An English Afternoon Tea is a very special treat to prepare for your family and friends. This very English tradition is said to have been started around 1840 by Duchess Anna Maria, wife of the 7th Duke of Bedford, who entertained her friends in the Blue Drawing Room at Woburn Abbey Tea is usual taken between 3 and 5 o' clock. This tradition is still kept up in all the fine Hotels in... [read more]

  An English Afternoon Tea is a very special treat to prepare for your family and friends. This very English tradition is said to have been started around 1840 by Duchess Anna Maria, wife of the 7th Duke of Bedford, who entertained her friends in the Blue Drawing Room at Woburn Abbey Tea is usual taken between 3 and 5 o' clock. This tradition is still kept up in all the fine Hotels in Britain and in little Tearooms all around the country, especially in Devon where the scones are a specialty. In The Dorchester and The Ritz London, this is still a big event and one has to book well in advance for this. You start with a selection of very thin sandwiches, like thinly sliced cucumber, smoked salmon and egg mayonnaise and mustard cress sandwiches. This is followed by scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream and a selection of cakes. Tea with cold milk or slices of lemon is served with this.