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Last Brew At Syd’s Coffee Stall

From www.spitalfieldslife.com:

“After he was gassed in the trenches of World War I, Syd senior used his compensation money to open the stall. In spite of being a Coffee Stall, Syd only sold tea and beef extract – adopting the description ‘Coffee Stall’ to impart aspiration to his endeavour. When World War II came along, the stall operated twenty-four hours during the London Blitz, serving refreshments to the firemen and auxiliary workers. At the time of the Coronation, Syd junior launched ‘Hillary Caterers’ in honour of Sir Edmund Hillary’s conquest of Everest. As the first and only caterer ever licensed to serve food on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, Syd became a Freeman of the City of London…”

Last Brew At Syd’s Coffee Stall

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A Nation of Tea-Drinkers

Richard Collins’ ‘The Tea Party’ (c.1727), Courtesy of Goldsmiths’ Hall

A great post on www.spitalfieldslife.com, written by Markman Ellis.

“Britain has been celebrated as ‘a tea-drinking nation’ since at least the late eighteenth century and a nice cup of tea remains one of life’s most comforting rituals. Tea-drinking has associations with hearth and home, and is emblematic of wider British ideas of both polite society and humble domesticity. How did this little leaf, a migrant from half-way round the world, come to such prominence in Britain?”

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Sikkim

Bermiok Village- South Sikkim

India’s first 100% organic state, Sikkim, a beautiful Himalayan Buddhist kingdom, was founded in 1642 and joined the democratic mainstream of The Indian Union as its 22nd State in 1975. Lonely Planet ranked Sikkim the world’s #1 place to visit in 2014, citing its record as India’s cleanest state and its sustainable community-based tourism in less developed areas. The state has 28 mountain peaks, including the world’s third highest peak, Kanchenjunga, 21 glaciers, 227 high altitude lakes, five hot springs, eight mountain passes and over 100 rivers and streams, one National Park and six wildlife sanctuaries.

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