DINING

A simple meal served around the world

Rebecca Bingham

A tea sommelier (t-somm, for short) is an emerging professional certification earned by culinary professionals who learn how to taste, smell, brew and talk about tea in much the same way wine sommeliers talk about wine. Tea sommeliers explain the foundation of their rigorous training is developing “a mental Rolodex of up to 1,000 individual floral smells” used to describe different kinds of tea.

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” — Henry James

High tea didn’t start out like the fancy-schmancy social affair of Downton Abbey fame. In fact, the tradition originated in Britain during the mid-1700s as a hearty late-afternoon meal of cakes and scones – usually accompanied by meats and cheeses – served with tea right after work to sate the hunger of employees whose schedules didn’t permit a lunch break.

By contrast, the elegant ritual we now think of as “high” tea evolved among well-heeled socialites a century later as “low” tea – because ladies sipped while sitting in low armchairs.

Bruce Richardson, author of “A Social History of Tea,” explains that lunch for the upper crust was generally a light repast at noon; dinner, a more substantial meal served no earlier than 7:30 p.m.

Legend has it Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of of Bedford, ordered tea and snacks to her bedroom chamber to relieve her mid-afternoon hunger pains, a practice which soon became her habit.

Eventually, the duchess’ aristocratic friends began joining her for afternoon nibbles: crustless finger sandwiches plus an array of dainty scones, cakes, macaroons and other tempting morsels. Generally served around 3 p.m., the gathering evolved into the hoity-toity affair its current moniker implies. Fortunately, the pressure of pretension has dissipated over time, especially in the South where any gathering around food is an invitation to genuine hospitality.

“While good manners are always in style, you can relax and keep your pinkies down,” Richardson says. “As long as you keep your napkin in your lap and your feet off the table, you’ll probably be okay.”

Variations on afternoon tea

For the most part, a contemporary afternoon tea menu features an assortment of scones, marmalade, lemon curd and herbed butter, plus bite-sized pastries. Typical teas are Earl Grey and Assam as well as herbal varieties like chamomile and mint. Adding a selection of savory foods, like finger sandwiches, to afternoon tea is generally called “full tea” or “high tea.”

Some hotels and resorts even offer champagne or cocktails in addition to tea. And in Boston, children take center stage at the Four Seasons Hotel’s annual holiday Teddy Bear Tea at Bristol Restaurant and Bar. Each year, a celebrity is invited to read a favorite holiday children’s book, and guests are invited to bring a teddy bear to donate to underprivileged children.

Prices for afternoon tea average $30-$50; full tea, $40-$70.

Traveling for tea

Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans. 2 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Music played by a harpist from the Louisiana Symphony accompanies your entrance to La Salon, where your gracious ceremony begins with a glass of sherry, sparkling wine, chardonnay, specialty cocktail or mocktail, followed by a pot of properly brewed tea. Your choice of two dozen varieties features selections like Lapsang Souchong, one of the rarest of teas in the world, famous for its unique smoky flavor created by using exotic wood to hand-fire summer leaves.

English tea sandwiches include truffle egg salad, cucumber, smoked salmon, smoked turkey, curry chicken salad and lobster salad. Black currant and walnut scones are served with raspberry preserves, Devonshire cream, lemon curd and vanilla bean whipped cream. And your sweet tooth will thank you for a selection of miniature cakes, tartlets, chocolate covered strawberries and truffles.

Afternoon tea can be an exotic formality, as it was for travel journalist Nicholas Walton and his parents, Mrs. Phillippa Walton and Dr. Robert Walton at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, or as simple as a picnic setup in your backyard. The basics are the same: tea and an assortment of finger foods, usually a combination of sweet and savory served from a tiered stand.

Ayana Resort and Spa, Bali, Indonesia. 2-5 p.m. daily. Afternoon tea at this Forbes five-star resort is served inside Orchid, a modern glasshouse appointed with wooden tables made from upcycled sailboat wood and ornamented with an exotic collection of potted orchids. Warm natural light showcases nearby flowering tropical gardens and verdant rice fields. Orchid welcomes in-house and visiting guests at to quench their thirst with a premier selection of green, black, flavored, herbal, and oolong teas from Dilmah, a renowned international tea maker for over 60 years. French-pressed gourmet coffee and freshly squeezed juices are also available. A contemporary fusion of Balinese and Western delicacies includes fruit tartlets, sandwiches, and classic kue (bite-sized Indonesian desserts).

The Savoy, London, England. 1:45-5 p.m. daily. Soft light streaming through a splendid stained glass dome floods the Thames Lobby for afternoon tea at one of London’s most iconic hotels. You’ll be seated at tables topped with crisp linens and floral-patterned china. A pianist performs in the winter gazebo while you choose from a range of exceptional teas like Iron Buddha Oolong and Flowering Osmanthus, poured from a silver pot. Finger sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam and a mouth-watering selection of seasonal cakes and pastries created by The Savoy’s Executive Pastry Chef Ludwig Hely conclude your celebration.

The difference between afternoon tea and high tea is sometimes as simple as the addition of savory items to the menu. Other times, the distinction is time: afternoon tea, 1-3 p.m.; high tea, 3-5:30 p.m.

Afternoon tea at home

You don’t have to break the bank or travel the world to enjoy the luxury of afternoon tea with friends. These days, formal china is plentiful at thrift stores, online swap shops, local auctions and estate sales. A three-tiered cake stand works well for the staples: usually a layer of sandwiches, a layer of cakes and a layer of tea cakes or scones. Specialty teas are available from local coffee shops and kitchen stores. And web sites like Pinterest are filled with recipe ideas for spring-themed teas, including colorful confections for Easter or graduation parties.

In today’s hectic world, making time for afternoon tea relaxes your mind, replenishes your spirit and nurtures your soul. Besides that, tea has a plethora of health benefits: It cleans arteries, calms inflammation, wipes out viruses, burns calories, protects oral health, inhibits cancer growth and enhances immune functions. Maybe it’s time for a new afternoon tradition at your house!

Rebecca Bingham is a Monroe native living in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A full-time travel writer, Rebecca spends a year living in a series of vacation rental properties while she writes her new book, “Finding Home: Creating Comfort in a Chaotic World.” Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @GoBrilliantly.