Tips & Tricks For Planning an Afternoon Tea
It may appear difficult to plan a tea party menu for an afternoon tea (also known as high tea or low tea) at first, but it's actually rather straightforward.
Your afternoon tea menu might be as simple as tea and cream scones (a sort of afternoon tea menu known as "cream tea") or as extensive as various varieties of teas, scones, finger sandwiches, and other delights, depending on the occasion. In any case, these tea party menu planning guidelines will ensure that you select the ideal blend of food and drink for your next afternoon tea.
THE CUP OF TEA
It's easy to ignore the tea at afternoon tea because there's so much emphasis on the meals. However, the tea or teas you offer are equally as vital as, if not more significant than, the items you serve. I highly recommend choosing an afternoon tea from this list of best teas, since most of them go well with a variety of items offered on afternoon tea menus. Choose powerful teas for dishes with a lot of taste, and delicate teas for foods with a lot of flavour. If some of your visitors are caffeine sensitive, have at least one caffeine-free tisane ("herbal tea") or a decaf choice.
MILK & DAIRY-FREE ALTERNATIVES
Optional ingredients include milk, sugar, and lemon, which your guests may add to their own tea. You may choose to provide milk, sugar, and lemon, or simply one or two additions, depending on the kind or varieties of tea on your tea party menu. (While some Americans enjoy adding cream to their tea, it is not customary in England.) Adding milk to Earl Grey is also uncommon in England, as the dairy tends to overpower the tea's bergmot taste.)
SCONE TOPPINGS & SCONES
Scones are one of the most commonly served meals during tea parties. They might be sweet or savoury, complicated or straightforward. There are scones recipes for every sort of tea party, from simple buttermilk scones to spicy cheddar mustard scones to sweet cinnamon scones. Consider offering raspberry scones at a tea party for girls, which are naturally pink when you crush the raspberries a little while stirring and kneading the dough.
Use suitable scones toppings or spreads, such as Devonshire cream, clotted cream, or lemon curd, with your scones.
FINGER SANDWICHES
At full tea, a fuller form of afternoon tea menu, finger sandwiches (sometimes known as "tea sandwiches") are frequently offered. Egg salad, tea sandwiches, cucumber tea sandwiches, smoked salmon finger sandwiches, roast beef finger sandwiches, ham finger sandwiches, and chicken salad finger sandwiches are all classic afternoon tea finger sandwiches. (Simple dishes like these are ideal for children's tea parties.)
Other tea sandwich recipes, such as watercress tea sandwiches or buttered radish finger sandwiches, go beyond the more typical tea sandwiches. Just make sure the taste strength of your finger sandwiches is proportional to the flavour intensity of your tea and desserts.
SWEETS & PASTRIES
Aside from delicious scones, other desserts are frequently provided with full or light tea. Various varieties of sponge cakes, Madeleines, cupcakes (which are great for children's tea parties), and trifles are common desserts included on tea party menus. Make sure that the sorts of sweets you provide don't overlap too much. Your dessert menu should ideally feature a range of flavours, such as fresh fruit (or preserves in the cooler months), cream, vanilla, or chocolate.
OTHER APPETIZERS
Some tea party menus include savoury scones, soups, quiches, or lighter savoury appetisers such seasoned nuts or cheese and crackers, in addition to finger sandwiches. If you're holding a themed tea party, a thoughtful selection of additional delicacies may help tie everything together.
