Afternoon tea originated in England in the 1840s when the Duchess of Bedford started taking tea with light snacks in the late afternoon. It has since become a tradition where guests are served sandwiches, scones, pastries and cakes along with tea. High tea was a heartier working class meal eaten after a day of labor and included meat pies, fish and chips before the evening. Both traditions continue to be popular social events in Britain involving tea and an array of savory and sweet treats.

1. Afternoon tea and High tea

2. Afternoon tea or Low Tea
• This is a small meal snack
typically eaten between
3pm and 5pm. Observance
of the custom originated
amongst the wealthy
classes in England in the
1840s. Anna Maria Russell,
Duchess of Bedford, is
widely credited as
transforming afternoon tea
(or low tea) in England into
a late-afternoon meal.

3. • The Duchess intoduced
afternoon tea whilst visiting
the 5th Duke of Rutland at
Belvoir Castle in the mid-
1840s. She found a light meal
of tea (usually Darjeeling) and
cakes or sandwiches was such
a perfect balance that she
soon began inviting her friends
to join her. Afternoon tea
quickly became an established
and convivial repast in many
middle and upper class
households.

7. Traditional afternoon tea menu(The
Ritz, London price £42)
• Ham Sandwich with Grain Mustard Mayonnaise on White Bread
• Cheddar Cheese Sandwich with Chutney on Onion Bread
• Cucumber Sandwich with Cream Cheese, Dill, and Chives on
Caraway Seed Bread
• Chicken Breast Sandwich with Horseradish Cream on White Bread
• Scottish Smoked Salmon with Lemon Butter on Rye Bread
• Egg Mayonnaise Sandwich with Chopped Shallots and Watercress
on White Bread
• Freshly Baked Raisin and Plain Scones with Cornish Clotted Cream
and Strawberry Preserve
• Assortment of Afternoon Tea Pastries and Cakes

9. Tea sandwiches
• These consist of thinly
sliced white bread with
crusts removed, lightly
buttered, containing a light
spread of cream cheese or
mayonnaise mixture, and
often radishes, cucumber,
asparagus, or watercress.
Other fillings may be
pimento cheese, ham with
mustard, smoked salmon,
fruit jam, curried chicken,
and egg salad.

10. Gentleman's Relish(condiment)
• Gentleman's Relish is a type of
anchovy paste used as a
sandwich spread. It is also known
as Patum Peperium.
• It was created in 1828 by an
Englishman called John Osborn. It
has a strong, very salty and
slightly fishy taste, and contains
anchovies(minimum 60%), butter,
herbs and spices.
• Gentleman's Relish is traditionally
eaten thinly spread on slices of
buttered white-bread toast,
either on its own, or with
cucumber, or "mustard and cress"
sprouts .

11. Piccalilli (condiment)
Piccalilli
• is a Western interpretation
of Indian pickles, a relish of
chopped pickled vegetables
and spices; regional recipes
vary considerably. British
piccalilli contains various
vegetables— invariably
cauliflower and vegetable
marrow —and seasonings
of mustard and turmeric.
Ham and piccalili sandwich

12. Scones
• A scone is a single-serving
cake or quick bread,
originally hailing from
Scotland. They are usually
made of wheat, barley or
oatmeal, with baking
powder as a leavening
agent, and are baked on
sheet pans. They are often
lightly sweetened and are
occasionally glazed. The
scone is a basic component
of the cream tea or
Devonshire tea.

13. Crumpet
• A thick, flat, savory cake
with a soft, porous
texture, made from a
yeast mixture cooked
on a griddle and eaten
toasted and buttered.

14. Empire biscuit Chelsea buns

15. Eccles cake Turnovers

16. Bakewell tart Battenburg cake

17. Bath bun Dorset treacle tart

18. Tea time cakes
Victoria sponge Madeleines

19. Madeira cake Fruit cake

20. Lemon drizzle cake Cupcakes

21. Pound cake Neapolitan cake

22. A cream tea, comprising tea taken with
scones, clotted cream and jam.

23. What types of tea are served?
• Assam
• A strong full-bodied tea from India, which has a distinctive, ‘malty'
flavour.
• Darjeeling
• An aromatic and astringent tea from India, with a hint of almonds
and wildflowers.
• Earl Grey
• A blend of black teas scented with oil of bergamot named after
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, who was Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834.
• Lapsang Souchong
• A Chinese tea fired over smoking pine needles, which produces a
striking smoky odour and flavour.

24. History of high tea
• Traditionally, high tea or meat tea was a working class British meal
served on a high table at the end of the workday, shortly after five
PM. It was a heavy meal of meat dishes (shepherd’s pie, steak and
kidney pie), cold meats and offal, fish dishes (fish and chips, pickled
salmon), baked goods such as crumpets, vegetables (such as
potatoes or onion cakes), and other heavy foods (such as Welsh
Rarebit, egg dishes, baked beans and cheesy pasta casseroles)
followed by cakes, bread butter jam and of course, tea.
• A similar high tea was also eaten by middle to upper class children
before being sent off early to bed (whose parents would have a
more formal dinner later). Here lemonade, juices, hot chocolate,
pastries, biscuits, cakes were included.

30. Fish and chips Steak and kidney pie

31. Shepherd’s pie Cold meat platter