Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea refers to a codified service pairing teapots, scones, crustless sandwiches and delicate pastries, presented on a tiered stand in the late afternoon. The custom is attributed to Anna Russell, seventh Duchess of Bedford, around 1840, to bridge the gap between lunch and an increasingly late dinner. London grand hotels turned it into a ceremonial ritual, served with a tea list narrated by a maitre d'hotel.