Tea and The Dutch
With the cooler weather quickly approaching, our thoughts turn to being warm and cozy. What better way to achieve this than with a nice cup of tea. The Dutch love their “kopje thee” and have a long history with this beverage.
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was founded in 1602 and were a force to be reckoned with. By 1606, they had a monopoly on tea imports to Europe, originating from Japan. Later on tea was also imported from China, Indonesia and Dutch territories across Africa and Asia.
In order to boost sales, traders coined the term “Orange Pekoe”, likely referring to the House of Orange and the Chinese term pekoe (meaning "white downy hair", referring to the fine silvery hairs on young tea leaves). Orange Pekoe became synonymous with the royal house, and therefore was assumed to be of the highest quality. At one point, up to 70% of a typical trade ship’s cargo was tea.
Originally tea was extremely expensive, and only male nobility drank it as it was considered a luxury. By the mid 17th century wealthy women also began drinking tea, with many having a separate room in their home just for tea parties. By the turn of the 19th century, The Dutch East India Company had lost their tea monopoly to the British East India Company, and so the price of tea fell dramatically and became more affordable for all.
Along with importing tea, the Dutch brought porcelain teacups, teapots and other items from Asia. These became hugely popular. Of course the Dutch figured out a way to make their own, beginning the famous Delft Blue pottery trade. Delft Blue products were already being produced in The Netherlands and they adapted that style to show more Dutch pictures on their tea cups and pots.
Tea drinking is still very popular in The Netherlands today, with 90% of the population enjoying at least 2 cups per day, usually mid afternoon with a snack. People enjoy putting a stroopwafel on top of their mug of hot tea, and the warmth softens it just the right amount. Strong black tea is preferred although spiced teas are also popular, especially in the winter.
Unlike the British, The Dutch do not typically put milk in their tea. Pickwick is the number 1 tea brand in The Netherlands, with many different varieties available. The name does not sound Dutch, but rather British, and was chosen on purpose to boost sales.
The Dutch are responsible for bringing tea to Europe where many continue to enjoy Dutch tea to this day! We have over 100 varieties of tea you can browse if you’re looking to start your own tea drinking journey.
And of course you can't have a cup of tea without a cookie!
