Elegance, Tradition and Health Benefits: Catering a High Tea

A tea party is a special event. It's an occasion for friends to come together and share a culinary treat that's healthy, traditional, and elegant. Engagement parties, bridal and baby showers, and birthday parties are often catered events where the culinary offerings are important, and they're all excellent opportunities for catering a tea party.

Elegance

The idea of catering a high tea, British style, brings to mind images of English gardens, flowered hats, and white gloves. English high teas can be one or several courses, with savory or sweet cooking to accompany the tea. Savory high teas feature small sandwiches, cheese, and fruit. Sweet high teas offer small cakes and scones with fresh jam and Devonshire cream.

Traditional

Tea was discovered in 2737 BC by Emperor Shen Nong, who introduced the Chinese to several health benefits, including boiling water to insure purity. One day on a mountain hike with his entourage, camellia bush leaves fell into the water they were boiling, creating the first cup of tea ever. Tea was considered precious, and the Emperor began giving tea as gifts. Once tea reached Japan, the Japanese developed the tea ceremony--Chanoyu--around it, an elegant, sacred ritual of pause and reflection. Eventually tea made its way through Europe and into England in the mid-1600s. There, tea was again enjoyed by aristocracy, who were the only ones who could afford it.

Healthy

Today tea is affordable for everyone and the health benefits are enormous. Drinking black or green tea after high-fat meals may prevent cardiovascular disease. Tea protects against heart attack, stroke, and some kinds of cancer, and it has antioxidants. On your way to getting a culinary degree, you'll learn the history of many foods and their health benefits. Later, if you turn your culinary skills into a career in catering, you may find yourself catering a healthy, elegant, traditional tea party.

Sources

Studies Suggest the Health Benefits of Tea

Tea May Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Tea's Wonderful History