A Great British Tradition
In the 1840s, Britons relied on two meals a day; breakfast and a late dinner. Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford began enjoying a daily pot of tea and light snack in the afternoon, to stave off hunger pangs before her evening meal. After inviting her friends to join her, the ritual caught on amongst fashionable hostesses and the British tradition of afternoon tea was born. Today, afternoon tea is enjoyed as a meal, a treat, or to celebrate an occasion.