Home | Food & Beverage
England is famous for many things. The London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, double-decker busses and of course, tea. Tea is to England what apple pie is to the United States. Steeped in tradition, tea is not only a beverage of choice but also an important aspect of Britain's social history. One of these traditions, the English High Tea, remains an important element in the life of the British. While many imitate the practice of serving English high tea, it's not easy to duplicate it. North American resorts, hotels and tearooms will often offer "English High Tea" with an array of sweets and pastries in early afternoon. These parties are certainly elegant, but not true "high teas". Exploring the proper method of serving English high tea begins with a little history lesson. Many years ago, the practice of taking high tea was introduced as the people of England enjoyed a morning breakfast and evening dinner as their two daily meals. The breakfast meal usually consisted of bread, beef and ale, while the evening meal was a veritable smorgasbord. This meal, served as the sun began to set, would come to be known as "high tea". The English high tea that we know today was introduced by Anna, Duchess of Bedford. She was fond of inviting friends to dinner and would often experiment with the high tea menu. As other ladies of society began to follow suit, "English High Tea" quickly became a popular time for social gatherings. Popularity of the English high tea gained momentum during Industrial Revolution, the second half of the Victorian Period. Working men and women returned home exhausted and prepared high tea for refreshment. Quick and easy food choices were served for English high tea. Tables were set with bread and butter, meat, cheese, pickles and of course, a pot of tea. There were no of the rich desserts, fancy finger foods or tiny sandwiches that adorn today's mock "high tea" tables. The name "high" tea may have stemmed from the fact that the evening dinner tea was served at a high dining table, rather than on lower tea tables. Trying to impress your North American friends with an English high tea party? You may pull it off by serving some fancy sandwiches and sweets. But, if ever called to task with British guests, you'll need to wait until the afternoon sun begins to fade and serve your tea with some hearty fare. That's how to enjoy English high tea, the way the English do.
Article Source: Main Articles
Columnist Sadie Bedgegood contributes to a variety of popular Internet magazines, on family life and home decorating topics.
This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.
Internet search engines and directory listings are imperative to your sites existence and success. Submit Your Website to the Searchen Networks directory and search engine to achieve authoritive inbound links.
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Powered by Article Dashboard
