Afternoon Tea origin, tradition, how it came to America and its Importance in Hospitality
Tea, whether for relaxation, as a stimulant, to combat a disease or simply for the pleasure of gathering friendships, has always been present in many of the stages of man's development, throughout history, and in various societies. From China and England to the unknown America, in each civilization it has had an important role.
But what is tea? Strictly speaking, when referring to this drink, we are talking about leaves of a plant of the Camellia family infected in water at a perfect boiling point, of which there are five types, White, Green, Oolong, Black and Pu’erh, but we could not talk about this exquisite drink without first knowing its history. Let's go back 4,700 years ago, legend has it that the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, a wise and learned man, ordered the boiling of the water used in the temple during his empire for hygiene reasons; one afternoon, while he was lying in one of his majestic gardens, some leaves from one of the trees (tea tree, Camellia sinensis) he fell into the water his servants boiled. The Emperor was able to notice a peculiar and charming aroma that began to give off that boiling liquid, he could not resist and from that moment he was ecstatic with the preparation.
In the 16th century, from the mouth of the Christian missionaries and by the Portuguese and Dutch navigators, this product considered luxurious and appreciated for its properties was unveiled. In 1662, when she married the British King Carlos II, the Portuguese princess, Catalina de Braganza, included a tea chest in her dowry, and that was how tea became a symbol of sophistication among the British aristocracy.
In the rest of Europe, the tea trade spread rapidly from the Netherlands to Italy, France and Germany. As for Russia, it had a different arrival, since it was exported directly from China through the Silk Road, along with porcelain.
In 1650, the tea was taken by the Dutch to New Amsterdam (Manhattan Island), in order to introduce the inhabitants to the consumption of this drink; they used to consume green tea enriched with many exotic spices. The consumption of this preparation became so popular and appreciated that society started with the custom of Tea Parties.
There are countless topics related to this drink, we will now focus on its importance within the prestigious world of Hospitality.
The British tradition of High Tea It has its beginnings in the mid 1700s, which was taken between three and four in the afternoon. Initially, their goal was to serve food for workers to consume standing or in high chairs. During this type of service, pastries, scones and even cheese-toasted bread were prepared. Little by little this tradition was transformed and it began to be considered an important social event, which ceased to be for people dedicated to work and began to be appreciated by high society.
The main purpose among the upper class was to provide a substantial meal before a play or card game.
The concept of Afternoon Tea was introduced to England by Anna Maria Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840. Everyday, the Duchess had an appetite around four in the afternoon, but as was the custom in her Castle, dinner was served after eight, which left a time lapse very large between lunch and dinner. With the visit of Duke V of Rutland at Belvoir Castle, Anna Maria asked her servants to prepare a tray with tea, bread, butter and some cupcakes during the visit. Later she became a custom for her and began inviting friends to accompany her to taste these foods.
Currently Afternoon Tea is an exquisite experience, a service highly valued by diners and guests.
Some of the best hotels that offer this excellent London experience are: Claridges, Hotel Ritz London, The Savoy, Sketch, as well as Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, among others...
In Mexico, in November, we will offer a Master Class of Label and Protocol where we will address this British Tradition and, in addition, we will enjoy an exquisite tasting of a real British Afternoon Tea.
For more information, see the following link:
http://hospitalityandbutler.com/portfolio-items/november-2017-mexico-2-day-etiquette-master-class/
SOURCES OF CONSULTATION
Web
-
http://www.losandes.com.ar/article/el-origen-del-te-china-india-o-inglaterra
-
http://www.afternoontea.co.uk
-
http://www.thecarrington.com.au/dining-bars/the-grand-dining-room/grand-high-tea/history-of-high-tea/.
-
http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Afternoon-Tea/
Books
-
Ellis H., 2009, Tea: Discover, taste, enjoy. Barcelona, Spain. Editorial Ceac.
-
Fuentes Garcia M., 2012, Tea, Elixir of Life. Granada, Spain. MFG-Granada Tea
Comments (100 Responses)
herbertlawson034
https://flex-x-cop-2-ep1.mintlify.app/ep1
https://berbagi.link/flexxcop2ep1
https://flexxcop2ep2.mintlify.app/ep2
https://berbagi.link/flexxcop2ep2
https://berbagi.link/ourstickylove
https://this-sucky-love.mintlify.app/full
https://berbagi.link/mahakammanutep1
https://mahakam-manut-ep1.mintlify.app/ep1
https://berbagi.link/yakhophijenep7
https://yakhophijenep7.mintlify.app/uncut
https://x.com/KamronM86025/status/2084702571193921673
Tamiko
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf0tq7m271901wq03wrf28i
https://livotevalymo.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094455
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD9Lbnbv_5gUKeg8QH
https://otinyrolyzov.storeinfo.jp/posts/59094454
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD86vil_rhElofuogF
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf136pe130d01ur859a6lrk
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD3WxzdTWLIx2iKGYz
https://axenkelifany.therestaurant.jp/posts/59094409
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715051
https://www.gemtracks.com/okgvehye
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCycQR_pvbnrembXlO
https://webhitlist.com/profiles/blogs/muchhdyb
http://korsika.ning.com/profiles/blogs/neuustbj
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf0ts6y271f01wq3imnedrs
http://korsika.ning.com/profiles/blogs/oaxtsvid
http://caisu1.ning.com/photo/albums/gbkggpgo
https://livotevalymo.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094451
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf0vlo00jp101szgasd5gtx
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD825rtme-madpdrRy
http://weebattledotcom.ning.com/profiles/blogs/felknkas
https://whetighofuho.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094404
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715053
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD8pyk1MTLtuiUs_2p
https://ejebickemyju.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094446
https://www.gemtracks.com/xjjnrlup
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD6FgNEKkhBOlcM6Fx
