The Perfect Afternoon Tea Checklist

Is tea your bag? Well good news for fans of brews, it’s National Afternoon Tea Week. Which, let’s be honest, means you’re going to have to pull the pinkie finger out. This is no time for digestives or bog-standard builder’s brew – this week calls for something a bit more upmarket.

If you’re an afternoon tea amateur, don’t worry. We’ve collected a bunch of cheeky hacks to help you host an afternoon tea even the Ritz would be proud of!

1. The Tea

Only your Great Aunt Martha (who thinks she can see the future in a teacup) has time for loose tea leaves. Tea bags might seem a bit like cheating, but bung them in a teapot and no one will be any the wiser. There’s a great selection of beautifully brewed teas at SPAR, you can pick up some delicious Green or Earl Grey tea for just £1.50.

And why not throw in a few tea facts to impress your guests;

• Earl Grey was named after 19th century English Prime Minister, Charles Grey, the second Earl Grey, but why this tea was named for him is still a mystery.
• Next to water, tea is the second most consumed drink in the whole wide world.
• British people drink about 165 million cups of tea a day.

2. Buns and Cakes

In a traditional afternoon tea, there are small, dainty mouthfuls of all your favourite buns and cakes. If you really want to keep things small, cut your favourite buns in half, but you know, it’s your party – be a rebel and serve the full sized versions. It’s only Afternoon Tea Week once a year after all!

3. The Weather

Ideally, you’ll be sitting in the sunshine with bluebirds serving you fairy cakes, but let’s get real. As lovely as it would be to have tea in the garden like Lady Bracknell, no one wants to be bothering with brollies. Hedge your bets, and serve your tea indoors.

Fresh flowers and a cute table cloth can make it seem (kind of) as magical, and you can even throw a picnic blanket down for an “al-fresco” indoors feel.

4. The Sandwiches

The sandwiches are where things get serious, guys. You have two options – one, play it classic and provide egg and cress or cucumber sandwiches. Or, you can go a little rogue and show off some new flavour options – like a SPAR coronation chicken sandwich filler, roast beef and horseradish, maybe even a PB&J. Who’s the sandwich police here?

One thing’s for sure though, there can’t be a crust in sight.

5. Get Fussy

Bluff your way to success- even if you haven’t a clue, start to have very specific opinions on when milk should be added to tea. Drop in statements like “According to Tatler, this is the definitive way to spread your jam this season”, “Cupcakes are so 2008, darling” or more vaguely, “If it was good enough for Oscar Wilde, it’s good enough for me…”

Easy peasy. Afternoon tea has never been so easy! Stock up on delicious treats to share with your friends at SPAR, and let us know how you got on on Facebook or Twitter.