recipes & tips

Afternoon tea is often mistakenly called high tea. High tea has always been the heartier early evening meal of the working class of England. In addition to the pot of tea, bread and cheese, substantial sandwiches, and perhaps a few sausages, eggs, or potatoes would be served.

In contrast, the ritual of afternoon, or low tea, is generally credited to the Duchess Anna of Bedford, who sipped tea and nibbled snacks in mid-afternoon to tide herself over to the traditional 7 o’clock dinner hour. When she started inviting her aristocratic friends to share the snack with her, word spread throughout the countryside. An elegant, more formal tea became an anticipated afternoon social engagement.