When it comes to achieving that perfect afternoon tea experience, the devil is truly in the detail. So if you're serious about impressing your guests and sticking close to tradition, Classic Cornish Hampers will take you through the top tips and tricks of cream tea etiquette...
#1. If you're serious about your afternoon tea, always choose loose leaf - you'll enjoy improved flavours and aromas with more exposure to free-radical defying antioxidants. Brew your loose leaves in a teapot and serve either with or without milk - it tastes great either way!
#2. The perfect cup of tea requires patience, so always allow the tea to brew for at least 2 minutes before removing the tea bag and allowing the flavour to develop. Then add milk and wait a further 5 minutes for the tea to reach the perfect temperature for drinking.
#3. Avoid this serving faux pas! When you're all sat around the table, the guest sitting closest to the tea pot should always be the one to pour it - this prevents lots of ungainly reaching over people across the table - so make sure you always tend to others before yourself.
#4. Tea before milk, milk before sugar - this way you can accurately fine-tune the strength and sweetness of each and every cuppa.
#5. Cups should always be accompanied by a corresponding saucer to rest your stirring spoon on without staining your sugar white table cloth.
#6. Always break apart the scone with your fingers. Authentic scones from Devon and Cornwall should be a little rough around the edges, this is why gently breaking the scone apart is so important... So put away your knife and prepare your scones the right way!
#7. Always spread your jam and cream thick and generously onto your scone. If your table is particularly large with many guests and many plates of jam and cream, transfer toppings onto your plate first before you begin spreading across your scone.
#8. Jam before cream or cream before jam? If you're not sure, we've already tackled this issue in our previous blog, 'The Best Way To Eat A Cream Tea'!