High Tea - does such a thing still exist?

Kim_kim

Islandmaid wrote: »

I was always led to believe that High tea was called so as it was eaten at the table when the menfolk arrived back from work, as most would have come back for their main meal at lunchtime and involved some hot savoury elements, it was taken by the lower classes when tea became more affordable, from the upper class afternoon tea, which was tea, sandwiches and fancies eaten in comfortable chairs to sustain between lunch at 12 and dinner at 8.

This is why 'posh' people have breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the others, breakfast dinner and tea.

Edit - Supper was a meal eaten by the upper class, when staff had their day off (how dare they) and left cold cuts, pies etc for the lady and gent of the house to help themselves

Whichever, both sound good to me

I'm 50 this year (& certainly not posh). We only ever had breakfast, lunch & dinner, never tea.
The only place I ever really had a cooked lunch, was at school, other than that lunch was always lighter & dinner always meat & two veg (or similar).
The only deviation was Sunday, we had our main meal at lunch time & had a light meal in the evening - scrambled egg or poached egg on toast was always a favourite of mine.

caronc

CacaMck wrote: »

Caronc not sure where in Scotland you live but high tea is alive and I presume well in Glasgow at the Butterfly and Pig on Bath Street. We also recently visited Perth and we're assured by locals that the Grampian Hotel, where we were staying, served the best high tea in the area. Unfortunately we had already had a decidedly average bar supper elsewhere so we didn't get to try it.

Thanks that's excellent didn't know the Butterfly and Pig did this will definitely see if I can arrange a trip at some point.:D

Kim_kim wrote: »

I'm 50 this year (& certainly not posh). We only ever had breakfast, lunch & dinner, never tea.
The only place I ever really had a cooked lunch, was at school, other than that lunch was always lighter & dinner always meat & two veg (or similar).
The only deviation was Sunday, we had our main meal at lunch time & had a light meal in the evening - scrambled egg or poached egg on toast was always a favourite of mine.

There definitely is a lot of variation in meal names across the country - seems to be a regional or family tradition rather than class thing these days though

suki1964

So high tea is really just a small hot snack so you can fill up on cakes and tea?

caronc

suki1964 wrote: »

So high tea is really just a small hot snack so you can fill up on cakes and tea?

Yes more or less - the best of both a hot meal and afternoon tea in one meal :D

suki1964

caronc wrote: »

Yes more or less - the best of both a hot meal and afternoon tea in one meal :D

I'll give it a miss then

I went to the poshest hotel about here for afternoon tea a couple of years back and ended up with the shakes lol

It was all so beautiful but a complete sugar rush, I gave up after a scone and a fancy. Indeed the birthday girl ended up with a box of cakes to take home

caronc

suki1964 wrote: »

I'll give it a miss then

I went to the poshest hotel about here for afternoon tea a couple of years back and ended up with the shakes lol

It was all so beautiful but a complete sugar rush, I gave up after a scone and a fancy. Indeed the birthday girl ended up with a box of cakes to take home

You're missing out you've got the dinner element to counteract the sugar hit.........:D

suki1964

caronc wrote: »

You're missing out you've got the dinner element to counteract the sugar hit.........:D

But I only ever want the dinner element

I don't have a sweet tooth at all. I might bake cakes, cookies etc, never eat them myself

caronc

suki1964 wrote: »

But I only ever want the dinner element

I don't have a sweet tooth at all. I might bake cakes, cookies etc, never eat them myself

No it's probably not for you then:). That I don't have a very sweet tooth but would still enjoy one as a treat