It's Afternoon Tea, Not High Tea: A Practical Guide

Afternoon tea, which only now and then is called “low tea”, is a sort of dainty gathering that arrives in the part of the day when people's thoughts begin to wander in the direction of “something nice”, between 3:30 and 5 o’clock.

Out come the low tables and comfortable chairs, and upon them appear small, well-prepared sandwiches, scones that break easily, and little cakes for a bite of sweetness.

It's sometimes said that the idea came from the 7th Duchess of Bedford in the 1840s. Perhaps it did, or maybe it dident, customs are like cats and seldom belong to anyone for long. But without a doubt, she helped the idea grow into something that has spanned continents and generations.

If you’ve ever found yourself at a tea fundraiser in a grand room with tiers and teapots and everyone smiling their afternoon smiles, you’ve been to some version of afternoon tea.

Now then, High Tea is another matter altogether. High tea comes later, between five and seven. It's an end-of-day, “put-your-feet-under” the table sort of situation: a hot main dish (pie or fish or eggs will do nicely), a bit of cheese and cold cuts, generous amounts of bread and butter, and dont forget the strong, sensible tea to hold it all together.

What high tea is most certainly not is a fancier afternoon tea! Which is why those who mind these sorts of things wince a little when the delicate, mid-afternoon kind is called “high.”

Types of Afternoon Tea

Now that you know what kind of “tea” you're going to have with your friends and family, its time to decide which type of Afternoon tea it's going to be.

• Cream Tea — Scones, jam, clotted cream, and tea
• Light/Traditional Afternoon Tea — Finger sandwiches, scones, and small cakes/pastries.
• Full Afternoon Tea — As above, plus an extra plated dessert
• Royal/Champagne Tea — Afternoon tea with a glass of sparkling wine.

Types of Tea

What's most important is that you pick a tea that you like and want to share. It's nice to have a variety, and at least one herbal blend, so caffeine isn't an issue in the afternoon. A plain black tea, a mint green tea, and a fruit herbal make a lovely trio if you ask me!

The Setting

• Room & table: Afternoon tea is a lounge-style occasion, so low seating around a coffee/tea table, not a formal dining table.
• Stand layout (common practice): Bottom = sandwiches; middle = scones; top = pastries/sweets. You eat from the bottom up; so sandwiches → scones → sweets.
• Place setting & service: Sandwiches are eaten with fingers; stir gently (no clinking) and rest the spoon on the saucer, not in the cup.

Hosting Checklist

Equipment: Teapots, strainers/infusers, teacups & saucers, tiered stand, milk jug, sugar bowl & tongs, teaspoons, dessert forks, butter knives.

Food: Finger sandwiches/savories, scones; petits fours/cakes.

Consumables: Loose-leaf tea; whole milk; sugar cubes; lemon slices (for teas taken without milk).

Serving: Simple Timeline

1. 45 min before — Warm scones; set milk/sugar; slice lemon.
2. 15 min before — Arrange the stand (see above).
3. 10 min before — Heat water to tea-appropriate temperatures (below) and Warm teapots.
4. Brew & pour — Pour tea first; guests add milk or lemon/sugar.
5. Courses — Serve/eat savories → scones → sweets; brew fresh small pots for refills.

Quick Steeping & Temperature Guide

(Always follow the tea’s own pack guidance; these are a starting point.)

• Black tea: Boiling Water, ~4–5 min.
• Green tea: Less then Boiling, ~2–3 min.
• Oolong / White tea: Near Boiling, ~3 min
• Herbal/tisanes: Boiling, ~5–7 min (to taste).

Guest Etiquette (Easy Essentials)

• Cup & saucer: At low tables, one would lift the cup and saucer together, as opposed to having tea from a dining table, where you would just lift the cup. You would generally hold the handle with your thumb/forefinger only.
• Stirring: Small back-and-forth motions without clinking against the sides of the cup. When the spoon isn't moving, it rests on the saucer, not in your cup.
• Scones: Don’t slice. Break off bite-size pieces; add jam and cream to each bite.
• Sandwiches: You can use your hands to eat the finger sandwiches; if the sandwich is open-faced and messy, then cutlery should be used.