English-breakfast tea

English-breakfast tea (uncountable)

1. Rare form of English breakfast tea.
   • 1889 July, Tudor Jenks, “Small and Early”, in Mary Mapes Dodge, editor, St. Nicholas: […], volume XVI, number 9, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co.; London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 685:

     She ’d say, “Another cup, Papa?” and I, “No, thank you, Ma’am,” / But then I had to take it—her courtesy was sham. / Still, being neither green, nor black, nor English-breakfast tea, / It did not give her guests the “nerves”—whatever those may be.

   • 1913 February 6, “Recipes”, in Geo[rge] H. Stiles, editor, Swanton Courier, volume 37, number 6, Swanton, Vt.: Courier Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 3 (Woman’s Page), column 5:

     RUSSIAN TEA. This may be made using English-breakfast tea. It is always served without milk or cream. Place a thin slice of lemon from which the seeds have been removed in heated cup, put a small cube of sugar on the lemon and pour the tea onto the sugar.

   • 1917 November, James E. Hilbert, “A Day with Charlie Chaplin on Location”, in Eugene V[alentine] Brewster, editor, Motion Picture Magazine, volume XIV, number 10, Brooklyn, N.Y.: M. P. Publishing Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 59, column 2:

     We all gathered around, and Charlie treated the bunch to ice-cream and soda-water; and then he promptly ottered $5 for a cup of English-breakfast tea, which the storekeeper could not provide. One of the campers came across with the tea and hot water, and Charlie made the tea himself, using three handfuls for the cup.