Bahía de Algeciras Comarca, C

Parques Empresariales
18
Gibraltar
It is amazing that even in Spain the custom of having tea has expanded
so much that it has taken away the old idea of meeting for a coffee.
Tea ceremonies have been part of the history of many nations and
the British culture cannot do without it, in Gibraltar, most locals keep
this tradition and there are many places down town as well as in
local hotels, where English tea is served at 4 o’clock. A ritual not to be
missed.
The origin of tea started in CHINA. Teahouses were as important as
pubs are to the British. The older men in the Chinese communities were
always rallying around teahouses puffing their pipes over a cup of tea.
China has teahouses that vary considerably according to the region. The
tea ceremony was considered a bourgeois custom. The preparation of
the tea was done by placing tealeaves in a cup of boiling water then
placing a lid on top and letting the aroma and the steam blossom into the
nostrils. The different fragrances are varied and today these fragrances
have expanded into a multitude of choices. Chinese consider tea to be
a medicinal elixir.
Tea throughout time has been seen as a health and wellness cup.
Sometimes as a comforting hot cup to keep the cold away or even for
disillusion or heartbreak, as it is the beverage used to settle problems…
“Lets talk it over a cup of tea!” meaning whatever the problem maybe
it seems less harsh with a cup of tea in hand. The medicinal properties
that teas offer can protect against cancer, the immune system, reduce
stress etc. all part of the health and wellness benefits of drinking tea. Its
antioxidant properties are well known facts in the countries where it is
customary to drink it many times a day.
Japan was the first to follow the tea making ceremony and they brought
both the tradition and the tea from China. It was actually a Buddhist
monk called Saicho, who presented tea to the Emperor; on tasting it,
the Emperor decided Japan should grow its on tea and have its own
ceremony. The Japanese then started to convert the tea drinking into a
full-blown ritual. They mostly used ground tea. Initially the ceremony was
only for honoured guests with not more than five persons attending and
it was imperative that the room had fresh plants. Unfortunately the fast
pace of life has altered this ritual but even though less time is spent at the
ceremony it is still very much a tradition and the Japanese say that no one
does it better than them! Still the British would dare say the very same
since they have kept this ceremony as a ritual in their society until this very
day – Gibraltar is no exception.
Indian people also have their tea ceremonies and tea is always used in
their diet. The old traditional form of making tea in households in India is
still a ritual that many Indians living in India keep but not so many keep
these very same traditions when living in the west. Preparing tea takes
Tea, a british tradition
time. Indians place tealeaves in a pan with water and a selection of spices
is then added. All is put to the boil giving the tea an extremely aromatic
taste. The spices used can vary, as different spices are used, cinnamon,
maze and cardamom being the most popular choices. Once the tea has
been boiled, it is poured into cups with plenty of sugar and milk.
Morocco’s tea ceremony is different but very popular, and there is always
time to take a glass of sweet hot tea with fresh green mint. Usually the mint
is pushed into a belly tea pot, with lots of sugar and tea leaves and the
boiling water is then poured – once ready tea is poured into beautiful
dainty glasses from on high. This ritual started way back in 1854 when
the British merchants found that Morocco was an ideal new market that
bought great quantities of tea; no business deal is ever discussed without
successive glasses of hot mint tea. It is expected that each guest drinks at
least 3 cups after every meal, the teapot and glasses are brought out and
they take pride of place on the table, it is deliciously fragrant and great
for the digestion as well as a beautiful tradition.
In England, the tea ceremony is a common afternoon ritual. London waits
for Big Ben to chime the tea hour and a pot is on the table before the
last chime is heard! Ann Russell the Duchess of Bedford started this tea
ceremony in 1840. It has since been every British man’s ‘cup of tea since!’
Tea is the centre of attention in most teatime rituals but the British extended
it into a full-blown high tea ritual as a selection of finger sandwiches,
cakes/scones jams and clotted cream were laid beside the teapot.
Nowadays teas that have not been oxidized are considered of even
greater benefit, that is to say, green tea, black tea or red tea! The quality of
tea is essential and the preparation
does indeed make a difference
in the taste of the tea poured out.
Tea bags are most commonly used
nowadays which is a quicker way of
making a cup of tea, but the real tea
lover still makes a cup with real tea
leaves that makes a vast difference
in the experience, the taste, and the
rigmarole around the ceremony.
Tea is NOT everybody’s cup of
TEA! If you can decipher that one!
Therefore, those who do not drink
tea probably prefer coffee…Lucky
for us in Gibraltar; we have the best
of both worlds.³
Sonia Golt