Being a confirmed tea drinker, I have to start my day with a hot cup of tea. I think it’s a wonderful way to start and break the day, a time to slow down, or maybe conduct business over afternoon tea. However, with busy lives and schedules, does the afternoon tea ritual still exist?
The ritual of afternoon tea started in England in 1840 when the seventh duchess of Bedford needed some refreshments between lunch and late dinner. So, she requested to have tea, bread, butter and cake in her room.
Later, society women in the Victorian era started dressing up in special gowns to enjoy their tea, sandwiches, and cake in the drawing room. Eventually, drinking the afternoon tea became a national pastime.
The Milestone Hotel in London
The pleasure of taking tea is still being honored in hotels, mansions, museums and tearooms around the world
If you’re a tea lover, I think you’ll enjoy reading a book titled Tea & Etiquette written by Dorothea Johnson the founder of The Protocol School of Washington and Bruce Richardson, the author of many books about tea.
Photo 1,2 courtesy of Victoria, photography by Toshi Otsuki
Photo 3 courtesy of Architectural Digest, photography by Scott Frances
2 comments:
I just love a tea party! It's a nice way to warm up on a cold afternoon, too. Or in my case, I love an herbal tea before bed. Nice post!
Although I am not a tea drinker, I would love that beautiful tea cup and saucer in the first photo!
Tea parties seem... well, so elegant!
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