It was then the Scottish tea master, Drysdale came up with the novel idea of marketing his blend as ‘breakfast tea’ and thus differentiating his products from the rest that were already very popular as afternoon teas. At a time when the English was crazy for anything Chinese and tea been considered the most original forms of Chinese habits, his teas quickly became popular as a breakfast beverage as opposed to other varieties and blends or beer.
Since coffee was never associated as a beverage to be enjoyed at a particular time, explains Mr. Perera, we do not have a distinct coffee variety known as ‘breakfast coffee’. Expanding further on ‘breakfast teas’ Mr. Perera says that what the tea master Drysdale once introduced as ‘breakfast tea’ today has evolved into many other categories.
Today, breakfast teas stems from a main category of ‘morning
tea’ and are marketed as ‘English Breakfast Teas’,
‘Irish Breakfast Teas’, ‘Scottish Breakfast
Teas’ and ‘Continental Breakfast Teas’.
However, says Mr. Perera, a breakfast tea is basically a black
tea blend that has a full-bodied, smooth and robust flavor.
The aroma and the flavor of the tea are to be an eye-opener
in the morning and give that ‘kick-start’ for
the day and of course help enjoy a heavy, oily breakfast of
bacon and eggs.
Mr. Perera explains that the traditional
blend of the English breakfast teas, which actually originated
from the Scotts, is a mixture of small-leafed Ceylon BOP and
smaller amounts of Assam BOP or Darjeeling BOP. However, increasingly
this is been compromised with cheaper varieties from African
countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.
This tea says Mr. Perera needs to be strong as well as flavor-y
as the English and for that matter the entire English colony
takes their morning tea with a good dash of milk and sugar.
However, Mr. Perera points out that for a typical toast and
marmalade breakfast, the best English breakfast tea would
be tea from China Keemun.
Speaking on the Irish breakfast teas Mr. Perera says is a much stronger version with a larger proportion of Assam teas from India. Assam teas, Mr. Perera elaborates, are grown at sea-level and have a malty, bold flavor. The dark and potent character of the Irish breakfast teas is often compared to the Irish stout beer. The Irish too prefer their morning tea with milk, though some like it just plain or with a squeeze of lemon.
The Scottish breakfast teas are as robust as the other two breakfast teas, but have a hint of oak.
Mr. Perera wraps up on breakfast teas with a step-by-step approach on the best way to brew the breakfast tea. According to Mr. Perera, a good cup depends on the time, temperature and volume. The teakettle must be filled with fresh, cold water and brought to boil to a temperature of 2120F. Then the teapot, either glazed china or earthenware, must be warmed by swirling inside the empty teapot with a little boiling hot water and then emptying it again.
If using tealeaves, then a heaped teaspoon for each person must be put into the teapot, but if using teabags, then it must be one bag for every two people. The boiling water must be then be poured over the tealeaves or teabags and allowed to brew for about 3 – 5 minutes. If left longer, warns Mr. Perera, the tea will be too bitter to enjoy.
The teapot must always be kept warm and the English often use a tea cozy to prevent the teapot from cooling. Cold milk must be poured first into the cup and then if tealeaves were used, place a strainer and pour out the tea, adding sugar to taste as the last step.
Breakfast tea Mr. Perera says is one that should not be hurried, but enjoyed.
Read the next in series, The Black Tea |
