Cambric tea, sometimes called nursery tea, was an American slang term referring to a drink of hot water, milk, and a dash of tea, sometimes sweetened. It is also described as hot water with a little milk or cream and sugar, without any tea at all. It was given to children, supposedly to give them energy or to help them feel grown-up during tea time. It was also often served to the elderly, as it was believed that the very old needed to drink something hot with their meals.
Cambric Tea: Quick Facts
- Cambric tea was hot water, milk, and a dash of tea, sometimes sweetened and given to children and the elderly.
- It is possible that the amount of tea in the drink was gradually increased as a way to slowly introduce children to the stimulant.
- Cambric tea was popular during the late 19th to early 20th.
- The drink was also known as white tea, or hot water tea.
- This tea got its name from cambric fabric, which was white and thin, just like the tea.
- Cambric fabric gets its name from the French town of Cambrai, a textile center.
- In some parts of the American South, this same practice is still employed with “coffee milk,” which is essentially the coffee version of Cambric tea.
Where Did Cambric Tea Originate?
Cambric tea seems to have originated in the United States as early as the mid-1850s. However, cambric tea is mentioned in written sources from the U.K. and Canada, so its place of origin is not certain.
Cambric Coffee or Coffee Milk?
In later times, after coffee became popular, cambric tea gave way to “coffee milk”, which was a similar drink with more milk and sugar than coffee. In some regions of the South, children are given coffee milk at an early age, and the amount of coffee is increased as they grow older. I grew up in Mississippi and was given ‘coffee milk” from the time I was 5 or 6 years old, if not younger.
This is still practiced in the South among those with older roots in the region, and also among those with Hispanic or Cajun roots. While popular in Louisiana, it is sure to be done in some regions of the surrounding states, like Mississippi and Alabama.
It is possible that Cambric tea was used in the same way, and Laura Ingalls Wilder, who mentions cambric tea in her book The Long Winter, claimed that the drink was indeed developed by temperance crusaders as a way of introducing stimulants to the young.
☕Did you know? Teddy Roosevelt supposedly coined the slogan for Maxwell House Coffee, “Good to the last drop,’ according to the company. He was served the coffee while staying at the Hermitage, a famous Nashville resort that was originally Andrew Jackson’s home.
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Cambric tea was popular at a time when cold beverages were discouraged and believed to be bad for digestion. It was even advised to forgo any drink during mealtime, but when a drink was taken, a hot drink was considered more healthful and natural, and even plain hot water was often prescribed.
As such, if any other elements were added to the hot water, they should be minimal. Such drinks, including cambric tea, were considered better choices for children, the elderly, or the ill.
