Here’s Why the Brits Put Milk in Their Tea

Advanced Level

[audio style = "light" url="images/breakfast/BR-No-45-Advanced.mp3" volume="100"]

It's not about the taste.

With the weather turning cooler, most people turn to hot cocoa, and other cozy drinks. Personally, though, I prefer a piping hot cup of tea—whether it’s green, herbal, or black, I can’t think of a better way to wake up for the day. Plus, it has tons of health benefits.

The one thing I can’t get behind, though, is adding milk to my tea—despite my family’s love of Turns out, it’s a very British thing to do, and it has nothing to with the taste

Why put milk in tea?

The British have their own way of doing things (like driving on the opposite side of the road compared to Americans), and that includes how they prepare their tea. The Brits’ habit of putting milk in tea extends all the way back to the 18th century, from the time when tea was brewed in pots. Tea was a big deal at the time, and people tended to drink it out of china cups. However, most people couldn’t afford fancy fine bone china, and the cups available would crack from the heat of the boiling hot tea.

The solution? Pour milk into the cup first, then add the tea. The cold milk cooled down the tea enough to keep the china from breaking, and, well, the reduced bitterness was just an added benefit! According to some sources, tea was also incredibly valuable at the time, so families who couldn’t afford large amounts would add a large amount of milk and a splash of tea, while well-off families tended to do the opposite.

Is there a right way to drink your tea with milk?

This is something you may wonder about after reading this, but the answer is: Not really. You can add as little or as much as you please—though adding milk first and then pouring the tea on top might make it taste better. This is because when you add hot tea to cold milk, you’re bringing the milk to the temperature of the tea, distributing the flavor more evenly. However, if you add milk to tea, you’re cooling the tea down, and it may not taste as good.

Elementary Level

[audio style = "light" url="images/breakfast/BR-No-45-Elementary.mp3" volume="100"]

It's not about the taste.

The weather is turning cooler, and most people turn to hot cocoa, and other warm drinks. Personally, though, I prefer a hot cup of tea—whether it’s green, herbal, or black, I can’t think of a better way to wake up for the day. Plus, it has lots of health benefits.

The one thing I can’t support, though, is adding milk to my tea—despite my family’s love of chai. However, it made me think—why put milk in tea, anyway? Turns out, it’s a very British thing to do, and it is related to the taste.

Why put milk in tea?

The British have their own way of doing things (like driving on the opposite side of the road compared to Americans), and that includes how they prepare their tea. The Brits’ habit of putting milk in tea goes all the way back to the 18th century, from the time when tea was brewed in pots. Tea was very important at the time, and people often drank it out of china cups. However, most people couldn’t afford expensive fine bone china, and the cups available would break from the heat of the boiling hot tea.

The solution? Pour milk into the cup first, then add the tea. The cold milk cooled down the tea enough to keep the china from breaking, and, well, another benefit was the reduced bitterness! According to some sources, tea was also incredibly valuable at the time, so families who couldn’t afford large amounts would add a large amount of milk and a small amount of tea, while wealthy families tended to do the opposite.

Is there a right way to drink your tea with milk?

This is something you may wonder about after reading this, but the answer is: Not really. You can add as little or as much as you want—though adding milk first and then pouring the tea on top might make it taste better. This is because when you add hot tea to cold milk, you’re bringing the milk to the temperature of the tea, distributing the flavor more evenly. However, if you add milk to tea, you’re cooling the tea down, and it may not taste as good.

ترجمه فارسی

چرا بریتانیایی ها در چای شیر میریزن

به خاطر مزه‌اش نیست

با خنک شدن هوا، بیشتر مردم به شکلات گرم و سایر نوشیدنی های گرم رو میارن. با این حال، شخصاً یه فنجون چای داغ رو ترجیح میدم – چه چای سبز، دمنوش یا چای سیاه، راه بهتری برای بیدار شد سراغ ندارم. به علاوه، یه عالمه فایده واسه سلامتی داره.

یه چیزی که با وجود عشق خانواده‌ام به چای نمیتونم بپذیرم، اضافه کردن شیر به چاییمه. البته منو به فکر فرو برد – اصلاً چرا شیر توی چایی بریزیم؟ مثل این که این کار مخصوص بریتانیایی هاست و ربطی به مزه نداره.

چرا شیر در چای بریزیم؟

بریتانیایی ها روش خودشون رو برای انجام کارها دارن (مثل رانندگی در سمت مخالف جاده در مقایسه با آمریکایی ها) و این شامل آماده کردن چاییشون هم میشه. عادت بریتانیایی ها برای ریختن شیر در چای برمیگرده به قرن 18ام، از زمانی که چای در قوری دم میکشید. اون زمان چای خیلی چیز مهمی بود و مردم اغلب در فنجون های چینی اونو مینوشیدن. با این حال، بیشتر مردم نمیتونستن از عهده چینی سفید ظریف و تجملی بربیان و فنجون های موجود از گرمای چای جوش ترک میخوردن.

راه حل؟ اول شیر رو در فنجون بریز، بعد چای اضافه کن. شیر سرد چای رو به اندازه ای خنک میکرد که از شکستن چینی جلوگیری کنه و خب کم شدن تلخی (چای) یه مزیت اضافه محسوب میشد! برخی منابع میگن همچنین اون موقع ها چای خیلی ارزشمند بود پس خانواده هایی که نمیتونستن از عهده مقدار زیادش بربیان، یه عالمه شیر اضافه میکردن و یه مقدار کم چای، در حالی که خانواده های ثروتمند اغلب برعکس عمل میکردن.

آیا راه درستی وجود داره که چای رو با شیر بنوشیم؟

این سوالیه که بعد از خوندن این متن ممکنه براتون پیش بیاد اما جوابش اینه: نه واقعاً. میتونین هر چقدر میخواین کم یا زیاد اضافه کنین – البته اول شیر ریختن و سپس ریختن چای روی شیر ممکنه مزه‌اش رو بهتر کنه. به این دلیله که وقتی چای گرم رو به شیر سرد اضافه میکنین، شیر رو دارین به دمای چای میرسونین و با این کار مزه رو به طور مساوی پخش میکنین. اما اگه شیر رو به چایی اضافه کنین، دارید چای رو خنک میکنین و ممکنه مزه‌اش به اون خوبی نباشه.