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| Part of the Meals series |
| Common meals |
| Breakfast |
| Brunch |
| Lunch |
| Tea |
| Dinner |
| Supper |
| See also |
Depending on a country's customs, tea can refer to any of several different meals or mealtimes.
Contents |
United Kingdom
Afternoon tea
Afternoon tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm. It originated in the United Kingdom, though various places that used to be part of the former British Empire also have such a meal. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. However, changes in social customs and working hours mean that most Britons only take afternoon tea on special/formal occasions.
Traditionally, loose tea would be served in a teapot with milk and sugar. A teapot is a vessel used for steeping Tea leaves or an herbal mix in near-boiling Water. This would be accompanied by various sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with butter, clotted cream and jam — see cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge). The traditional cucumber sandwich is composed of paper-thin slices of Cucumber placed between two thin slices of crustless lightly buttered white Bread An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals consisting of an Ovum surrounded by layers of Membranes and an outer casing which acts to nourish Ham is the Thigh and Rump of Pork, cut from the Haunch of a Pig or Boar. Smoked salmon is a preparation of Salmon, typically a fillet that has been cured and then hot or cold smoked. The scone is a British snack of Scottish origin A small quickbread made of Wheat, Barley or Oatmeal, usually with Clotted cream is a thick yellow Cream made by heating Unpasteurized cow's Milk and then leaving it in shallow pans for several hours A Cream tea, Devonshire tea or Cornish cream tea is Tea taken with a combination of Scones, Clotted cream, and Jam Battenberg cake (or window cake) is a light Sponge cake which when cut in cross section, displays a distinctive two-by-two check pattern alternately Fruitcake (or fruit cake) is a Cake made with chopped Candied fruit and/or dried Fruit, nuts and Spices and optionally soaked Sponge cake is a cake based on Flour (usually Wheat flour Sugar, and eggs sometimes leavened with Baking powder, that derives its The food would be often served in a tiered stand.
While afternoon tea used to be an everyday event, nowadays it is more likely to be taken as a treat in a hotel, café, or tea shop, although many Britons still have a cup of tea and slice of cake or chocolate at teatime. A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging usually on a short-term basis A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking Tea. Their function varies widely depending on the culture and some cultures have a variety of distinct Accordingly, many hotels now market a champagne cream tea. Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation.
High tea
High tea (also known as meat tea[1]) is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5pm and 6pm in the evening. It would be eaten as a substitute for both afternoon tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the "high" (main) table, instead of the smaller lounge table. It is now largely replaced by a later evening meal.
It would usually consist of cold meats, eggs and/or fish, cakes and sandwiches. In a family, it tends to be less formal and is an informal snack (featuring sandwiches, biscuits, pastry, fruit and the like) or else it is the main evening meal. A sandwich is a food item made of two or more slices of Bread with one or more layers of a filling A biscuit (ˈbɪskɨt is a small baked product the exact meaning varies markedly in different parts of the world This article describes Pastry in food For the Distributed Hash Table system see Pastry_(DHT. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology.
On farms or other working class environments, "high tea" would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by the workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon tea with the main evening meal. A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types See also The UK Tea Council Definition.
In recent years, high tea has become a term for elaborate afternoon tea, though this is American usage and mainly unrecognised in Britain. However, this usage is disfavored by etiquette advisors, such as Miss Manners (see below). Judith Martin (née Perlman born September 13 1938) better known by the Pen name Miss Manners, is an American journalist Depending on a country's customs tea can refer to any of several different meals or mealtimes
Main evening meal
In most of Northern England and parts of Scotland, and at times in its history, the three main meals are referred to as "breakfast, dinner and tea" or "breakfast, lunch and tea" [2] where in other areas they might be "breakfast, lunch and dinner".
Ireland
In Ireland "to have your tea" can mean either the main evening meal or a meal afterwards like supper, although tea would mostly follow a dinner meal and would usually take place between 6pm and 9pm. It is regularly regarded as an English term.
