Picture it: you’re at the elegant Palm Court at the Langham Hotel in London for High Tea. The waitstaff glide by. You sit politely, napkin in lap, and here it comes.
A hearty plate of shepherd’s pie with veg and a jug of gravy.
Wait, what?
As the Brit behind Truly Terrific Tea Co. here in Austin, I’ve embraced many American takes on tea. But nothing gets me quite as narked as hearing someone say:
“We’re having high tea!”
No. You’re not.
Unless your tiered tray includes sausages and mash, what you’re actually having is afternoon tea—or, if you want to get technical, low tea.
What Y’all Think High Tea Is
In the U.S., high tea has somehow come to mean elegant, posh, or elevated—as in high society. They imagine cucumber sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, fancy pastries, and vintage china.
What It Really Is
Hate to burst the bubble, but high tea was never fancy. It was functional. The “high” refers to the height of the table, not the status of the guests.
It originated with the British working class in the 19th century, particularly in the North. After a long day of graft, families sat down around 5 or 6pm at the dining table—a high table—to fill up.
If you’ve watched Downton Abbey, think of what the servants eat downstairs, not what the posh lot upstairs eat.
A typical high tea includes:
- Meat pies, sausages, stews
- Bread and butter
- A sponge cake if you’re lucky
- And always, a strong mug of tea
A typical afternoon tea includes:
- Tea sandwiches
- Scones with clotted cream and jam
- Petits-fours
- China cups and silver spoons
- Linen napkins
All served on low tables in the drawing room. Hence, low tea.
And no, afternoon tea wasn’t invented by the Duchess of Bedford in the 1840s—but she did popularise it when she fancied a little something between lunch and dinner. Soon it became the fashionable way to sip, savour, gossip, and be seen.
Why It Matters
Honestly? It doesn’t. Unless you care about words. Or my sanity.
But if you ask your London hotel concierge to book you high tea, they’ll smile politely, then judge you silently, as only the British can.
Want to get it right? I can help. Truly Terrific Tea Co. offers beautifully curated afternoon tea parties complete with vintage china and, if you fancy, a quick etiquette tutorial to keep you from smushing your scone halves together to create a scone burger.
Planning a tea party in Austin?
Explore our afternoon tea experiences at Truly Terrific Tea Co. Let’s make your next gathering truly terrific – whatever you choose to call it.
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