High Tea 2009

It's just about that time and the planning is underway. Indy area ladies will be enjoy a wonderful afternoon of traditional High Tea at the beautiful and historic Canterbury Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. I don't want to spoil the event surprises for the ladies, but I will share the menu. The event takes place the first Saturday in January. We've been enjoying this event for the past 8 years and it just gets better each year. I think the ladies enjoy the tea cup exchange as much as the tasty food and tea!

Our Menu:

English and Asian Origin Tea Selections

Variety of English Finger Sandwiches:

Tomato and Watercress
Seedless Cucumber and Walnut
Imported Smoked Salmon
Salami with Mustard and Sprouts

An Assortment of Bite-Size English Pastries and Petit Fours

Canterbury Signature Scones served with Preserves, Marmalades, & Fresh Whipped Cream


I found this interesting tidbit of information from What's Cooking:
According to legend, one of Queen Victoria's (1819-1901) ladies-in-waiting, Anna Maria Stanhope (1783-1857), known as the Duchess of Bedford, is credited as the creator of afternoon teatime. Because the noon meal had become skimpier, the Duchess suffered from "a sinking feeling" at about four o'clock in the afternoon. At first the Duchess had her servants sneak her a pot of tea and a few breadstuffs. Adopting the European tea service format, she invited friends to join her for an additional afternoon meal at five o'clock in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. The menu centered around small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and, of course, tea. This summer practice proved so popular, the Duchess continued it when she returned to London, sending cards to her friends asking them to join her for "tea and a walking the fields." The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly picked up by other social hostesses.

We have called this event High Tea for so long , but actually what we are enjoying is Afternoon Tea. Whatever you call it, I call it a good time with friends - old and new alike!

More from What's Cooking: High Tea is often a misnomer. Most people refer to afternoon tea as high tea because they think it sounds regal and lofty, when in all actuality, high tea, or "meat tea" is dinner. High tea, in Britain, at any rate, tends to be on the heavier side. American hotels and tea rooms, on the other hand, continue to misunderstand and offer tidbits of fancy pastries and cakes on delicate china when they offer a "high tea."
Afternoon tea (because it was usually taken in the late afternoon) is also called "low tea" because it was usually taken in a sitting room or withdrawing room where low tables (like a coffee table) were placed near sofas or chairs generally in a large withdrawing room.

Ladies : Look for your invitation in the mail in the next few weeks!