Everyone loves afternoon tea, but did you know there are several nuances to it? If you want to get your British tea etiquette right, this is what you need to know about the differences between high tea and afternoon tea!
The origins of high tea
The name ‘high tea’ sounds very fancy, but this meal was originally quite the opposite. In the 19th century, industrial workers came home for a hearty meal after work with a strong pot of tea. This high tea usually included bread, butter, meat pies, pickles and sometimes eggs or fish. The purpose was to fill up hungry stomachs with hearty food! So why was it called High Tea? Because of the height of the tables and chairs at which it was enjoyed, rather than afternoon tea, which was enjoyed in low parlour chairs.
The origins of afternoon tea
If High Tea was the working class answer to dinner, afternoon tea was the aristocratic response to filling the gap between lunch and dinner. There might have been no afternoon tea boxes from https://www.afternoonteabox.com/ available, but there was a kitchen full of servants to keep busy! Introduced in the early nineteenth century by the Duchess of Bedford, this elegant tradition was woven around a light meal of finger sandwiches, scones and cakes, taken at around 4 pm.
Enjoying tea today
Today, many people still say they are going to have ‘tea’ instead of dinner after work. Interestingly, in Scotland, anything badged a High Tea will usually include a hot dish, such as cheese on toast. It goes to show that the concept of tea is still just as central to daily life as it ever was! Today, we can also benefit from convenience with afternoon tea boxes that deliver everything we need for a stylish social event right to the door!
And of course, many of us will happily enjoy afternoon tea and a ‘high tea’ equivalent in our daily lives, as both occasions can be a wonderful thing to enjoy with family and friends, especially with a mug or china cup of tea!
