British High Tea Time

[OzPiper]

Just read a survey that said 49% of Brits are . . . double biscuit dunkers! The louts!

Some bikkies are made to be dunked eg Ginger Nuts (please note the placing of the “s”)
You risk an expensive visit to the dentist if you don’t.

Shortbreads, on the other hand, is in and out. Or you risk losing half of it to the bottom of your mug

Dunking is an art

 

[OzPiper]

OK , time for a dumb question : What is a Tea ? I'm not talking about the material that is brewed .

I guess my real question should be is : Is it what Americans call "lunch" ???

“Tea” to the Aussies is an early, light dinner
“Afternoon tea” is just that
And “High tea” is afternoon tea with bells and whistles

 

[JoburgB2]

OK , time for a dumb question : What is a Tea ? I'm not talking about the material that is brewed .

I guess my real question should be is : Is it what Americans call "lunch" ???

In these parts, Dundee/Angus, tea is the evening meal, around 5-6 o’clock. Dinner is the midday meal, around 12 or 1. Supper is late evening, a lighter snack, like potato fritters, around 9 o’clock. High tea or Afternoon tea is a term we don’t use, but I am sure there are some who do, and is not anything I’ve done, nor seen, but the ladies in my family have done, in the long long ago past. The timings are not regimental and inflexible, but the nomenclature is pretty much universal. At least, like I wrote, around these parts. So, no, “tea” here in this part of Britain is not American lunch. I hope that answers your question partially, as I am not responding for all the UK in it’s entirety.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Hey, we had Dr. Pepper 10-2-4!

They had to put it on the bottle to remind us!

 

[MisterBadger]

In these parts, Dundee/Angus, tea is the evening meal, around 5-6 o’clock. Dinner is the midday meal, around 12 or 1. Supper is late evening, a lighter snack, like potato fritters, around 9 o’clock. High tea or Afternoon tea is a term we don’t use, but I am sure there are some who do, and is not anything I’ve done, nor seen, but the ladies in my family have done, in the long long ago past. The timings are not regimental and inflexible, but the nomenclature is pretty much universal. At least, like I wrote, around these parts. So, no, “tea” here in this part of Britain is not American lunch. I hope that answers your question partially, as I am not responding for all the UK in it’s entirety.

I think your response is pretty accurate for the whole of mainland Britain north of the Trent

 

[mawnansmiff]

Just read a survey that said 49% of Brits are . . . double biscuit dunkers! The louts!

Oh it's ok to dunk, but NEVER in company.

I confess to having dunked ginger nut biscuits in the past (hard as nails are those things), but only when on my own

Not sure what a 'double dunker' does. Perhaps dunks in his own tea then someone else's tea? The only people I can imagine committing that heinous act would be those slovenly folk from the wrong side of the Pennines

Jay.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Oh it's ok to dunk, but NEVER in company.

I confess to having dunked ginger nut biscuits in the past (hard as nails are those things), but only when on my own

Not sure what a 'double dunker' does. Perhaps dunks in his own tea then someone else's tea? The only people I can imagine committing that heinous act would be those slovenly folk from the wrong side of the Pennines

Jay.

Haha, apparently dunking twice in one’s own tea - the crumbs are already there! I’m actually not a dunker whether tea or hot chocolate or coffee. Can’t stand soggy or damp with bread or pastry.

 

[JoburgB2]

Even though the early evening meal is called “Tea”, it is not obligatory to actually drink any tea with it. How’s that for a contradiction to add to the confusion? In fact we seldom if ever have a pot of tea with our Tea. Others might, and having tea with the meal might be common. Unlike OzPiper, I don’t dunk biscuits in tea, ever, not even Ginger Nuts! They’re delicious! As are chocolate digestives, shortbread fingers, malted milk, bourbon creams, and Hobnobs. Jaffa cakes too, although technically they are not biscuits. Jammie Dodgers, Caramel Wafers, and Scotland’s famous Tunnock’s Tea Cakes - which is like a bite of heaven, but doesn’t seem anything like a cake to me. They stack them up in large Costco-sized boxes at the Edinburgh airport duty-free to re-supply Scots expatriates the world over. And the word “biscuits”? Means something completely different in the US. Getting back to pipes to wind this up: Not sure what the best “post Tea meal” pipe is, maybe something stout like University Flake or Erinmore Flake?

