If like us, you love any excuse to get out the teaware and set the table – this time next week is Afternoon Tea Week. Endless rounds of the finest finger sandwiches, a selection of cakes, stacks of scones, tea, coffee and more cakes… we’ve chosen our favourite pieces from Duchess China 1888, perfect for enjoying this quintessential British tradition at home.
Responsible for so many stylish settings you will have seen on Instagram, like the pop-up Fendi Café in Harrods, Duchess China is all proudly made in Stoke-on-Trent, with each piece of silky white fine bone china handmade at their Longton factory in the same way it was 135 years ago.
A Brief History of Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea was imagined by Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, in the 1840s, as a 'pick me up' in between meals. Back then, it was normal to only have two meals per day – one in the morning and one in the evening.
Requesting tea, bread, butter and cake for her room, what started out as a private affair soon turned in to her upper class friends joining her, which then led to Queen Victoria organising large social events known as 'tea receptions'. This is when Afternoon Tea became a bigger, more formal occasion.
Today, Afternoon Tea is a decadent treat often enjoyed for special occasions such as birthdays, baby showers and hen-do's with friends and family. Some venues also offer ‘Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea’, which tends to include more savoury items than sweet.
Afternoon Tea Checklist
If you're hosting your own Afternoon Tea to celebrate, here's a quick check list of items you need to include traditionally, not forgetting the food and drinks.
- Teapot
- Teacup & Saucer
- Milk or Cream Jug
- Sugar Bowl
- Cake Stand
- Plates
- Cutlery
- Napkins
