as ½ cup of tea a day are twice as well-able to conceive children as women drinking no tea.
• Herbal teas do not protect in the way tea does because they are not from the Camellia sinensis bush

DISCUSS FOOD SERVED IN CLASS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Tea Instructor and Education

History of Tea

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