異域採風:英國的下午茶和6點茶

AFTERNOON TEA (The Traditional 4 o'clock tea)

This is a small meal, not a drink. Traditionally it consists of Tea (or coffee) served with either of the following:Freshly baked scones served with cream and jam (Known as a cream tea)

Afternoon tea sandwiches often thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

與其說這是單純的飲茶，不如說這是一頓簡餐。因爲按照傳統，它除了包含茶（或咖啡）等飲料之外，還有不少點心，例如：

點綴有奶油和果醬的現烤熱斯康餅（以奶油茶聞名）

下午茶三明治通常都是無邊的黃瓜三明治}

Assorted pastries
Now most ordinary British families do not have time for afternoon tea at home, but in the past it was a tradition. It became popular about one hundred and fifty years ago, when rich ladies invited their friends to their houses for an afternoon cup of tea. They started offering their visitors sandwiches and cakes too. Soon everyone was enjoying Afternoon tea.

各式各樣的麪糰糕餅
現在大多數英國家庭都沒有時間在家喝下午茶，但在過去這卻是個重要的傳統習慣。150年前，下午茶在英國非常盛行，貴婦們都會邀請自己的朋友來家裏喝下午茶，同時也給來訪者提供三明治和蛋糕等點心，很快人們便開始享受下午茶的無限樂趣了。

HIGH TEA (The traditional 6 o'clock tea)

The British working population did not have afternoon tea. They had a meal about midday, and a meal after work, between five and seven o'clock. This meal was called 'high tea' or just 'tea'.

Traditionally eaten early evening, High tea was a substantial meal that combined delicious sweet foods, such as scones, cakes, buns or tea breads, with tempting savouries, such as cheese on toast, toasted crumpets, cold meats and pickles or poached eggs on toast. This meal is now often replaced with a supper due to people eating their main meal in the evenings rather than at midday.

6點茶(傳統的6點茶)

英國的工人在過去並不喝下午茶。他們通常吃頓午飯，並在工作結束之後大約5點到7點之間再吃點東西，這頓簡餐就被稱爲“high tea”或者就是“tea”。

High tea是有實質內容的一餐，由可口的甜品和誘人的各式點心組成。甜品如斯康餅、蛋糕、圓麪包等；點心如乳酪土司、煎餅、冷凍肉、醃蛋土司等。High tea現在已基本被晚飯取代，因爲通常人們總是習慣把晚飯作爲一天最重要的一餐，而非午餐。