As mentioned in my previous post, I shall be writing about the difference between a high tea and an afternoon tea. A common misnomer is that high tea and afternoon tea is one and the same. I guess due to globalisation and the localisation of cultures, it is a thin line between high tea and afternoon tea.
However, I have always known these are two different concepts. I know afternoon tea is the English afternoon light meal of finger food and tea or coffee, whereas a high tea is an afternoon or early afternoon meal of buffet and heavier food.
It is only recently that I discovered the origins of both. In the past when England was one of the few developed countries, due to their weather and daylight savings in the summer, there would always be long hours between lunch and dinner. So lunch could be at noon whereas dinner could be at eight at night.
One noble lady invited her group of friends over to her home one afternoon. Knowing that they would be hungry by four, she arranged to have them eat light food like cakes, sandwiches and scones, spread with jam, butter and cream, accompanied by tea. Hence the concept of the afternoon tea was born.
Since then, the English afternoon tea has been a favourite activity amongst the ladies in the upper echelon of society. Perhaps that is how afternoon tea and high tea became mixed up, since it used to be only an activity of the higher strata in the social ladder.
But the real concept of high tea came about when the gentlemen of the upper echelon of society, meeting for poker and bridge, decided to have a very early dinner and then sit down and play.
They would meet at six o'clock, but that would be too early for dinner. Hence they called it tea, but it was served with fuller meals like meat and other kinds of food where the men could help themselves to. Hence the term meat tea, before it evolved to "high" tea.
Which is why afternoon tea is still served with sandwiches and savouries, whereas high tea is served with a buffet spread. Interesting! Maybe that is why I always prefer afternoon tea to high tea, due to its origins?
However, I have always known these are two different concepts. I know afternoon tea is the English afternoon light meal of finger food and tea or coffee, whereas a high tea is an afternoon or early afternoon meal of buffet and heavier food.
It is only recently that I discovered the origins of both. In the past when England was one of the few developed countries, due to their weather and daylight savings in the summer, there would always be long hours between lunch and dinner. So lunch could be at noon whereas dinner could be at eight at night.
One noble lady invited her group of friends over to her home one afternoon. Knowing that they would be hungry by four, she arranged to have them eat light food like cakes, sandwiches and scones, spread with jam, butter and cream, accompanied by tea. Hence the concept of the afternoon tea was born.
Since then, the English afternoon tea has been a favourite activity amongst the ladies in the upper echelon of society. Perhaps that is how afternoon tea and high tea became mixed up, since it used to be only an activity of the higher strata in the social ladder.
But the real concept of high tea came about when the gentlemen of the upper echelon of society, meeting for poker and bridge, decided to have a very early dinner and then sit down and play.
They would meet at six o'clock, but that would be too early for dinner. Hence they called it tea, but it was served with fuller meals like meat and other kinds of food where the men could help themselves to. Hence the term meat tea, before it evolved to "high" tea.
Which is why afternoon tea is still served with sandwiches and savouries, whereas high tea is served with a buffet spread. Interesting! Maybe that is why I always prefer afternoon tea to high tea, due to its origins?
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