I’ve always adored an afternoon tea. The dainty, feminine petits fours, scones with fresh clotted cream, tiered cake plates and elegant bone china teapots, all of which evoke the romantic nostalgia of a time gone by.
Growing up my mom took me to the now defunct Lady Primrose Tea Room at the Crescent Court shopping center, a high-end shopping center in Dallas, Texas. The tea room was upstairs, inside an antique store. The balcony overlooked the store and, in the center, there was a lovely spiral staircase to access it. As a child I adored all the littles alcoves which were filled with charming scenes of teddy bears, dolls, rocking horses and tea sets for purchase. Best of all, however, was their very legit afternoon tea service.
An authentic afternoon tea consists of three courses served on tiered cake plates along with tea. Savory is first with tea sandwiches and mini quiches, followed by scones with jam and clotted cream, and finishing with mini desserts and pastries. All finger foods, all bite-sized and adorable.
I used to delight in perusing the tea list at Lady Primrose. I’d pick teas with elegant names like “Victorian Rose” or “Lady Earl Grey” with it’s flecks of little blue flowers. Meanwhile, women of all ages sat at two or four-top tables dressed in their Sunday best. Such flavored black tea blends remain my favorite today.
The Lady Primrose tea experience left a lasting impression. I was so heartbroken when the shop shuttered. Years later I longed to host my bridal shower at a place like this. But alas, now days a legit, well done afternoon tea is near impossible to find, at least in my area. I miss the sense of occasion visits to this shop created. Not all high tea/afternoon tea experiences are created equal though. Part of the experience is dressing in your best and sharing it with others.
So, after years of complaining about afternoon tea going out of vogue, I did what any other timeless romantic who loves a good party would. I resolved to host my own afternoon tea party.
I LOVE hats and a good opportunity to channel my inner timeless romantic with whimsical, feminine sun dresses or skirts. Sometimes I feel that I was born in the wrong era. I love to dress up and often feel over-dressed most places I go. In our casual, modern world feeling over-dressed isn’t really that difficult. But perhaps, more to the point, as a mom with two small toddlers yoga pants can become a uniform and a dress can feel like a sticky finger hazard.
So, I asked my fellow moms to pull out that dress or skirt they’d been wanting to wear! Grab their favorite sun hat (think Kentucky Derby) and join me for some moms only time and Mad Hatter Tea Party fun! What fun being transported to a time when tea was quite the social affair.
A brief history on tea:
High Tea and Afternoon Tea have become rather synonymous in meaning at this point, and are now used interchangeably. You’ll even see tea shops and hotels choosing “high tea” over “afternoon tea” because it sounds more luxe, and I’m inclined to agree with them. However, if you want to be that smugly correct person, then you should know that they are not, in fact, the same thing.
High Tea is not a fancy tea at all. It’s name derived from the high tables or bar it was served from, high tea was a supper eaten by the working class. It consisted of hearty meats, a far cry from the delicate cakes we think of.
Afternoon Tea is what most think of with tea sandwiches scones and cakes. Served mid-afternoon, it’s sometimes called low tea because it was served at low coffee tables often in a salon setting. This was enjoyed by upper-class women in a social setting.
Legend has it that the concept of afternoon tea began with the Duchess of Bedford in the 1840’s. It was the fashion, at the time, to eat only two meals a day. Breakfast and a late dinner at around 9pm. The duchess found herself getting “a sinking feeling” (no doubt hunger and fatigue) so she started taking a small bite with tea between lunch and dinner. Soon she began inviting her friends to join her. Thus, the idea of an afternoon tea gathering eventually spread across high society and became a favorite pastime of ladies of leisure.
It’s interesting to know that this all began with one woman’s genius fancy. I doubt that the duchess could have ever imagined that she’d spark a trend still beloved by many women centuries later.
Yet, I’m afraid the terminology doesn’t stop there. There are, in fact, different types of afternoon tea. Cream Tea is a paired down afternoon tea with just one course- scones and tea. Royal Tea is a pricier version of afternoon tea due to the addition of champagne (Clink! Clink! my personal favorite).
Really, it’s all the same when women are having fun! No one cares what you call it. I myself had a BLAST living out my “High Tea/Afternoon Tea/Royal Tea” tea party fantasy. It’s been years in the making!
The Perfect Tea Party
There were several things I knew simply had to have for my authentic tea: petits fours, scones with clotted cream and jam, and pastel sugar cubes plus a few authentic bone china tea pots. It’s important to decide what matters to you when throwing a party and then delegate as much as you can so as not to get overwhelmed.
