Laying The Afternoon Tea Table. What You And Your Guests Need.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- Planning your first afternoon tea but unsure what you’ll need? While a traditional afternoon tea table can look very busy, if you’re organized, it can come together quite easily. Now is the time to pull out your most beautiful and perhaps vintage or heirloom items for your tea table!
Video produced by A_Spot_Of_Tea
Have you hosted an afternoon tea? If so, how did you go about planning it? Are you a days ahead or day before, planner? Let me know in the comments!
Yes. I had a tea garden party this summer as the theme for my 17 year old- her choice! She and her friends even dressed up in sweet floral party dresses. We had three tiers of traditional tea sandwiches and non traditional -eggplant peppers and basil, scones and mini muffins and finally small desserts such as tarts etc for the third tier. They were surprised how filling it was. We served both iced tea to have with sandwiches and then both loose leaf and bag tea with the other two tiers. We brought out the crystal that sparkled in the afternoon sun and the Shelley pink Floral tea cups and dessert plates with silver tea pots. She says it was one of her favourite bday parties. I think it was mine too!
That sounds so lovely! And what a wonderful memory you created for your daughter and her friends to always have. ❤️ Afternoon Tea IS very filling, isn’t it? It’s one reason I like to keep the foods bitesized because it is a lot!
Hi Sonya, I as glad to see your "Tea Table," was very much like mine.:) Sometimes, though not always, I add a pretty little surprise box at each place setting. I will put a sweet treat in them, maybe a truffle or a fancy cookie. I have also used small shorter vases at each place setting with a few fresh flowers instead of one larger vase with flowers.
As far as planning ahead or same day preparations, I make the sandwich fillings and deserts a day ahead and of course the clotted cream is made a day or two ahead. Depending on how many guests I am having, I might start gathering all my plates, silverware, glasses, vases and napkins the day ahead as well.
The scones are made the morning of and the sandwiches are put together about two hours before the tea begins. Oh, and the flowers are fresh the day of.
Still loving your channel and always look forward to your next video! Thank you!
All excellent ideas! It sounds like you really know how to host a lovely tea. I think a little giftie at each place setting is a wonderful idea. Especially if it’s someone’s first afternoon tea experience. It’s a terrific way for them to remember the event. Thank you for watching! ✨😊
Thank you for sharing your tea knowledge with us. This a lovely afternoon tea table. Your table dressings are so beautiful, especially the sweet pastry fork. Love it.
Have a great week!
Thank you for watching! ✨☺️
I host an afternoon tea once a year. We used my pals very clean garage with rented tables and chairs….for 10 years. After the virus, we moved to the local library….the set up room with kitchen access was cheaper than the rented tables. For many years, I did all of it. I have slowly allowed guests to bring items, which does take pressure off me….as I provide all the tableware. Invitations go out 6 weeks before. This year 25. I sit from 15 to 22 the last six years. My tablecloths are unbleached muslin that I encourage my guests to decorate….then I embroider the decoration. First time guests bring nothing but a clean dry dish towel to help with the clean up. We have had theme teas: Princess Party twice, Mad Hatter, fancy hats and gloves, everyone’s birthday, Beatles character (for the year I turned 64). Apparently, this is the social event of the year for many guests. 🤩. Your channel will be mentioned to my guests as inspiration…..I would love for some of them to host!!
@@claudiakyle178 your guests must find your annual teas a wonderful treat! Sounds like you have it down perfectly, but yes, it’s quite a job, especially for a large group. Love your ideas! Thank you for the mention and thank you for watching! 😊✨
A "slop bowl" or extra saucer is definitely a good idea. My husband and i often have to ask for one when we go to tea. If you truly cant stand them, presteeping a pot of tea (so there are no strainers or tea bags) would work, plus sugar cubes with tongs, but i think thats an issue of preference.
One of those ‘necessary evils,’ as it were! Thanks for watching! ✨😊
Is it always sandwiches first, or can scones be the first course?
I like the idea of serving hot scones from a basket.
Tradition says savories first, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Many people like the idea of a warm scone and if that needs to be first, I think you can absolutely do that. Especially if it’s in your own home. Three tiered tea trays used to come with a domed cover on the top and that’s where the scones were kept warm. 😊✨
What a beautiful tea service. Afternoon tea ritual perfectly described. Are you sure you're not English? 😁
Posh restaurants and hotels and hotels used to have a trio of musicians playing during tea. I'm sure some still do.
Have you heard of Lyons Teashops and Corner Houses? They specialised in serving teas. Sadly the last one closed in 1981. The waitresses were called 'Nippies' because they nipped round speedily as they worked. 😁
If you have invited a particularly fussy vegan to tea then it is best not to serve the tea on bone china. 🙂
Thank you! Live strings would be lovely for music, wouldn’t it? I do love that piano players still have a place in some afternoon tea locations. ☺️ Have not heard of Lyons but it sounds so nice. Shame they’re gone. I had never thought about the bone china issue! Always appreciate your comments. Thank you for watching! ✨😊
Reading this reminds me of my late and still missed best friend, who, due to being badly cut as a child, hated and feared any type of breakable tableware. My solution was to always “honor” her as my best friend with her own special melamine dishes. Of course, those dishes didn’t always match the rest of the table setting, but their difference proved to be a conversation starter. Additionally, the underlying idea of etiquette is to be considerate of others, so my one melamine place setting was consistant with that reasoning. Plus, being catered to made my Besty feel loved and special.
By the way, there are other ceramic dishes that are not made with bone. Glass dishes are also an option.
Sincerely, do vegans disapprove of bread, too? After all, yeast is a living organism.
Love your shirt! Where did you get it?
Thank you! It’s from Talbot’s. Last season, I’m afraid. But someone might still have it out there!
Sonya you always have the most beautiful China. I think once I move, I will serve tea. But right now my house is a disaster so I will have to wait.
Kathy
PS I made some clotted cream this week and I was wondering what is the flavor supposed to remind you of, it’s very very thick and very creamy, but there’s no flavor to it. Did I do something wrong thank you again
Thank you, Kathy! I bet you host lovely teas. And well done you, for making the clotted cream! It sounds like you did everything right. It is supposed to be very thick and creamy, a bit like softened butter. You know how pouring or whipping cream has that ‘light fresh’ taste to it? It’s not sweet, it’s just milky fresh. You get that with clotted cream, but the heating of it also brings out a very slight nuttiness, I think. It adds a lovely light richness when combined with jam on a scone. 😁 The cream sort of cuts the cloying sweetness of the jam. I hope you’ll bake some scones and enjoy it that way! ✨😊
I just hosted an afternoon tea last week that was a first for me because everything I made had to be gluten free, including the scones! But it all worked out beautifully. I did cheat and offered tea bags since everyone seemed to prefer a different tea. How do you deal with that, when people's preferences are so different?
It can be a challenge when everyone wants something different. I know a woman who used to bring her own tea to gatherings because she liked it so much! I actually think that’s not a bad option for a guest who has a very specific preference or need. You can provide your loose leaf choices (1-2 black teas and one herbal) and then provide hot water for anyone who feels the need to bring their own teabag. And I think guests realize a home is not a restaurant, so choice will be limited. I am so pleased for you that it all turned out so well!