Quick Summary: High tea is a hearty working-class evening meal served around 5-6 pm with substantial savory food, while afternoon tea is a lighter, more elegant gathering served between 3-5 pm featuring finger foods and a focus on the tea itself. The terms reflect British class history, with afternoon tea originating in upper-class social gatherings and high tea from working-class families needing a substantial meal after work. For the cucumber sandwiches: Prep: 20 | Cook: 0 | Serves: 40
Jump to: RECIPE for cucumber sandwiches | Afternoon tea vs High Tea | Casual Tea | FAQ
These terms get used interchangeably but actually refer to very different traditions. Understanding the distinction helps you plan the right kind of gathering, whether you’re hosting an elegant afternoon affair or a hearty early evening meal.
Here’s what you need to know, plus my easy cucumber sandwich recipe for your next “afternoon” tea party.
At HeathGlen Organic Farm, I grow herbs specifically for tea blending, which has made me a bit of a tea enthusiast over the years. One question I hear often from farmers market customers when discussing the social aspect of tea culture, is about the between afternoon tea and high tea.
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What’s the Difference Between High Tea and Afternoon Tea?
The difference between a “high tea” and an “afternoon tea” is a bit nuanced, depending on who is explaining it, but there are some commonly agreed-on distinctions. The distinctions are around timing, food pairings and history of class as follows:
When Is Each Type of Tea Served?
High tea is typically a hearty, early evening meal enjoyed around 5-6 pm. It was traditionally a substantial meal of meat or fish, bread, vegetables, and tea to drink, and it would feed the men and women who had been at work all day. Today it might be referred to as dinner or supper, although in the US those terms do not usually involve tea.
Afternoon tea is a lighter, fancier gathering with tea and elegant snacks served between 3-5 pm. The focus is more upon the tea itself rather than the meal, although sweet or savory snacks are generally served with an afternoon tea.
What Food Goes with High Tea vs Afternoon Tea?
High teas are meant to satisfy hunger after working all day. The food is typically savory, hearty dishes accompanied by a pot of tea. The focus is on the food rather than the tea.
Afternoon teas typically involve finger food. The food might be either sweet (like small cakes and pastries) or savory (like cucumber sandwiches). The afternoon tea is meant to be a leisurely and elegant experience, with the focus more on the tea and the conversation.
Where Did These Tea Traditions Come From?
High teas reference a tradition that originated in the working-class communities of Britain. The tradition dates back to the 19th century where a family would eat a hearty meal at a high table with high back chairs and served with a pot of tea after a hard day at work.
The afternoon tea came about from the upper classes in England. It is meant to be more of a social experience rather than a satiating meal. It started in the Edwardian period when ladies would get together at a local hotel for conversation with some dainty treats and ‘a spot of tea’.
The afternoon tea tradition has evolved over the years and is currently quite popular in the US, even as it represents British culture. The focus of an afternoon tea is on the experience and the company, with the treats and tea enhancing the enjoyment of the experience.
While the working class high tea hasn’t made much inroads in the US, it is something to explore further with the men in your life, as afternoon teas are really oriented towards women and girls.
How to Set Up a Casual Afternoon Tea Party at Home
An ‘afternoon tea’ requires a teapot and teacups, even if it is a casual event at home. It is a “tea party” after all. I got all of my teacups and accessories at the local thrift store and then let each guest pick their favorite cup.
The thrift store is also a great place to look for a tiered cake stand for the finger food. It’s not necessary of course, but it does give a bit of British elegance to your afternoon tea.
If you want a really casual party, you could also use regular plates instead of a tiered pastry stand. I do think a tiered stand and fancy tea cups add to the fun however. Here is a unique wooden tiered cake stand on Amazon if you don’t have time to scour the thrift stores.
While enjoying companionship through conversation is the classic focus of an afternoon tea, I changed it up a bit for a family gathering by adding a board game. This added a cozy family element to the tea and took it into the realm of a hygge experience
What Are the Best Sweet and Savory Pairings with Tea?
Food pairings for Afternoon Teas:
The food that works best for an afternoon tea is finger food. It can be sweet or savory or both! For our casual spring tea, we wanted to have both, but it was important that the food was easy to put together so that it could remain casual.
For ease, we opted for some pastel macaroons at Costco along with some chocolate bunnies and then made our own little cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches. Simple and casual, but with a nod to tradition with the cucumber sandwiches (recipe below).
If you are celebrating a specific theme or holiday, it is nice to design the food options around colors and flavors associated with the theme (i.e., red pepper and spinach tea sandwiches at Christmas).
The timing of your afternoon tea party is something to consider if you are also planning to have dinner, as the snacks can be pretty filling. At our spring tea party, we liked the little cucumber sandwiches so much that we didn’t feel up to a full dinner later that evening.
A few other favorite recipes for food pairings to serve with spring afternoon teas include:
A spring radish and cream cheese appetizer
Carrot Tart with Goat Cheese Filling
Food Pairings for a High Tea:
For the high tea, any kind of hearty savory meal works, but my favorite option with a British background to it is this Ploughman’s Lunch:
FAQ
Afternoon tea is a light, elegant gathering served between 3-5 pm with finger foods like sandwiches and pastries. High tea is a substantial early evening meal served around 5-6 pm with hearty dishes like meat, fish, and bread. The names can be misleading; afternoon tea is actually the fancier of the two.
No, the opposite. High tea originated as a working-class family meal eaten at a high dining table after a day of labor. Afternoon tea developed among the upper classes as a social occasion with elegant presentation and lighter fare.
Afternoon tea features finger foods that can be eaten without utensils. Traditional options include cucumber sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, small cakes, macarons, and pastries. The focus is on elegant presentation, often on a tiered stand.
High tea includes hearty, filling dishes meant to serve as a full meal. Traditional options include meat pies, fish, cold cuts, bread and butter, cheese, and vegetables, all served with a pot of strong tea.
Absolutely. A casual afternoon tea at home works beautifully with thrift store teacups, simple finger foods, and a relaxed atmosphere. Adding a board game or activity makes it more of a cozy family gathering than a formal affair.
For afternoon tea, lighter black teas like Earl Grey or Darjeeling work well, as do herbal blends. For high tea, a stronger black tea like English Breakfast or Assam pairs better with the heartier food.
If you want to explore the world of teas and tisanes, check out this Complete Guide to Teas. It includes information on how to grow a tea garden, types of tea, brewing times and temp., recipes for blends, caffeine amounts, and much more.
Cucumber Sandwiches for an Afternoon Tea
Equipment
- bowl and spreader spreader can be butter knife
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3-4 Teaspoons fresh chives minced
- ½ Teaspoon salt and pepper 'to taste'
- 24 cucumber slices About 1 1/2 to 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 20 slices soft enriched white bread like Wonder bread
- 2 Teaspoons fresh dill optional for garnish (use the frilly frond parts)
Instructions
- In a bowl, blend the cream cheese and mayonnaise together with a hand blender until smooth and spreadable. Stir in the chives and salt and pepper to taste.8 Ounces cream cheese, 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise, 3-4 Teaspoons fresh chives, 1/2 Teaspoon salt and pepper
- Spread the cream cheese mixture onto one side of each piece of bread and top with thinly sliced cucumbers. Top with another slice of bread.24 cucumber slices, 20 slices soft enriched white bread
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the crusts (you're left with a square). Cut the square diagonally and then cut each diagonal in half.You'll end up with 4 small triangular sandwiches. Garnish with dill fronds if desired.2 Teaspoons fresh dill
- Serve immediately or cover and store up to 24 hours.
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