eating tea

around 5 o'clock, children in england eat tea. tea in this context is what americans call "dinner" or "supper." tea often consists of either fish, chips (french fries) and peas, or sausages and tinned beans. when he eats tea with friends, joe hopes for the former but if given a choice says "pasta." it's the safe bet.

in holland, families eat together, between the hours of 5:30 and 7, either together at the table or out at any of the restaurants. here, children eat tea on their own; parents eat dinner at a later hour. this cultural difference proves to be one of the toughest adjustments for us, especially after living and vacationing on the continent. regular restaurants here only serve dinner after six or seven o'clock, and staff and patrons regard our family with tight smiles. our options: local chain restaurants serve to children after six o'clock; cafes serve until 5:30; some pubs take children's orders until 5 o'clock, some after that, and some not at all. eating out with the joe and tally requires research and results in a compromised palate. so we have friends for tea, and they visit other homes for tea. joe and tally don't seem to mind as much as we do.