Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage: United States National Museum Bulletin 225, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology Paper 14, pages 61-91, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1961Roth, Rodris
History
Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage: United States National Museum Bulletin 225, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology Paper 14, pages 61-91, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1961
Roth, Rodris
Tea -- United States; United States -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
Containers for cream or milk may be seen in many of the 18th-century
teatime pictures and are found in the advertisements of the period
under a variety of names. There were cream pots of glass and pewter and
silver (figs. 19 and 20), jugs of penciled and burnt china, and in the
1770's one could obtain "enameled and plain three footed cream jugs"
from Mr. Henry William Stiegel's glass factory at Manheim,
Pennsylvania. There were cream pails, urns, and ewers of silver plate,
and plated cream basins "gilt inside."[62] Milk pots, used on some tea
tables instead of cream containers, were available in silver, pewter,
ceramic, and "sprig'd, cut and moulded" glass.[63] Although
contemporary diarists and observers of American customs seem not to
have noticed whether cream was served cold and milk hot, or if tea
drinkers were given a choice between cream and milk, the Prince de
Broglie's comment already cited concerning his ability to drink
"excellent tea with even better cream" and the predominance of cream
over milk containers in 18th-century advertisements would seem to
indicate that in this country cream rather than milk was served with
tea in the afternoon.
[Illustration: Figure 19.--Silver creamer made by Myer Myers, of New
York, about 1750. The fanciful curves of the handle and feet are
related to the rococo design of the sugar tongs in figure 16. (_USNM
383553; Smithsonian photo 45141-F._)]
[Illustration: Figure 20.--Silver creamer made by Simeon A. Bayley, of
New York, about 1790. The only ornamentation is the engraving of the
initials "R M" below the pouring lip. (_USNM 383465; Smithsonian photo
45141-E._)]
While the Americans, as the Europeans, added cream or milk and sugar to
their tea, the use of lemon with the beverage is questionable. Nowhere
is there any indication that the citrus fruit was served or used with
tea in 18th-century America. Punch seems to have been the drink with
which lemons were associated.
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