Franklin-Jeune, Sacha

In the modern United States, the concept of food has become as much of a social
phenomenon as it is a biological need. The process of eating has become highly
structured into a system of communication. Food terms used to share ideas are referred to
as food buzzwords, terms rife with additional meanings whose values are continuously
debated, discussed, and altered. Such terminology has swayed how middle-class
Americans interpret the proper status quo of food consumption and production. This
thesis analyzes how middle-class Americans form their view of a proper diet based on
their understanding of food buzzwords and other factors that influence their food choices.

Tea is a beverage consumed by individuals from a multitude of different cultures. It is often taken up with open arms and welcomed as a prominient compnent of cultures, diets, and daily social interactions. The value of tea is based as much on its physical cultures that enjoy tea interact with the beverage in different ways, I argue that tea has its own culture. From interviews with four informants, I found three dominant components of the tea culture that have swayed them to join : (1) tea can be a medium for social gatherings, (2) tea is beneficial to the mind and body, (3) people take the time to fully enjoy the experience. This thesis seeks to understand the value tea has for Floridian tea enthusiasts, the roots of the tea culture, and what it is about tea that has caused many to become "addicted".