There was once a time when tea was a very social enterprise: it was typically prepared loose, in a pot, and decanted immediately into cups for the enjoyment of what was usually a gathering of friends. English gentlemen and ladies of substance often made tea in their drawing rooms, which functioned as centers of intellectual debate (and gastronomic pleasure) for their closest friends. There were also dedicated buildings, much like pubs, erected for the sole purpose of serving tea and food to accompany it-- these were called tea rooms. The first tea room in England was built by Thomas Twining, the founder of Twinings tea, in 1706; both the brand and the tea room are still in existence (it's on the Strand in London).
However, around the turn of the twentieth century, innovations in production resulted in the introduction of the teabag, which is today synonymous with the consumption of tea (although it is a relatively recent development). The teabag was well received, but truly exploded in popularity in the '30s and '40s. By the post-war period, in contrast to what had previously held, most tea was consumed in bags.
This development marked a shift from traditional, collective methods of enjoying tea (as a communal beverage to be enjoyed among friends, made in a pot) to a more personal, individualist experience. While traditional methods of enjoying tea never truly died out, the significance of old rituals did fade away for a time.
Now, however, with the popularity of loose tea gaining ground in recent years, more people are once again enjoying tea communally, in modern tea rooms that offer a very old-fashioned (yet quite different) tea experience. But it is worth noting that the terms “low tea” and the more commonly-known “high tea” had very specific, and quite different, meanings in English society where the rituals originated.
Low tea is an afternoon tea session, usually served in fine porcelain teaware, with small sandwiches and little pastries as well as an assortment of jams and condiments, as a sort of afternoon party—not a meal. This type of tea was often consumed by the upper classes and the well-to-do, having its origins in the habits of the royal family, and usually carried out in the early afternoon, between 1pm-3pm. But why “low tea?” It is said that this type of tea was so called due to the "low" height of the tiered tables, usually of stainless steel or fine silver, upon which the tea was served. (In Vancouver, Secret Garden offers this type of experience). Confusingly, this type of tea ritual is most commonly referred to as high tea today—and high tea is something quite different!
High tea was actually a tea ritual enjoyed mainly by the working classes in England. It is almost indistinguishable from a regular meal, in that the food consumed was hearty fare, intended to refresh the workers after a hard days’ labour. It was also known as meat tea due to the type of food consumed--eggs, deli meats, sausages, scones, and the like. It is particularly observed in Scotland.
Today many full-service tea houses that offer loose-leaf tea in fine china, served in an elegant and convivial environment, call this service high tea (particularly in America) but what they are actually referring to is low tea! Regardless of the misnomer, it is becoming easier and easier to enjoy high quality loose tea amongst like-minded individuals in an atmosphere of luxury and camaraderie—a truly rewarding experience which not only echoes the past, but may also signal the future.
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