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Having started in England when a certain Duchesse demanded tea in her chambers at five o'clock, tea progressed rapidly from that informal occasion on a low table near a chaise longue to a more formal setting at the high tablehence it's name.

As it became a more affordable beverage the practice of serving it at a more substantial evening meal spread through the entire social scene and eventually across the world. So it is entirely probable that high tea means different things to different people and depends very much on where you are.

In England high tea can be served any time after six o'clock. If guests are invited great care will be taken to offer a wide variety of fare and even the setting of the table would be a major part of the function. A pristine white table-cloth is an absolute necessity. Enhance it by an unusual decoration set in the centre of the table. This provides not just an attractive sight but also a focus of conversation. Most will use their finest china and silverware to further dress the table to create the desired ambiance. Serviettes should be neatly folded into artistic shapes and placed to the right of the guest's place. The place should be marked with the name of the guest on a neatly written place card.

The food should be served in small portions but with a wide variety. Smoked salmon, cucumber and tomatoes, cold meats such as ham, beef, and pork with a choice of pickles together with fresh salad, baby boiled potatoes and thinly sliced bread and butter should form the main meal. Follow this with a choice of cheeses, biscuits and celery and finish with freshly baked and decorated cakes and a selection of smaller, usually iced, fancies. Finally a choice of teas, some from China others from India a perennial favourite for this event is Earl Grey tea. Allow about two hours for the meal from start to finish.

In other parts of the world the meal would doubtless take a different form whilst still retaining it's essential character, in Australia for example the meal would probably take the form of a barbeque for those living outside the main conurbations. For those living in crowded cities and towns the timing of the meal would largely depend on the pressures of business. In America it would likewise vary considerably and for much the same reasons. The demands of daily life and limited time for such events must mould the occasion to suit the needs of the guests and determine when the meal would best suit all concerned.

When all else fails and

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