What is the difference between High Tea and Afternoon Tea?
Welcome in tea lovers!! I am so excited you have joined me here for a cup of tea! I have always had this dream of a tea business and it is now a reality and so exciting to see so much hard work come to fruition! Blogging about tea has also been an item on my goal list as well and now I get to talk to my friends about the experience of tea and all the fun and pretties that come with it! As a full time wedding planner of 20 years, I do assist my brides with their bridal and bridesmaids’ teas. One question that is often asked is the difference between a high tea and afternoon tea. Let’s talk about this!
Cream Tea
A cream tea is considered a very light meal consisting only of your tea blend, scones and clotted or Devonshire cream and jams. This is a lighter tea compared to Afternoon Tea where you might enjoy sandwiches as well. A cream tea only consists of the tea and scones but the clotted cream is your main ingredient giving it this appropriate name.
There are several wonderful recipes for a good clotted cream. A good basic 3 ingredient recipe from my very favorite publication Tea Time Magazine consists of 1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 Tbsp sour cream. You can always add a little of your own flavorings and I even like to add a bit of cream cheese. A dollop of clotted cream followed by some yummy fruit preserves or jam or maybe some lemon curd is what completes your cream tea!
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea is taken in the afternoon and is typically served on the three tiered tea tray you see most often in tea rooms. Protocol when served the tea tray is to start from the bottom plate and move upwards towards the top. The bottom tier will have your scones, served with clotted or Devonshire cream, preserves and jams and lemon curd. I have sometimes seen the bottom tier begin with the finger sandwiches as well which I actually prefer. The middle tier will have your tea finger sandwiches, no crust. This can be a variety of sandwiches for each guest. The top tier will have your desserts of cake, pastry, chocolate, etc. The afternoon tea is really a lighter meal just to hold you over until dinner time but I promise you this is plenty of food and will usually satisfy any hunger pangs you may have in the afternoon.
High Tea
I hear my brides and others refer to the High Tea as a very formal tea. The High Tea actually refers to the meal it represents and not the formality at all, although I do believe all tea experiences do have a some level of formality and elegance to them. The high tea is usually served at dinner time so this should be a full meal, including meats, heartier savories, tea sandwiches, soups, scones and desserts. It is called “high tea” referring to the table guests will enjoy this type of tea experience which is usually the dining room table. Other teas are taken at lower coffee tables or sitting rooms. This meal is served family style and serving platters are passed around the table although I do like to include the three tiered tea tray with my high tea when serving or presenting the sandwiches, scones and desserts. I have done a high tea starting of with a plated served salad followed by a hearty soup. Next would be a savory and/or a meat on smaller rolls or served with a type of bread. Finally I like to bring out the tea tray with sandwiches, scones, clotted creams, jams and lemon curd and a variety of desserts. This is a very full meal and meant to be enjoyed slowly, as is all tea experiences.
What I find most enjoyable with tea is to present beautifully including the tea table and the elegant food selections, the company you choose to share this experience and time with whether this is with several of your closest friends or all by yourself and finally to enjoy your tea and elegant experience slowly savoring all the quiet moments you create with deep thoughts and conversation. Enjoy friends!
xoxo~ Anita
Special thanks to:
Photographers - Eric and Jamie Photography
Tea table ware - Tea and Old Roses
Catering - Kathy G & Company
Floral Design - RD Designs
Custom Teas provided by Tea and Time