High Tea
| Part of the Protocol and Meals series |
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| Formal meals |
| Brunch * High Tea * Dinner |
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| Amuse-bouche * Appetizer * Cheese * Dessert * Drink * Entrée * Entremet * Fruit * Main course * Nuts * Salad * Side dish |
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| Banquet * Buffet * Cuisine * Eating * Etiquette * Food * Formal Four * High Tea |
Afternoon tea
Afternoon tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Bragança married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal. Various places that belonged to the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, changes in social customs and working hours mean that most Britons will rarely take afternoon tea, if at all.
Traditionally, loose tea is brewed in a teapot and served in teacups with milk and sugar. This is accompanied by sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with clotted cream and jam, see cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge). The food is often served on a tiered stand; there may be no sandwiches, but bread or scones with butter or margarine and optional jam or other spread.
A formal afternoon tea is, nowadays, usually taken as a treat in a hotel, café or tea shop. In everyday life, many British take a much simpler refreshment consisting of tea and biscuits at teatime.
While living in Woburn Abbey, Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford, is credited as the first person to have transformed afternoon tea in England into a late-afternoon meal rather than a simple refreshment.
Isabella Beeton describes afternoon teas of various kinds: the old-fashioned tea, the at-home tea, the family tea and the high tea and provides menus.
See also Earl Grey tea and/or Tea Service
High Tea
High tea (also known as meat tea) is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5pm and 6pm. It is now largely followed by a later lighter evening meal.
High tea would usually consist of cold meats, eggs or fish, cakes and sandwiches.
On farms or other working class environments, high tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by the workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon tea with the main evening meal. See also The UK Tea Council Definition.
In recent years, high tea has become a term for elaborate afternoon tea, though this is American usage and mainly unrecognised in Britain. This usage is disfavoured by etiquette advisors, such as Miss Manners (see United States below).
High Tea in Asia
In most Asian countries, High Tea refers to an elaborate "late lunch" meal that occurs between lunch and dinner, usually between the hours of 2-6pm that consists of both Western and Asian dishes such as noodles, grilled meats, rice, meat curries, sushi rolls, carveries, salad and desserts.
Unlike the UK where High Tea is an early evening meal (5-6pm), in Asia High Tea usually replaces lunch, as it's taken as a "late lunch" (2-6pm) instead. High Teas are almost always served only in restaurants and hotels, and usually never in Asian homes.
On China's eastern coast, afternoon tea (下"�茶) has a very broad meaning and can refer to afternoon set meals or discounted coffee-and-pastry deals at coffee shops and the like to attract customers during the workday.
Other uses
In many parts of England, particularly the North-West and North East, and in many parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, tea is used to mean the main evening meal, replacive of Dinner.
United States
For most of the United States, the morning or afternoon break is not often referred to as tea as the beverage has not traditionally been a widespread choice with Americans. The term coffee break is used instead to denote a morning or afternoon break from work, or social gathering for a snack and short downtime, where hot and cold beverages and cakes, breads, and pastries are sometimes consumed.
The term "high tea" is also used in the United States to refer to afternoon tea or the "tea party," a very formal, ritualised gathering in which tea, thin sandwiches and little cakes are served on the best china. This usage is an analogical construction, the term "high" being associated with social formality (rather than a "high," or main, table). Etiquette experts hold the opinion that such usage is unorthodox outside commercial contexts.
This form of tea is increasingly served in high-end American hotels, often during the Christmas holidays and other tourist seasons, and a rising number of big-city teahouses, where it is sometimes described as "afternoon tea." The term "tea party" is still occasionally given in the U.S., either for a special occasion or in honor of a visiting celebrity or guest.
Murchies Golden Jubilee Tea
Murchie's Golden Jubilee Tea is a rich, classic, true English black blend of Ceylon, Assam, Darjeeling, Himalayan, and Keemun teas with a full body, enticing aroma, and vibrant color.
Murchie's Golden Jubilee Tea [1] was originally blended to honor Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977 and reintroduced in 2002 for her Golden Jubilee.
In 1993 Murchie's Tea and Coffee was granted its own Coat of Arms by the Chief Herald of Canada honoring 100 years of quality. It was first featured adorning the boxes of the Golden Jubilee commemorative tea blend and is still used today.
This is a classic, rich black tea in true English fashion.
Ingredients: black tea
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A Personal Note from Robin
I have had the wonderful opportunity to attend High Tea in Victoria, BC a few years back. loRRett and I flew from Oakland to Seattle, rented a car and drove to Tsawwassen in Canada. We took the Inland Waterway Ferry (BC Ferrry) to Swartz Bay, drove down to Victoria and checked in to The Empress Hotel.
That evening, we had High Tea and toured Victoria.
The following morning, we embarked at Sydney, cruised through the Inland Waterways to Anacortes, Washington, caught our return flight to Oakland. Total vacation time? Less than thirty six hours, portal to portal!
The reason I bring this up is that one of the teas served at The Empress was called "Silver Jubilee" blended be the Murchies Tea company in honor of Queen Elizabeth'd Twenty Fifth (or Silver) Celebration. It has since been renamed "Golden Jubilee", and it is good enough that I special order this wonderful blend on a regular basis.
If you enjoy "Lord Earl Grey" blends of tea, you should try to find (or order) Golden Jubilee!
References
External links
- High Tea at "The Empress" in Victoria, BC
- High Tea at "The Empress" in Victoria, BC
- Murchies Tea website
- Golden Jubilee tea
- The Northern California Ladies Tea and Discussion Society FemDoms train subbies Tea Service
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