The Joy of Afternoon Tea
If you’ve never experienced afternoon tea, the holidays are a perfect time to begin a wonderful new tradition! An afternoon tea can be a simple fare, involving only a few essential elements…
… or it can take on a more formal air, going all out with china, crystal and linen!
But tea is about so much more than a hot beverage; it’s really about connecting with yourself or with others… a time to slow the pace and breathe.
There are many books and on-line sources to guide you through the ins and outs of afternoon tea. Here are a few of my favorites (click on the photos of Buy Now buttons for link to Amazon)…
The Pleasures of Afternoon Tea
Simply Scones: Quick and Easy Recipes for More than 70 Delicious Scones and Spreads
At its most basic core, a traditional cup of tea involves black tea, cream, and sugar cubes (one lump? or two?), along with warm scones, clotted cream and jam. Oh my heart be still! I like to start with a nice full-bodied Earl Grey or Constant Comment.
If you’d like to treat friends to a special afternoon tea, start by sending them a formal invitation (in the mail!) … this will set the tone and stir up the anticipation. Plan a girly menu, if you please! You know, anything dainty, cut up into small triangles or squares, or anything cute!
Shown below are homemade walnut cookies (dunked in dark chocolate, and topped with cream cheese frosting), chocolate covered almond butter balls, snickerdoodles, and blueberry scones. All recipes for these include almond flour and healthy sweetners.
Be sure to include a few sweets, some savories, finger sandwiches and even a light soup or salad.
Shown below are mini chicken salad lettuce wraps and cups of Autumn Harvest soup.
Set an intimate table with pretty china, cloth napkins, dainty silverware and beautiful teacups and saucers. If there’s room on the table, I love to offer individual teapots for each guest. Also, adding a mini vase and fresh cut flower to each individual place setting is a wonderful touch!
Position the tea table in front of the Christmas tree and a crackling fireplace, turn on some relaxing, acoustic holiday music, and enjoy a special time with friends!
The menu for my holiday tea is as follows:
Chicken salad lettuce wraps
Walnut cookies with cream cheese frosting, and dipped in dark chocolate
Almond butter balls, dipped in chocolate
Earl Grey Tea (loose tea with individual strainers)
Fig Jam
Sugar Cubes (with small silver serving tongs)
Rock Sugar Swizzle Sticks (elegant way to sweeten your tea) Add to Your Amazon Cart
Almond Milk (in a pretty creamer serving bowl)
China teacups and saucers
China tea pots (warm the ceramic tea pot(s) by filling with hot tap water and draining, prior to filling with hot tea)
Quilted tea cozy (to keep tea pot hot in between poured cups)
Crystal glasses for lemon water
Dainty silverware
Linen Napkins
Fresh Camellia flower buds (from my garden) in individual mini vases
Crystal Sugar and Creamer serving dishes
A side serving cart on wheels (for extra storage of tea pots, amends and linens)
Of course, the pleasure of tea can be a simple fare. For anytime tea-on-your-own, just set your favorite tray with a pretty teapot, teacup, and a side of sweets. Take a break from the hectic world and savor.
If you want to purchase the Amazon products featured in this post, I’d really appreciate it if you launched your purchase from here, because as an Amazon Affiliate I earn a small commission (3-5%) at no extra charge to you if your purshase originates from this post!
Love this holiday tea post! You have a gift for hospitality – thank you for sharing. I love the healthy substitutions for tea staples instead of “oh well it’s a special occasion!” excuses and exceptions. Still a treat but not completely falling off the health wagon!