Afternoon Tea
People often use the terms “Afternoon Tea” and “High Tea” interchangeably. But the two are very different things, and the terms are often used incorrectly. There are several stories about the origin of afternoon tea, the most common story goes something like this:
The event that we, here in the states, most often refer to as “high tea” is actually “afternoon tea.” Taking afternoon tea begin in the mid 1800’s with the Duchess of Bedford. During that time lunch was served at noon but dinner did not follow until late in the evening hours, usually around 8 o’clock. Well, the good Duchess found herself quite hungry mid-afternoon and so she began the regular routine of having tea with bread and butter served to her during that time.
It became a regular occurrence for her and so she began inviting other “high-society” ladies to join her. Eventually, this afternoon tea started to include pastries, small desserts, delicate sandwiches, etc., and so the tradition of afternoon tea for ladies of society came into being. The word “high” became attached to “afternoon tea” because it was a function of ladies from “high society.”
Now while I am a strong supporter of afternoon tea, I have been known to put on more than several dozen such events, we shall not confuse it with “high tea” which is actually a meal served late in the day with tea.
High tea most often refers to tea taken with a meal at the end of the workday. It is called “high” tea because it was served at high tables in the home or at a pub, instead of at a ‘low’ table of the type we now refer to commonly as a “coffee table.” High tea is a working man’s meal. High tea generally includes meats, bread, pickles, cheeses, and of course tea.
So whether you take high tea at a dining table or enjoy afternoon tea in the parlor or garden, we hope that you find the collection of recipes, resources, and serving items on this site useful.
