Many happy returns to all friends of Training Centre Raya London!  Let’s start the new year with much more motivation in learning the English language and with achieving many more goals. The learning process will depend on the efforts of both – teachers and students. We continue with our articles in variety of areas related to the British life and culture in order to help you learn the language. You can read the texts in Bulgarian and in English, which would help you practice the language.

Today we are going to speak about some of the most famous drinks – non alcoholic and alcoholic.

Tea. It arrives in England with ships of the East Indian company in the early 17th century. In the next 100 years it turns the Island into one of the biggest consumers of tea in the world. At the beginning, the tea was a privileged Drink used only in the royal yard. First tea shop for ladies was opened in 1717 by Thomas Twining. The gradually increasing number of shops of the modern drink, made tea available for everyone. At first teas were Indian and Chinese; however, later fruit options were added as well. Adding fresh milk in the cup is well-known in England.

Ovaltine & horlicks. That are dissolving in milk drinks based on Barley malt. They are drunk mostly in the winter and before bedtime to help for a healthy sleep. The popular Ovaltine actually has Swiss origins and Horlicks comes from the US but the company itself was founded in the late 19th century by English immigrants. Nowadays, these drinks can contain wheat malt, cocoa and different vitamins and minerals.

Squash. This is a widely used non alcoholic drink based on barley mixed with squeezed or crushed fruits and citrus aroma. Its use started at the beginning of the 19th century and from 1934 you can even see the players of  Wimbledon championship drinking it. Robinson’s, Ribena (with black currant aroma) and Vimto are famous  squash brands.

Ginger Ale (ginger beer) can be found alcoholic and non alcoholic. It is sparkling drink flavoured with ginger. The “Golden” option was discovered in Northern Ireland by the apothecary doctor Thomas Joseph Cantrell, and it stands out with stronger ginger aroma and palpable sweetness. “The dry one” which is  lighter in colour is based on the recipe of the Canadian chemists and pharmacists John J. McLaughlin and became more popular in the United States. Ginger beer is often used for mixing in cocktails with the addition of stronger drinks.

Pimm’s. Based on Gin liquor, it is very popular in the summer. Traditionally, it is served in a cocktail with lemonade with added fruits as oranges and strawberries or with a cucumber, the mandatory cup is narrow and tall and the decoration is usually mint leafs. The colour of the drink is dark and the aroma of spices and citruses. The recipe of Pimm’s is the work of  a farmer’s son Pimm who had a bar for oysters close to the Bank of England in the middle of 19th century. The original purpose was to help with the digestion of food but soon customers liked it so much that they started factory production and large-scale market coverage.

Dear friends, the British people drink and like different types of drinks outside of the mentioned above, of course. They are particular admirers of  beer, for which appearance and production you can read in a separate article in our blog. Keep following us and this way you will improve your knowledge in the English language.

Author: Iveta Radeva

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