Hosting

Hosting an afternoon tea is a planning exercise disguised as a party: what goes on each tier of the stand, what can be baked ahead, how much to make per guest, and how to time the day so the scones come out warm while the tea is still hot. This collection turns that planning into simple, reusable checklists and menus. We also cover the traditions of the tea table honestly — where afternoon tea broadly comes from, how it differs from high tea, and which points of etiquette are genuinely customary versus modern invention. Where the historical record is thin or contested, we say so plainly rather than repeating a tidy story.