TABLE TALK #143
Every country has its quirks, but we Brits have turned ours into a kind of national poetry.
This week, we’re raising a glass (of the second cheapest wine on the menu, naturally) to the peculiar habits, half-truths and deeply ingrained customs that define what it means to be British - without us ever quite realising.
🍝 MAIN COURSE 🍝
Take our approach to the pub, for example. We’ll spend a full hour talking about leaving without actually going anywhere - coats on, bags packed, “Right, well…” three times over - only to order another round. And even if there’s room inside, we’ll cling to the pavement just outside - pint in hand, dodging buses and rain showers - because that’s where the real atmosphere is.
We claim to love order, and it’s true - queueing is a near-spiritual practice. We’ll join a line without knowing what it’s for on the off chance it leads to something interesting. And yet, when a free bar appears, all bets are off. Rationing-mode kicks in. “Better grab another double, just in case.” In case of what? No one knows. But better safe than sorry.
Speaking of which, we say sorry a lot. Not out of guilt, but instinct. You could walk headfirst into a table and still mutter an apology - to the table. We’ll say sorry when you bump into us. It’s less about blame, more about smoothing the social fabric. Same goes for sending food back - we won’t. Even if it’s stone cold or suspiciously not what we ordered. “No no, it’s fine, honestly.” A national coping mechanism disguised as politeness.
Credit: Getty Images
Then there’s our mysterious language. We speak in riddles, in understatement, in code. “Not too bad” can mean anything from “pretty great” to “I’m falling apart inside.” The context, the inflection, the eyebrow raise - that’s where the truth lies.
And let’s not even start on small talk. It’s not filler. It’s armour. Weather chat isn’t dull - it’s diplomacy. The kind that says “I see you, but let’s not do anything too emotionally reckless.” Combine that with our deep denial around temperature - a biting wind becomes “a bit nippy,” a forecast of frost met with nothing more than a summer scarf and a quiet determination to press on.
None of this is written down, of course. It’s passed on through half-jokes and overheard comments, in rain-soaked pub gardens and awkward goodbyes that last a full hour. These unspoken rules and rituals aren’t there to confuse outsiders - though they often do - but to comfort us. To signal belonging. To offer a shared understanding without saying anything at all.
Photo Credit: TheForthWallBreaker
🍮 SWEET ENDINGS 🍮
When it comes to shared rituals, there’s none quite like raising a glass. We Brits will toast to anything - sunshine, snow, a Wednesday that feels like a Friday - and it’s been a real joy to create alcohol-free options that keep the party in full swing. No compromises, just great wine.
Lately, we’ve been getting a little playful too… think Clementine Mimosas and Hugo Spritzes. Fancy a sip? You’ll find both over on our Instagram.
🍷 WHAT'S NEW
FROM
WEDNESDAY'S DOMAINE? 🍷
Given the theme of today’s newsletter, it feels rather fitting to have been featured in Great British Food magazine last week.
Our Cuvée made their round-up of top Summer Sips, praised as “a tipple worthy of any occasion and primed to be enjoyed by everyone at the party.”
All the more reason to pop a bottle and pass it round.
Until next time,
Until next time,
Luke x
