English High Tea

Try this link:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/EnglishTeaParty.html
You will of course, still need the scones.

Thanks much.

Cucumber sandwiches--of course with the crusts removed.

Anchovy toast.

Bread and butter--with the bread sliced very thin.

Actually, the link proves a very common -but nevertheless- major faux pas, namely (partly) to confuse "Afternoon Tea" with "High Tea".

:wink:

Afternoon tea was "invented" by Anna, the seventh duchess of Bedford (1783 - 1857) in 1840 as "a way to quell the inevitable hunger pangs between lunch and dinner". In other words, she "got too hungry for dinner at eight…"!

Afternoon Tea is the service that comes to mind when we think of a sophisticated British tea. It's the elegant repast served at 4 or 5 pm, consisting of tea with scones, small sandwiches, cakes and other pastries.

High tea on the other hand, is origianlly a hearty rural working class supper consisting of hot meat, cheese, and egg dishes served around 6 pm.

"Tea" -for short- is usually the supper (dinner) in normal British families, like at the McTag's or Steve (as 4100)'s.

Walter has it!

When I lived in London the "tea" menu for elementary school boys was frequently baked beans on toast. Depending on the class of the host, this was either "high tea" and last meal before bedtime or "nursery tea" and last meal before bedtime.

I was 14, when I was in England for the first time, and this was my first holiday on my own, too.

At about 7:00 pm on my first day there, I became more than just a bit hungry - and was even more disappointedly surprised, when my 'guest-mom' called me "Tea is ready, Walter".

I was puzzled over all, then getting mashed potatoes, roasted beef, vegetables and orange squash, but no tea at all. :wink:

Later, when my guest parents took me around the country, I liked having afternoon tea at those places with the sign "Tea is ready!" outsite the location.

A good tea--high or low--should have savouries as well as sweets.

Afternoon tea should come with indifferent bisects and snippy conversation.

Acquiunk--

I disagree. Afternoon tea should be on the lawn--or in winter by the fireside--with clever conversation and memorable savouries.

I'm obviously reading the wrong novels

Acquiunk--

I was born out of my time--but the memories.....

Obviously your novel reading focuses on the New School and subsequent social documents...there is DARK at the top of those stairs.

I never could understand why the heroine went up those stairs. Couldn't she tell that something was going to happen from the back ground music?

In the book there is no music--just the intoxicating sense of being able to out think the hero and solve the problem without him.

When they added the music, they added the Happy Ending--and probably the dull teatime conversation.