How To Host The Perfect Afternoon Tea

Location, Location, Location

Whether you're serving an intimate Afternoon Tea for two or throwing a big party for all your friends, the first task is choosing the perfect venue. Afternoon Tea doesn't always have to be inside - why not move your tea outside into a pretty garden or terrace? And if the weather isn't playing ball, then you can easily transfer to the refuge of home once again.

It's important to have plenty of table space for displaying and serving treats, a low centrepiece so your guests can see each other and leave room so people have space to rest their beautiful teacups and plates. 

Afternoon Tea - Picnic Style

If you're not throwing a large party, a great twist on Afternoon Tea is taking it outside and down a level to create an Afternoon Tea, Picnic Style.

Picnics are becoming more and more luxurious and to us it is the perfect way to incorporate fine china and tea with the relaxed picnic atmosphere.

Teaware at its Best - Great China is Everything

In a world where fashion chic does not need to match or coordinate, the need to have matching china is a thing of the past. Actually, having a mix of crockery is a cute and colourful way to spice up your party… It could even be a fantastic icebreaker to ask each guest to bring their own favourite cup and saucer to the party. This way you can see who your guests really are!

Even if you're taking your Afternoon Tea outside, china is still the best option, just invest in a divine picnic basket to transport your beautiful teaware safely.

In general though, if you're hosting a more formal English Afternoon Tea, you'll need 1) a teapot, 2) tea strainer, 3) milk jug, 4) sugar bowl, 5) an extra teapot of hot water (for those who prefer weak tea), and finally 6) a plate for lemon slices.

Teabgs or Loose Tea?

Tea bags, pyramid tea bags or loose leaf tea- it's really up to you. The finest grades of tea tend to have larger dried leaves which totally plump up when infused with water - it's quite spectacular! If you don't have a teapot to hand to infuse your wonderful loose tea, don't worry - it can be enjoyed with an on-the-go travel press.

What's On The Menu?

The great fun of Afternoon Tea is deciding which treats or sandwiches you'll pair with your teas. For example, a Darjeeling, with its champagne like tastes, works really well with cakes, while an Assam or Earl Grey tea is fabulous with sandwiches and more savoury cakes. Prepare this in advance if you like and have a tasting of the food you would like to serve and the teas you are thinking about - we would suggest an Earl Grey Tea, an Assam and a Darjeeling.

An Afternoon Tea menu should include light cakes, scones and sandwiches. Traditional sandwich fillings are often cucumber, smoked salmon, coronation chicken or egg mayonnaise. But they should always be served with the crusts cut off - Anne, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, was quite insistent on this point!

Quite a lot of the food on an Afternoon Tea menu is rich, so you don't need to serve large portions. That way guests can enjoy trying a little bit of everything.

Try these afternoon tea recipes, including vegan options.

What's The Etiquette?

Want to brush up on traditional afternoon tea etiquette? From how to stir, to where to place your spoon, and yes, whether the pinky really should be out, here’s everything you need to know to sip with style.

Whilst this may be how the crème de la crème do things – but for us at Twinings, it’s all about making the experience perfect for you and your guests – so in our mind replacing the firm handshake with a hug is no taboo broken.

• Always greet your guests or host with a firm handshake.

• Once sat, place your handbag or clutch on your lap, or for more convenience, place it behind you resting against the chair. This will also stop you from slouching.

• When the host announces it’s time to begin your Afternoon Tea, take your napkin, unfold it and place it on your lap. However, if you must leave the table for any reason fold it neatly and place it on your chair. Never leave it on the table; you will ruin the beauty of the place settings and features that you or the host has spent hours preparing.

• If you take sugar in your tea then this must be placed into the cup first.

• For those of you drinking Earl Grey the traditional way, place a thin slice of lemon into the cup first. You can place sugar and lemon together in the cup but not the milk.

• Milk is added to the tea after you have added your tea, sugar and/or lemon (this is a preference though). “To put milk in your tea before sugar is to cross the path of love, perhaps never to marry”. This is a tea superstition from the French – they also recommend you put the milk in last.

• When stirring your tea, make sure your spoon doesn’t touch the sides of the cup and when you’ve finished place it behind the cup on the saucer – never leave the spoon in the cup.

• Now you must hold your cup in the correct way; never grasp your cup with both hands, you must always use the delicate handle provided. There are many debates about the ‘pinky finger’ and how it should sit when drinking tea. Some may say you must stick your little finger out, however, many etiquette experts frown upon extending the pinky finger while drinking and deem it a sign of pretentiousness. We say, it’s your choice - if you want to stick your pinky out, go for it!

• 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.

• There are many traditions and superstitions about the way you should eat your scones. The Cornish believe you should cut the scone in half, cover it in jam then add clotted cream. The Devonshire folk believe you should cut the scone in half, cover it in clotted cream first then add a teaspoon of jam. These are the traditions they have set in place, there is no right or wrong. Try both and see what you prefer!