Changes

# The pot will normally hold enough tea so as not to be empty after filling the cups of all the guests. If this is the case, the [[tea cosy]] is replaced after everyone has been served.

# The pot will normally hold enough tea so as not to be empty after filling the cups of all the guests. If this is the case, the [[tea cosy]] is replaced after everyone has been served.

Whether to put milk into the cup before or after the tea is a matter of debate. In the early days of tea-drinking, milk would be poured into the cup first to avoid the thermal shock of hot tea cracking the delicate porcelain. Adding milk second may scald part of the milk while it is poured into the hot tea. Pouring tea after milk reduces the maximum temperature reached by the milk, as the poured tea is gradually cooled by the milk. In other words, pouring milk after tea produces abrupt milk heating, while pouring tea after milk produces more gradual milk heating. Also, adding milk second produces an initially less homogeneous mixture (see figure above; even when the mixture is not stirred, however, it quickly becomes homogeneous due to [[brownian motion|random molecule drifting]]).

Whether to put milk into the cup before or after the tea is a matter of debate. In the early days of tea-drinking, milk would be poured into the cup first to avoid the thermal shock of hot tea cracking the delicate porcelain. Adding milk second may scald part of the milk while it is poured into the hot tea. Pouring tea after milk reduces the maximum temperature reached by the milk, as the poured tea is gradually cooled by the milk. In other words, pouring milk after tea produces abrupt milk heating, while pouring tea after milk produces more gradual milk heating. Also, adding milk second produces an initially less homogeneous mixture (see figure above; even when the mixture is not stirred, however, it quickly becomes homogeneous due to random molecule drifting).

Drinking tea from the saucer (poured from the cup in order to cool it) was not uncommon over fifty years ago but is now almost universally considered a breach of etiquette.

Drinking tea from the saucer (poured from the cup in order to cool it) was not uncommon over fifty years ago but is now almost universally considered a breach of etiquette.

====Commonwealth countries====

====Commonwealth countries====

Afternoon tea and the variant cream tea (called ''Devonshire Tea'' in Australia and New Zealand) is the best known "tea ceremony" in the English speaking Commonwealth countries, available in homes and [[tea room]]s throughout Great Britain, India, Africa, New Zealand, and Australia; is it often associated with Great Britain. "Tea" may also refer to a meal, or dinner, in some Commonwealth countries, notably those forming the United Kingdom, regardless of the beverage served with the meal; in many English dialects it means the main meal of the day, and "dinner" means a mid-day meal. [[Alan Bennett]], for example, lamented that he was the only one to have dinner at noon. This usage has however fallen out of favour in Canada and Australia.

Afternoon tea and the variant cream tea (called ''Devonshire Tea'' in Australia and New Zealand) is the best known "tea ceremony" in the English speaking Commonwealth countries, available in homes and [[tea room]]s throughout Great Britain, India, Africa, New Zealand, and Australia; is it often associated with Great Britain. "Tea" may also refer to a meal, or dinner, in some Commonwealth countries, notably those forming the United Kingdom, regardless of the beverage served with the meal; in many English dialects it means the main meal of the day, and "dinner" means a mid-day meal. Alan Bennett, for example, lamented that he was the only one to have dinner at noon. This usage has however fallen out of favour in Canada and Australia.

This could lead to confusion over the meaning of an invitation to "tea". The slang term "cuppa" (as in a "cup of tea"), is used in the [[United Kingdom]] possibly to counteract this confusion, but is more likely just an abbreviation. Due to the diverse mix of races and cultures in Australia since the 1950s, these days most cultural variations of tea are available. Taiwanese [[bubble tea]], known locally as pearl milk tea, has become widely popular in urban Australia, with multiple chains in every major city.

This could lead to confusion over the meaning of an invitation to "tea". The slang term "cuppa" (as in a "cup of tea"), is used in the United Kingdom possibly to counteract this confusion, but is more likely just an abbreviation. Due to the diverse mix of races and cultures in Australia since the 1950s, these days most cultural variations of tea are available. Taiwanese [[bubble tea]], known locally as pearl milk tea, has become widely popular in urban Australia, with multiple chains in every major city.

A stereotypical expression "You'll Have Had Your Tea" is used to parody people from Edinburgh as being rather shortcoming with hospitality. A BBC Radio 4 series of this name was made byraeme Garden and Barry Cryer.

A stereotypical expression "You'll Have Had Your Tea" is used to parody people from Edinburgh as being rather shortcoming with hospitality. A BBC Radio 4 series of this name was made byraeme Garden and Barry Cryer.