Tea!

[LadyBarbossa]

Alright... I admit... I'm a big tea person! And as much as I fancy some of the coffee drinks, too, like cappecinos, mocha latte's, etc... I do enjoy a good tea, too.

Now, I bought my mom some of the special Downton Abbey teas, and I've had friends give me tea blends, too. So my curious question is.. has anyone come across any mention anywhere of blended teas during the 17th and 18th century? Like a green tea with cloves and cinnamon or black tea with mulling spices or white tea with strawberries and rose hips.

My other curiosity is how specialized tea was during that time and how much of it was worth to a pirate when they took a prize full of tea, spices, fabrics, and other trade items.

[Elena]

Tea was a colonial delicacy, so it was precious when being looted. Tea and coffee had a high value.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I always enjoy looking in to history of everyday items we now use and see. So I hope this can be a little helpful :)

Both tea and coffee were luxury delicasies during this era for the most part, but people drank them. At this time both were got from the East, coffee from regions like town of Mocha in Arabia since its culvivation in America was only starting, and tea from eastern Asia. So they would have been expensive and so valued, but if pirates had no one to sell them perhaps they would have trown tea and coffee alike overboard. I remember that possibly an Indian Ocean pirate pirate Condent in 1720 or so left behind tons of spices after dividing loot with his crew in Madagascar propably as he had no one who could have taken them or just because other parts of the loot were satisfying enough.

Or captured coffee and tea could be drank even while pirates preferred stronger drinks. I mean it would make sense to take use of the cargo. Of course certain equipment was needed, but some at least had what was needed for making tea. There was a teapot found from pirate Sam Bellamy's whipwreck Whydah, but it might have been more used by its former captain Lawrence Prince, who on the other hand was former privateer and sea rover too before becaming a slaver and a merchant.



Some books say how pirate Bart Roberts drank only tea. or tea with added rum in it, but I am not aware if this is actually true. At least his teetotaler reputation may be an exaggeration or later made up after assumptions based on his aversion towards drunkenness of his crew.

However for historical sense it seems likely that the drink (tea) was not awfully "edited" yet by Europeans or colonials. Looking wikipedia about English tea culture at least it seems that sugar was added and around 1720s or so milk, but not very much else. I think this wikipedia article is decent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_in_the_United_Kingdom#History

On the other hand I remember that cocoa was drank with pepper and Vanilla around or a little before this time. Adding e.g. cinnamon to tea wouldn't have been much different.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Swashbuckler 1700

[lwhitehead]

It was worth more to sell the drink, 

 

 

LW

[LadyBarbossa]

Thank ye all for yo'r input. Since creating this thread, I have learned a lot more about tea, as well as tea caddys and other tea equipage. I'd love to see more conversations and discoveries about tea, too. 

Also, the East India Company in London has revived some old teas including the same type of tea mix that was similar to the type thrown overboard during the Boston Tea Party. I have yet to obtain a tin of this special tea but I will by the summer and when I do, I shall try it and give my review. 

[Duchess]

6 hours ago, LadyBarbossa said:

Thank ye all for yo'r input. Since creating this thread, I have learned a lot more about tea, as well as tea caddys and other tea equipage. I'd love to see more conversations and discoveries about tea, too. 

Also, the East India Company in London has revived some old teas including the same type of tea mix that was similar to the type thrown overboard during the Boston Tea Party. I have yet to obtain a tin of this special tea but I will by the summer and when I do, I shall try it and give my review. 

What about getting a bunch a hosting a virtual tea tasting? We could have a sign up (small fee to cover the tea?), then send a package and brewing instructions for each signed up person. And do a zoom event for the tasting!

[LadyBarbossa]

53 minutes ago, Duchess said:

What about getting a bunch a hosting a virtual tea tasting? We could have a sign up (small fee to cover the tea?), then send a package and brewing instructions for each signed up person. And do a zoom event for the tasting!

Ooooh, I LOVE it! 😍

[Mary Diamond]

That sounds lovely!

[Stynky Tudor]

On 2/20/2023 at 4:11 PM, Duchess said:

hosting a virtual tea tasting?

I think this is a fantastic idea! I'm not sure how well it would work, but we could host over the Pub's Discord channel.

[Duchess]

14 hours ago, Stynky Tudor said:

I think this is a fantastic idea! I'm not sure how well it would work, but we could host over the Pub's Discord channel.

My aged self immediately rebelled at the idea of having to learn how to use discord. But I'll take a look.

[Stynky Tudor]

1 hour ago, Duchess said:

self immediately rebelled at the idea of having to learn how to use discord. But I'll take a look.

Yeah, I'm still figuring it out myself.

[LadyBarbossa]

OK... more amazing tea fun from the East India Company... 
Now it's a limited edition Boston Tea Party tea chest! 
Boston Tea Party merch and stories

 

🏴‍☠️

[Picaroon Lagoon]

The description and historical information on the website are worth looking at even if you don’t feel like dropping 65 quid on tea. 
 

Thank you for sharing @LadyBarbossa! 

[LadyBarbossa]

You are most welcome. I've more than enjoyed the site for a year now. Some good info. Have yet to try any products. 

[Mary Diamond]

Thank you for sharing this!

[Fayma Callahan]

Thank you for sharing this! What a find! You have piqued my interest in finding more information on tea and especially spiced tea. I love spiced tea and cider especially in the cold months. 😊