Tea Customs of South America
Both North and South America are regions of settlers. People from England, and other European countries immigrated and settled down in these continents and later countries were divided and flourished.
“Once” is the tea time in Chile which occurs between 5 and 9 pm. They couple tea with many types of bread, jam, avocado, cakes or a variation of pâté.
Argentina has a custom of tea houses which are of Welsh tradition, started by the people from Wales who settled in Argentina. Welsh tea customs are similar to those in England and Ireland. Tea is served around 4:00 in the evening and it is mixed with milk and sugar rather than having it black. Served alongside the tea are pastries and cakes out of which the most popular is the Welsh black cake.
Brazil also has tea rooms and tea houses which serve buffet meals and of course tea. In Rio de Janeiro there are tea rooms which serve British afternoon tea with cakes, toast, jam, croissants and pies.
In contrast to family gatherings in the Middle East or Asia, in South America tea is more consumed in the tea rooms and restaurants. The yerba mate on the other hand is a native drink and consumed during breakfast as well as in the early evening with pastries, sandwiches and other snacks. Mate is usually drunk with friends and it has now become a social ritual.
Brazilians love their sweets and consume many with tea or coffee. Some common tea snacks are carrot cake glazed with chocolate, brigadeiros or its coconut version beijinho, famed milk pudding pudim de leite and tea infused, custard-made quindim. Argentinians like themselves many snacks such as sweet croissant medialuna, with their tea.