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCvGK7RO-nFbGNyAF1
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD8N7itVwG0c5of5os
https://www.gemtracks.com/iiqumcde
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD8SajIm5JPCEr3ucm
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf0vj9708p501wk859ec9oi
https://www.gemtracks.com/aggbijlm
https://www.gemtracks.com/yytmvezv
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf0trst271c01wq8p6z0mvw
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsf0p30k004401t9hqtwdem0
Sean
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCzXxFMmU3VOnacclo
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD00jru85hvpY6Rt1E
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmseztaex0jhd01sz5w419gpm
http://divasunlimited.ning.com/photo/albums/vodzkzge
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezrcvb12no01ura5cbg3f1
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD1-duuqqH2r9HZahg
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmseze1sl12i501urcge99jfz
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715027
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezmcef0jej01sz5t8adq08
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezrcct0jg401szbaik03ya
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD-8goWkbjImS7gTh7
http://korsika.ning.com/profiles/blogs/ezmksjgu
https://lufebogotyvo.therestaurant.jp/posts/59094365
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCzuGbs-qedvEu8zl6
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezr5ti0a1t01wc0msgfoge
https://webhitlist.com/profiles/blogs/izzpfdqa
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezkirs093501vae8v06zg6
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD0LXhvSjB6e0m2nJ1
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD0fgoxGbfC0mPnFK0
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezmck4094901va6srf9wis
https://webhitlist.com/profiles/blogs/vmyvijzm
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezt3fb12ov01ur57e8fw0f
http://caisu1.ning.com/photo/albums/vqmkrjdy
https://www.gemtracks.com/yajbybnk
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezt5df0jh701sz1c671py1
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezrfwl0a2c01wc98jn8zai
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD-w58rfhRVW2VpIS3
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzD-gEt6kw9noUGxUZD
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCzmrHLOOgCR5D1GoS
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezt6030jha01szbk6562gw
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezmb4l26p401wq8iwucb7e
https://www.gemtracks.com/iudurpks
https://udenigawyxykn.storeinfo.jp/posts/59094373
https://vinussosybuj.storeinfo.jp/posts/59094345
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsezrb7y26sp01wqdxe5dqi2
Rebecca
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714996
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCkhvYjDRUkVUqZoeI
https://etarezongago.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094194
http://caisu1.ning.com/photo/albums/kjrxufcd
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCmGgsZQ3dDezCksK_
http://beterhbo.ning.com/profiles/blogs/vpcqvjyl
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCnS_Y0GavRoGnjCmo
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCl1as1gcmRmSTCr6G
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCjh-kvg8i0SWzCtb1
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsexf9yy0i7r01sz6e0hb1eu
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsexaqqq077901wk43k5121d
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCljAPgS6lBN68-dUP
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsex8qav25fs01wqba610dhs
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCjNC79MJMKexKikf2
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsewrmo707pa01vaa8sc9u51
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzCnD7dQdyb4MSGRq-E
https://www.gemtracks.com/nychtcyt
https://etextpad.com/61ageyle0e
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsex3vbw07u901vaa6ge59iq
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsexfdsm079401wka15w182c
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714994
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmseww523117e01urboew3uxm
https://jabepolomoma.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094201
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715003
https://jabepolomoma.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094206
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsex8q3708p201wc73g2disn
https://zujiwhewamad.shopinfo.jp/posts/59094211
https://www.gemtracks.com/xwrpubph
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715002
http://caisu1.ning.com/photo/albums/rpccpuii
https://aghyfyshiwip.storeinfo.jp/posts/59094221
http://korsika.ning.com/profiles/blogs/whmljgmz
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714999
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsexalsc076u01wkape81wjd
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715001
04 August, 2026
Kimberly
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzElENZhvqMVcJDbRo0
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzEkttlI6-5CTsigCcF
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715923
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2713261
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2713061
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714169
https://pastelink.net/llh629pd
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715920
https://etextpad.com/5xwvdyoa63
https://atutissyhona.storeinfo.jp/posts/59095476
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzElEB1YhNIbx5eCGtd
https://pastelink.net/sxwxojr0
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715928
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2713233
https://pastelink.net/ncvgworo
https://pastelink.net/8zywgtxk
https://atutissyhona.storeinfo.jp/posts/59095472
https://pastelink.net/e3pgd1xa
https://ohyckasotack.shopinfo.jp/posts/59095467
http://weebattledotcom.ning.com/profiles/blogs/zmmindse
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714616
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzElbryQZBJJKK9nP4g
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmsfh3t9f04tq01t98eus8d36
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714951
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2713274
https://ithynkopetyc.storeinfo.jp/posts/59095457
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2714341
https://paiza.io/projects/IVbxcRPwRlSHhF8Tjsa2yQ?language=php
https://rentry.co/a9ah7b29
https://ithynkopetyc.storeinfo.jp/posts/59095466
https://yzathojofedo.therestaurant.jp/posts/59095460
https://yzathojofedo.therestaurant.jp/posts/59095468
https://www.notebook.ai/documents/2715925
https://rentry.co/bn75ocmq
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OzElZdPSFNEYR5Sw5mI