Dear Creative Party lovers,

 

I would like to share what I recently learned about throwing a Tea Party.

 

It all arose after my good friend @Sra Cricket invited me to participate as an extra on one of their TV programs. She was supposed to organise a creative Tea Party, based on the traditional British Afternoon tea.  Because I had lived in London, she immediately thought it would be a good idea to invite me to participate on her show. 

 

I was so excited about the idea, especially because I really like the Sra Cricket style of, organising parties, and as she is always busy, it was a great opportunity to see her and to have fun together. Although I know something about British culture and tea parties, I ran off to WhatsApp my English friend Bev, who gave me lots of advice about how to throw the perfect Afternoon Tea Party.

 

After this little adventure with the DECASA TV Channel and with Sra Cricket (see here), where I gained invaluable experience, I’m sure you’d like to know the tips from my English friend, right? No worries, here I've made a handy list with the most important 10 things to consider for an Afternoon Tea party. 

 

 

Copy it and share it with all your friends, who just like us, love this charming British tradition.

 

Ten Tips To Throw The Perfect Afternoon Tea Party

1. An Afternoon Tea traditionally consists of:

- Sandwiches

- Scones

- Pastries

- A lot of tea to drink

- Sometimes fresh strawberries

- Sometimes champagne with strawberries if it is for adults

- For children, it is also a good idea to serve jelly and ice cream. Traditionally strawberry or raspberry  jelly and vanilla ice cream.

 

2. The recipes for these food items are:

SANDWICHES: The sandwiches are filled with ingredients such as: egg, mayonnaise, roast chicken, cheese, cucumber, salmon and sour cream. Maybe without smoked salmon if it's for children.

SCONES: With jam and cream (called cream teas, famous in the county of Devon)

 

3. The protocol is:

-The sandwiches may be served first, on a 3-tiered cake stand.

-Then scones and toasted tea cakes. The jam and cream for the scones are usually served in bowls and butter is served in a butter dish, so that each person can serve him/herself with whatever they want in their scones.

-The jam is served with flat spoons (jam spoons)

-Then come the cakes in third place. The Victoria sponge and other cakes with cream. The Victoria Sandwich is very British (made with two layers of sponge with jam and cream sandwiched in the middle), and then icing sugar sprinkled on top, sometimes sprinkled in a pattern or design.

 

4. The tea can be loose-leaf tea

The tea can be loose-leaf tea, in which case you would use a tea strainer, or tea bags. Loose-leaf tea is generally of higher quality, but tea bags are easier to use.

Other herbal teas and mint tea can also be offered, and the leaves picked from the garden. 

5. Setting the table:

Afternoon Tea is served with cups, saucers and tea plates (small porcelain side plates). All traditional families have a porcelain tea set that they use when they make Afternoon Tea, for example, on Sundays. These Afternoon Tea sets include small plates, cups and saucers, sugar bowl, milk jug, teapot, cake stand and a large serving dish.

6. The sugar is served in cubes, in a sugar bowl, with small tongs (not with a spoon)

7. You must serve the tea on a table with a tablecloth and cloth napkins. Brits like this.

You can also use individual placemats and coasters to set the table (although I don’t think this is so typical)

Sometimes a doily is placed on the plate to present the sandwiches and the cakes.

 

8. The perfect time for an Afternoon tea is from 3 to 5pm

 

9. The best-known place in London serving Afternoon Tea

The best-known place in London serving Afternoon Tea is the Ritz Hotel. And the most popular place to have scones is Devon, famous for its Devon Cream Teas.

 

10. The tradition

The tradition of having Afternoon Tea originates with the well-off social classes in India, but over time the tradition spread to and eventually throughout the United Kingdom

 

Now it's your turn!

 

Love,

 

Lucrecia Rodríguez de Acuña

Founder & Creative Director

Fiesta4U.com