“Tea is much more than a mere drink in Britain. It is a solace, a mystique, an art, a way of life, almost a religion. It is more deeply traditional than the roast beef of old England….This khaki-colored concoction, brewed through an accident of history from an exotic plant grown thousands of miles from fog, cricket and left-handed driving, has become the life-blood of the nation.”
- Cecil Porter of Gemini News Service
When making the decision to host an English tea, keep in mind that tea, “as it is generally called, is a very formal, elegant affair. You should get out your best linens, your best of China, and your good money. The decision to hold an English tea, mind you, is the decision to create an atmosphere of kindness.
Tea comes with its own colorful history. Although England is most often associated with the idea of a cup of steaming tea, Asia is actually responsible for the idea of soaking the dried leaves in boiling water. Tea was once a motivating factor for stripping the planet, countries rushed to send explorers back to the tea and exotic spices from faraway countries. Tea even made its mark in the annals of American history – for a person Boston Tea Party?
You can be flexible when planning an afternoon tea. Of course, a “High Tea” is generally set at 4:00, and sometimes may even be replaced for dinner simply because more food is served. A simple English tea is generally more relaxed, less a matter of filling its formal counterpart.
When configuring your tea, attention to detail. Try a bit of classical music – anything from Mozart or Beethoven is a good choice. Relaxation and gentle, classical music allows background noise without stifling the conversation. Fresh flowers can brighten a table, place mats and put on the tablecloth will add a Victorian look.
An English tea is not something ridiculous – England consumes more than 20 million cups of tea every day. In America, tea made public, companies such as Tazo and Celestial Seasonings tea made coffee “new”, so to speak. With less acid and oils to a cup of Joe, and equally or even more caffeine, tea is becoming the latest “hot” drink.
Now your pot is certainly the centerpiece of your tea table. All ceramic teapot will do, the option is yours. There are many cafes and specialty stores that sell a variety of teapots of all shapes, colors, and design mode. With your teapot, you will have enough cups, saucers, spoons, dessert small knives, forks, spoons and knives for all your guests. Napkins, plates and bowls and serving utensils are also very important. And do not forget your bowl the sugar, cream, and a plaque displaying lemon wedges. Some people may take their tea with honey, if necessary, serve in a small jar of jam with a small serving spoon.
The most important part of your tea, of course, is the drink itself. There are hundreds, even thousands, of different types of tea, from your basic Grey “Earl” to flavored teas fruity with spice extracts. If you do not think your guests will agree to a type of tea, or simply want to offer more variety, consider providing your table with a number of different flavored teas. This way, your guests can choose.
When you prepare your tea, be aware that tea comes in two forms – loose tea, which is essentially shredded, dried tea leaves, tea or packaged, which comes in its own tea bag. If you decide to offer your guests loose tea, you will also need to provide everyone with an infuser. Available in specialty stores and at Starbucks, tea balls are hollow, perforated ball hanging in your cup. The loose tea is pinched in the ball, which opens on a hinge, then the ball is suspended in hot water for tea brewing.
Otherwise, tea bags can be used individually. Simply provide a teapot full of hot water so that guests can dip their own tea in the cups. How to make hot water? Bring to a boil. One thing to note is that if your water does not taste good, your tea suffer. If you’re not a fan of your water, try using bottled water or filtered water instead. A simple rule to measure the tea is about 1 c. tea. loose tea per oz 6-8. water. Otherwise, tea bags are pre-measured.
For the soaking time, know that different teas require different amounts of exposure to water. Green teas require 1-3 minutes, 4-8 minutes for white tea, oolong tea 1-8 minutes, black tea and herbal teas 3-5 minutes, about 5-8 minutes. Of course, that moment is again up to the individual, to the slopes of a tea bag, the more the taste of tea.
When serving tea, be aware that everyone is not, and certainly not the English, afternoon tea in the same way. Some prefer a cup of milk, while others adhere strictly Lemon heaping teaspoons of sugar. Make sure you serve the tea with the usual variety of counterparts, fresh lemon slices arranged on a plate, a bowl of white sugar, granulated sugar or even sugar cubes and a small jug of milk. Of course, if your guests have certain tastes or food preferences, it never hurts to follow their specifications. sugar substitute, honey, skim milk or even a work drinks without milk as well.
You should also be prepared to serve food with your tea. Small, sweet snacks such as pastries, cookies are the best choice, all that can be mounted on a plate and eaten with enough fingers work well. Tea sandwiches are small idea another – try a little thin white bread with crusts, spread of ham or chicken or spread a little butter and a simple cucumber. Cresson, a pungent plant, is another popular choice. But for a tea party with gusto, try something sweet for the palate. Blanks, scones, crumpets, biscuits, fruit tarts, truffles, trifles, lemon curd tarts, chocolate cream puffs, desserts and specialty breads are all welcome.
Once all your needs are taken care of, you can pay attention to every detail of your table. Try to identify unique place cards, for example, instead of the names of your guests try a word such as “graceful” or “flashy” and let them choose who they want to be. Encourage guests to wear hats, hats are part of the afternoon tea. Light some candles, but keep the electric lights on, because it is always an event held in the afternoon. Most importantly, have fun! Afternoon tea has been practiced for centuries by farmers of all kings
