Five Essentials for a Tip-Top English Afternoon Tea

When afternoon tea evolved during the mid-19^th century, Britain was already an enthusiastic nation of tea drinkers. New plantations in India, then part of the British Empire, had boosted supply, helping tea to filter down from the aristocracy to become affordable for wider society. Everyone has their stylistic preference, but a classic teatime choice is the floral, citrussy Earl Grey, a black tea flavoured with bergamot and named after a former British Prime Minister.