If you’ve been invited to a tea around 6 pm, what should you expect for food and how should you dress?

High Tea and Afternoon Tea are often misunderstood. High Tea is actually for the lower class who typically work long hours at labour intensive jobs, such as mines or fields. The workers come in after a long day of work and be in need of a meal where tea was a part of it. High Tea is a more substantial and savory meal served towards late evening, 6-7 pm.

It is often misunderstood because some assume “high” to mean elegant or fancy but it actually is not.

Afternoon Tea is the more elegant and classy tea party that many think of when someone asks them to tea. It is typically served at a low table. Upper class were more accustomed to Afternoon Tea. It began as a social gathering in England around the 1840’s. It has been suggested that the Duchess of Bedford was feeling hungry in the mid afternoon between meals and decided to have snacks to accompany her tea. She continued this tradition and invited friends to join her.

It was originally a tea intended to fill the gap between lunch and dinner and served around 3 or 4 pm. It has both sweet and savory and bite sized finger foods. There is no crust on the sandwiches that are served and scones are served with clotted cream and jam.

Cream Tea is a simpler form of Afternoon Tea and does not contain a meal. It is typically a pot of tea with scones/clotted cream.

“A cup of tea is an excuse to share great thoughts with great minds.” -Christina Re