Afternoon Tea, not High Tea

Even the most upscale establishments incorrectly refer to the elegant Afternoon Tea as "high tea".  It's understandable since the word 'high' has connotations of 'superior'.  Consider high society or higher-than-thou or even high-and-mighty.  But not in this case.  The wonderfully laid out Tea Service consisting of tea sandwiches, scones and petit fours was originally served at a low table in England somewhere between 4 and 5 pm to provide a break between lunch and the very late supper served in Victorian times.  As a contrast, high tea is a workingman's meal, usually in the early evening after a long day's work and always accompanied by a meat dish, usually a patty or Cornish pasties.  And it's served on a high table!

So keep the terms straight - the elegant assortment of sandwiches and scones and sweets is Afternoon Tea and that's what we serve at Silver Tips.  The one pictured here has the two-scone option.  The Deluxe offers the option of any two desserts.  Either way, it is delicious!

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