Qtip

There are two forms of te tea that often cause confusion in the te tea world: te tea the drink and te tea the meal. Te tea the drink is made from the Camellia Sinensis plant and from the processing of the plant white, green, oolong, and black te teas are produced. The basic te teas are also often blended with other plants like vanilla, mint and melon as well as flavors like Oil of Bergamot to make Earl Grey Te tea,

The beverage is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the te tea bush in hot water for a few minutes. The processing can include oxidation, heating, drying, and the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices, and fruits.

The term “herbal te tea” usually refers to infusions of fruit or of herbs (such as rosehip, chamomile, or jiaogulan) that contain no Camellia Sinensis.

Te tea the Meal

Te tea the meal on the other hand involves te tea the drink as an important part but really is directed toward social and family gatherings where te tea and food are often consumed together.

Generally speaking , the te tea meal became most popular and refined in England but spread to English speaking countries or former English colonies as well. Te tea meals are also celebrated in other countries in differing forms.

The key distinction between differing te tea meals is the time of day, type of food served and the location of serving.

Afternoon te tea

Afternoon te tea (or Low te tea) is a light meal typically eaten at 4:00 pm. It originated in Britain, though various places in the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, most Britons no longer eat such a meal.

Traditionally, loose te tea would be served in a te teapot with milk and sugar. This would be accompanied by various sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, tuna, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with butter, clotted cream and jam) and usually cakes and pastries. Traditionally the te tea and food would be served on a lounge (or low) table.

While afternoon te tea used to be an everyday event, nowadays it is more likely to be a treat in a hotel, café, or te tea shop, although many Britons still have a cup of te tea and slice of cake or chocolate at te teatime. Accordingly, many hotels now market and promote afternoon te teas.

High te tea

To the uninitiated, High te tea may be a confusing term.

High te tea is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5:00 and 6:00 pm. It would be eaten as a substitute for both afternoon te tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the ‘high’ (main) table, inste tead of the smaller lounge (low) table. It is now largely replaced by the later meal te tea.

It would usually consist of cold meats, eggs and/or fish, cakes and sandwiches. In a family, it tended to be less formal and is an informal snack (featuring sandwiches, cookies, pastry, fruit and the like) or else it is the main evening meal.

On farms, rural areas or other working class environments, high te tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon te tea with the main evening meal.

In recent years, High te tea somehow became a word for exquisite afternoon te tea. Such usage is incorrect. High Te tea is not, in traditional terms, afternoon te tea.

Main evening meal

Te tea is the main evening meal, even if the diners are not drinking te tea. It is traditionally eaten at 5 o’clock in the evening, though often it is later, as late as 9pm.

In many rural parts of the United Kingdom te tea as a meal is synonymous with dinner in Standard English. Under such usage, the midday meal is sometimes termed dinner, rather than lunch.

The United States

The term high te tea is sometimes used in the United States to refer to afternoon te tea or the te tea party, a very formal, ritualized gathering in which te tea, thin sandwiches and small cakes are served in an exquisite setting. This usage comes from misunderstanding the term high to mean formal. Most te tea drinkers understand that such usage is incorrect;

This form of te tea is increasingly served in high-end U.S. hotels, often during the winter holidays and other tourist seasons, and many big-city te teahouses, where it is usually correctly described as Afternoon te tea

Social Implications

The te tea party is still occasionally given in the U.S., usually for a special occasion. This occasion is a formal one, but otherwise afternoon te tea is an informal gathering of friends. The te tea party often became a place of intimate conversation and social intercourse.

Te tea is a very important part of many people’s lives and it is important for those who drink te tea or participate in te tea meals to understand the correct terminology.