I think of supper as the meal that comes at the end of the day. Lunch is the noonday meal. Dinner can be at either noonish or eveningish, but implies more formality--nice silverware, food that requires a little extra care to prepare.
That's sort of my own internal definition, though, and may not go with the commonly accepted definitions.
I associate 'supper' with the (smaller) meal you have when it is too late for 'dinner', but too early for a 'midnight snack'. If I went out to the movies or theatre in the evening, then the meal I had when I returned home would be 'supper' to me. If I didn't come straight home and ate out instead, it would be 'dinner', because it's always 'dinner' if eating out.
Posh Brits go to each other's houses for 'supper' and in that context, it means that the host will not be providing a very formal meal of three or four courses, but rather a 'home-cooked' style main with perhaps a dessert.
Yeah, I remember reading supper as something you'd have late at night after you came back from the opera... hehe... in our family supper was basically any cooked dinner at home. We never went out for "supper" either, that was always dinner. I just always liked how my dad said it, and because he's a good cook, supper is a GOOD thing!
Ah ha. So it's a term put in place to confuse me. I did wonder for the longest time whether y'all had four meals a day. This makes much more sense. Thanks. :)
When I have had "Tea" it usually involves scones, clotted cream, lemon curd, jams and jellies finger sandwiches (like watercress, cucumber and the like) and small pastries. And of course, tea.
I think "High Tea" involves heavier food. And tea.
If it makes feel better, when I first read your corrective post about inserting the comma, I read it as coma. You should have a coma after eating the jams and jellies--I guess like the traditional post Thanksgiving dinner feast? And it took awhile for it to hit that that was a completely stupid reading.
I was the same way... all "ewwwww, chunky cream?" but it's actually very good. Very smooth and creamy, kinda in between buttery and Cool-Whip. Not sweet, per se, but very good spread on a scone.
When I was a kid we had breakfast, dinner and tea. Over time that has become breakfast, lunch and tea.
Oh and we never had "afternoon tea", we just had a "cup of tea" which always included something (ie. cake or sandwiches or biscuits)
And it's called that even if coffee is involved. (What? I don't make up the rules :)
I believe that traditionally "high tea" referred to the meal taken at the dining table as opposed to a meal at the kitchen table or in the sitting room.
There's also some kind of class inference in the use of the word "Tea". (Snobby use would be Dinner. Common use would be Tea.) That said if I'm arranging to go out to eat with someone I would only ever use the word "Dinner". If I'm going to my parents I'd only ever be eating "Tea"
And now I'm thinking that's probably way more information than you were looking for.
In the old-fashioned sense, 'teatime' is about 3.30 p.m. and consists of a couple of rounds of very dainty sandwiches with the crusts cut off, some cake (or some small fairy cakes) and tea (with orange squash for the kiddies). I know this because in cricket matches we still have tea and that is what it is. Also, when I was considerably shorter, we used to have this sort of tea on Sundays at about 4.30 p.m., having had a roast Sunday lunch.
'High tea', as I understand it, is a posh Scottish thing (my Great Aunt used to have 'high tea') and consists of the same as the above, but at 4.30 p.m. instead of 3.30 p.m. and with oatcakes instead of sandwiches.
The working class concept of tea is that it is simply another word for dinner.
and here i always thought that tea was the british answer to the afternoon blood glucose dip. feel sluggish in the afternoon? tea will perk you right up.
Even though I still can't taste anything, I am now all kinds of hungry!
I noticed that they actually had clotted cream at my grocery store. Maybe I will ask the boy to pick some up on the way home? Scratch that. It was kinda buried amongst the fancy cheeses, and he will never find it. Perhaps I will treat myself to some on a scone when I am better. I know! I will sneak my jar in to a coffee house, buy a scone, and secretly spread cream on it!
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Date: 2007-03-15 01:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:18 pm (UTC)Hope this helps.
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Date: 2007-03-15 02:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 09:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 09:35 pm (UTC)That's sort of my own internal definition, though, and may not go with the commonly accepted definitions.
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Date: 2007-03-15 10:12 pm (UTC)Posh Brits go to each other's houses for 'supper' and in that context, it means that the host will not be providing a very formal meal of three or four courses, but rather a 'home-cooked' style main with perhaps a dessert.
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Date: 2007-03-18 07:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:16 pm (UTC)I think "High Tea" involves heavier food. And tea.
Always tea.
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Date: 2007-03-15 02:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:18 pm (UTC)I quit. Stoopid fingers.
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Date: 2007-03-15 02:28 pm (UTC)*smooch*
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Date: 2007-03-15 02:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 03:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 09:22 pm (UTC)The Australian Version.
Date: 2007-03-15 02:18 pm (UTC)When I was a kid we had breakfast, dinner and tea. Over time that has become breakfast, lunch and tea.
Oh and we never had "afternoon tea", we just had a "cup of tea" which always included something (ie. cake or sandwiches or biscuits)
And it's called that even if coffee is involved. (What? I don't make up the rules :)
I believe that traditionally "high tea" referred to the meal taken at the dining table as opposed to a meal at the kitchen table or in the sitting room.
There's also some kind of class inference in the use of the word "Tea". (Snobby use would be Dinner. Common use would be Tea.) That said if I'm arranging to go out to eat with someone I would only ever use the word "Dinner". If I'm going to my parents I'd only ever be eating "Tea"
And now I'm thinking that's probably way more information than you were looking for.
wordy c'est moi.
Re: The Australian Version.
Date: 2007-03-15 02:23 pm (UTC)Since tea is eaten comparatively early (say, around 6) in the UK there's usually something after (Around say 8 or 9)
And by after I don't mean afters (that would be dessert)
Re: The Australian Version.
Date: 2007-03-15 02:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 02:39 pm (UTC)I know that's not really contributing anything helpful, I just really liked the sandwiches.
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Date: 2007-03-15 02:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 03:29 pm (UTC)'High tea', as I understand it, is a posh Scottish thing (my Great Aunt used to have 'high tea') and consists of the same as the above, but at 4.30 p.m. instead of 3.30 p.m. and with oatcakes instead of sandwiches.
The working class concept of tea is that it is simply another word for dinner.
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Date: 2007-03-15 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 04:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 03:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 04:05 pm (UTC)On another note, I'm sorry the work thing has become so intolerable for you. I hope brighter things are ahead very soon.
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Date: 2007-03-15 04:26 pm (UTC)I noticed that they actually had clotted cream at my grocery store. Maybe I will ask the boy to pick some up on the way home? Scratch that. It was kinda buried amongst the fancy cheeses, and he will never find it. Perhaps I will treat myself to some on a scone when I am better. I know! I will sneak my jar in to a coffee house, buy a scone, and secretly spread cream on it!
I'm a rebel.
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Date: 2007-03-15 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 04:41 pm (UTC)Like I said. Rebel. :-D
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Date: 2007-03-15 04:57 pm (UTC)It's the one true cream.
Is this what North Americans call double cream, or is that something else?
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Date: 2007-03-15 05:25 pm (UTC)Geez. Now I am REALLY hungry.
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Date: 2007-03-15 08:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:43 am (UTC)What is a crumpet anyway?