•High Tea – popularised by the Duchess of Bedford, one of Queen Victoria’s ladies in waiting – conjures up visions of elegant ladies daintily sipping tea from exquisite cups, whiling away their afternoons at leisure. High tea, which has grown in to a fashionable social event over the years originally started out as a light, mid-afternoon snack which centred around a restoring cup of tea.• Yet, over the years tea, the enjoyment of tea which lies at the heart of this event, has been pushed aside. A tired array of cakes, pastries and sandwiches which started off as light accompaniments have become the focal point with tea being a mere afterthought to wash it all down.