Popular Tea Time Snacks and Their Origin!

All tea lovers would agree to the fact that tea is more than just a drink; it is an emotion that has a plethora of experiences and memories attached to it. Be it your college hostel memories, office chai breaks or gossip sessions with your mom, tea is one constant participant. Every cup of tea involves a number of calibrations and calculations for the perfect blend of tea leaves and milk. But this experience is never complete without a delicious, crumbly, moist or crisp snack to go along with your cuppa!

From Parle-G, Krack Jack and Marie Gold to samosas, milk Rusks, Cakes and dry fruits, everyone has an ultimate combination that they love. For as long as I can remember, a tray of tea at my place was always incomplete without these bits of delicious appetizers. While some of these snacks came from other regions of the world, some were invented by accident, but each of these tea time snacks share a colourful history. 

Let’s take a look at some of the most common tea time snacks across the globe and how they came into being!

1.Samosa: This food item needs no introduction. It is one of the most common and preferred go to snack for all Indians. It is triangular shaped with an outer covering of flour and stuffed with mashed potatoes, onions, peanuts, green peas, and spices. Most Indians are under a misconception of samosas being an Indian snack while it is actually known to originate from the Middle East. Samosas are now popularly served in India, Western Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. They taste best when served with black ginger tea or a kadak masala chai. 

2.Scones: Scones are biscuit like pastries, cut into small pieces and baked. A typical English snack, they are a popular European delight. They can be either savoury or sweet and are often served with breakfast. Scones were originally made with oats and griddle baked in the form of a Scottish quick bread in the 1500s. They are best served with English breakfast tea and have quite the reputation of being the people pleaser in Europe. 

3.Vada Pav: Also known as the common man’s burger, vada pav is synonymous with Mumbai street food. It includes a deep fried mashed potato ball sandwiched between the pav bread along with some spicy chutney and masala. The snack is believed to be created by a snack vendor outside Dadar station. Vada pav serves as the ideal snack to curb the hunger of hundreds of travellers who prefer snacks that could be consumed on the go. They are paired with the Bombay cutting chai and make for the ultimate combination during monsoon. 

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