I love my afternoon tea! Recently I realised how much I missed this ritual, which I only ever get to do when I visit London! I always get to have my gals only afternoon tea with the same bunch when in London!
But it has occurred to me why wait for a trip to UK, I’m currently looking into what Limassol has to offer because I’m simply mad about the tea, sandwiches, tea cakes, scones ‘n cream, all with the girlfriends scenario on a Saturday afternoon!
Ok, so now you know you can take a girl out of England but you can’t take the Englishness out of her!
A tea without scones is like a meal without a fork!
Sugar and spice and everything nice are what little girls are supposedly made of, and they’re also essential ingredients of a traditional afternoon tea.
This English custom is a sweet and civilized way to entertain, to be entertained and to join in the entertainment , and it breaks up the day in the nicest way.
There’s something very special about the English tea ritual. No one is quite sure when afternoon tea was first introduced in England, but the ceremony became widespread in the 1840s. Credit is given to Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, who, because of the long stretch of time between lunch and the evening meal, suffered from afternoon “hunger spells.” She remedied them with a tray of tea, bread and butter, and cake. Once she began sharing her delightful new habit with friends, it soon progressed into a full-blown social event among the English aristocracy. The 1920s marked the height of the craze, complete with lots of guests, pageantry, servants, silver teapots, fine linens, musicians, elegant teacups, and the best tea money could buy.
‘FYI Queen Elizabeth of England has afternoon tea served with finger sandwiches filled with cucumber, smoked salmon, egg and mayonnaise, or ham and mustard with the crusts removed (to save calories, no doubt), as well as jam pennies — tiny raspberry jam sandwiches cut into circles the size of an English Penny. She also has McVitie’s rich tea biscuits, scones, and cakes, her favourites being honey and cream sponge, ginger, fruit, and the chocolate biscuit cake which was served at Will and Kate’s wedding, according to McGrady.’
High Tea or Afternoon Tea?
High tea another thing altogether from afternoon tea. High tea is the main meal of the day for the working class. It originated during the Industrial Revolution for workers who returned home after a long hard day of physical labour looking forward to a hot, hearty meal. (High tea may be called “high” because it was the main meal of the day, as opposed to afternoon tea, which was also called “low tea.”)
Tea Time
The traditional time for afternoon tea is any time between three and five o’clock.
The etiquette of afternoon tea
DO try a little of everything served at the tea (both savoury and sweet).
DO spread a scone with cream first, then jam.
DO avoid talking with your mouth full or taking large bites.
DO wait until you have swallowed your food before you take a sip of tea. The rule is one or the other, please!
DO look into-not over-your teacup when sipping.
DO place your napkin on the chair if you must leave the table during the event
DO go on an empty stomach.
DON’T place items that are not part of the tea service, such as keys, sunglasses, or phones, on the table.
DON’T use milk and lemon together in tea. Haha, alittle Cypriot and English mixed together doesn’t seem to go down well in this case!
DON’T place lemon in the teacup before adding tea. The tea is always poured first.
DON’T fill your cup to the brim with tea, in order to avoid messy spills.
DON’T tip your teacup too much when drinking–keep it slightly tipped.
DON’T leave your spoon in the cup. Place it on your saucer instead.
DON’T remove food from your teeth while in the presence of others.
DON’T move your plate more than 1 inch to the edge of the table, and don’t push your plate away from the edge of the table when you’re done eating.
DON’T place your napkin on the table until you are ready to leave the table.
