The modern, urban gent is a man of worldly tastes and certainly no stranger to the coffee bean. Yet if there is an English bone in his body, it would be a gentlemanly sin, were he not partial to a cup of tea. The rest of the world may not quite understand the wonders of a good brew quite like we do on these fair isles but that is because they do not know the correct methods by which to make one properly – a source of great consternation to some of our great writers and thinkers. George Orwell, Douglas Adams, and Christopher Hitchens have all felt compelled to write essays on what makes the perfect cup of tea, in Adams and Hitchens’ case to tell those misbrewing Americans where they’re going wrong.

George Orwell’s ‘A Nice Cup Of Tea’

The great Socialist writer wrote many an essay on how he thought the world should be (‘The Moon Under Water’ is his particularly good description of a utopian pub) and in this one he lists his eleven rules for making the perfect the cup of tea.

Douglas Adams’ ‘Tea’

Here, the author of ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ explains to Americans, their tea brewing mistakes.

Chrisotpher Hitchens’ ‘How To Make A Decent Cup Of Tea’

Similarly to Adams, Hitchens, in an essay for US website Slate.com, shows those across the pond the tea making light, taking his cue from Orwell’s Golden Rules.

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