As many Americans aren’t quite familiar with tea time, we frequently get asked many questions about this age-old tradition. While the tea experience we provide is a blend of what I experienced growing up in my native South Africa with British, French, and Indian tea culture, you might find the following information helpful.
Scones are similar to biscuits, but biscuits tend to be flakier. Scones are made with eggs, while biscuits are not. Otherwise, they are somewhat similar, although they are often served differently (i.e. biscuits with eggs and bacon, while scones are served with clotted cream and preserves).
While finger sandwiches are, as the name implies, eaten with your fingers, tea etiquette usually requires dessert morsels to be eaten with a fork or dessert spoon.
While this is a humorous and popular way to depict an upper-crust tea drinker, you’ll be relieved to know that pinkies can remain down. (In fact, keeping it out is considered poor form!)
While the teacup is to be held and sipped out of, the saucer can be left on the table. In fact, it’s best to avoid moving the saucer much at all.
After stirring your tea (which in and of itself is an affair, because the quieter the better – it’s traditionally frowned upon to make noise as you stir), place the tea spoon on the saucer. In British culture, you would never drink your tea with the spoon still in the cup unless you wanted to raise eyebrows. Also, the tea spoon is strictly for stirring — this one doesn’t go into your mouth.
Have additional questions? Contact us and let us know what else we should add to this list!
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