What better promotion of the world famous beverage – Pure Ceylon Tea – than Elizabeth Alexandra Mary better known as Queen Elizabeth II from Britain, the nation that gave Sri Lanka a legacy and a brand that is largely responsible for its economic success over many decades.
At the Queen’s jubilee celebrations in London last week, also attended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a special jubilee lunch at the Westminster hall drew some 700 guests.
On the course-meal menu were dishes like ‘Marinated Uist Island Salmon with Lyme’, ‘Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc, Bué Loire Valley’, ‘Saddle of Welsh Cambrian Mountain Lamb with Braised Shoulder of Lamb’ and ‘Grilled Isle of Wight Asparagus, Jersey Royal’ followed by a ‘Symphony of Dessert’ This was accompanied by ‘Ceylon Tea’, ‘Fairtrade Coffee’ and ‘Petit Fours’.
The tea came from Pedro Tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya where a Ceylon Tea bush was planted by the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Phillip) during the Queen’s state visit to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in 1954, two years after she ascended the throne, according to details contained in the invitation.
The use of Pure Ceylon Tea for such an important occasion comes at a time when a debate is raging in Colombo where a group of exporters are pushing for more multi-origin tea exports as against the Pure Ceylon, single-origin, Tea that the country has been famous for, for many decades ever since colonial British rulers shifted from coffee growing, after it was destroyed by a blight, to tea. Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) has been synonymous with Ceylon Tea which is also responsible for the growth of tourism and Britain being the country’s main source market until India grabbed that position a few years back. Furthermore tea bungalow tourism among the country’s lush, tea-carpeted hills has become a big hit with foreign travellers, including non-Brits. |
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