The world's first cup of tea is said to have been drunk by Chinese emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C. when some Camellia sinensis leaves blew into his boiling water. Over the centuries, tea was cultivated in China, India and Ceylon. The brew gradually became popular in Europe through the efforts of Dutch and British traders.
But it wasn't until Queen Victoria's reign that Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, invented what we know today as afternoon tea. The customary late dinner hour of 8 o'clock left the duchess with a "sinking feeling" in the late afternoon, so she had her servants bring her tea and cakes. This habit was soon adopted in court circles, and afternoon tea became an important social occasion. Sandwiches were refined into thin, crustless slivers; potters outdid themselves with decorative teapots and cups; hostesses displayed their tea services on acres of fine linen.
Today, teatime provides a welcome intermission in a busy day. The predictable progression of dishes - sandwiches, then scones, then pastries - lends an air of regularity and serenity. Gracious service is the norm, and lingering is encouraged.
Getting together with a friend for tea is the ideal way to practice the lost art of conversation while luxuriating in elegant surroundings. And if you're a dyed-in-the-wool Type A person who just can't leave work behind, why not take a client out for a "power" tea?
Items are available a la carte, but you'll get much better value by ordering the full tea. Despite what some of the purveyors would have you believe, you'll be enjoying afternoon or "set" tea, not high tea. (According to the official definition, high tea includes one or two hot dishes in addition to cold chicken, game, tongue, ham, salad, cakes and fruit tarts with cream or custard; it's a meal the people in Brideshead Revisited seemed to favor.)
For newcomers to the rite, here are some etiquette basics. If you use milk,
