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When I settled in the states, I brought a passion for most anything British and Celtic including its history, literature, arts, and royal gossip. But the one event I was happily able to share with my American friends was afternoon tea. I was a single young working lady on a tight budget, so I would purchase my teapots, tea cups and saucers at thrift stores. A used and washed lace curtain made do for a pretty and elegant-looking tablecloth. I sewed napkins from remnants of fabric and ironed them with a touch of spray starch. A couple of colorful silk flowers made a simple centerpiece and added a touch of elegance. |
 How to start your own afternoon tea tradition
Traditional foods served at afternoon tea include scones with jam and cream, dainty finger sandwiches and sweets. Add a brewed pot of hot tea to wash it all down. There are many varieties of scones. Some are baked with currants, cream, sweet spices or savory with cheese. They come in different shapes: round, wedged or dropped-batter on a hot griddle. Choose one flavor of scone for your afternoon tea and serve it with jam and cream. Clotted cream can be purchased from a kitchen gourmet store. The small jars of cream can be a bit expensive if you are serving a large crowd of people. There are some mock clotted cream (see below) recipes that are quite tasty. Finger sandwiches can be made with an assortment of fillings. Chopped crab-meat, egg salad or curried chicken salad are just a few. The all-time favorite is cucumber, which blends well with a cream cheese and dill spread. I suggest three different fillings for your afternoon tea sandwiches. Use soft white and brown breads. Be sure to neatly trim off the bread crusts. Sweets should be small and dainty. Pick three that vary in taste and texture. Lemon mini-tarts, two-bite brownies, and shortbread cookies are a good selection. Again, three sweets are ample. Try to always include chocolate as one of the sweets. The most popular afternoon tea is Earl Grey. English Breakfast and Darjeeling follow in popularity. Herbal and fruit teas are not traditional but are perfectly acceptable at the tea table if that is what you prefer. The best part of afternoon tea is the socializing. Afternoon tea is a slow, leisurely affair that inspires fun gossip and lighthearted conversation. I believe that is perhaps why it is so popular and likely to be around for quite awhile.
Mock Clotted Cream 1 cup whipping cream
Nancy Stern lives in Colorado and holds workshops where she teaches the fine art of afternoon tea. She can be reached at travelwriter01@comcast.net. |
