At a traditional afternoon tea, you eat the savory finger sandwiches first, starting with the lightest fillings like cucumber, then progress to the scones (with jam and cream), and finish with the sweet cakes and pastries, moving from the bottom tier to the top of the tiered stand.
Three key etiquette rules for afternoon tea are: don't stick out your pinky finger; stir gently in a back-and-forth motion (6 to 12 o'clock) and place the spoon on the saucer; and eat foods in the proper order (sandwiches first, then scones, then sweets) using your fingers for most items, but a fork for messy things like scones.
Choose Your Pieces: Lay out your plates and cups to decide which ones will be used for each tier. Typically, start with the largest plate at the bottom, followed by a cup, then a medium plate, another cup, and finally the smallest plate on top.
Tea brews best in very hot water, but adding milk cools things down. So if you're brewing tea directly in a mug, it's better to add the milk last, after it's brewed. And if you're brewing in a teapot, the order doesn't matter at all – it's just a question of personal preference!
The 3 main foods served at Afternoon Tea are finger sandwiches (no crusts and with fillings such as smoked salmon, cucumber and egg mayonnaise), cake slices or small cakes (such as Victoria sponge) and scones.
The correct order to eat the traditional Afternoon Tea is to eat the sandwiches and savouries first, then move onto the scones, ending on the sweets.
What to have for tea. There aren't any rules when it comes to the food, but a standard afternoon tea menu comprises a tier of sandwiches, a tier of cakes and one of scones or teacakes. But you could also throw in pastries, petits-fours or biscuits. Don't wear yourself out by taking on too many ambitious bites.
Afternoon tea course order
If you receive a tiered dish, you'll eat from bottom to top. Course one is “savories.” This may feature mini quiches, salty puff pastries, savory scones, and most commonly tea sandwiches. Course two is scones. These will come with jam and clotted cream, typically.
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When you next make a cup of tea don't throw away the old bag because it has many uses that you might not know about. Black tea contains tannic acid and theobromine which removes heat from sunburn so rubbing cold tea water on sore skin will soothe pain. Old tea bags can also be used to flavour rice or pasta.
Set the Tableware
Plates and Cutlery: For afternoon tea, small plates for sandwiches and pastries should be placed at the centre of each setting. Ensure cutlery is polished and laid out neatly, with forks on the left and knives on the right. A dedicated dessert fork or spoon can be placed at the top.
Allow 3-4 sandwiches per person. But don't prepare them too early as they will either go soggy or dry out.
Crumbs show through and ruin the smooth look of the tiers. Uneven leveling of cake layers If layers aren't leveled flat before stacking, the cake tilts or wobbles. Even a small slant at the base magnifies as tiers get taller. Not chilling cakes before stacking Warm or soft cakes break easily when moved.
Avoiding Dunking Your Biscuits or Scones
etiquette dictates that scones, biscuits and other treats should never be dunked into your tea. childish behavior. Instead, enjoy bites of your scones between sips of tea.
To serve the tea, generally the milk (due to denaturing of milk proteins when hot water is added) and sugar go in first. The person serving, which is considered an honor, serves the tea to the guests first and him or herself last.
A light, printed midi dress offers timeless elegance – perfect for afternoon tea. Whether you go for a plain design or something more floral, a midi dress strikes the ideal balance of style and comfort.
“Never squeeze your teabags, as this can make your tea taste bitter due to the release of tannic acids,” explains Angela Pryce, senior tea buyer at Whittard. “Instead lift it out carefully after 3-5 minutes of brewing.” Our expert Dr Bond says five minutes is the optimum time to let your tea brew.
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Examine the Leaves The leaves should be whole, not broken, and should have a vibrant, uniform color. Broken or dull leaves may indicate lower-quality tea or poor storage conditions. Smell the Tea's Aroma A quality tea releases intense and pleasant aromas, even when dry.
What to Eat First. Believe it or not, there is a correct order to eat your afternoon tea. There are three courses to a proper afternoon tea. Firstly, you should eat the sandwiches, then the scones, and finally, the cakes.
High tea and afternoon tea are often confused, but traditionally Afternoon Tea (or "low tea") is a light, formal 4 PM social event with dainty sandwiches, scones, and cakes, served on low tables, while High Tea is a heartier, working-class evening meal (around 6 PM) with hot dishes, meat, and bread, served at a high dining table, acting as a substantial supper after work.
How much food to serve per person for an Afternoon Tea? For a light afternoon tea, it is recommended to serve between 5 and 6 food items based on a 3 course menu.
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The delicious meal includes everything from delicate sandwiches cut into fingers, scones with jam and clotted cream to a selection of pastries and other sweet treats such as classic carrot cake and lemon drizzle cake. These delights are served on a tiered cake stand and are accompanied by a selection of fragrant teas.
Setting the standard for tea time in England, you can indulge in a traditional menu of moreish finger sandwiches, fruit scones, and an assortment of seasonal pastries in its ornate ballroom.