The Culture of Cuisine

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The most famous meal in Britain could be the traditional breakfast. What makes it so popular with British people and visitors alike?

☺ sausage

☺ bacon

☺ mushroom

☺ tomato

☺ toast

☺ scone

☺ baked beans

☺ ……

Accounts of its origins vary. Drinking a blend of black teas for breakfast is indeed a longstanding British custom. The practice of referring to such a blend as "English breakfast tea" appears to have originated not in England but America, as far back as Colonial times.

English Breakfast tea is a black tea blend usually described as full-bodied, robust , and/or rich, and blended to go well with milk and sugar, in a style traditionally associated with a hearty English breakfast. It is the most common style of tea in Britain.

Many children at school and adults at work will have a 'packed lunch'. This typically consists of a sandwich, a packet of crisps, a piece of fruit and a drink. The 'packed lunch' is kept in a plastic container. The traditional lunch break is disappearing, with workers spending only 3.5 minutes a day eating their midday meal, according to new research. While people used to take their break with a leisurely meal or stroll , they now spend their time shopping, making personal calls or checking their online bank account.

正统英式维多利亚下午茶的生活文化内涵：Ö英国在维多利亚女皇时代（公元 1837 ～ 1901 ）是大英帝国最强盛的时代，文化艺术蓬勃发展；人们醉心于追求艺术文化的内涵及精致生活品味。维多莉亚下午茶是一门综合的艺术 ,简朴却不寒酸 ,华丽却不庸俗。

Ö You might be surprised to learn that British people love tea. In fact, afternoon tea is more than just a drink – sometimes it's a complete meal.

Ö著名作家 Henry James曾经说过：“ There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”

₪The custom of taking afternoon tea is believed to have been first introduced in England in 1840 by Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford. At that time lunch was taken early and dinner was not served in the evening until about 9 pm. The Duchess apparently became hungry in the afternoon and asked for some tea, bread and butter and cake to be brought to her room. This soon became a habit and the Duchess started to invite friends round to join her.

₪Very quickly it became fashionable to take tea in the middle of the afternoon and the occasion became more and more elaborate with the use of elegant tea ware, lace and embroidered table linen , bone china tea services, cake stands, tea canisters and blending bowls. During the 1880's upper-class and society women would change into long gowns, gloves and hats for their afternoon tea which was usually served in the drawing room between four and five o'clock.

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₪Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty sandwiches (including of course thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches), scones served with clotted cream and preserves. Cakes and pastries are also served.

₪Nowadays however, in the average suburban home, afternoon tea is likely to be just a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea, usually produced using a teabag. Sacrilege!

☻“If you are cold, tea will warm you, If you are too heated, it will cool you, If you are depressed, it will cheer you, If you are exhausted, it will calm you.” ——by William Gladstone （ liberal British statesman who served as prime minister four times (1809-1898)）

☻"Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea." ——by Henry Fielding

最后与大家一起分享一些名人对下午茶的看法：

There are so many traditional and special Chinese foods, according to the folk culture, district, religion, and festival. For the famous classes divided by district, there are style of Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, North-West, and so on…or by folk, there are kajia, Yunan, Fujian, etc. These all above mentioned styles are well-known in the worldwide.