Afternoon tea menu

Afternoon Tea is a meal composed of sandwiches (usually cut delicately into 'fingers'), scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries and cakes. Interestingly, scones were not a common feature of early Afternoon Tea and were only introduced in the twentieth century.

Afternoon Tea was initially developed as a private social event for ladies who climbed the echelons of society. It was only when Queen Victoria engaged in the Afternoon Tea ritual that it became a formal occasion on a larger scale, known as 'tea receptions'.

These receptions could have as many as two hundred guests with an open 'at home' invitation to visit between 4 pm and 7 pm, during which they could come and go as they pleased; this was the genesis of the Afternoon Tea as we know it.

In Britain, today Afternoon Tea is usually enjoyed as an occasional indulgence or to celebrate a special event such as a birthday, or a pre-wedding or baby shower party with a group of friends.

Afternoon Tea food

1. Simple Sandwiches

Afternoon tea starts with sandwiches which are usually made with thinly sliced bread and often with the crusts removed. There will usually be both white and brown bread sandwiches.

Any number of traditional fillings for afternoon tea sandwiches may include:

Buttered bread with thinly sliced, cucumber.

Thin slices of cooked ham and a little mustard

Egg Mayonnaise

Coronation Chicken

Roast Beef

Cheese and Pickle

Tuna

Tinned Salmon with or without cucumber

2. Scones, Jam, and Cream

The Spruce

Super light, warm scones follow on from the sandwiches. The scones can be plain, fruit, or cheese.  Plain or fruit will demand both butter, jam and or cream, and for the cheese, serve alone with butter.

3. Delicious Cakes and Tarts

lemon tart

The final course in a traditional afternoon tea is the cake - either slices of a large cake, cupcakes or small iced buns (also known as Fancies) and depending on how hungry or decadent you feel, a slice or two of a tart.

Try to include some (one or two are enough) of the following:

Chocolate Cake

Rich Fruit Cake

Battenberg Cake

Marbled Coffee Cake

Chocolate Cup Cakes

Tarts may include:

Bakewell Tart

Yorkshire Curd Tart

Egg Custard Tart

Lemon Tart

4. A Few Untraditional Extra Recipes

Elaine Lemm

There are traditional recipes for afternoon tea, and there are, as always, those quirks of local tradition, family customs, or personal taste that involve recipes outside of the norm. Some, often in Scotland, will also include a savory dish, nothing heavy just a snack type dish to balance all the sweetness.

5. The tea

1). Assam Black Tea: It is produced in Assam State, northeastern India. Its shape is thin and flat, its color is dark brown, its soup is thick, its color is dark red and slightly brown, its color is fresh, it has light malt and rose aroma, and its taste is strong.

2). Black Tea: Black Tea is mild in nature and rich in fragrance, which helps to strengthen bones first. Researchers at Cambridge Medical School have investigated diet and bone mineral density in 1,256 women aged 65 to 76 living nearby. The results showed that tea was rich in flavonoids, which could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in women.

3). Darjeeling Black Tea: Darjeeling Black Tea, produced in the northern Himalayan foothills of West Bengal Province, India, has the best quality and is known as "Champagne in Black Tea". The tea soup is orange, yellow, red, fragrant and elegant, with grape aroma and delicate and soft taste.

4). Light Tea: Tea, muffins, and desserts can be enjoyed at any time.

5). Cream Tea: Basically like a light tea, there are tea and desserts.

6). Mixed aroma black tea: it does not have the essence of aroma source, but first extracts of fruit or flowers and herbs, and then smoked tea, with a distinct additional aroma, especially popular with women.

7). Earl Grey Tea: mixed tea made from many kinds of tea and flavors. The taste is light and moderate with high acceptability.

8). High Tea: Early dinners, including tea, toasted muffins with butter and jam, and sandwiches and salty foods cut into small pieces. Usually, it can also mean dinner.

9). Full Tea: Traditionally, in the UK, this type of tea is usually served between 16 p.m. and 17 p.m. and does not exceed 19 p.m., including tea, bread, butter, and cakes. The usual restaurant is from 15 to 17 o'clock. Tea and salty foods, such as sandwiches, are served in order, then muffins, butter and jam, and then baked desserts and cakes. It's basically the same thing as afternoon tea.

10). Royal Tea: Champagne is added to ordinary afternoon tea.

11). Afternoon Tea, also known as Low Tea: It is called "low tea" because it is traditionally placed on a relatively low tea table, with lace tablecloths and delicious food, including baked muffins and sandwiches, which are easily confused with high tea. It was initially confined to communication between women. While their men are drinking coffee and smoking cigars in the cafe, women can dress up and sit together and gossip.

Afternoon tea is a time to relax and enjoy life. During this time, eat some delicious desserts, drink a cup of mellow tea, relax the tired body, or talk with a few friends, share the joy of life, full of happiness.