Tea Party Diva - Life & Craft

My 1922 Cassell’s Book of Etiquette indicates that the tradition of High Tea was being phased out at that time. This excerpt reflects on what one could have expected of a High Tea in the country in earlier times. It was a veritable feast.

What Was Served at High Tea in England - 1922
In some remote country districts the High Tea may survive. It was a weird and wonderful meal, and there are those living who can remember the snowy damask table cloth spread over the whole table.

On it in the summer, in addition to flowers were fruits, bowls of old china filled with ripe red strawberries, and jugs of rich cream. Glass dishes contained preserved fruits, apricots, strawberries, marmalade and jams.

Tea, Coffee, Cakes & More
Cakes of various kinds - plum, rice and sponge; then within an easy reach of the tea drinkers were hot muffins, crumpets, toast, tea cakes and what not.

At one end of the table the tea tray stood, with its adjuncts; at the other the coffee was placed, also on a tray.

Meats On the Sideboard
The sideboard was laden with the weightier matters, such as cold salmon, pigeon and veal and ham pies, boiled and roasted fowls, tongues, ham, veal loaf. If it were expected to be a very “hungry tea”, roast beef and lamb were there for the gentlemen of the party.

It was a meal that the present generation cannot picture, yet on the occasion of a croquet party or an archery match it was the approved manner of serving refreshments.

Source - Cassell’s Book of Etiquette (1922) - Now out of print

Times Past