Africa
Afternoon tea was served daily in upper class homes in Commonwealth countries through the end of the 20th century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The tradition continues in some countries, in others tea is served less frequently. Afternoon tea is generally available in high-end hotels, restaurants and cafés.
In Kenya, tea (or chai, as it is known locally) is served scalding hot with lots of milk and is usually quite sweet. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south In northern Kenya, tea time is used not so much as a snack, but a mid afternoon break time from work to rest, cool off, and drink tea. It was customary to always return home during work breaks for meals (lunch); and tea would be served at this time.
Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay
Snacks are eaten at 5pm and include medialunas (crescent-shaped rolls), miga sandwiches (very thin bread), dulce de leche, dulce de membrillo (sweet quince paste), marmalade or butter spread over bread, and assorted bizcochos and pastries with tea, coffee, café con leche or mate. Dulce de leche in Spanish or doce de leite in Portuguese ("milk candy" is a milk-based syrup The Quince (kwɪns or Cydonia oblonga, is the sole member of the genus Cydonia and native to warm-temperate southwest Asia in the Caucasus British-style marmalade is a sweet preserve with a bitter tang made from Fruit, Sugar, water and (in some commercial brands a Gelling agent Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Bizcocho (/bis'kotʃo/ is the name given in Uruguay to many variants of buttery flaky Pastry and some Cookies Bizcochos have European origin Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Café con leche ("coffee with milk" also called cafebar, is a Spanish Coffee Beverage. Mate or maté (\ˈmä-ˌtā\ Spanish and Portuguese: mate, ˈmate is an infusion, containing Stimulants including This light meal is called merienda.
Mexico
Tea in Mexico is a light meal, eaten late afternoon before dinner, which includes assorted sweet breads or antojitos: enchiladas, pambazos, tamales, quesadillas, sopes or tacos and is accompanied with a hot drink such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate or other types of drinks. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Not to be confused with Enceladus. An enchilada ( is a corn Tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili A quesadilla (IPA, usually anglicized as) is a dish in Mexican cuisine or Tex-Mex, which involves cooking ingredients most importantly Cheese, inside A taco ( is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a Maize or wheat Tortilla folded or rolled around a filling
Australia and New Zealand
Many Australians call the early evening meal their "tea" while others will call it "dinner"; though both words are mutually understood to mean the same thing. The prominence of this usage is due to the influence of Scottish people for whom dinner is a meal eaten at midday and tea is the evening meal. Although the proportion of Scottish settlers being much greater in New Zealand than in Australia, in modern New Zealand the midday meal is still termed "lunch". Hence some Australians and New Zealanders describe the three main meals as breakfast, lunch, and tea.
Afternoon tea is not served daily but is served more frequently than in the United States. The meal is sometimes called "high tea" on the same understanding as in the U. S. (see below) but purists consider such usage erroneous. Cream teas are referred to as "Devonshire Teas" and are available in many high-end restaurants and cafés. A Cream tea, Devonshire tea or Cornish cream tea is Tea taken with a combination of Scones, Clotted cream, and Jam
During the working day "tea break" or just "tea" can refer to either morning tea (corresponding to elevenses and coffee break) or afternoon tea. In the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth realms, elevenses is a Snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning For the book go to Coffee Break (book A coffee break is a daily social gathering for a Snack and short downtime practiced by employees in business This may be taken in a designated tea room. A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking Tea. Their function varies widely depending on the culture and some cultures have a variety of distinct Colloquially, this can be referred to as a morning smoko or just smoko; which in times past was understood to mean a cup of tea, maybe something sweet or a sandwich, and a cigarette. "Smoko" (also "smoke-o" or "smoke-oh") is a term used in Australian English, New Zealand English and Falkland This term is commonly used by tradesmen and the building industry.
