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:the english ritual of tea One cannot fully experience English culture without being The English Ritual of Tea 104 | www. h e rmagaz i n e . c o. n z inducted into the mysteries of Afternoon Tea, or in Scotland, High Tea. With a soothing cup of tea, the English reconnect with friends and family, establish new friendships and cure all the ills of the world. Indeed, there is no more quintessential Englishness than this almost sacred ritual. To fully appreciate the importance of this tradition, one must go back to its origins in the middle of the eighteenth century. English meals traditionally consisted of breakfast in the morning and dinner at around 8 o'clock in the evening. With a staple diet of bread, beef and ale, there was too long a gap in the middle of the day without any sustenance. It was in the early 19th century when Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford (1788-1861) was said to have complained of "having that sinking feeling" during the late afternoon. The solution for the Duchess was a pot a tea and a light snack, taken privately in her boudoir at Belvoir Castle during the afternoon. Adopting the European tea service format, she began to invite friends to join her for her afternoon meal. The menu revolved around small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and, of course, tea. Proving popular, the Duchess continued it when she returned to London. The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly picked up by other social hostesses and eventually spread to the masses. Tea Time Etiquette: Tea Time in England has its own sets of rules and etiquette, starting with the way that you hold your teacup. "More useless ritual!", you may well exclaim. But just remember that for every rule, there is a reason. Ready? Here goes: • Holding the teacup correctly not only ensures grace, it ensures that the hot tea doesn't spill and scald your lap. To hold the teacup correctly, place your fingers to the front and back of the handle with your pinkie finger slightly tilted up for balance. Don't loop your fingers through the handle, or hold the body of the cup with the palm of your hand. • When stirring your tea, try not to use wide circular motions. Try using a delicate motion instead, without clanging the sides of the tea cup with your spoon. Place the spoon discreetly on the right side of the saucer after stirring. • Sip your tea elegantly. Don't gulp it. Place the teacup back on the saucer after sipping instead of cupping the cup in your hand. • If you're having milk in your tea, pour it into the cup first. Avoid cream as it can mask the taste of a good tea. You can add sugar cubes to your tea with or without milk. If you prefer lemon with your tea, delicate lemon slices are generally offered with the use of a small fork. It's never a good idea to mix lemon together with milk in your tea, or you'll end up with a curdled mess in your cup which you'll either have to leave (not a good move) or drink (an even worse move). • Never, ever, lick the teaspoon. • When eating scones, split the scone in half horizontally with a knife, and spread butter on the crumb side of the scone, followed by the jam and a dollop of cream if you like. • While you may be famished after all that shopping at Harrod's, eat your mini-sandwiches with delicate bites, remembering to smile and chat in between. • Refrain from setting your fork back down on the table after you have used it. Set it down on the side of the plate instead. • If you have to temporarily leave the table, set your napkin on your seat instead of back on the table or, heaven forbid, throwing it on your plate.