PROPER tea drinking

[carouselvic]

high tea

What time of day is high tea taken?

 

[Kishtu]

Traditionally I believe high tea was afternoon tea, served (you'd never guess!)late afternoon - Claridge's serve it from 3pm onwards.

Not that I've been to Claridge's to sample it, at £25 per person!

My old manager, now retired, had lived in India for some time and swore by Rose Assam.

 

[Alan Eardley]

This is in today's Times of London:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article2217991.ece
Now boys and girls, make sure your pinkies are in exactly correct position!

I would agree about Peacock's in Ely, although I could name a few tearooms where the cake is better. I would vote for The Polly Tearoom in Marlborough. I'm not sure about the Dorchester, but then tea in a large hotel isn't the same to me - too many distractions to enjoy it properly.

The position of the finger was a compliment to your hostess's taste and wealth. The finer and more expensive the porcelain teacup, the more delicate it was and the smaller the handle. Chinese porcelain was more precious than gold, weight for weight* at this time So, by projecting the smallest digit in order to avoid the heat, you were drawing attention to the quality of the tea service.

At the time, the secret of bone china ('the Arcanum' as it was called) hadn't been captured in the West.

Trust me, I'm from The Potteries....

Alan

* But then, so was nutmeg, but that's another story...

 

[Alan Eardley]

Traditionally I believe high tea was afternoon tea, served (you'd never guess!)late afternoon - Claridge's serve it from 3pm onwards.

Not that I've been to Claridge's to sample it, at £25 per person!

My old manager, now retired, had lived in India for some time and swore by Rose Assam.

Kushti, Kishtu.

'High tea' (a deporable phrase IMO) occupied the space between lunch and dinner. It was distinguished from ordinary tea by the presence of what we would now call ' a snack'. It's the afternoon version of 'elevenses'.

There is a theory that both meals ('snacks?') were originally of working class agricultural origin, when labourers worked hard in the fields from sunrise to sunset (that's 15 hours at harvest time at UK latitudes) and so would need to refresh themselves at least three times between breakfast and the evening meal. The rich nicked the eating patterns because they were greedy. IMO.

Your old manager would call it tiffin, wouldn't s/he? Assam tea is the best in the world. IMO.

Varda.

Alan

 

[TraderRic]

I agree with the no cell phone policy. It would be nice to have some places left where one can converse with one's persent company and not have all the outside distractions.

Personally, I enjoy a cup of Irish Breakfast tea before Officer's Call in the morning. I was in Croatia a few days ago and picked up some hybiscus tea. It is quite nice on the flying bridge at sunset in the Mediterranean.

 

[Harp]

Kushti, Kishtu.

'High tea' (a deporable phrase IMO) occupied the space between lunch and dinner. Assam tea is the best in the world. IMO.
Varda.Alan

Memo to the Dean's Office....

 

[John in Covina]

Most of my students have never drank hot tea and have no idea how to use a tea bag.

**********************
Wow! That is inconceivable to me!!!

 

[carter]

Originally posted by dhermann1
Another thing to wash your tea down with would be a "buttered Bath." No, it's not some weird British hygenic ritual, it's a Bath Bun, from Bath England. I've never had one. My mother had one at the Pump Room in Bath, and said it was like an English Muffin, but I've been told that's not true. Of course, the ultimate would be crumpets, or Welsh cakes.

Personally, I prefer scones. While not authentic, Starbucks makes very tasty Cranberry-Orange scones. mmmmmmmm........

I like a strong cup of black tea with lemon, honey, and a shot of Jameson 12 Year Old when it's nippy out, I have a cold or the flu. Now that's a cuppa tea!

My daughter's Girl Scout Troop went to Tea at the Dallas Arboretum a couple of months ago. The girls had a grand time. The gardens are beautiful too.

 

[John in Covina]

Tea Time!

At my church we do an event for Mother's Day and also Father's Day on the Saturday before.

While for Fathers day we do a men's breakfast for all the guys and the kids, for Mother's Day we do a Tea! Finger sandwhiches and a variety of teas for all the Ladies. This always works out to be a great time.

 

[carter]

This brings an old song to mind.

"Tea for two and two for tea,
Me for you and you for me,
Can't you see how happy we would be.

We would raise a family
A boy for you, a girl for me,
..."