Afternoon Tea

A foggy start to another beautiful day.

Afternoon Tea

The practice of drinking tea and eating small cakes in the late afternoon was started by Anna, The 7th Duchess of Bedford in the mid 1800's. She simply couldn't bare the stretch from the mornng meal to dinner at 8PM she began nibbling snacks with her friends around 4PM. Apparently she wasn't the only one in a slump because the afternoon snack became as important to British well-being as a good Macintosh (raincoat) or a pair of Wellingtons (rubber boots).

Today, the afternoon tea consists of everything from elegant sandwiches, scones, cakes and cookies to PB&J's, vegetabel crudites, rice cakes and fruit plates.
It is still meant to be served in the late afternoon at hotels and tea houses and is still meant as a social interlude and pick-me-up before dinner.

High Tea served closer to 6PM is the working man's tea or small supper. Think of breakfast in reverse. It consists of foods like eggs, sausage, bacon, bread and cheeses with something sweet for dessert.

Cream Tea is a light snack of scones, served with clotted cream and jam rather than butter.

Fireside Tea is served at the hearth where guests toast bread, crumpets and muffins over the flames, while sipping tea.

I think it funny that back in the early days of tea when the lady of the house was allowed to own nothing, she had a very small, elaborate box or caddy, in which she held her precious store of tea leaves.
Those caddies are highly prized today and to find one that still has the inner compartments intact are very elusive.
I should know I have been looking for one for years.

Brightest tea blessings