Tea Party
Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, created the afternoon tea over a
century ago. Dinner was not served until 8:30 PM and Anna would get
a "sinking feeling" late in the afternoon. She decided it would be
nice to have a cup of tea with some cookies or cake, and she served
her lady friends when they came to visit.
Today, many enjoy the daily ritual of afternoon tea. It can be
informal and cozy or formal and elegant. The way you serve depends
on the number of guests and the location. Both Informal Afternoon
Tea and Formal Afternoon Tea is usually served between 2 P.M. and 5
P.M. High Tea, by the way, is not a "fancy" tea as thought by many
people. It is called the "working man's supper" because it is
served later in the working day, and usually includes meat or a hot
dish.