What is afternoon tea or high tea in Australia?
(Source:Chefin)
We might call it high tea here, but in England, it's just plain old afternoon tea. That's all semantics, but the real question is - why do we have the tradition of socialising over tea in the first place? What made people want to sit around eating scones and triangle sandwiches while they gossip and sip from expensive teacups? What's the history of high tea? Let's get into the history of it. For the record, we'll refer to 'afternoon tea' as 'high tea' and vice versa, because that's how it's recognised in Australia and around the world. Sure, some tea elitists may cringe and faint at the faux pas, but as we said, it's all semantics.
What is afternoon tea?
(Source:British Univeristies)
A quintessential British custom, the afternoon tea is deeply ingrained in the UK's culture and history. This tradition has evolved over centuries, becoming a symbol of British sophistication and elegance.
The Birth of a Tradition
(Source:British Univeristies)
The tradition of afternoon tea, contrary to popular belief, is a relatively recent addition to British customs. While tea-drinking has been popular in England since the 17th century, the idea of dedicating an afternoon to tea came about 200 years later. The credit for initiating this tradition goes to Anna, the Duchess of Bedford. The Duchess found herself feeling peckish around four in the afternoon, a time far too early for dinner but late enough to warrant a light snack. To quell her hunger, she began requesting a small meal of tea, bread, butter, and cake in the late afternoon. This habit soon turned into a social event as she began inviting friends to join her for these afternoon tea sessions.