National Cream Tea Day, 24th June 2022
Its National Cream Tea day today, and every last Friday in June! A national day that I can fully get behind as if we really need an excuse to scoff scones! Here’s a little list of fun Cream Tea facts and etiquette.
A Cream Tea is usually just scones slathered with cream and jam served with a pot of tea. An Afternoon Tea consists of those delicious scones with the addition of small cakes and finger sandwiches served with plenty of tea. A Royal Tea consists of the same delicious elements of an Afternoon Tea but is served with a glass of Champagne! Serving your afternoon tea on beautiful vintage crockery, with delicate vintage cutlery on a table set beautifully with colourful embroidered vintage tablecloths and napkins is a must! It really adds to the sense of occasion and is so much fun.
How do you pronounce scone? The tasty Cream tea staple sparks a couple of debates the first is the way you say it! How do you pronounce scone? Scone rhyming with ‘gone’ or scone rhyming with ‘bone’ The Queen of baking Mary Berry says scone as in ‘gone’ that’s good enough for us
Image captured by Sarah Williams Photography
The Big Scone Debate, do you spread the jam first then then the cream or go straight for the cream first then the jam? Both Devon and Cornwall claim to have invented the Cream Tea. Apparently, the tradition in Devon is to spread the cream on first then add the jam, the Cornish tradition is to spread the jam first then dollop on the cream. But we say go with what you prefer its jam first for me!
If you are a bit on the clumsy side make sure you don’t sit near the teapot at any afternoon tea event. The guest who sits nearest the teapot is meant to pour the tea for everyone! The big tea debate, do you pour tea into your tea cup before you pour the milk? If you pour the tea first your guests can add as much or as little milk as they like so they get a cuppa at the strength they prefer. It was thought that the cold milk was poured into a teacup first traditionally to protect the delicate china from the boiling water. I think that tea tastes so much better from a dainty vintage teacup.
Pinkies up? It was thought that stretching out you little finger helped to balance the tea cup while you sip, it was also considered by some to make you appear more ladylike or gentlemanly. But apparently it is considered bad manners.
There are heaps of quaint traditions and etiquette surrounding the very British activity of Afternoon Tea, it’s fun to research them but it’s also important to remember that an afternoon tea is meant to be enjoyed and some rules are made to be broken! If you are planning a vintage afternoon tea why head over a take a look at my vintage crockery hire packages.
Image Captured by Sarah Williams Photography