An afternoon tea menu is light and focuses on scones, finger sandwiches. Marmalade, lemon curds, and herbed butter may also be included. Favorite teas for afternoon tea include black teas like Earl Grey and Assam as well as herbal teas like chamomile and mint.
The most traditional format is three courses, though many afternoon teas now serve much more. "There's the savory course with tea sandwiches, the scones course served with clotted cream and jam, and, finally, the third course of sweet pastries," said Hemery.
An Afternoon Tea menu should include light cakes, scones and sandwiches. Traditional sandwich fillings are often cucumber, smoked salmon, coronation chicken or egg mayonnaise. But they should always be served with the crusts cut off - Anne, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, was quite insistent on this point!
Plan to serve about 4 afternoon tea sandwiches per person. Assuming one makes 3 sandwich varieties, these sandwich recipes should serve 6 people. You will yield 24 triangles (or more pieces if you cut your sandwiches into fingers or squares), which would be 4 triangles per person.
While both afternoon tea and high tea are served in the afternoon, one key difference between them is the time of day. Afternoon tea is typically served around 4 pm, while high tea tends to be served later in the afternoon (around 5- 7 pm).
As well as sandwiches and scones (pronounced like cones, of course), the Queen's afternoon tea would also include petit fours: 'Anything from a mini chocolate eclair to a Queen's cake, and large cakes too which we would call a cut of cake,' says McGrady. 'This could be honey and cream sponge, a fruit cake, gingerbread.
People usually have afternoon tea between 3 and 5pm, and 4pm is often cited as the best time for afternoon tea.
Place the sandwiches and sweets in the center of the table using a tiered stand or serving platters. Make sure the tiered stand doesn't interfere with the service or sightline of guests. Place the jam and clotted cream bowls off to the side. Place the milk jug, sugar bowl, and a plate of lemon slices nearby.
The addition of the word "high" to the phrase "high tea" is believed to differentiate between the afternoon tea that is traditionally served on low, comfortable, parlor chairs or relaxing in the garden and the worker's after-work high tea that is served at the table and seated on high back dining chairs.
As afternoon tea includes delicate sandwiches and pastries, consider it to be finger food; it is acceptable to use your fingers. If you do decide to use utensils, keep your fork in your left hand and your knife in your right hand at all times. When you are done eating, place all your utensils on your plate or saucer.
Yes, really! The monarch isn't the only royal to enjoy the afternoon pick-me-up, with the likes of Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and the Duchess of Cornwall all having their own individual preferences. It seems the assumption that the royals sip on Earl Grey and nibble on scones is only partially true!
The butler also revealed the steps to prepare a royal cup of tea; pour the tea into the cup from a teapot, add milk to the cup after the tea and never before, stir back and forth (never use a circular motion and never touch the sides). Lastly, you should always sip from the cup and never slurp.
High tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3 to 5 p.m., served with desserts, cakes, and light tea sandwiches. Also called afternoon tea, its origin is attributed to Anna Maria, 7th Duchess of Bedford.
Australian, South African and New Zealand
More generally, any light meal or snack taken at mid-afternoon, with or without tea or another hot drink, may also be referred to as "afternoon tea".
I'd share an Afternoon Tea, no problem. Some places are per person, so just ask. And order a second pot of tea. We did this at a nice hotel, they do two scones.
If you're hosting a large event, sandwiches are great because they can be made the day before the event. They're a crowd pleaser, versatile, and cost effective (depending on your fillings). If you've got a large party, it can be easier to make one or two varieties of sandwich.
Tea sandwiches are crustless, often cut in half or into batons (“finger sandwiches”) or triangles. Fill the whole sandwiches before removing the crusts and dividing into smaller pieces — it will be easier to assemble, and you'll end up with neat edges.