Since the time the pyramids were under construction, people have been getting together to drink tea and talk—and for good reason. Tea engenders friendship, and friends enjoy get-togethers. Naturally, this goes for us Americans, too. We’re friendlier than most, I daresay, and we’re finally taking to tea like, well, everybody else.
Nowadays, teatime in America is becoming precisely what Dr. Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language said it is: “Anytime tea is served.” It need not always be strictly social either. As practical as she can be proper, Dorothea Johnson, founder of the Protocol School of Washington, has always insisted teatime is perfect for business meetings. With less to eat, there’s more time to talk. With tea and not alcohol to drink, there’s clearer thinking, it’s more economical, and,…