Looking to host a Downton Abbey themed tea?

While seeming overwhelming, it need not be difficult.  Here are a few tips for hosting a Downton themed tea or really any tea for that matter.

As the Hostess, you will need to:

*Select a date that works best for your guests.  I prefer weekend afternoons as that seems to work best. As the Dowager Countess says, “What is a weekend?”

*Decide whether or not you will provide everything or ask guests to bring items.  My tea group has potluck teas and that is rather nice.  It takes the burden off the host as there is much involved in hosting a tea and it lets the guests take a part in the tea.

*Provide the tea.  I suggest a full bodied black tea such as Earl Grey, English Breakfast or Assam.

*Decorate – this is the fun part!

*Provide the serving ware, dishes, cutlery, napkins and of course, a pretty table cloth. I really like to use blue dishes as the food seems to photograph well.

*As hostess, you will make the decision as to whether or not you want to have a three tiered server or have guests serve themselves (like the Crawley’s did in their library).  If you have many food items, it can be easier to make it pot luck.  If you have 4 or fewer guests, I would suggest a three tiered server in the middle of the table.

Decorating the table

I like to use tea themed centerpieces.  In the past, I have taken a teapot or tea cup to a local florist and had them create the arrangement.  As the Dowager Countess said to Isobel Crawley said in one episode, “These things are best left to the professionals.”

One of the big lessons that I have learned as a hostess is that you can’t do everything.  Concentrate on what you do well and contract out the rest.

This last tea pot is very old.  It is one of my favorites.  Probably Staffordshire.

CURIOUS WHAT FOODS TO SERVE?

I highly recommend going to the source and using recipes from the Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook.  It can be daunting figuring out what to serve.  The cookbook is very nice, beautifully illustrated and gives a bit of history as well.

If your guests are pitching in, perhaps give them a recipe to try.

MY TOP TIP

Serve the scones first if you are able to.   Room temperature scones are okay, but warm scones are heavenly!  I was taught that the tea sandwiches come first, but if the food is served in that order, the scones will be cold.  Make sure to have plenty of clotted cream and jam on hand.  Note that scones can be frozen and then thawed.  I have found that extremely helpful when hosting an afternoon tea.

SCONE ETIQUETTE

Before I become a certified etiquette instructor in the Art of Afternoon Tea, I had no idea that there was such a thing as scone etiquette!  Decorum states that the scone should be broken in half, not cut or sawed in half.  Scones are all made different and some will just not break in half, especially the triangle shaped ones.    I know I don’t have to say this, but avoid making a scone burger.  The scone is supposed to be eaten slowly.

Scones are really fun to make as there are endless combinations.  My personal favorite is my lemon lavender scones, which are also plant based.

Shown here are strawberry, white chocolate and pecan scones that I made once for Valentine’s Day.

PHOTOS

In my opinion, it is important to take photos of the tea table and each other before you are seated. Before you post any photos on social media, make sure that everyone is fine with their photo being shared.  Please do not post any unflattering photos.   After that, you may put your phone away and enjoy the conversation.

CONVERSATION

The most important aspect of afternoon tea is relaxing and catching up with friends.  If you can, avoid politics, gossip or any other topic that can be upsetting.  I like to pick a topic and then go around the table.  Some suitable tea time topics are:

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

What is your new favorite book?

What is your favorite movie?

If you could have tea with anyone living or deceased, who would you pick?

I find I learn things about my guests that I would have never learned before.

Of course, tea with the Dowager Countess often involved her trying to find out information or influence others in her family.  I love this photo of her looking wistfully at Downton.

WHEN IN NEED OF HELP, FIND YOUR OWN CARSON

The only down side of hosting a tea is the constant filling of the tea cups as the tea cups are small.  When I hosted my first teas, I was constantly up and down, making sure my guests tea cups were full.

One option is to have the tea pot at the table and pour directly.  If you are having more than 4 guests, as the hostess you will be getting up and down often.  A solution is to employ your own Carson.  Another option is to ask a family member for help in serving.

As I had no one in my family to help, I hired my own Carson.  It was a relatively small expense and one well worth it.  Calling on the expertise of a man who used to work in a high end tea room was invaluable to the enjoyment of the afternoon for me.  Not only did he brew the tea, but he poured the tea and then cleaned up the entire kitchen!

In my next post, I will address what to wear to a Downton themed tea.  As the series spans 1912 to 1926, this includes both the Edwardian and Flapper periods.  I lean towards Edwardian as I think that style looks best on me, but there are plenty of options.