It was Catherine of Bragança, a Portuguese princess who married Charles II and moved to England in 1662, who began the tea drinking culture in Britain. This lifestyle was already a popular one amongst the aristocrats in Portugal, and soon it boomed at the British royal court.

Tea is not only for the British, but for the Chinese too. In March 2010, Starbucks launched their first batch of Chinese tea in China to help win the Chinese hearts over and attempt to boost the Starbucks empire. “It’s all based on demand from the locals,” says Huang Limin, the VP for marketing, product development and communications for Starbucks Greater China. “After much research, we’ve decided to launch nine kinds of tea products and to extend these products in the future.”

Afternoon tea, complete with scones, was a Victorian invention. In Britain, this traditional ritual is now going through a new golden age. The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge changes its tea menu every six months. Recent offerings have included a “Valentino clutch cake” and a “Dolce & Gabbana éclair.” Since 2004, the Ritz has served “afternoon” tea from 11.30am to 7.30pm and hosts nearly 150,000 people a year.

A UK main department store, John Lewis, stated that their sales of cookie cutters, cake stands and “vintage-style cake tins” have rocketed. The success of the programme The Great British Bake Off and events like National Baking Week emphasise that Britain is going through a baking fad: even if the Brits are in the doldrums because of the economic crisis – or maybe due to this – we certainly live with a “keep calm and carry on” motto. Live by your means, have a slice of cake and enjoy a cuppa!