National Afternoon Tea Week

17/08/2017

National Afternoon Tea Week: 14th – 18th August

Afternoon tea is a great British treat, and one that everyone should try. Wouldn’t it be great if every week was an afternoon tea week? Sadly, it only comes around once a year, but we have put together 5 interesting facts about this Great British treat to keep you going.

1.Afternoon tea originated in the early 1800s when the Duchess of Bedford introduced a time in the afternoon when tea and a snack could be enjoyed. Typcially, only 2 meals a day were eaten at this time, and the Duchess wanted something to tide her over until the evening. It started out as a private dining expeience but its popularity quickly swept through the rest of England.

2. The most expensive afternoon tea was designed by executive head chef, Carlos Martinez at Cliveden House in Berkshire, at a staggering £550 per couple! The luxurious spread included cognac preserve, beluga caviar, and a chocolate opera cake that contains the most expensive chocoate in the world – Amedi Pocelana. Nowadays, there are also some wonderful variations, from Alice in Wonderland themes to elegant Prosecco ensembles. There are some great choices, and The Telegraph lists a few of the best ones in London.

3. Traditionally, the upper class took afternoon tea at 4pm. It was also called low tea because it was served on low tables (like coffee tables). The middle and working classes took theirs around 5pm – 6pm and oftern called it high tea as it was served on high tables such as dining tables.

4. A typical afternoon tea menu consists of:

Finger sized sandwiches with crusts removed
Scones with clotted cream and jam
Cake
Pastries
A range of teas

5. Currently, everyday in the UK, around 165 million cups of tea are consumed! That's nearly 2000 cups of tea that the Great British public make every second!