 

[Brendan]

“Tea” to the Aussies is an early, light dinner
“Afternoon tea” is just that
And “High tea” is afternoon tea with bells and whistles

Don't forget morning tea!
Or otherwise known as 'smoko' around workplaces. Except very few people smoke anymore. Truth be told my morning tea is an espresso with a can of smoked mussels in oil every morning and sadly it doesn't leave enough time to have a quick pipe

 

[MisterBadger]

Not sure what a 'double dunker' does. Perhaps dunks in his own tea then someone else's tea? The only people I can imagine committing that heinous act would be those slovenly folk from the wrong side of the Pennines

- Nay, lad, th'ast never bin theer when we've 'ad us teas, cuz we'd never 'ave asked thee, any road, tha tyke.

 

[Ziller]

I've tried maybe a dozen English breakfast style teas, some British some not. I like the strong flavor, and milk or cream really helps the mouthfeel. It's like the same feeling you get when drinking dry wines, not sure if it's tannins or what. But a little milk or cream takes care of it completely.

I was browsing the international aisle at the grocery store and found a box of 80 Tetley tea bags for like $3. I bought it, it's not bad but it's not that good either. But it's workable and it's dirt cheap. I'll work my way through it and decide if it's good enough, I'm not too fussy. But the limeys definitely have the right idea with their tea/digestive biscuits.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Even though the early evening meal is called “Tea”, it is not obligatory to actually drink any tea with it.

From the OED...

Noun 4.a. A meal or social entertainment at which tea is served; esp. an ordinary afternoon or evening meal, at which the usual beverage is tea (but sometimes cocoa, chocolate, coffee, or other substitute).

Not sure what the OSD has to say on the matter

Tunnock's, now you're talking. I absolutely adore Tunnock's Caramel Wafers. I first experienced those as a young lad when we stayed for a month on Fair Isle and have enjoyed them ever since.

I’m actually not a dunker whether tea or hot chocolate or coffee.

You would be if you were to eat ginger nuts!

And the word “biscuits”?

Actually it's just French for 'cooked twice'.

Jay.

 

[BingBong]

In these parts, Dundee/Angus, tea is the evening meal, around 5-6 o’clock.

The excellent High Tea of which I wrote earlier was at the Waverley Hotel in Perth; sadly, the son who inherited let the place go to ruin and it was eventually sold for a pound to the Gloag empire. Now the site of the Church of the Nazarene; from High Tea to High Church.

 

[MisterBadger]

The excellent High Tea of which I wrote earlier was at the Waverley Hotel in Perth; sadly, the son who inherited let the place go to ruin and it was eventually sold for a pound to the Gloag empire. Now the site of the Church of the Nazarene; from High Tea to High Church.

The two nearest cities to me - Hereford and Shewsbury - both have a former (Anglican) parish church sold and reopened as tea rooms. And part of our (Anglican) parish church has been converted into a tearoom. I think in Britain we may be witnessing a subtle shift in the bias of our national religion.

Now here's a question for non-Brits: after Mass/Holy Communion in most churches I've visited in UK, it is customary for tea and biscuits to be served immediately after, and I've always thought it an odd thing to do, yet it is regarded as quite normal. I've never noticed it happening in France, Italy, Spain, Greece or Germany - how about the US and Canada?

 

[Ziller]

I don't think so here in the US. If they did maybe I'd be a churchgoing man.

 

[Flatfish]

Now here's a question for non-Brits: after Mass/Holy Communion in most churches I've visited in UK, it is customary for tea and biscuits to be served immediately after, and I've always thought it an odd thing to do, yet it is regarded as quite normal. I've never noticed it happening in France, Italy, Spain, Greece or Germany - how about the US and Canada?

Following the service in my church there is tea and coffee, and food. Sometimes just cheese and crackers, I've seen a sausage dinner with onion gravy, pizzas, cake, hotdogs. Last Sunday it was tomato soup and bread, plus cake.
Food is a big feature of my church.

 

[dd57chevy]

My church has kind of an informal Sunday School class before the formal worship service .
Usually donuts/pastries and coffee there .