Afternoon Tea can mean many different things to many different people. To some it is an extravagant day out to one of the finest hotels, to others it means a lavish party with friends or a great time to catch up with a special friend. Whatever Afternoon Tea means to you, Twinings has put together a list of top tips to help you plan the perfect Afternoon Tea to impress your guests!
Location, location, location…
Whether you are hosting an intimate Afternoon Tea for two or throwing a big party for all your friends, the first task is choosing that perfect venue. As winter is now here, it is the ideal opportunity to host an outdoors Afternoon Tea and take full advantage of the beautiful weather. A terrace or garden would provide fantastic scenery and if you are looking for a tea party with a twist then why not try and host a picnic style Afternoon Tea!
Table setting and best tea ware - great China is everything
It is important to have plenty of table space for displaying and serving treats. Use a low centrepiece so your guests can see each other and leave room so people have space to rest their beautiful teacups and plates.
Beautiful China is essential. However, in a world where some of the trendiest things in fashion do not coordinate, you do not need to necessarily have matching China. Having a mix is a cute and wonderful way to spice up your party. It could even be a fantastic icebreaker to ask guests to bring their own favourite cup and saucer.
If you decide on taking your Afternoon Tea outside, China is still the best option. You can just invest in a divine picnic basket to transport your beautiful tea ware safely.
In general though, if you are hosting a more formal English Afternoon tea, you will need a teapot, tea strainer, creamer for the milk, sugar bowl, an extra teapot of hot water (for those who prefer weak tea) - and a plate for lemon slices .
What to serve
The highlight is, of course, the tea and deciding whether to go with tea bags or loose tea is up to the host. The finest grades of tea tend to have larger dried leaves which totally plump up when infused with water – which is quite spectacular!
However, tea bags are a convenient alternative to loose tea and Twinings tea bags are of the highest quality, ensuring a flavourful cup of tea. It is always nice to surprise your guests with new tea blends and flavours they have not tried before.
The new Twinings English Afternoon and Lady Grey are sure to delight your guests and get the conversation going. Lady Grey is an elegant variation on the iconic Earl Grey and the English Afternoon is a designer tea with a refined character created specifically for afternoon occasions.
Both blends will be available at all major supermarket chains in the region from February. An afternoon tea menu should include light cakes, scones and sandwiches. Traditional sandwich fillings are often cucumber, smoked salmon, coronation chicken or egg mayonnaise and they should always be served with the crusts cut off.
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 of everything.
The great fun of Afternoon Tea is deciding what treats or sandwiches to pair with your teas. We suggest going for Earl Grey, English Afternoon and Lady Grey. Lady Grey is great with roast turkey, smoked cod, sherry trifle and meringues. Earl Grey is ideal with honey sandwiches, Leicester cheese and sweet cakes while English Afternoon goes with savoury sandwiches and chocolate cake. Prepare the menu in advance and have a tasting of the food and teas you would like to serve.
Last but not least – have fun!
These tips should help you in planning your party but it is all about having fun so do not be afraid to make your own rules. Happy afternoon tea times!
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