In honor of National Tea Month, here are some tips on how to avoid the Tea Drinkers’ Hall of Shame.
- Do not refer to tea or afternoon tea as “high tea”.
- Do not use lemon and milk together.
- Do not add the milk before the tea.
- Do not put the lemon slice in the cup before pouring the tea.
- Do not extend the pinkie.
- Do not leave the spoon upright in the cup.
- Do not swirl the liquid around in the cup as if it were wine in a glass.
- Do not cradle the cup in one’s fingers if there is a handle.
- Do not remove the tea bag from the teapot and place it on the saucer.
- Do not remove the teabag and wrap the string around it to squeeze out the remaining tea.
So, put on the kettle and settle in for a lovely cup of tea.
Karen, Great tips for drinking tea. I hope an Americans that are attending the royal wedding will read it so they are prepared for the proper etqiuette for drinking tea.
Question: Is it ok to use teabags at a tea party (informal baby shower)? I wanted to do it the right way, but there will be children now, and I don’t want to make a fuss. After all, this is for the mother-to-be, and not a party for me.
Thank you.
Dear Grace,
Thank you for your question.
Yes, it is OK to use teabags at a tea party /shower. I would focus on good quality tea and be sure to have someting to put the used tea bags in. You would not want your guests to put the tea bags on their saucers. Another thought is for you to brew some tea ahead of time and keep it warm and then decant into your tea pot when you are ready to serve. I hope this helps.
I will post another blog piece on how to brew large amounts of tea. Watch for it soon.