Canada
Due to the great variation of cultures scattered across Canada, one may find families in the same neighbourhood who observe any or none of the tea customs found in the rest of the world. Cattle ranchers on Ranch Creek may prefer coffee in the morning to tea in the afternoon, a Hong Kong Chinese business meeting in Markham may take afternoon tea as per customs in Hong Kong (see below), and on Vancouver Island, especially in the city of Victoria, traditional English-style afternoon tea may be served instead. For most of the majority English Canadians, however, the meals are identical to the custom of coffee break as per the neighbouring United States (see below) and referred to as such. For the book go to Coffee Break (book A coffee break is a daily social gathering for a Snack and short downtime practiced by employees in business
Germany
In Germany the traditional afternoon meal is called Kaffee (coffee), Nachmittagskaffee (afternoon coffee) or Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Only sweet foodstuffs are served, with cream-based cakes taking priority (such as Black Forest gateau), although drier forms of cake, fruit tarts and pastries may also be served. Black Forest cake ( American English) and Black Forest gateau ( British English) are the English names for the southern German In modern times, because of work and lack of time, a Kaffee is an event reserved for Sunday afternoons with a carefully set coffee table, tablecloth, and invited guests.
The practice of consuming extremely rich concoctions flourished during the German economic recovery period — the Wirtschaftswunder of the 1950s and 1960s — as a reaction against the austerity and rationing of the war and immediate post-war years. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Rationing is the controlled distribution of resources and scarce goods or services World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Traditionally coffee is the preferred drink served (with cream, or condensed milk, and/or sugar), but in recent decades tea has become more popular also to the common German people. In North Germany, e. g. Lübeck, Bremen and especially Hamburg, as well as in Friesland especially East Frisia, however, tea has always been traditional. Lübeck ( is the second largest City in Schleswig-Holstein, in Northern Germany, and one of the major Bremen (ˈbʁeːmən is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany (official name Stadtgemeinde Bremen / City Municipality of Bremen Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Friesland is a district ( Landkreis) in Lower Saxony, Germany. East Frisia or Eastern Friesland ( Low Saxon: Oostfreesland, German Ostfriesland) is a coastal region in the northwest of the Also, in the upper class and the German bourgeois esp. of the 19th and early 20th century tea was the preferred drink, they also called it "tea" instead of Nachmittagskaffee, they had their afternoon tea and also tea parties. People like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe were known for their tea parties, and authors like Heinrich Heine were known as fanatic tea lovers. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer Christian Johann Heinrich Heine ( December 13, 1797 – February 17, 1856) was a Journalist, Essayist and one of the The afternoon tea at the home of Thomas Mann was also quite famous (a TV Station in the 1950s produced a documentary called Afternoon Tea with Thomas Mann, in which Mann invited the viewer to tea and then served a cup of tea to the camera). Paul Thomas Mann ( June In the late 19th and early 20th century, tea was also extremely popular in Berlin and in parts of today's East Germany. The origin maybe lies in the German tea culture, esp. of the Prussian aristocracy, which dates back to the 17th century.
Germans are also well aware of the U. K. custom, and refer to it by the English words "tea time". Friends may sometimes gather to have an English-style tea instead of the usual Nachmittagskaffee.
Guyana
In Guyana, "tea" can mean either the traditional mid-afternoon meal or can refer to breakfast itself. As a former colony of Britain, Guyana is steeped in English traditions. The country's love of cricket, the national game, translates into the common understanding that "tea is an interval in the middle of afternoon play. A tea meal is also popular at luncheons and afternoon parties.
In addition, when speaking to older citizens, especially those of rural origin, it is not unusual to hear breakfast called "tea", possibly because tea is the most frequently consumed Guyanese breakfast beverage. At breakfast tea, one may eat bread, toast, roti (an Indian flatbread) or any combination thereof.
