High tea is a traditional pastime inherited from our British cousins, its creator believed to be the English duchess, Anna of Bedford. Because lunch had become a smaller meal by trend, the Duchess apparently suffered from "a sinking feeling" late in the afternoon. At first she had tea and a few breadstuffs in secret, eventually adopting the European tea service format, and inviting friends to join her at five o'clock for an additional afternoon meal consisting of small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and, of course, tea.
The practice proved popular among social hostesses, spreading to London and beyond, and evolving further during the second half of the Victorian Industrial Revolution. In this instance, hard working families would return home tired and exhausted after a long day in factories, and chow down on a variety of meats, bread, butter, pickles, cheese and tea. Because it was a more significant meal eaten at a high dining table rather than the low tea table, it commonly became known as "high" tea.
In recent years high tea has enjoyed somewhat of a revival in Australia, and although there are many versions of the meal today, one of the best we've tried is at the Swissôtel Sydney.
The location:
On Market Street opposite the State Theatre, the Swissôtel Sydney enjoys a central location right in the heart of the city's CBD. The newly renovated Crossroads Bar is the venue for Buffet High Tea, a classic hotel bar in the hotel's central atrium, fusing traditional ideas with ultra-modern design. There are beige couches, cozy booths and table seating, complemented by vibrant colour; the red Asian inspired lampshades, the checked blue and purple carpet, the highly polished black flooring, and the vivid plush cushions. There are also floor to ceiling windows overlooking Market Street, which flood the bar with natural light.
The menu:
This is no ordinary "cakes and sandwiches" kind of High Tea. On arrival you're greeted with a glass of sparkling wine, and the buffet is laid out for you to visit as, and when, you choose. What's on offer is a dizzying array of delicacies. On the savoury side are temptations including chicken and fish skewers, dim sum, spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce and bacon and leek mini quiches.
In between there are delicate sandwiches; double smoked ham pin wheels, smoked salmon with lemon and capers, and Mediterranean vegetables in sour dough for vegetarians. And on the sweeter side there's scones with preserves and whipped cream, lemon tart, French classic creme caramel, fruity flavour jellies, and a mouthwatering centrepiece; a Lindt chocolate fountain with fruit skewers, marshmallows and triple choc brownies.
This is not a High Tea to either rush, or attempt after a hearty lunch. My advice would be to skip breakfast altogether and arrive with an appetite, and enjoy a buffet to suit all tastes as well as some people watching.
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