> Culture, Health & Lifestyle> Food and Drink

Brief History of Coffee
A short, and very chatty, history of coffee which focuses on Italy. Clicking on any of the links will bring you to an advert for a coffee trading company, but there is a nice anecdote about Pope Clemente VII.

Tea – A History
Despite its modern day reputation, tea has played an important part in history. This site contains a narrative, 'The History of Tea,' which includes a European perspective; the first reports of tea in the continent date to the mid 1500’s.

The Gin Epidemic in England 1720 - 1751
A detailed and critical examination of England in the 18th century, when the government actively promoted gin drinking, this site has social and political detail.