The London Traveler

I thought I’d do a London alphabet. I was going to start it with B for Beer…. but since I’m having a cup of TEA at the moment, and a number of people were intrigued by my where to have tea posting, what better place to start?
(I’ll get round to B later on, I’m sure!)
TEA – a great British Tradition.
TWININGS on the Strand, the original tea shop of what’s now become a global brand.
THE TEA HOUSE in Covent Garden, with the most stunning selection of teapots in its Japanese style window.
THE TEA ROOMS, now sadly departed, a proper …read more

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There are ladies who lunch. And then there are ladies who do tea. Afternoon tea.
You can join them at the Ritz Hotel’s Palm Court, if you like. This is a marvellous, rather camp atmosphere, with Louis XIV furniture, chandeliers, bone china tea service. I can imagine Hercule Poirot or perhaps Lord Peter Wimsey taking tea here. And you’ll need to follow the rather formal dress code of the period – no trainers, no jeans, and gents, wear a jacket and tie.
A variety of sandwiches, scones, pastries, and of course your tea, will set you back £37. And you’ll need …read more

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I remember once when I was travelling in France being asked whether we still had ‘le five o’clock tea’. Every Frenchman naturally identifies the English with cricket, a stiff upper lip, and afternoon tea – though somehow, cucumber sandwiches have never made it across the Channel.
But “tea” mean several things in English and it’s important to distinguish them. There are many hidden meanings in English tea culture – class connotations, ‘in’ and ‘out’ teas, and words that don’t mean what they seem to mean (‘high tea’ is a meal, not a beverage).
First of all, what I’d call “builder’s tea” …read more

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