{"id":1607726,"date":"2022-02-02T20:20:59","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T01:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/divine.ca\/?p=1607726"},"modified":"2022-02-02T20:20:59","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T01:20:59","slug":"afternoon-tea-your-complete-guide-to-hosting-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/divine.ca\/en\/afternoon-tea-your-complete-guide-to-hosting-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Afternoon Tea: Your Complete Guide to Hosting at Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just picture it: warm scones with strawberry jam and cream; dainty finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off; tea cakes, macarons, cream puffs, and unlimited Earl Grey tea sipped from fine china tea cups. Fresh cut tulips, linen tablecloths, and polished silverware. The company of a few good friends, and a lot of time to kill. Does this sound like the perfect afternoon to you?<\/span><\/p>\n

The British call it Afternoon Tea, and although you can find proper tea houses in North America, they can be tricky to find, depending on where you live. Luckily, you can recreate this scrumptious oasis in your home. In a world where we\u2019re usually drinking tea or coffee on the go instead of enjoying it sitting down, this ritual slows everything down. It\u2019s all about sharing a treat with friends<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It feels good to set your table immaculately, do some baking, and pull out the beloved tea set that you don\u2019t get to use very often. If you\u2019re doing <\/span>Dry Feb<\/span><\/a>, endless cups of tea will certainly take the place of beer or wine. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s your complete guide to hosting Afternoon Tea at home. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is Afternoon Tea?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Afternoon<\/p>\n

Afternoon Tea is a quintessentially British tradition of enjoying tea (usually Earl Grey) and nibbling leisurely on a variety of refreshments. <\/span><\/p>\n

The tea is sipped from fine china, and the main event is the three-tiered serving platter containing light sandwiches, scones, and desserts. <\/span><\/p>\n

The tradition originated in Victorian England in 1840 when Anna, Duchess of Bedford, was feeling peckish while waiting between lunch and supper. She asked her servants to lay out a variety of snacks with tea. Anna was pleased with the result, and the tradition quickly swept across England. <\/span><\/p>\n

Afternoon Tea Basics<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Scones
Image by elsasupport<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are two main components to afternoon tea: the tea itself, and the sandwiches and treats platter. Make sure you have a constant supply of tea for your guests, and try to source a high-quality brand of Earl Grey (more on that later). It\u2019s always a good idea to have herbal tea on hand in case you have a friend who isn\u2019t keen on black tea. Make sure to provide a creamer full of milk and a small bowl of sugar cubes. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Traditionally, the refreshments are displayed on a three-tiered tray. <\/span>Kitchen Stuff Plus<\/span><\/a> makes a very basic one, but <\/span>Royal Albert<\/span><\/a> makes a more ornate one if you want something more regal. A three-tiered serving tray is essential in keeping with the tradition. Finger sandwiches go on the bottom, scones in the middle, and sweets go on top.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tea<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Afternoon
Image by Jill Wellington<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To host afternoon tea, you\u2019re going to need a tea set. You will need a teapot that\u2019s large enough to serve four or five people, and you will need tea cups, saucers, and teaspoons. Though you can purchase brand new tea cups from a home furnishing store, it\u2019s always more special to serve tea in vintage China cups. You may already have a family heirloom set handed down to you through generations, or if you don\u2019t, vintage tea cups and saucers are very easy to find at antique, vintage, and second-hand thrift stores (and for a great price, too). Many people are trying to get rid of their tea cup sets and don\u2019t have room for them anymore. In addition, you can find beautiful, ornate teaspoons at antique stores as well, though you may need to use some silver polish on them. <\/span><\/p>\n

What you’ll need: <\/span><\/h3>\n