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Original poster

Afternoon Tea.... Its

46 replies

MojacaSunset · 22/04/2023 20:31

What would you expect to be served for Afternoon Tea in a lovely tea room with vintage china?
I went to a celebration afternoon tea today and it wasn't what I expected, but I'm not sure if my expectations were unrealistic.

OP posts:
Original poster
MojacaSunset · 22/04/2023 21:46

@Lovelynames123
I wish we had come to your coffeeshop.

OP posts:
Trysbutfails · 22/04/2023 21:48

Based on the thread title I thought this was a follow on from the Wagatha Creamtea thread 😂

StormzyinaTCup · 22/04/2023 21:48

Lovelynames123 · 22/04/2023 21:44

I sell afternoon tea in my coffeeshop, it consists of finger sandwiches, a small slice of Quiche, a small sausage roll, small cheese and fruit scones, 3 small cakes plus jam and cream plus tea. It's all freshly made by us on the day. It's very popular!

Sounds lovely😊
In my next life I'm coming back to run a coffee shop.

PriamFarrl · 22/04/2023 21:50

Bubbleses · 22/04/2023 20:34

for a basic traditional classic tea, I’d expect a couple of scones with jam and cream, a selection of finger sandwiches with classic fillings and a selection of small cakes (served on a cake stand). Then a choice of teas served in a teapot…
what did you get?!

That. The style of china would depend on the tea room. A cafe near me does a lovely afternoon tea but it’s a modern style venue so the cups etc are modern. The other lovely cafe has more traditional vintage crockery.

UsingChangeofName · 22/04/2023 22:01

I would be disappointed with that, too.
Afternoon tea should be all about delicate things.
Little cakes.
Little sandwiches.
The tea should be plentiful and fresh.
The scones are the only things allowed to be big.

TroysMammy · 22/04/2023 22:08

I've been for an afternoon tea and along with some small cakes was served mini pork pies and sausage rolls wtaf? I don't think you'd be served that in The Ritz.

TroysMammy · 22/04/2023 22:09

Reading that back my afternoon tea was not in the Ritz.

ExtremelyDetermined · 22/04/2023 22:10

I’d take a pork pie and sausage roll over some of the cakes any day

WimpoleHat · 22/04/2023 22:16

We go to a lovely local cafe that advertises afternoon tea to order. One day, we went in and a small wedding party of four came in. Lovely idea. They served:

  • 2 rounds per person of lovely but incredibly well filled sandwiches
  • A hearty slide of quiche and a large sausage roll per person
  • Two large scones with cream and jam each, plus a cream filled horn pastry
  • A massive tray of brownie bites, macarons and little cakes - probably four or five bits each (and they were pretty sizeable squares).

It looked glorious to be fair. But it was large. I hope they were given doggy bags!

Izzy24 · 22/04/2023 22:21

There’s never fruit cake.

Izzy24 · 22/04/2023 22:21

Which is disappointing.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 22/04/2023 22:28

There’s never fruit cake.
Which is disappointing.

That's true. Sometimes there's little chocolates, that's nice.

O wouldn't have minede rolls over crust less sarnies if they were mini, and a variety of breads.

Although I quite like the idea of 'builder's afternoon tea' I think there's a gap in the market for that. Perhaps the sandwiches would be bacon and egg. And a whole packet of chocolate biscuits, if DP is anything to go by on builder's biscuit intake.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 22/04/2023 22:29

Good grief, the typos. Sorry about that!

watcherintherye · 22/04/2023 22:38

The ritual that is afternoon tea is all about the presentation of a variety of dainty items. Full size rolls and huge slices of cake have no part to play, imo!

ExtremelyDetermined · 22/04/2023 22:41

Well, to be honest there’s a reason I don’t go for afternoon tea very much, I am not really one for the dainty things, a ploughman’s lunch is more my thing so I might leave the thread Grin

CKL987 · 22/04/2023 22:48

MojacaSunset · 22/04/2023 20:47

Afternoon tea isn't really my thing but I went along to celebrate with the host.
I was expecting crustless finger sandwiches, possibly some little savoury quiche / tartlets, scones with jam and cream, and a selection of little cakes.

We were served filled rolls, a large scone with jam and cream, a shortbread biscuit and an enormous slice of sponge cake.
I was disappointed that there was nothing dainty and very little variety. The huge scone and cake seemed at odds with the delicate fine china!

Blimey that does sound pants but how much did you have to pay as that would determine for me what to expect.

Decafflatteplease · 23/04/2023 00:08

Mustardandchickensandwiches · 22/04/2023 21:41

Afternoon tea should be delicate. That sounds like builders afternoon tea.

Builders afternoon tea 😂😂😂

TheChosenTwo · 23/04/2023 00:15

I just don’t really get along with afternoon tea. Is it supposed to be eaten after lunch but before dinner? I wouldn’t want to eat again between those two meals.
As it is, I don’t eat 3 square meals a day, I usually have a snacky sort of lunch and then a proper dinner.
So, for afternoon tea I just hold off on the lunch and then 4 poxy slivers of dainty sandwiches isn’t enough as it’s the equivalent of one sandwich, nibbled delicately over 25 minutes and really only 3 fingers of sandwich as one is always the vile dreaded coronation chicken. And then the cakes, lovely but small. And a scone. Too much sweet and not enough of the savoury for me. I hear about people taking home boxes of leftovers after an afternoon tea, I’ve maybe had 6 in my life and there’s never been a scrap leftover to take anywhere 😂 maybe me and my circle just eat too much! Either way, it’s never quite hit the spot as nice as they’ve mostly been.
So generally to me an afternoon tea is… expensive and disappointing.

Pixiedust1234 · 23/04/2023 00:28

Lovelynames123 · 22/04/2023 21:44

I sell afternoon tea in my coffeeshop, it consists of finger sandwiches, a small slice of Quiche, a small sausage roll, small cheese and fruit scones, 3 small cakes plus jam and cream plus tea. It's all freshly made by us on the day. It's very popular!

debates whether to ask a coach company to do tours to Lovelynames123 coffeeshop 🤔

SammyScrounge · 23/04/2023 00:40

Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh does a fabulous afternoon tea. The setting is just perfect-large airy room with a very high ceiling and ornate cornicing. There is a balcony high up on the wall and when we were there, there was a harpist playing very elegant but rippling music. There are palm trees, giving the room a 1920s look.
Tea was served by waistcoated waiters with bow ties. Imagine a huge cakestand. Tiny little sandwiches and a variety of fillings. Little cakes of various types, even tiny meringues, iced gems,fairy cakes, marzipan, fruit cakes. Another tier and a selection of biscuits shortbread, chocolate. The tea is poured by the waiter- he pours it with a flourish from a height from a height. There are loads of teas to choose from.
What an afternoon!

Thirdsummerofourdiscontent · 23/04/2023 00:47

How disappointing, I would want a few small amazing treats. And tea, lots of nice tea.

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