Excerpt from Afternoon Tea ~ Tips, Terms and Traditions. ©Ellen Easton

What is important to understand and remember when planning any tea menu is to maintain a balanced menu and to provide equal servings of each item to each guest.

For all styles of sit-down teas, the hostess or wait staff, upon seating of the guests, should immediately serve the hot tea. Before the tea is poured inquire if the guest would like milk
and sugar.

Add the milk, after the tea has been poured. The water glasses should be filled. Once the tea has been poured, the food items, if not already placed on the table, should be
brought out and served promptly. The scones should be served warm.

Enhancers for tea and scones are either set on the table or brought out by wait staff at the appropriate time for each course that is served.

The wait staff will need to keep their eyes on the table to replenish the guests’ teacups with hot and fresh tea, as needed.

All Food Service

One serves food on the left and clears from the right. Beverages are served and cleared on the right. If staff is not able to serve from the left or clear from the right due to the physical
set up of the table, say, “excuse me” and proceed in the most nonintrusive manner. All service of all foods and beverages is conducted at the appropriate time for each course
served, not in-between the courses.

Tea Time Checklist Equipage

Teapot for brewing, teapot for hot water, tea kettle, tea urn, {optional} tea caddy and caddy spoon, tea strainer , mote spoon or t-sac, teaspoons, cups & saucers, dessert plates ,“slop” bowl, tea table, tea trays; high domed muffin dish, linens, lemon Squeezer, creamer, small pitcher,sugar bowl, sugar tongs, sugar caster, biscuit jar, candy dishes, jam jar , nut dishes,
Silent butler {to remove crumbs} cookie cutters,

Place cards: either for seated guest event or To identify teas and foods served at a buffet event

Flowers: but, never serve non-edible flowers as a food decoration, especially near children.

Tea time checklist – common ingredients

Dairy ~butter-un sweetened,cream cheese, creme fraiche, heavy cream for whipping, mayonnaise, sour cream, nonfat plain yogurt

Enhancers~ sugar cubes, honey, lemon, lime, candied ginger & orange rind, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla sticks

Fillers and accompaniments~ Eggs, cucumber, smoked salmon, soft spreadable cheese,tomato

Light and dark breads Artisan, fruited & seasoned breads ~ currants, olives, raisins

Scones, devonshire cream or clotted cream Curds, fruit preserves, jams and jellies, marmalades

Madelaines and crème fraiche

Chocolate, fruit tarts, petit fours,tea cakes, shortbread, cookie

Trifles, bowls of fresh, seasonal berries nuts of all kinds, natural and salted

Seasoning herbs and spices
Basil,cardamon, chives, cinnamon, cloves, curry, dill, ginger, mint, nutmeg, parsley, sage, rosemary , thyme, watercress salt, pepper dijon mustard, sweet relish, pickle relish

SERVICE STYLES

ENGLISH SERVICE~
The traditional afternoon tea is served on a three-tier curate stand. Each tiered plate holds one course. The stand is placed on the table for self-service.

Trifles, puddings and berries are served individually as a separate fourth course, if desired.

Typically, each tiered 8” or 10” plate will accommodate equal service for two to four persons.

The sit down, English presentation is suitable for smaller groups, as the stands usually take up too much table space.
The reason the scones are placed on the top tier is because traditionally, a warming dome was placed on top to keep the scones warm.

Top tier = scones {* seasonal breads and cheese sticks}
Middle tier = sandwiches and savories
Bottom tier = sweets

The orders in which the foods are consumed are:
First course = sandwiches and savories
Second course = scones, seasonal breads and cheese sticks
Third course = sweets
Fourth course = trifle, pudding or berries
Champagne or Sherry

RUSSIAN SERVICE-a la Russe~
The sit down, Russian style service is conducive for large or small groups, provided one has engaged service help.

Once the teas have been poured, the wait staff, beginning with the first course, presents a tray and serves each guest, each course individually. This allows each guest to choose from
the selections of their choice.

The orders in which the foods are consumed are:
First course = sandwiches and savories
Second course = scones {* seasonal breads and cheese sticks}
Third course = sweets
Fourth course = trifle, pudding or berries
Champagne or Sherry

FRENCH SERVICE- a la Français ~
The sit down, French style service is the most suitable for large groups or banquet service. Additional service help is a must.

Once the teas have been poured, the wait staff, beginning with the first course, presents each course pre-plated.

Each plate contains one serving of every item from each course, as per the planned menu.

{*non-traditional soup and salad courses may be served prior to the first course}

As an alternative, the first course, may be on the table just prior to seating the guests.

The second course of warmed scones, seasonal breads and cheese sticks are initially presented and served by the wait staff to each guest, usually in a bread basket, lined with a
linen napkin or linen bread warmer.

Once each guest has been served, the basket is placed on the table for additional self-service or to be passed once again by the wait staff.

Prior to the third course, all of the savory and bread items, with the soiled plates, are removed from the table.

The third course of sweets is now presented pre-plated.

Each plate contains one serving of every item from each course, as per the planned menu.
The fourth course is served approximately ten minutes after the third course.
The orders in which the foods are served and consumed are:
First course = sandwiches and savories
Second course = scones {* seasonal breads and cheese sticks} and
Third course = sweets
Fourth course = trifle, pudding or berries
Champagne or Sherry

French Style Sweets Course Plated

BUFFET SERVICE ~

Buffet service may be used in a private home or a public space, for small or large groups. If no formal service help is to be engaged, it is customary for the hostess/host or a designated honorary hostess/host to pour the tea.

Buffet teas are for finger foods only.

Do not serve any foods that require a knife or fork. Duplicate stations should be set up to accommodate larger groups.

One end of the table contains the set-ups of tea equipage.

As per the planned menu, each item should be presented individually on trays. Each item may be identified on a place card next to the tray.

Baskets of warm scones, seasonal breads and cheese sticks are placed accordingly. Example: all mini quiches are on one tray, all scones are in one basket, all petit fours are on one tray, etc., etc.

If loose-leaf tea is to be served, it must be decanted before being placed on the buffet table.

If tea bags are served, be certain to have a place for their disposal.

The foods served and consumed are:
First course = sandwiches and savories
Second course = scones {breads and cheese sticks}
Third course = sweets
Fourth course = trifle, pudding or berries
Champagne and Sherry may be served by wait staff or placed on the buffet for self-service.