Your afternoon tea questions answered!
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about afternoon tea answered below by the expert.
What is cream tea?
Cream tea is simply scones and tea. It doesn’t involve any of the additional food like afternoon tea. Cream tea can be taken either at home or in a tea house or hotel.
What is royal afternoon tea?
‘Royal Afternoon Tea’ is when a glass of champagne is added to the meal known as afternoon tea. When a glass of prosecco, cava or sparkling wine is added then it is known as ‘Sparkling Afternoon Tea.’
Do I have to drink tea?
No not necessarily, but traditionally it would have been served with tea and it would be considered a bit odd if you didn’t drink tea with afternoon tea.
What is served at afternoon tea?
Afternoon tea comes in three course, the sandwich course, the scones and finally the pastries. Traditional sandwiches would include: cucumber, smoked salmon, coronation chicken, ham and beef. Some venues serve these on different types of breads.
These would be followed by the scone course. Normally each person would be served one plain and one fruit scone but some venues put their own spin on this and I have seen places serve cheese scones for example.
Pastries are eaten last and can vary between French and English patisserie.
Will I get unlimited sandwiches?
Not all venues offer unlimited sandwiches, or indeed other elements of the afternoon tea, but you would be offered more if that is what the venue does.
Is it cream or jam first?
I say that it is personal preference but traditionally in Cornwall the jam would go on first followed by the cream. In Devon they do the opposite and put the cream on the scone first. There is a lot of debate about this and I think unless you are in Cornwall then it is fine to do whichever you prefer.
What do you wear at afternoon tea?
It is important to check that the venue you have booked doesn’t stipulate a dress code before you arrive. One hotel in London insists on men wearing a tie and jacket and will refuse entry without these! If it doesn’t say on the website, then I suggest calling to check especially at the larger hotels.
Is it pinkies up at afternoon tea?
No, it is considered to be poor afternoon tea etiquette to drink tea with the little finger sticking out.
How do you break the scone?
Scones should be broken with your hands and not with a knife. If baked properly, scones will have a natural break in the middle which you can use to break it perfectly in two.
At what point during the afternoon tea service should the napkin be used?
In most hotels, they will do this for you, but the napkin must be placed onto your lap. Usually after the tea order has been placed and definitely before the consumption of any food or tea.
Is high tea and afternoon tea the same thing?
No, it is two entirely different meals and shouldn’t be confused. Afternoon Tea is a lighter meal with sandwiches, cakes and scones whereas High Tea is much more substantial meal usually served in the evening. High Tea can contain the same food as afternoon tea but also contains heavier items such as pies and quiche. Traditionally the later meal was served on higher tables which could be attributed to the name.
What order should the food be served on the cake stand?
The food should be served with the sandwich course served on the bottom. The top two can be interchangeable but nowadays the scones are usually in the middle tier with the pastry course on top. Some old afternoon tea stands used to have domes on the top to keep the scones warm.
What time should afternoon tea be taken?
Traditionally 4pm would have been seen as tea time. Hotels now usually start their tea service earlier, as early as 11:30am in some London hotels!
Who is credited with inventing afternoon tea?
Anna Duchess of Bedford was credited with inventing afternoon tea when she began to feel hungry during the day and requested for some sandwiches and cake to be sent to her room. Gradually she started to invite friends as she thought they must experience similar hunger too and the popularity began to rise.
What is the top tier of small delicate cakes called?
This is generally referred to as the pastry tier. Some people refer to it as the mini-pastry course or cake tier but this is really a personal preference.
When should champagne be served during afternoon tea?
Champagne isn’t mandatory but if it is served during afternoon tea then it is known as a Royal Afternoon Tea. If I was hosting afternoon tea at home, then I would serve the champagne first as a welcome drink while everyone arrived and I could handle any final preparations in the kitchen. When having afternoon tea in a hotel or a tea room, then it is up to you when you would like to have it. Either at the beginning or the end. Depending on the type of champagne, then it may be possible to pair it with the pastry course.
Can I ask for more champagne at afternoon tea?
There isn’t one straightforward answer for this. To answer fully, I have prepared a short article here.
What do you think of the practice of leaving the loose tea in the pot when it comes to the table? Both The XXX and XXX did this, and I thought the tea became over-steeped.
Personally, I think it’s a combination of being lazy and to save them time! That said, everyone does like to look into the teapot to see the tea so if they strained it behind the scenes then people might wonder if they just used a tea bag!
Regarding the 1800-calorie afternoon tea- is this really the duchess’s between-meals snack or has it evolved into something different?
It’s evolved into something different. When afternoon tea came to hotels, they increased the quantities gradually over time so that they were able to charge more!
What do you think of venues having a High Tea offering? Does having this help people recognize the distinction or add to the confusion?
It’s a nice change to have high tea but I do think it adds to the confusion, especially when it is served on a three-tiered tray. Perhaps if it was presented differently then it would be helpful to educate between the difference.