Afternoon Tea is a quintessentially British tradition, primarily a meal consisting of a delightful offering of hot tea, diverse range of sandwiches, fluffy, warm scones usually served with clotted cream and fruit preserves, and an enticing array of cakes or pastries. This ritual typically begins in the early to mid-afternoon, providing a pleasant respite from the day's activities. Originating among the affluent social classes in England in the 1840s, afternoon tea has since entrenched itself as a comforting, yet refined culinary indulgence that is observed and cherished across different social strata. It allows individuals to relax, engage in conversation, and relish the assortment of delicacies that is quintessential to this experience.

1. Queen Amelia invited her best friends to participate in her personalized Afternoon Tea, a tradition she brought from England. They would sip on the finest brews, munch on various delicate sandwiches, split scones with cream and jam, and finish with a selection of hand baked cakes. 2. For Jenny's birthday, a carefully planned Afternoon Tea was set out in the garden gazebo, mirroring a quaint English settings, with hearty sandwiches, scones slathered with clotted cream and strawberry jam and tantalizing cakes, accompanied by pots of aromatic teas. 3. The boutique hotel in London prided itself on its curated Afternoon Tea experience; guests were served perfectly steeped teas along with an array of exquisite sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserve, followed by a selection of decadent pastries and cakes. 4. Underneath the shade of the old oak, the Smith family set up their Sunday Afternoon Tea, composed of homemade sandwiches filled with traditional British fillings, scones fresh out of the oven, topped with homemade blackberry jam and cream, and a choice between Victoria sponge cake and lemon drizzle cake, paired with a twinings earl grey tea. 5. The upscale restaurant hosted an Afternoon Tea that transported its patrons to England, with quaint tea cups filled with the finest tea blends, dainty sandwiches of cucumber and smoked salmon, freshly baked scones laid out with clotted cream and jams and a dessert tray which boasted an assortment of cakes and pastries.

Afternoon Tea, a quintessential British food tradition, originated from Anna, the Duchess of Bedford in the early 1840s. At the time, it was common to have just two main meals a day, breakfast and dinner at around 8 o'clock in the evening. The Duchess would become hungry during the afternoon and started having a pot of tea with light snacks privately in her boudoir. After finding much delight in this activity, she invited friends to join her for an additional summer afternoon meal at her room in Belvoir Castle. The menu centered around small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and, of course, tea. This practice of taking tea in the afternoon became fashionable among the elite upper class, quickly evolving into a beloved social event rather than a simple meal. This trend which was started by Duchess Anna eventually became one of Britain's most popular culinary traditions and a symbol of British culture that is still cherished today.