Afternoon tea doesn’t have to be a posh, exclusive experience. But if you're new to it, it can be a bit overwhelming and intimidating. I'm here to diminish the confusion and peel back that wall of perceived exclusivity to share the basics and best practices. If you don't have a tea house near you, stay tuned for next week's post on hosting your very own afternoon tea.
Different Types of Tea
There are 4 types of tea: Royal Tea, High Tea, Afternoon Tea, and Cream Tea. The most popular of these options is Afternoon tea. It consists of tea, and (typically) a tier of finger sandwiches, desserts, scones, clotted cream, jam, and butter, and sweet and savory pastries.
Cream Tea is the simplest of the tea options made up of scones, tea, jams, butter, and clotted cream. Royal Tea has all of the offerings in afternoon tea plus a glass of champaign.
Lastly, High Tea (often confused with Afternoon tea) is a heavier meal often served in courses and consists of items such as soups, salads, and full sandwiches.
Afternoon Tea Staples
Scones - American Scones are a bit larger than British scones, triangular shaped, and often fruit, ex. Blueberry, and Raisin. British/traditional scones are round in shape and are often presented plain, with fruit, or savory.
Finger Sandwiches - The most popular options include some type of egg, chicken, smoked salmon, and cucumber sandwiches.
Savory Pastries - My favorites are quiche, vegetable tartlets, mini salmon frittatas, spinach, and artichoke crostini.
Desserts - If nothing else, a great selection of desserts is absolutely necessary for a traditional afternoon tea. A few examples are small cakes, Macarons, Madelines, cheesecake cookies, and berry tartlets.
My Must-Have's
Whether I'm hosting or attending an afternoon tea, I make sure I provide or look for the following items that I believe are staples for a fantastic afternoon tea experience:
Food options presented on a tier
At least a few loose leaf tea options
Sugar Cubes & Sugar Tongs
An offering of milk (plant-based and traditional)
Tea spoons
Music
I'd love to hear your favorite afternoon tea items and must have's below!
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