Nice Essentials for English Afternoon Tea

Britons drink a total of 165 million cups of tea every day, which equates to an average of two and a half cups of tea per person! It can be seen that tea drinking is important to the daily life of the British. Their afternoon tea culture is also a major feature of British culture.

1. What do British people have for afternoon tea?

As we know, afternoon tea was born as a snack! It all started when a peckish Duchess, around 4 pm, would ask for tea, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and cakes to be served in her room. What began as a private affair became more of a tea party.

Article: Discover the Elegance of British tea culture 

2. English afternoon tea call is low tea or high tea?

High tea is a quick snack that workers use to replenish their energy after getting off work. Because it is usually served at a dining table with higher seats, it is called high tea.

The historical origin of Afternoon tea originated from wealthy people in the 19th century, an extension of the royal family. They would mainly enjoy refreshments in the living room, living room, or teahouses dedicated to entertaining guests, it was also called low tea. In modern society, afternoon tea is still a typical British tradition. Many British people still take time to sit down and enjoy the etiquette and ritual of the most traditional British dining customs.

3. Regular time for enjoying British afternoon tea

The orthodox British afternoon tea time is actually 4 p.m. because the common dinner time in Britain at that time was between 7 p.m. and Tea Party or Afternoon Tea with snacks.

4. How to enjoy afternoon tea?

At a traditional British afternoon tea party, the hostess wears formal clothes to welcome the guests and brews the first pot of tea for the guests herself. Then it is placed in the center of the coffee table for the guests to help themselves, usually with a cup of sugar, a cup of milk, and lemon slices. , when you first drink it, you will usually drink the original black tea first, and then season it according to your personal preference. Remember to stir clockwise and slowly when seasoning, and you should not make any sound when stirring or sipping the tea.

5. When tasting tea, should the saucer be picked up together?

If it is an ordinary dining table, you usually only need to pick up the teacup to drink; only when the table is a small coffee table, a low table, or standing, you need to hold the saucer with your left hand and gently hold the cup ear with the index finger and thumb of your right hand. If you want to hand it to a servant to pour tea, it should be accompanied by a saucer and teacup.

6. Pour tea

British afternoon tea cups are usually relatively large. When pouring tea, you only need to fill one-third of the cup. Otherwise, after pouring a full cup, there may not be much tea left in the teapot.

7. Tesp.

After using the teaspoon, don’t put it in the cup or leave it on the table. Just put it in the teacup tray.

8. Clothing and appearance for attending the afternoon tea party

In modern times, if you are invited to have afternoon tea, although you do not necessarily need a suit or a grand dress, you should also pay a little attention to your clothing. Generally speaking, as long as it is not slippers, sneakers, or ripped pants, any comfortable smart casual outfit will do.

9. Table layout and tea set introduction

British afternoon tea is a time when upper-class ladies gather together to enjoy tea and snacks while chatting enthusiastically. It is also a social expression for the inviter to reflect the prestige of his family, so he will definitely bring out the highest-grade teas and snacks. Entertain and use high-quality porcelain tea sets. The more advanced and rare they are, the more distinguished they can be in showing the dignity of the upper class.

YDY Porcelain Factory mainly produced ceramic tableware since 1999 China. Such as tea sets, dinner sets, coffee cups, and cava cups. Here are some popular tableware sets recommended for you. We also accept customized designs or shapes for you, if you are interested.