elevenses

Part of the Meals series

Common meals

Breakfast • Brunch • Lunch • Tea • Dinner • Supper

Components & courses

Amuse-bouche • Appetizer • Entrée • Main course • Side dish • Salad • Drink • Dessert • Fruit • Cheese • Nuts • Entremet

Related concepts

Food • Eating • Cuisine • Etiquette • Buffet • Banquet

In the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth realms, elevenses is a snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning.^[1] It is generally less savoury than brunch, and might consist of some cake or biscuits with a cup of tea. The name refers to the time of day that it is taken: around 11 am. The word "elevensies" is seen as a little old fashioned.^[1]

In Australia and New Zealand, it is called morning tea or smoko (often little lunch or playlunch in primary school). Choice of foods consumed at morning tea vary from cakes, pastries or lamingtons, or biscuits, to just coffee. In the Royal Australian Navy it is commonly referred to as "Morno's".

In many Spanish-speaking cultures the term las onces (the elevens in Spanish) is used to describe a similar meal. Among Chileans, the tradition was known as under the same name, although in modern times, it has shifted in most respects to later in the afternoon, more closely reflecting the pattern of British "tea time".^[2]

In literature

For elevenses, Winnie the Pooh preferred honey on bread with condensed milk. He is also said to have coined the word "smackerel", having an equivalent meaning to 'elevenses'.

Paddington Bear often took elevenses at the antique shop on Portobello Road run by his friend Mr Gruber and usually received some sound advice about his current thorny problem at the same time.

In the Middle-earth universe by J. R. R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), it is a meal eaten by Hobbits between second breakfast and luncheon.

The term appears extensively throughout the novel Don't Stop the Carnival, by Herman Wouk, in which various characters gleefully partake of "elevenses" at every opportunity, usually accompanied by alcoholic beverages.

The idea also appears in Ballet Shoes and other Shoes books by Noel Streatfeild, and in Thursday's Children ^[3], Listen to the Nightingale^[4] by Rumer Godden.

Elsewhere

Jeremy Clarkson on the British programme Top Gear quite often used the term Elevenses. In the polar special when James opened a packet with chocolate in it. Another example occured when the crew travelled to the USA to test some muscle cars he refers to a break where he stops to do burn outs Elevenses, Corvette style.

See also

Look up elevensies in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• British cuisine
• Coffee break
• Custard cream

References

External links

• A nice cup of tea and a sit down - an elevenses news site