We love catering Afternoon Tea parties! So much so that we thought it would be a fun idea to put together some noteworthy details about Afternoon Tea. Not only is Afternoon Tea the perfect way to glam up an event but it is also a timeless tradition full of interesting historic facts!
Afternoon tea is a British food tradition of sitting down for an afternoon treat of tea, sandwiches, scones, and cake.
‘Tea rooms’ were very popular in the late 19th century, quickly becoming THE place for meeting friends.
Modern formal tea is usually served from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Tea should steep for 3-5 minutes according to personal taste
A traditional tea starts with finger sandwiches, followed by scones with butter, jam/cream, then small cakes or petit fours.
Afternoon Tea requires the minimal use of cutlery. Scones are to be eaten by hand and not with a fork and knife.
Napkin and forks are set to the left of the plate, while butter knife and teaspoon to the right.
Always place the teacup to the right of the place setting with the teacup’s handle pointing out.
Sugar and milk should be provided for the tea. Other additions to serve with the tea can be fresh lemon or mint.
Historically, milk was put into the cup before the tea to protect the china.
One may assume that England and Ireland drink the most tea but the country where most tea is drunk per person is actually Turkey.