Most Guyanese refer to the most popular tea they drink as green tea, but it is actually the equivalent of a North American black tea. Green tea is a type of Tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, that has undergone minimal Oxidation during processing
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the term "tea" as used outside the beverage context, denotes a light meal served in middle afternoon from 2pm to 6pm. This is a practice that Hong Kong people adopted from the British concept of afternoon tea during the late period of British colonial rule. Afternoon tea is common, although not a meal served daily. The food taken consists of some light meals or "snacks" such as sandwiches, toast, or more substantial fares including fried chicken wings, French toast, noodle soup, and even a mini meal consisting of spaghetti courses served together with milk tea, coffee, Horlicks, Ovaltine, yuenyeung, lemon tea for Western style food, and Chinese tea for Chinese style food. A snack food (commonly called a snack) is seen in Western culture as a type of food not meant to be eaten as a main Meal of the day – Breakfast Toast is sliced Bread which has been browned by exposure to dry Heat ("toasted" French toast (often known as eggy bread in most of the UK - the exception being Scotland and Northern Ireland pain perdu in French pain doré in French-speaking Hong Kong-style Milk tea, often known as Dai pai dong milk tea, is a Beverage originating from Hong Kong. CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Horlicks is the name of a company and of a Malted milk hot drink which is claimed to promote Sleep when consumed at bedtime Ovaltine is a brand of Milk flavoring product made with Sugar (except in Switzerland Malt extract Cocoa, and Whey. Yuanyang, sometimes also called Ying Yong is a popular beverage in Hong Kong, made of a mixture of Coffee and Hong Kong-style milk tea. The lemon ( Citrus × limon) is a hybrid in cultivated wild plants Many local fast food restaurants, such as Café de Coral, sell afternoon tea sets. Café de Coral ( is a fast food restaurant group which owns and operates fast food chains and restaurants including Café de Coral, The Spaghetti House, When used in this context Hong Kong people usually refer the action as "eating tea" (Cantonese: 食tea). Elaborate versions of English-style afternoon tea (see above) is often described as "high tea" by Hong Kong people.
A Chinese custom of yum cha (飲 茶, or yam2 cha4, Cantonese for "drinking tea") also exists in Hong Kong. Yum cha (飲茶 is a term in Cantonese which means "drink tea " Yum cha refers to a meal at which tea and dim sum is consumed, often on social occasions. Dim sum is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. Yum cha is a native Chinese custom, and is not derived from British or other European tea-drinking traditions. The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history Unlike European tea, which is frequently taken in the home, yum cha is almost always consumed in a dim sum restaurant or teahouse. Dim sum is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking Tea. Their function varies widely depending on the culture and some cultures have a variety of distinct Yum cha often serves as breakfast, brunch or lunch, but in the Hong Kong context is also often used for afternoon tea. Most Chinese restaurants offer special afternoon tea time discounts on their dim sum dishes.
Italy
In Italy tea is usually served for breakfast as an alternative to coffee, or at 5pm in the afternoon, with biscuits or cakes: in Italian this afternoon meal is called merenda. Italians usually drink tea without milk but with lemon and sugar.
Pakistan
Tea is the most consumed beverage in Pakistan; other than being consumed at breakfast or evening, it is also commonly served to guests. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and In Pakistan tea usually means black tea with milk.
United States
For most of the United States, the morning or afternoon break is not normally referred to as tea as the beverage has not traditionally been a widespread choice with Americans. The term coffee break is used instead to denote a daily social gathering for a snack and short downtime where hot and cold beverages and cakes, breads and pastries are served. For the book go to Coffee Break (book A coffee break is a daily social gathering for a Snack and short downtime practiced by employees in business A drink, or beverage, is a Liquid specifically prepared for Human consumption Cake is a form of Food that is usually sweet and often baked. Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. This article describes Pastry in food For the Distributed Hash Table system see Pastry_(DHT.
