Time for English “Elevens” to Pop Across the Pond!
The island gave us scones, soccer and Shakespeare. Cheddar cheese, Jack Russell terriers, the BBC and Helen Mirren. England also gave us…English.
We wish their passion for “elevenses,” however, would also have crossed the pond. That’s the custom of taking a break roundabout 11 a.m. every day for tea and a snack.
It’s perfect. Many of us have been awake for as many as six hours. We gulped back that first morning cup of strong tea long ago, to launch us out of the dreamy state and into the workday. We’ve wrangled kids. We’ve navigated harrowing traffic to get to an office. Work emails, texts and meetings consumed too much time during most of the morning.
But at 11, it’s time to catch our breath. Elevenses serves as a short break—15 or 20 minutes—from the morning chaos, and an entrée to lunch and its aftermath: the long afternoon of work.
Elevens massages busy mornings
The ritual has been a part of the United Kingdom since the middle of the 19th century, when agricultural workers in Suffolk in England took the break at 11 and another one at four o’clock, which they called “fourzes.” Today, many people across the U.K. who are able to put on the brakes at 11 a.m. do so—with a warm cup of tea in hand and a small sweet or savory snack.
In the United States, petite tea or coffee breaks do take place. But they’re haphazard. Somebody suggests a quick cuppa’ at 9:30, say, or 2:15. At least one person agrees. Mugs get poured with liquid warmth. Talking happens. This is grand. But we savor the development of a country-wide break at the same time every morning. A similar routine takes place in Scandinavian countries. In Sweden it’s called fika, and loads of people down coffee and eat cake during this mid-morning oasis.
It’s time for more Americans to take morning breaks! Try it. Invite somebody to share it with you. Do it again the next day, and the day after that. Who knows? Maybe a few weeks of elevenses ends up transforming into a lifetime practice.
We offer three suggestions for elevenses tea, a trio of beauties that invite little bursts of energy, flavor and intrigue into the morning slog.
Tea for Elevenses: London Fog
This seasonal blend veers from traditional London Fog flavors, which get anchored by Earl Grey tea. We included the bergamot-perfumed Earl Grey, of course. And we also included another London Fog standby: vanilla. But we think lavender cloaks many beverages in a certain loveliness. So we added lavender as well as another flower, calendula, to turn our version of London Fog into a floral masterpiece. This wonderful tea especially complements sweet snacks.
Tea for Elevenses: Yunnan Gold
Many Camellia sinensis advocates begin their day with black tea of one stripe or another. But before switching to lighter teas in the afternoon, they sometimes desire one last blast of morning black tea. Here’s where our Yunnan Gold comes in. This top-line tea, which has golden leaves, comes from FengQing County in China’s mountainous and diverse Yunnan Province. Tea artisans pick only the tender tips of the tea to make Yunnan Gold, which has a bright, rich, naturally sweet flavor with honey and fruity notes. It’s a beloved tea, and versatile with many different sweet and savory snacks.
Tea for Elevenses: Osmanthus Oolong
We like pivoting away from our morning brews and toward other teas for elevenses—teas like the Yunnan Gold and the London Fog above. Another favorite? Osmanthus Oolong, a blend containing oolong tea from China’s coastal Fujian Province with Osmanthus flowers, a commonly used botanical in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Osmanthus often gets used to address things like sour breath, respiratory ailments and curb appetite. But good news for tea lovers—it also tastes wonderful!
Happy Elevenses! We encourage you to try new tea often for your mid-morning respite from the pressures of work.
