Viking Cruises

6 A G U I D E to E N G L I S H T E A T H E R I G H T T E A A T T H E R I G H T T I M E e menu, etiquette and purpose of teatime vary, depending on when it is served. A F T E R N O O N T E A is served between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM — never before or after. is is a mostly social affair, and the most formal of teatimes. Afternoon tea was originally an upper-class invention meant to bridge the gap between the midday meal (called lunch or luncheon) and the main meal (called dinner) that was served around 8:00 PM. e focus of afternoon tea is the tea itself, which tends to be stronger in flavour, so the accompanying food is typically light. Afternoon tea may be called a "low" tea, but this has nothing to do with its degree of formality. It simply means that the tea service may take place on low seating (such as a sofa) and upon a low surface (such as a coffee table). Today, afternoon tea is a special event, often enjoyed at a tea room or hotel. Underscoring the specialness of afternoon tea, if your service includes an alcoholic component, it may be called a sherry, champagne or royal tea. H I G H T E A is often misunderstood outside the United Kingdom to mean a teatime that is more refined, lavish or fancy. is could not be further from the truth. High tea is a name for the evening meal taken between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. It originated among members of the working classes, who could not afford a late-afternoon tea and would come home from work around 6:00 PM famished. e "high" in high tea merely refers to the height of the typical dining table around which a family would gather to eat.

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