The term "high tea" is sometimes used in the United States to refer to afternoon tea or the "tea party", a very formal, ritualised gathering in which tea, thin sandwiches and little cakes are served on the best china. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In Anglo-American culture a Tea party is typically a formal ritualized gathering (traditionally of women for afternoon tea, although men may be invited to participate This usage comes from misunderstanding the term "high" to mean "formal". Most etiquette mavens advise that such usage is incorrect; (Etiquette authority Judith Martin's tongue-in-cheek interpretation is, "It's high time we had something to eat. Etiquette is a code that governs the expectations of Social behavior, according to the contemporary conventional norm within a Society, Judith Martin (née Perlman born September 13 1938) better known by the Pen name Miss Manners, is an American journalist Tongue-in-cheek is a term used to refer to humor in which a statement or an entire fictional work is not meant to be taken seriously but its lack of seriousness is subtle ")
This form of tea is increasingly served in high-end American hotels, often during the Christmas holidays and other tourist seasons, and a rising number of big-city teahouses, where it is usually correctly described as "afternoon tea" (see the history, above). Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel An up and coming trend in hotels spas and high end restaurants is Tea Sommelier training[1].
The tea party is still occasionally given in the U. S. , either for a special occasion or in honor of a visiting celebrity or guest. This occasion is a formal one in which ladies wear good afternoon dresses or suits and gentlemen wear business suits, but otherwise afternoon tea is an informal gathering of friends. In 1922 Emily Post wrote that servants should not enter the room during afternoon tea except if summoned to bring fresh hot water or remove soiled dishes, so as not to interrupt the intimate nature of the gathering and its conversation. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Emily Post ( October 27, 1873 - September 25, 1960) was a United States author who promoted what she considered "proper etiquette" A domestic worker, domestic, servingman, servingwoman, or servant is one who works and often also lives within the employer's household
American situation comedies might center a joke around an eccentric British character having his afternoon tea. In popular usage eccentricity refers to unusual or odd Behavior on the part of an individual However, Hollywood used afternoon tea as a device to indicate social class or status; in movies such as Notorious and Marnie (both directed by Englishman Alfred Hitchcock, but set in the United States) and Pocketful of Miracles specific reference is made to the fact that a lady would have afternoon tea. Notorious ( 1946) is a thriller directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman as Marnie is a 1964 Psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and based on the novel of the same name by Winston Graham Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 Pocketful of Miracles is a 1961 film that was the last to be directed by Frank Capra. Popular culture portrays upper class women as taking afternoon tea with friends at restaurants or serving it to friends in their homes; by-and-large middle class women by contrast have a coffee break in their kitchens. For the Banana Yashimoto novel see Kitchen (novel A kitchen, is a room or part of a room (sometimes called "kitchen
Use in cricket
In cricket, the second and usually shorter of the two intervals during a match lasting a full day or more is known as the tea interval, and also (more formally but less commonly) the afternoon tea interval. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries The interval is an opportunity for the players and umpires to partake in light refreshments. The former England international Phil Tufnell was well known to enjoy this break, sometimes having as many as three cups in a twenty minute break. Philip (Phil Clive Roderick "Tuffers" Tufnell (born April 29, 1966 in Barnet) is a Television personality and former English
References
- ^ April 23. —Mr. and Mrs. James (Miss Fullers that was) came to meat tea, and we left directly after for the Tank Theatre". The Diary of a Nobody. Diary of a Nobody, an English comic Novel written by George Grossmith and illustrated by his brother Weedon, first appeared in George and Weedon Grossmith, with illustrations by Weedon Grossmith. 1892.
- ^ NLA News, January 2005: What time’s dinner, Ma?
See also
- British cuisine
- Coffee break
- Cream tea (Devonshire tea)
- Tea
- Tea party
- Tea dance
- Tea sandwich
- Tea set
External links
British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. For the book go to Coffee Break (book A coffee break is a daily social gathering for a Snack and short downtime practiced by employees in business A Cream tea, Devonshire tea or Cornish cream tea is Tea taken with a combination of Scones, Clotted cream, and Jam Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market In Anglo-American culture a Tea party is typically a formal ritualized gathering (traditionally of women for afternoon tea, although men may be invited to participate A tea dance, or thé dansant ( literally dancing tea is an afternoon or early-evening dance A tea sandwich is a small prepared Sandwich meant to be eaten at afternoon teatime to stave off hunger until the main Meal. A tea set, in the Western tradition is a suite of dishes sold in a group for use at Afternoon tea or a formal Tea party.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic