The British Cuppa

Americans have an incredibly sweet tooth. Not only do they drink millions of gallons of sweet, syrupy soda, they love marshmallows on sweet potato, and their hot chocolate, also stuffed with marshmallows, is the sickliest drink on the planet.

Brits, in common with most Europeans, prefer astringent drinks such as tea, beer, and wine. Sweet drinks are for kids.

Nowhere in the world is tea drunk with such regularity and in such enormous quantities as in Britain. While the standard of tea has dropped with the introduction of tea bags, it is still possible to find a decent cuppa at even the most basic caff (cafe).

Brits have resisted the American urge to ruin and complicate a simple concept. While Americans have turned simple coffee into soy milk lattes with ginger nut crisp and peppermint sprinkles, the British laugh at attempts to flavor black tea with fruit essence, herbs, and oils.

Black tea should be nothing but black tea with a splash of milk; add sugar if you want to. And make it in a pot, not a cup!