Afternoon Tea Expert launches guide to afternoon tea at home

During lockdown, while hospitality was closed, Eileen Donaghey wrote a beginner’s guide on how to host an afternoon tea at home. Generally, Eileen would be found talking about afternoon tea to tourists in London but sadly things didn’t go according to plan this year! 

If you want to host your own afternoon tea party at home but you’re not sure where to start this guide takes you through, step by step, how to prepare it. Starting with the invitation process, table planning, a sample menu and then hosting on the day this guide is full of practical tips which will help give you the confidence to host your own afternoon tea event. Included is a checklist of how to prepare and get ready for your event and a list of suggested utensils which you would find useful. There is also an FAQ section which covers some of the most common questions around hosting an afternoon tea party at home. 

The tone is very conversational and Eileen uses some anecdotes and stories making it an enjoyable read. You will definitely want to read it while enjoying a cup of fine Darjeeling tea from a beautiful teacup. It gives a good overview of the basics of what you should consider and expect when hosting your own afternoon tea for the first time. It includes:

The Setting and the Invitations

This opening Chapter outlines how to set the guest list, the formal invitations, dress code, location and RSVPs. It also discusses the importance of good planning when it comes to arranging an event and some of the things to consider when hosting your own afternoon tea.

Table Planning

Traditionally afternoon tea wouldn’t have a table plan but in modern society, it can help with the smooth running of your event and the Afternoon Tea Expert explains how to construct a table plan including where to sit the host. This is particularly helpful for larger events rather than small informal gatherings.

Table Decorations and Setting

This chapter explains what you could include to decorate the table including tablecloths and napkins and gives some ideas around colour scheme. It also contains a list of all the utensils you will need should you wish to have a full traditional experience. 

Sample menu

The sample menu offers a very traditional British afternoon tea which includes recipes to make up a full afternoon tea including two sandwich recipes, a scone recipe and a recipe for a victoria sponge cake. It contains tips around portion ideas, how to build dietary requirements into your menu, the different shapes of sandwiches and some background into why the menu is different at home compared to a hotel. 

Drinks menu: A beginners guide to making and serving tea

The guide offers two types of tea and explains how each should be brewed. It also offers advice on how to serve tea correctly if you are not familiar with brewing loose leaf tea at home. It also includes ideas for alternative drinks and when they should be served. 

The Etiquette of Afternoon Tea

This chapter specifically focuses on the role of the host and the etiquette involved in hosting rather than etiquette of the guests and covers topics like who should serve the tea and how to welcome guests into your home. It gives an overview of some of the basic points of etiquette for an afternoon tea party. 

If you would like to download a copy of the ebook please follow this link.

Amazon testimonials:

“A fantastic guide to afternoon tea at home! Full of guidance and helpful hints and tips. Eileen writes with a wealth of expertise but keeps it easy to follow - I loved the checklists. I would highly recommend this book. 10/10”

“An insightful guide to afternoon tea at home walking you through the planning stage all the way to invitations and recipes. After reading it, I feel well equipped to make my own afternoon tea and host it. Thanks Eileen!”

“Loved this book. Gave me so many practical and easy tips to make hosting an event feel a lot more professional and classy!”