Afternoon Tea Victorian Era

By the late victorian era afternoon tea was again mostly a pastime of the idle rich.

Afternoon tea victorian era. She will have some regard to making her guests to her afternoon tea acquainted if they have not already met. She began to invite others to join her and thus became the tradition. In future i ll be writing more on afternoon tea specifically formal teas and receptions which often featured music entertainment and as many as 100 guests or more. Also sandwich wise you could be a bit more adventurous and go for anchovy sardine or maybe.

The custom of afternoon tea came about as a necessity to fill a hunger gap. An afternoon tea or victorian tea party may be one of the most delightful and informal affairs in the whole social round or it may be an unmitigated bore. Afternoon tea in every respectable english dwelling be it palace or cottage tea is served between four and five o clock every afternoon in the year. In previous centuries dinner had been served early to mid afternoon but towards the end of the georgian era it had slipped back to 5 or 6 o clock.

It all depends upon the hostess. An informal afternoon tea was a great way for victorian era ladies and gentlemen to gather together for tea sweets and conversation. It is said that the afternoon tea tradition was established by anne duchess of bedford. By victoria s reign it was not uncommon for dinner to be served at 7pm or even later on important occasions.

This 4pm tea ritual became known as low tea because it was served in the low point of the afternoon. Instructions for an afternoon tea in the victorian era serve rolled bread and butter sandwiches made of ham paste potted ham tongue or chicken. The afternoon tea was formed as a relatively easy call at home that did not last long. Even in the victorian era cucumber sandwiches were on the afternoon tea menu.

In fact most of us would recognise the 19th century afternoon tea as something similar to what we have today finger sandwiches with assorted fillings savory tarts and pastries a variety of fancy cakes scones and tea. For the full victorian experience you might want to include a glass of sherry or a nice claret. If she is a wise woman she will limit her guests to the afternoon tea to the number her house can accommodate with ease and have her hours long enough to avoid all coming at the same time. The crusts of the bread should be cut off and the sandwiches cut into three corner shapes or fingers.

She requested that light sandwiches be brought to her in the late afternoon because she had a sinking feeling during that time because of the long gap between meals. Anchovy sandwiches or those made with cheese paste are liked by gentlemen. The name is also indicative of the coffee table height of sitting room furniture. I hope the above has given you some idea of how a late nineteenth century hostess might have arranged such an affair.

In the early years of the victorian era it was considered acceptable to stay for about half an hour on a tea call while a lady with a strong social life could have up to 9 such calls in one afternoon back to back.