Tuesday 4 December 2012

High Societeas - Afternoon Teas served with Style

High Societeas - Afternoon Teas served with Style

There was an interesting programme on the telly last Monday called 'Addicted to Pleasure'. The first of four it was dedicated to our addiction to sugar and how it came about.

In the 13th century sugar was rare and its value equalled that of precious gems so it only appeared in Royal Palaces and then only as ornamental sugar sculptures - a show of wealth. By the 16th century it was starting to be eaten. Elizabeth 1st became addicted to sugar and consumed so much it blackened her teeth but instead of being horrified, it then became fashionable to have blackened teeth - imagine?!!

With the opening of coffee (and tea) houses, it became commonplace to have tea with sugar as some of us still do today.

2 comments:

  1. I'd thought that sugar addiction was a fairly recent thing, but if women in Elizabethan times would rather have had black teeth than give it up, perhaps not!

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