THE STORIES AND RECIPES BEHIND OUR GREAT FOODIE TRADITIONS
Is there anything more delectable than a traditional afternoon tea? Sharon Parsons reveals how this delicious slice of British food history came about
RECIPES EMILY JONZEN
May
PAGE 108
HELENA LANG HEAD OF CONTENT
‘Afternoon tea is such a luxury isn’t it? But an expensive hotel treat isn’t the only option: a DIY version is not only kinder to the wallet, it’s an opportunity to be really creative with your food and table styling, too. So get your bake on, pop open the fizz… and enjoy!’
It seems we have a very ‘hangry’ aristocratic lady to thank for the fine tradition that is afternoon tea. Back in the 1840s, Anna Maria Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, found herself with a ‘sinking feeling’ when she realised that the gap between luncheon and dinner was so vast, she might faint with hunger (hey, we’ve all been there).
At that time, it had become fashionable for the privileged classes – always keen to distance themselves from the hoi polloi – to dine late (those lower down the social scale would be having their evening meal much earlier). Obviously, however, this had its drawbacks where rich rumbling tummies were concerned. The Duchess requested that an afternoon pot of tea, accompanied by some bread and butter, be brought to her boudoir, and found it so agreeable, she began to invite friends to join her. The concept was not entirely new, of course. Like many from her background, Anna Maria – alady-inwaiting to Queen Victoria – was very familiar with the ritual of meeting socially to drink tea (this aristocratic practice had first become popular after Catherine of Braganza married King Charles ll in 1662, bringing the precious leaves as part of her dowry).
‘It was the timing of this gathering that made it different,’ explains food historian Pen Vogler. ‘Previously, tea was usually enjoyed in the evening after a much earlier dinner, but the Duchess’s idea of inviting guests to join her for refreshments in the afternoon instead was novel. It meant, essentially, that dinner and tea swapped places.’
PRODUCT PLACEMENT
This exciting new mini-meal quickly grew in popularity among the wealthy. Not only was it a practical way to ward off those pesky hunger pangs, it also helped punctuate the long, leisurely days.
Victorians, always keen to embellish every occasion, gave the event ceremony: the way in which afternoon tea was served was every bit as important as the deliciou
