query: When was tea first brought to Europe?
passage: History of tea
Tea was first introduced to Europe by Italian traveler Giovanni Battista Ramusio, who in 1555 published Voyages and Travels, containing the first European reference to tea, which he calls "Chai Catai"; his accounts were based on second-hand reports.
passage: Tea ceremony
Corresponding tea drinking habits can be found worldwide. In Europe, including the Victorian-era 'high tea' or afternoon tea ritual, was a social event, where the ritual of being seen to have the right equipment, manners, and social circle, was just as important as the drink itself. The Victorian-era tea was also influenced by the Indian tea culture, as for the choice of tea varieties. 
The American tea culture has roots that trace back to the Dutch colonization of the Americas. In the colonies, teas were served with silver strainers, fine porcelain cups and pots and exquisite tea caddies. In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in fine teas in America, mainly due to the lifting of China's ban on exports in 1971. Since the 1920s, Americans could not get much Chinese tea and very little Indian tea was imported.