“Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors.” Alice Walker

Alice Walker, born February 9, 1944, is an American author, poet and activist best known for her critically acclaimed novel, “The Color Purple.” It is not unusual for Americans to consider tea an English drink. In fact, Great Britain had a great deal to do with the spread of tea throughout the globe via international trade. But for the Portuguese, the British may never have been introduced to the exotic brew. The year was 1662 when Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King Juan IV of Portugal and soon to be wife of King Charles II, sailed into Portsmouth harbour. Hidden in her dowry, was a chest of tea. Catherine was a tea addict. It wouldn’t be long before all of England would share her obsession. Tea was first served at court to ripple across fashionable society before finally trickling down to the middle classes. And then came the taxes but that is another story…