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
Not only was adding milk seen as a means of cooling the tea down and improving on the bitterness of the beverage, it also prevented the boiling water from cracking the porcelain mugs.
It's an age old argument and one which has never seem to let up, despite it coming down to preference. The origins of putting the milk in first some authorities believe may be down to the fact that china was thought to crack and break if hot tea was poured into it.
When you put milk into infusing tea you lower the temperature of the water so a proper infusion can't take place. To get the best of your brew in a mug, always make the tea first to your taste and strength and the milk after.”
The answer is: In a formal setting, milk is poured after the tea. You may have heard or read that milk precedes the tea into the cup but this is not the case. You do not put milk in before tea because then you cannot judge the strength of the tea by its color and aroma.
Steep for three-to-five minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Only add milk to black tea. Green or herbal teas should skip it. Scientistssay you should add milk before your hot water, but you'll find a ton of Brits who disagree with this.
Adding milk was reportedly popularized by Madame de la Sablière, an important figure in French society who in 1680 served tea with milk at her famous Paris salon. She supposedly added the milk because she wanted to save her delicate porcelain cups from cracking.
Researchers found the “addition of milk to black tea completely prevents the biological activity of tea in terms of improvement of endothelial function.” So, that could explain it. It appears the milk protein casein is the culprit, though soy protein was recently found to have the same nutrient binding effect.
Judging from the brewing method and the characteristics of the tea leaves, we should not waste the first brew. In particular, top tea like high-end single-bud green tea and black tea can only be brewed two or three times. For Oolong tea, Dark tea, and Pu'er tea, we recommend drinking them AFTER washing the tea.
Britons are the biggest fans of milk in their tea, while Germans have the sweetest tooth. When it comes to how drinkers of English breakfast and Earl Grey take their tea, Brits favour a milkier brew than their European counterparts.
"Most Britons drink tea with a little milk, but never with cream or the high-fat milk that Americans put in their coffee. Low-fat milk is a much better choice. But by all means drink it black if you prefer.
Earl Grey tea pairings
Americans typically drink their Earl Grey with milk and sugar, but Chatterton prefers it the British way — with lemon and sugar. "Milk has a tendency to do strange things to black tea," he says. "It dulls the flavor a bit. It's not as crisp and sharp.
In both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, tea-drinking blends and preferences vary. 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.
The East India Company increased the amount of tea it was importing, and as the price decreased, the beverage quickly trickled down to the masses. It took time, but eventually the herbal drink was democratized for all Brits.
EXPERT COMMENT LAST UPDATED : 21 APRIL. Milk in tea has become a tradition in the United Kingdom - but if it's real health benefits you want, then drink it black, says a leading food and nutrition scientist.
Black tea without milk or sugar contains no calories. Black tea also contains tannin and the caffeine.
Tea latte –Tea (can be any type of tea) with steamed or frothed milk added. It can be sweetened or unsweetened. Boba Tea – Or bubble tea, a milk tea from Taiwan with added tapioca pearls popular around the world.
Hong Kong–style milk tea, black tea sweetened with evaporated milk originating from the days of British colonial rule in Hong Kong. Doodh pati chai, literally 'milk and tea leaves', a tea beverage drunk in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Teh tarik, a kind of milk tea popular in Malaysia and Singapore.
Mongolians drank tea with milk. Chinese did not. The simple fact is that China was never traditionally a country where cows grazed in vast numbers. Milk was available in England in the countryside and it was common to drink Chinese black tea with milk even before Indian tea arrived in the 1840s.
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. This is why, even today, many English people add milk to their cups BEFORE adding the tea!
The Brits started adding milk to their tea somewhere around the 18th century. The ordinary cups of commoners couldn't bear the heat of piping hot tea. Tea, we all know, originated in ancient China, almost as early as 2700 B.C. Back then, it used to be a medicinal beverage.
Tea as a meal is associated with the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries. Some people in Britain and Australia refer to their main evening meal as "tea" rather than "dinner" or "supper", but generally, with the exception of Scotland and Northern England, "tea" refers to a light meal or a snack.
In the evening the British are going to dinner with their family. During the big meal they discuss the events of the day, politics and sports. At that time of the day especially popular are soft, soothing teas flavoured with bergamot. The most famous «evening» tea is «Earl Grey».
Turns out, it's all to do with taxes. Tea was first brought to Britain in the early 17th century by the East India Company and was presented to King Charles II. His Portuguese wife, Princess Catherine of Braganza, set the trend in drinking tea, which then caught on among the aristocrats of the time.