Afternoon Tea, Anyone?

A Fun Tradition to Enjoy With Kids and Grandkids

By Donna Smith

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The afternoon ritual of having tea is not just for the English anymore. People everywhere have started getting together for a "cup of tea." Having tea is more a female activity, however. This event is a great way to spend some quality time with your daughter, your granddaughter, your girlfriends or your mother.

Afternoon tea is always between 3 and 6 p.m. It is a sit-down occasion that should last at least two hours. Yes, afternoon tea is a time of leisure. Relax and enjoy yourself, but don't relax too much. Afternoon tea is considered a dress-up occasion, and you should never show up in jeans or shorts.

If you are hosting an afternoon tea, bring out your best and brightest china. Set the table with brightly colored linen napkins and fill a vase full of fresh flowers. The proper "tea" plate should be about 7 or 8 inches in diameter. Never use a dinner plate! Beside the plate, set the teacup on a saucer. Set the saucer on a pretty doily with a small spoon placed beside the saucer. A small demitasse spoon is recommended not a teaspoon.

Many think that the only proper cup of tea has to be brewed from tea leaves, not a tea bag. This would depend upon whom you are serving and how big a tea connoisseur they are. Provide a bowl of sugar cubes, a creamer filled with milk and a plate of lemon slices for your guests. If possible, serve the tea from a pretty teakettle or teapot, and keep it warm by using a tea cozy.

When drinking a cup of tea, don't drink it like you see some people do on television keep your pinky down! Lift both the saucer and teacup to your mouth. Tea etiquette also says the saucer should never sit on the table alone. If adding milk to your tea, add it first, then pour in the tea. Lastly, add the lemon slice or sugar cubes, if desired. Using milk and lemon together is not recommended, as the tea can curdle. Herbal tea is usually served with honey and lemon.

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