Afternoon Tea

The popularity of tea spread across England in the early 1700's. It was enjoyed by all levels of society. Before the introduction of tea in Britain, the English had two main meals, breakfast and dinner; breakfast consisted of ale, bread and beef and dinner was a long, massive meal at the end of the day.

Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford (1788 to 1861) and one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting, experienced a sinking feeling in the late afternoon. Adopting the European tea service format, she invited friends to join her for a fortifying additional afternoon meal, at five o'clock, in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. The menu centred around small cakes, bread-and-butter sandwiches, assorted sweets and, of course, tea. Afternoon tea, as we know it, was born.

The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly picked up by other social hostesses and, in just a few decades, the custom of taking tea in the afternoon became well established. At first, the practice was limited to the upper classes, but it eventually became so popular that tea-shops and tea-rooms began opening for the enjoyment of the general public.

A common pattern of service soon merged. The first pot of tea was made in the kitchen and carried to the lady of the house, who waited with her invited guests, surrounded by fine porcelain from China. The first pot was warmed by the hostess from a second pot (usually crafted of silver) that was kept heated over a small flame. Food and tea was then passed among the chatting guests (the main purpose of these visits was conversation).

Over time, two distinct forms of tea services evolved, high and low. Low tea was served in the low part of the afternoon, in aristocratic homes of the wealthy, and featured gourmet tidbits rather than solid meals. Tea cuisine quickly expanded in range to include wafer thin, crustless sandwiches, shrimp or fish pâtés, toasted breads with jams and regional British pastries such as scones (Scottish) and crumpets (English). The emphasis was on presentation and conversation. High tea (or meat tea) was the main meal of the day. It was the major meal of the middle and lower classes and consisted of mostly full-dinner items such as roast beef, mashed potatoes, peas and, of course, tea.

When the British immigrated to Victoria, they brought the practice of afternoon tea with them and it has been a tradition in the city ever since. The Fairmont Empress Hotel has been serving afternoon teas since 1908 (in the beginning, tea was $1 and a room with a harbour view was $7). Today, The Fairmont Empress serves its world-famous tea more than 100,000 times a year.

Tea at The Fairmont Empress Hotel begins with fresh seasonal berries followed by an offering of delicate tea sandwiches and plump scones with home-made strawberry preserves and thick cream. As guests sip their cup of Empress blend tea (a mixture of China black, Ceylon and Darjeeling teas) to the sounds of Chopin's Waltz in A Minor, a tray of light pastries is passed around and guests make their selections.

Tea is taken in many quaint Victoria neighbourhoods. Thirty years ago, the municipality of Oak Bay had just over 18,000 people and today the population is only 18,340. Comprised of mostly residential and largely single-family homes, Oak Bay is quiet and attractive, steeped in British traditions. High tea at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel is set in Bentley's, a Tudor building built in 1927. Overlooking the beautiful Juan de Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountains, high tea consists of English trifle, savoury scones, cream cheese and salmon sandwiches, crumpets, tarts and shortbread. In the heart of Oak Bay Village, afternoon tea can be enjoyed at The Blethering Place and a number of other cosy establishments.

A favourite place for friends, mothers and daughters to get together for chat and quality time together, tea rooms provide an intimate, relaxed atmosphere conducive to friendly banter and shared confidences: all over a pot of warming brew and delicate sweets. The ritual of taking tea, initiated in the sixteenth century, still thrives in Victoria, a city with a distinctly British heritage and an appreciation of life's finer pleasures.