Tea Traditions: High Tea vs. Low Tea


OldFashionedLiving.com
Home   |   Holidays   |   Garden Path   |   Home & Hearth   |   Kitchen   |   Tea Time   |   Rememberances   |   Corner Library   |   Crafter's Attic   |   Treehouse   |   Pathways   |   Moms   |   The Parlor


Search

Monthly Newsletter

Daily Tips Newsletter

Home



Gardening Tips
Growing Herbs
Flowers Gardens
Organic Gardening
Herb Recipes/Crafts

Home & Hearth
DIY Projects
Cleaning Tips
Household Pests

Old Fashioned Recipes
Family Recipes
Kitchen Tips
Hospitality

Tea Time
Tea Traditions
Good Manners
Menus & Recipes

Holidays
Holiday Crafts
Recipes & Tips
Family Traditions

Family Loss
Loss and Grief
Poetry & Tributes

Family Reading
Book Reviews
Poetry & Reading
Writing Tips

Craft Projects
Craft Projects
Keepsake Crafts
Kid's Projects

Kid's Fun
Kid's Crafts
Family Activities
Scrapbooking
Games & Fun

Family History
Family History
Collecting Tips
Geneology

Motherhood
Pampering Ideas
Encouragement
Parenting Tips

Family Resources
Kid's Resources
Family Support

The Parlor
Join us on our message boards for conversation, introductions, support, encouragement and chit chat. Stop by and introduce yourself Here!


Recipes

Tea

Crafts

Garden

Forums

High Tea vs. Low Tea

By Brenda Hyde
High tea sounds elegant and brings to mind for many lavish tea desserts, scones and dainty sandwiches. Often, online and offline, high tea is described as a more lavish version of afternoon tea. I once ran across a chef connected with the Lipton company describing it this way. This has never been true, and is a misuse of the term. High tea was actually a working man's hearty tea and supper after a long, hard day of manual labor. It is actually the combination of afternoon tea and the evening meal. The working person, whether male or female, would work until late afternoon, often missing lunch and certainly afternoon tea. They would return home in the early evening and high tea would be served at the main table or "high table" rather than in the parlor or sitting room. High tea has different traditional dishes depending on where the working man resided. England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland all had versions of high tea, especially in the rural areas. All would include tea, bread and cheese and these are some of the regional favorites:

Wales: Welsh rarebit, onion cake (potatoes and onions), Glamorgan sausage (a meatless sausage), poacher's pie (beef, rabbit, chicken, and game)

Scotland: Steak pie, sausages and eggs, haddock, kippers, mashed potatoes, shortbreads, Dundee cake, gingerbread or drop scones.

Ireland: Barm Brack (Irish Fruit Cake), Irish Rarebit, Bacon and Egg Pie, oatcakes

England: Shepherds Pie, Baked Beans on Toast, steak and kidney pie In England high tea is also known as "meat tea", referring to the addition of hot or cold meats.

Afternoon tea on the other hand, would often be served at smaller, lower tables with dainty desserts and fine china. This was often referred to as low tea. While this does not sound elegant, it was the tea preferred by the upper class. In the 1800's the practice of inviting friends to tea became popular, especially among the rich. This will vary too depending on if it is formal or informal, but almost always includes:sandwiches and/or savories, scones, toast, crumpets or muffins, cookies, plain cakes, quick breads and sometimes an elegant cake to finish the tea. Afternoon tea is generally served between lunch and a later dinner; anywhere from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

High tea was practical, it was filling, and it was a reward for a hard days work. The hot tea comforted and warmed, while the food fed hard working men and women. It may not have been fancy, but it became a solid tradition.Personally, I think a traditional high tea would be a fantastic way to entertain friends and family, including men, who enjoy a hardy meal.


RETURN TO THE TEA ARTICLE INDEX

About The Author

Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her
husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.
 
Custom Search


Visit Alicia for Easter Recipes

SeptemberLady
"Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.

My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."

Read more from this member or chat with all our friendly members in The Parlor!



Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."

Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!

Read more...



Growing and Using Garlic Chives
Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.

The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!

Read more...



The Perfect Porch Swing
Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.

Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.

Read more...





Home | Forums | Newsletter | Resources | Media Kit | Submissions | Privacy Statement | Contact Us
© Copyright 1999-2008 MOAB Group LLC, Seeds of Knowledge, Old Fashioned Living

KITCHEN & HOME
Easy Recipes
Holiday Recipes
Wedding Ideas
Old Fashioned Ideas
PARENTS & FAMILY
Unique Baby Names
Baby Names
Popular Baby Names
Kid's Crafts
Chronic Insomnia
SHOPPING
Wall Letters
Family Decals
Craft Supplies
Kid's Costumes