The almighty teapot. I wanted to evoke the feeling of vintage romance. Oh, Etsy with your Vintage Bone China, Porcelain, and Limoges Tea Pots. Sadler square shaped tea pots (pictured above) and tea pots in gorgeous shades of pale blues and pinks with floral embellishments. I swoon. I’ve been wanting to collect a vintage tea pot for years.
What fun I had scouring Etsy for the perfect one (ahem.. two). I learned a lot and deliberated a lot before making this purchase. I wanted something girly. Something pink and floral. I ended up with two pots, one vintage from a shop that has gorgeous things Marias Farmhouse. It’s the pink one pictured above. Her store it gorgeous I swoon over her shabby chic vintage esthetic.
Then I discovered someone in Canada making really beautiful hand-painted porcelain things that look decidedly European vintage (that’s SO rare now a days). It’s the floral one pictured above with the tea strainer to match. In fact, I thought they were vintage until I clicked to learn more about her. No one makes this kind of stuff anymore so I was so thrilled to support this shop. Victoria Snow Crown
I’d love to add a cream and sugar set and some antique bone china tea cups, enough to entertain 10-12. But it’s all expensive so I started by indulging in one delightful teacup for myself to enjoy and then I’ll add more over time. Such little works of functional art they are
If you don’t like tea, or antiques for that matter, then I’m afraid these acquisitions may seem frivolous and excessive to you. But I adore tea.
Every night my husband and I do what we call “tea time”. We brew some decaf tea and sit down together to check in and have some face to face quality time and conversation after we’ve put the kids to bed. Some nights we’re tired and it’s only 10 minutes. Other nights we linger and enjoy each other, without the little interrupters (age 4 and age 2) under foot. It’s a ritual we’ve come to adore.
So, armed with my authentic tea pots, some tired cake plates and vintage cake stands I already had, I rounded out my needs with some beautiful paper products from Talking Tables and Kate Aspen tea time collections. Next it was menu planning time.
The Menu
Pastel sugar cubes can be purchased but they are expensive so I decided to DIY. These are CRAZY easy to make. I bought some silicone molds in different shapes. Then it’s just sugar and water. 1 cup of sugar and only 2 tsp. of water. Then add only one drop of food coloring for pastel and mix. Smoosh into the molds and let set overnight but two days is best. Then voila- gorgeous pastel sugar cubes that looks WAY more luxe than anyone would ever guess they are!
To me, this little detail added such a nice touch to the sense of occasion. I love these little cubes and they’d make an excellent Valentine’s Day gift for friends. I’m told that if you up the water ratio they become more like candy melts. Given that my son kept snitching them I don’t think he knew the difference!
Petits fours I wasn’t sure of. They get a lot of gripe online for being tricky little buggers and hard to deal with. Yet, not a single bakery, I could find, makes them anymore. I’ve been searching for years now. These little lovelies have gone out of style I’m afraid. Replaced by cupcakes and cake pops. If you can find them they are usually glorified store-bought cake with bad icing and dry cake to boot- not at all what a petit four is meant to be.
It’s easy to see why they have become extinct from a bakery cost perspective. Cupcakes and cake pops are much easier to make and less time-consuming. But (sigh) the petit four! Nothing comes close in my book. They are so feminine, so delicious and so alluring. Little works of icing- clad art. Top them with little piped rose buds or a fresh raspberry. Nothing says wedding shower, baby shower or tea like the petit four.
So, I did my research and you know what? AMAZING! These little things were WAY more delicious than store bought. Plus, despite what you might read, they really are NOT difficult to make. They are simply a bit time-consuming with many steps involved in the process. Often, when something is time consuming it’s branded “difficult” but that’s not the same thing in my book.
Here’s what you need to know: a legit a petit four is a denser cake, more like pound cake so that it holds up to all the icing it’s doused with. Plus, the cake batter is made with almond paste which gives it that je ne sais quoi flavor. You bake it on a sheet pan and then slice it open and spread it with jam. This recipe turned out great for me.
Many recipes claim apricot jam is traditional but any jam will do. I used raspberry. Then sandwich the two pieces and cut the cake into 2 inch squares (eye ball it or be precise and measure). Next place on rack and douse with warm icing to coat. I love the piped icing rose buds you often see adorning the tops. But I’ve yet to master the art of piped icing. So, as a simple shortcut, I toped mine with a raspberries. A nod to what’s inside (raspberry jam).
