Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published October 17, 2006 Click here for the current edition The Return Of Afternoon Tea Yesterday, I talked with Mike Collins, the new chef at the Windsor Court Hotel, about afternoon tea. The Windsor Court has not been the only place in town for this pretty, British tradition, but they may as well be. Nobody ever did it in as polished a way as they did, from the teas to the food to the classical music. As you might imagine, afternoon tea was far down the list of dining options to return to the hotel. But it has been there on weekends for some time. And with the approaching holidays they plan to have it running most days soon.  It's where it's always been: in the Salon, on the first floor. Afternoon tea (which is not the same as high tea; see below) is a precious little meal which, in the right circumstances, can be very enjoyable. My favorite venue for it is aboard a cruise ship. On the Conquest, for example, afternoon tea is served to the accompaniment of live classical music at three p.m., and it makes for a delightful gathering on days when we're at sea. At the Windsor Court teas, the population is almost entirely female. On many of the times I've attended it, I was the only guy there. It's a popular bridesmaids' gathering. Here are the set-pieces for afternoon tea: Tea, available in an assortment of varieties, with cream and lemon available. Sandwiches with the crusts cut away filled with cucumber, watercress, or (a recent addition) smoked salmon or tuna salad. Scones--sweetened biscuits, often with currants baked in. And butter, jam, lemon curd, and (sometimes) Devon cream. Small slices of cake, petits fours, bonbons, chocolate-covered strawberries, cookies, and other small desserts. Those are the essentials. A new element has been introduced: Champagne, which turns the event into a modified, early cocktail hour. (Or makes the transition from tea to that.) The problem with afternoon tea to my male brain is that the last thing a guy like me needs is another meal in the schedule. My wife is quick to straighten my benighted self out by pointing out that afternoon tea is not about the food or even the tea, but the gathering. Now, the matter of high tea. The term refers to an early supper, includes meat, and is more the province of working people who will have a few more hours before a proper dinner. Or whose main meal is at noon. I don't know any place that serves high tea, strictly speaking. So don't call it that. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com