Theres nothing more English than a nice afternoon tea for two. Steeped in tradition, theres a certain etiquette involved in sitting down in a luxury hotel and enjoying a cuppa and some fancy cakes.
Our top ten list of hints and tips for enjoying high tea in the best possible taste comes courtesy of Intotheblue.co.uk, one of the UKs leading online retailers of vouchers of afternoon teas for two in London and at other prestigious venues in the UK.
Activities manager Darren Dray commented: Since we began offering afternoon tea for two in our smart hotel venues, they have become an instant hit and are now one of our best selling activities. Most people book them for special occasions like a birthday, anniversary or as a reunion event for old friends.
For those who have never taken an afternoon tea, theres a certain amount of etiquette involved in the whole thing that all adds to the charm of it all and heres our top ten tips for taking afternoon tea:
1.Always dress smartly for your afternoon tea. Men should wear a shirt and trousers other than jeans after all, its an occasion to get dressed up!
2.When it comes to holding the tea cup, use thumb and first finger around the handle. Dont loop your fingers inside the handle and dont use the palm of your other hand to hold the cup either
3.Add milk or slices of lemon to the tea, but never both
4.When it comes to adding the milk before or after the tea both are acceptable
5.Never leave the teaspoon in the cup!
6.Sip your tea and in between sips rest the cup back on the saucer on the table
7.When it comes to eating, start with the savoury items first and take small dainty bites
8.Eating scones cut the scone in half horizontally, spread the butter then the jam and add a small dollop of cream for a classic afternoon tea scone
9.Make sure you keep your napkin on your lap whilst eating and drinking your tea. If you get up from the table place the serviette on the table in front of your place setting
10. Once youve finished your delicious afternoon tea the two of you should place your knife back on the plate and not on the table before getting up to leave
The great thing about afternoon tea is that it can be enjoyed by couples, friends or families and is fantastic way to have a true taste of classic Englishness at a deluxe hotel location.
Our top ten list of hints and tips for enjoying high tea in the best possible taste comes courtesy of Intotheblue.co.uk, one of the UKs leading online retailers of vouchers of afternoon teas for two in London and at other prestigious venues in the UK.
Activities manager Darren Dray commented: Since we began offering afternoon tea for two in our smart hotel venues, they have become an instant hit and are now one of our best selling activities. Most people book them for special occasions like a birthday, anniversary or as a reunion event for old friends.
For those who have never taken an afternoon tea, theres a certain amount of etiquette involved in the whole thing that all adds to the charm of it all and heres our top ten tips for taking afternoon tea:
1.Always dress smartly for your afternoon tea. Men should wear a shirt and trousers other than jeans after all, its an occasion to get dressed up!
2.When it comes to holding the tea cup, use thumb and first finger around the handle. Dont loop your fingers inside the handle and dont use the palm of your other hand to hold the cup either
3.Add milk or slices of lemon to the tea, but never both
4.When it comes to adding the milk before or after the tea both are acceptable
5.Never leave the teaspoon in the cup!
6.Sip your tea and in between sips rest the cup back on the saucer on the table
7.When it comes to eating, start with the savoury items first and take small dainty bites
8.Eating scones cut the scone in half horizontally, spread the butter then the jam and add a small dollop of cream for a classic afternoon tea scone
9.Make sure you keep your napkin on your lap whilst eating and drinking your tea. If you get up from the table place the serviette on the table in front of your place setting
10. Once youve finished your delicious afternoon tea the two of you should place your knife back on the plate and not on the table before getting up to leave
The great thing about afternoon tea is that it can be enjoyed by couples, friends or families and is fantastic way to have a true taste of classic Englishness at a deluxe hotel location.