Whether you’re celebrating the Royal Wedding or simply enjoying the company of good friends, these unique Tea Party tips from Sorelle will help create an event fit for the queen.
Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your tea party:
When Exactly is Tea Time?
“To a Little Princess…it’s always tea-time…”–Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Traditionally, afternoon tea or “low tea” is served around 3pm with a pre-dinner snack, such as bread and butter, scones or petit fours. High Tea is served around 6pm with heavier foods, such as finger sandwiches, cakes and small pastries. High Tea is known to sometimes replace dinner, so prepare food enough for an evening meal, not dinner, but substantial finger foods.
Pay Attention to Presentation
Use linens! Linen napkins are a Sorelle Tea-Time signature. Display your tea pot surrounded with a dish of assorted tea bags and a plate of cookies or sandwiches. Your tea pot will be the focal point of your table setting, so make sure you start the decorating process with this in mind. A well dressed tea tray is comprised of a teapot, tea cups and saucers, a sugar bowl, a milk jug and a slop basin (or separate dish) for discarding used tea bags.
Always use your finest cutlery and a silver serving tray–this is a must! In a small dish, have some lemon slices, not wedges, with a lemon fork ready. Be sure to use cubed sugar, not loose sugar, and whole milk–never cream! Also, remember you must never add milk to a cup of lemon tea. The citric acid will make the milk curdle.
Let Them Drink Tea (or Coffee, If They Prefer)
Provide your guests with an assortment of flavored tea. Boil water in a tea pot, and allow guests to choose their own tea. And keep in mind, just because you’ve adopted a Tea Party theme doesn’t mean some of your guests won’t prefer a cup of coffee. Just to be safe, keep a “ready to brew” pot of coffee ready on standby. And keep a cup of cream in the fridge for this possibility. While cream is not appropriate for tea, it may be preferred by your coffee drinking guests.
Also, a tea party doesn’t have to mean hot tea. Make some iced tea and keep in the fridge for guests who prefer it. Add some pizzazz by cutting up fruit into small pieces and adding them to an ice tray to include as colorful ice. Compliment the iced tea with some sliced fruit on the side.
Quick Tip: Always have some extra water boiling on standby–this can be used for tea, hot coco or coffee. Keep the water pot on the stove at medium/low setting. This will allow you to boil water in a fraction of the time! There is nothing worse than a guest asking for another cup, and being out of hot water!
Editor’s Note: Tea set featured at the top left is the Sorelle Isabella Heart Porcelain Cup and Saucer Set Item: 346-552
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