English Breakfast tea
Encyclopedia
English Breakfast tea is a traditional blend of select tea
s originating from Assam
, Ceylon and Kenya
. It is one of the most popular blended teas. It was initially known simply as Breakfast Tea, and was popularised by Queen Victoria.
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
.
The black teas included in the blend vary, with Assam
, Ceylon and Kenyan teas predominating, and Keemun
sometimes included in more expensive blends. Common brands of English breakfast tea include Typhoo
, Twinings
, Dilmah
and many own brands.
The name "English
breakfast" can be misleading to British nationals staying in North America, since many of the most popular brands of English tea bags (including Tetley
, PG Tips
and Yorkshire Tea
) do not contain fermented teas (like Pouchong
) and are more often a mixture of Indian or African leaves (often tips) that might be labelled as "Orange Pekoe" in North America.
. Davies, an English immigrant
, started with a base of Congou and added a bit of Pekoe and Pouchong
. It sold for 50 cents a pound, and its success led to imitators, helping to popularize the name.
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
s originating from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Ceylon and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is one of the most popular blended teas. It was initially known simply as Breakfast Tea, and was popularised by Queen Victoria.
English breakfast tea is a black tea
Black tea
Black tea is a variety of tea that is more oxidized than the oolong, green, and white varieties.All four varieties are made from leaves of the shrub Camellia sinensis. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than the less oxidized teas. Two principal varieties of the...
blend usually described as full-bodied, robust, and/or rich, and blended to go well with milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
and sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, in a style traditionally associated with a hearty English breakfast
Full breakfast
A full breakfast is a meal that consists of several courses, traditionally a starter , a main course, tea with milk, toast and marmalade or other preserves. Many variations are possible....
.
The black teas included in the blend vary, with Assam
Assam tea
Assam is a black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, in India. Assam tea is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica . This tea, most of which is grown at or near sea level, is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong, bright color...
, Ceylon and Kenyan teas predominating, and Keemun
Keemun tea
Keemun is a black Chinese tea with a winey and fruity taste, designated as a China Famous Tea.-History:Keemun is produced in the Qimen County of Huangshan City, in Anhui province. Keemun has a relatively short history...
sometimes included in more expensive blends. Common brands of English breakfast tea include Typhoo
Typhoo
Typhoo is a brand of tea in the United Kingdom. It was launched in 1903 by John Sumner Jr. of Birmingham, England.-History:In 1863, William Sumner published, A Popular Treatise on Tea as a by-product of the first trade missions to China from London....
, Twinings
Twinings
Twinings is a marketer of tea based in Andover, Hampshire, England.- History :The founder of Twinings, Thomas Twining, opened the first known tea room, at 216 Strand, London, in 1706, which is still operating today. The firm's logo, created in 1787, is one of the world's oldest in continuous use...
, Dilmah
Dilmah
Dilmah is a brand of Ceylon tea. The company was founded in 1974 by Merrill J. Fernando. It is available in over 92 countries including United Kingdom, Lithuania, Hungary, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Japan and New Zealand...
and many own brands.
The name "English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
breakfast" can be misleading to British nationals staying in North America, since many of the most popular brands of English tea bags (including Tetley
Tetley
Tetley, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Global Beverages , is the world's second largest manufacturer and distributor of tea. Owned by India's Tata Group, Tetley's manufacturing and distribution business is spread across 40 countries and sells over 60 branded tea bags...
, PG Tips
PG Tips
PG Tips is a brand of tea in the United Kingdom, manufactured by Unilever UK. It is claimed that Britons drink 35 million cups of the tea every day.-Brand name:...
and Yorkshire Tea
Yorkshire Tea
Yorkshire Tea is a black tea blend produced by Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, one of the few remaining family tea and coffee merchants in the United Kingdom.The company was founded in 1886 by Yorkshire tea merchant Charles Taylor...
) do not contain fermented teas (like Pouchong
Pouchong
Pouchong or light oolong, it is a lightly fermented tea , twist shape, with floral notes, and usually not roasted, somewhere between green tea and what is usually considered Oolong tea , though often classified with the latter due to its lack of the sharper green tea flavours...
) and are more often a mixture of Indian or African leaves (often tips) that might be labelled as "Orange Pekoe" in North America.
Origins
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. An additional account (referencing a period-era "Journal of Commerce" article) dates the blend to 1843 and a tea merchant named Richard Davies in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Davies, an English immigrant
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
, started with a base of Congou and added a bit of Pekoe and Pouchong
Pouchong
Pouchong or light oolong, it is a lightly fermented tea , twist shape, with floral notes, and usually not roasted, somewhere between green tea and what is usually considered Oolong tea , though often classified with the latter due to its lack of the sharper green tea flavours...
. It sold for 50 cents a pound, and its success led to imitators, helping to popularize the name.