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An English tradition -

Afternoon tea is something inextricably linked to English culture. But how did the tradition begin? Well, originally tea wasn't widely taken as a beverage at all: a Portuguese princess popularized it in the 17th century.

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Catherine of Braganza -

In 1662, Catherine of Braganza (daughter of Portugal’s King John IV) married England’s newly restored monarch, King Charles II.

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Catherine of Braganza -

Catherine packed loose leaf tea as part of her personal belongings on relocating to England. Tea was already popular among the aristocracy of Portugal due to the country’s direct trade line to China via its colony in Macau, this since the 1500s.

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Catherine of Braganza -

The young queen was used to sipping the pick-me-up as part of her daily routine. She made the drink popular as a social beverage. Previously, it had only been taken as a health tonic in England, said to have positive effects on the spleen.

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Victorian era -

In 1840, during the Victorian era, it's believed that Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, introduced the idea of afternoon tea. She was a close friend of the Queen.

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The Duchess of Bedford -

The story goes that the Duchess would become hungry in the afternoon. She would ask that a tray of tea, bread, butter, and cake be brought to her room in the late afternoon.

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The Duchess of Bedford -

It became an established habit of hers, and she began to invite friends to join her, moving the tea into the drawing room.

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A social event -

Afternoon tea soon became a fashionable social event. Women dressed up in long gowns, gloves, and hats for their afternoon tea, usually served between 4-5 pm.

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A social event -

During the 1880s, upper-class and society women enjoyed a selection of sandwiches, scones served with clotted cream, cakes, and pastries at afternoon tea.

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Garden tea -

The afternoon tea tradition was born inside the homes of the rich and fortunate, but when summer arrived it was taken outside to the garden.

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Garden tea -

When the tea was moved outside in summer, it encouraged the men and lords of the house to also take part in the activity.

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Growing popularity -

Moving it outside had other benefits, too. As tea was a fine delicacy and expensive, the people drinking it wanted everyone to know they could afford it.

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19th century -

By the 19th century, the tradition was becoming more affordable. This meant it could be enjoyed by the growing middle class, and it spread across the ocean to America.

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Tea dances -

Tea dances evolved from the concept of afternoon tea. They were a summer or autumn afternoon or early evening dance from 4 pm to 7 pm.

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Tea dances -

In early 20th-century British and American fiction, tea dances began to emerge as a staple of genteel society. During a tea dance, light music is performed, while dances such as waltzes and tangos take place.

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Growing popularity -

In the beginning of the 20th century, tea dances were the perfect complement to go with afternoon tea, and they became increasingly popular amongst younger people.

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High tea vs. low tea -

Sometimes the terms "high tea" and "afternoon tea" are used interchangeably, but this is a modern day misunderstanding of the term.

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High tea vs. low tea -

For working class men during the Industrial Revolution (and later women), sitting down with a hot tea and a bite to eat had to wait until the end of the working day. By that time, they needed something more substantial than finger food.

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High tea vs. low tea -

Workers sat in high-backed chairs, hence why it was referred to as "high" tea, or supper. In contrast, afternoon tea was sometimes referred to as low tea.

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Afternoon tea today -

Nowadays, afternoon tea at home, if it happens at all, probably looks like a mid-afternoon cup of tea accompanied by a biscuit or two.

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Afternoon tea today -

Afternoon tea is seen as a treat, or something to indulge in. Hotels and tea rooms offer packages to people where friends and/or family have a get-together or take afternoon tea to mark a special occasion.

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Traditional menu -

Traditional afternoon tea is served with sandwiches including cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese, coronation chicken, or ham and mustard.

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Traditional menu -

The most commonly served types of tea include Assam, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, and Lapsang Souchong. However, there is a range of around 100 different types of tea to choose from.

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Devonshire cream tea -

The Devonshire cream tea consists of scones, strawberry jam, and Devon clotted cream. In Devon, the cream is added to the scone first like butter, before adding a dollop of jam to the top. Hot sweet tea is served in china teacups.

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Cornish cream tea -

Rival Cornish cream tea differs in how scones are served with afternoon tea. In Cornwall, the jam is smoothed on first, before being topped with a heaping spoonful of cream.

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Afternoon tea experience -

A wide selection of London hotels such as the Ritz, the Savoy, the Dorchester, and Claridge's offer the quintessential afternoon tea experience.

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Afternoon tea experience -

Upmarket department stores Harrods and Fortnum & Mason also offer afternoon tea experiences where you can indulge in this traditional ritual.

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Afternoon tea at home -

Of course, there's always the option to recreate afternoon tea at home for a special occasion.  There aren't any rules when it comes to the food, but a standard afternoon tea menu comprises a tier of sandwiches, a tier of cakes, and one of scones or teacakes.

Sources: (Historic UK) (Ballroom Dance Preservation Society) (BBC Travel) (BBC Good Food)

See also: Herbal tea infusions for health and happiness 

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