As for the icing, it’s not hard to manage but you need to pour it while it’s warm and coats best. You also need A LOT of icing. Every recipe reiterated this: double the icing. But when I read a recipe that called for 9 cups of sifted powdered sugar I thought, “surely this was enough!” WRONG. So, I’ll say it again for you DOUBLE THE ICING. No joke people. You basically drown these little guys in icing to get them coated. More icing will definitely be under the cooling rack when you’re done, than on the cakes themselves. My four-year-old delighted in this and snitched icing from the rack placed in the sink for washing. I used this recipe which was great. Only be warned, they forget to list the 1/2 cup water you need in their ingredient list. I kept wondering why mine wasn’t melting over the double boiler until I read this.
As for scones, I won’t try to reinvent the wheel here when perfection already exists. Tartine’s Currant Scones. Enough said. I lived down the street from them in San Francisco and not a better bakery is out there I’m sure of it. Get their cookbook, it’s food porn or follow this bloggers recipe which is the same as Tartine’s.
Don’t overbake and be sure and brush with butter and sugar to get the amazing golden-brown crusty top. I wanted bite sized and used a small cookie cutter but I’d go smaller next time as they puffed up to bigger than expected. Also, you might be tempted to get a head start on your brunch and bake them off the day before but please don’t. You can make, cut and chill the disks ahead or even freeze them. Just please bake the morning of, preferably so they are served warm. There’s nothing like fresh, warm, pillowy scones with a golden-brown crust on them. Your taste buds will thank you!
I liked serving them with strawberry jam. Of course I had to put out some of the strawberry butter we made last week too! But they aren’t tea scones without the clotted cream.
Clotted Cream is easy but takes time. You bake a pint of whipping cream overnight (12 hours) at the lowest setting (170-180). Then you chill in fridge another 12 hours. Then scrape off the glorious top “crust” and place it into a ramekin for storage. The real trick here? You’ve got to use unpasteurized cream which can be hard to find, thanks FDA! An ultra-pasteurized cream, as many have said, but I learned the hard way, will leave you with more liquid than clotted cream. Also, as I learned too late, save the liquid and use it to make your scones. Supposed to be delicious!
What tea do I serve? Black and Assam are most traditional. I adore espresso but tea has a special place in my heart too. My two favorites came from a tea shop called Tea Luxe, in Cambridge Massachusetts, which sadly now appears to have shuttered. I drank their Crème De La Earl Grey and Victorian Rose tea faithfully for years. Now I’m still searching for an acceptable replacement.
My all-time favorite is the Harney and Sons Paris Tea. It comes in these gorgeous little blue tins. We used it as a favor at my baby shower with a little tag that read “Baby Brewing” and the due date. I recently discovered Pantenger and I like their rose tea. Fortnum and Mason also make some gorgeous teas and I like Nina’s Marie Antoinette.
I delegated as much as I could to friends. They didn’t disappoint with their tea sandwiches, salad, mini quiches and more. Then I kept for myself what I like best- baking. It was such a fun afternoon.
We got started at 11am drinking pink champagne out of old-fashioned, etched glass, champagne coupes and lunching before tea and dessert. The last little enclave of moms didn’t say their good byes until just before 5pm. I’ve discovered that when moms finally gather, and get some self-care time away, the party goes on all day. I sometimes think partying twenty-years-olds got nothin’ on us moms of young kids!
It was all gorgeous and my fantasy of a proper tea experience was brought to fruition. But the best part of all was the women I shared it with and the style and joy in which they turned out to be a part of a true tea party experience. I don’t know what I enjoyed the most, planning, entertaining, socializing, the pink champagne, petits fours, or dressing up and dawning a hat.
Now I’m already hatching my next tea a party idea- a midsummers event, a royal tea with a princess theme. I mean why not wear some long gloves and tiaras? Plus, I adore the history of celebrations gone by and find the idea of Midsummer so interesting.
There’s a little secret I’ve discovered which no one tells you when you’re growing up. Indeed, it’s quite unimaginable in one’s youth, when you’re going through puberty and insecure as all get out, or dealing with mean girls or maybe a dating drought.
So here it is- singer Cindy Lauper had it right, sometimes “girls just wanna have fun.” Because why not just have fun with it? This life we are given and this girly themed party? Why not wear that crazy hat? Why worry that you’ll be too out there? If you want to wear an evening gown to my tea party then why not? Just bring it! Bring your awesome, authentic self and I’ll bring mine! Then you’ll see me air kissing you as I say, “Girl after my own heart!”
From my heart to yours,
XOXO
~RHL
