A Spot of Tea

Afternoon tea is a tradition we associate with Great Britain. Traditionally, dinner was served at 8:30 or 9:00 pm – a long time after the morning meal which was served between 7:00 and 9:00 am.  To fill the gap, and stop the grumblings of many tummies,  tea was served.

High tea, an early evening meal, was served between 5:00 and 7:00. It included hot dishes followed by cakes and bread, butter and jam. Sometimes cold meats would also be served. For the most part, high tea was served at the dining table.

Afternoon tea, served in the late afternoon, was called low tea because it was usually served in the sitting room, salon, or library on low (coffee) tables. There are three types of Low Tea:

Cream Tea - Tea, scones, jam and cream

Light Tea - Tea, scones and sweets

Full Tea - Tea, savories, scones, sweets and dessert

The traditional time for tea in England was 4:00 or 5:00. Today tea is served in most tea rooms from 3:00 to 5:00. The menu has also changed to include three courses served in a specific order:

Savories - Tiny sandwiches or appetizers

Scones - Served with jam and Devonshire or clotted cream

Pastries - Cakes, cookies, shortbread and sweets

On my first business trip overseas I spent the weekend in London. I had several places I want to see or experience, including the Tower of London, Warwick Castle, Hampton Court, and go to a tea room. A friend at the office surprised me and took me to tea at The Savoy Hotel. That’s where I discovered clotted cream. How delicious to bite into the warm scone slathered with cream.  

I found the perfect place in my story, Knight of Runes, to include The Savoy Hotel and afternoon tea.

To celebrate Monday’s release of Knight of Runes, I will be hosting a virtual tea from 4:00 to 6:00 pm EST. Please come back tomorrow and leave a comment for a chance to win a tea basket.