High Tea vs. Afternoon Tea

Although people often use the terms interchangeably, "high tea" and "afternoon tea" are two very different things. One involves dainty foods (like scones and finger sandwiches), while the other is a working class meal comprised of foods like meat pies and onion cakes. Do you know which is which? If not, find out the difference between high tea and afternoon tea with this guide to afternoon tea, "low tea" and high tea.

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
Do you tweet? Follow About Coffee/Tea on Twitter.
Are you on Facebook? "Like" About Coffee/Tea.
Interested in learning more about tea? Sign up for the free, easy Tea 101 e-course.

View the original article here

Afternoon Tea Sandwiches

From smoked salmon to sliced cucumber, these?tea sandwich recipes?are some of the most popular types of finger sandwiches served at?afternoon tea?parties.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Recipes

Lindsey Goodwin

In this collection of cucumber tea sandwich recipes, you'll find recipes for cucumber-mint finger sandwiches, herbed butter-cucumber tea sandwiches, salmon and cucumber sandwiches and more.

Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches Recipe

Lindsey Goodwin

The watercress-egg salad recipe linked above is similar to a type of egg salad sandwich served at Harrods in London (where it is also known as an "egg and cress" tea sandwich). There are many other variations on egg salad sandwiches (or "creamed egg sandwiches" as they are sometimes called in England), such as dill egg salad finger sandwiches (pictured here) and healthy egg salad tea sandwiches.

Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwich Recipe

Lindsey Goodwin

The smoked salmon tea sandich recipe above is made with dill and horseradish. Other variations include?salmon and herbed butter tea sandwiches?(pictured here), smoked salmon and cream cheese tea sandwiches and salmon and caper finger sandwiches.

Although pumpernickel is very traditional for smoked salmon finger sandwiches, you can also use whole wheat bread or other types of bread if you'd prefer.

Chicken Salad Finger Sandwich Recipe

Chicken salad tea sandwich recipes, such as the sesame chicken tea sandwich recipe linked above, are a very popular type of finger sandwich in America. You can modify most chicken salad sandwich recipes to make them into delicious chicken salad tea sandwiches.

Roast Beef / Ham Tea Sandwich Recipes

Sliced ham and roast beef are often paired with apricot jam or chutney and served on a hearty bread (such as rye or pumpernickel) or a sturdy bread (such as a sliced baguette). Ingredients like mustard, horseradish or watercress can provide a savory-sweet balance for these types of tea sandwiches.

View the original article here

High Tea vs. Afternoon Tea

Outside of the UK, many people refer to afternoon tea as "high tea." Although the idea that high tea is a meal of foods like scones and finger sandwiches is common, it is not actually correct in a traditional or historical sense.

Afternoon Tea Basics
Afternoon tea, also known as "low tea," is what most people think of when they hear "high tea." It involves things like manners, lace and dainty foods. (For more information on the foods served, see these afternoon tea recipes.) It is typically served in the mid-afternoon and it was traditionally served on low tables, hence its two names.

Afternoon tea was considered to be a ladies' social occasion.

High Tea Basics
Traditionally, high tea was a working class meal served on a high table at the end of the workday, shortly after five PM. It was a heavy meal of meat dishes (such as steak and kidney pie), fish dishes (such as pickled salmon), baked goods (such as crumpets or, in Ireland, barm brack), vegetables (such as potatoes or onion cakes), and other heavy foods (such as baked beans and cheesy casseroles).

High tea was more of a working class family meal than an elite social gathering.

A Brief History of Afternoon Tea
Legend has it that afternoon tea was started in the mid-1800s by the Duchess of Bedford. Around this time, gas or oil light was introduced in wealthier homes, and eating a late dinner (around eight or nine PM) became fashionable. At the time, there were only two meals each day -- a mid-morning, breakfast-like meal and the other was an increasingly late dinner-like meal.

The story goes that the Duchess found herself with a "sinking feeling" (likely fatigue from hunger during the long wait between meals) and decided to have some friends over for assorted snacks and tea (a very fashionable drink at the time). The idea of an afternoon tea gathering spread across high society and became a favorite pastime of ladies of leisure. Later, it spread beyond the highest elites and became more accessible for some other socioeconomic groups.

Types of Afternoon Tea
Although many Americans think of afternoon tea as a set menu, there are many variations on this tea-centric meal.

The simplest form of afternoon tea is cream tea. Add fresh strawberries to cream tea and you have strawberry tea. Alternately, if you add more sweets to cream tea, you get light tea.

Add savory foods, like finger sandwiches to light tea and you get full tea, which is the meal most Americans think of when they hear the phrase "afternoon tea."

Some hotels and tea rooms also offer other variations on afternoon tea, such as champagne tea (afternoon tea served with a glass of champagne) and teddy bear tea (a children's afternoon tea party).

View the original article here