by Emeric Harney May 06, 2022 7 min read
When Pinterest announced earlier this year that afternoon tea is the new happy hour, the news came as no surprise to us. As purveyors and enthusiasts of fine teas, we’ve long known the joys of a true afternoon tea. This enjoyable ritual has swiftly gained popularity, with Pinterest basing their prediction of afternoon tea as the new happy hour on the interests of 444 million Pinterest users worldwide, many of whom said they would choose tea with a friend over drinks after work in an online survey. And if you search for #afternoontea on Instagram, be prepared to spend the rest of the week looking at the over six million posts.
There are a couple of theories out there about why afternoon tea has become the new cool thing. One is the pandemic, which has changed a lot of what and how people do things. Due to staying home more (especially during the first year or so), going out for happy hour just didn’t happen. While there was a reported surge in alcohol sales initially during the pandemic, there was at the same time an increased interest in health and wellness (just maybe not by the same people!). The well-known health benefits of teas like rooibos, green teas and wellness teas certainly added fuel to the afternoon tea fire.
Another theory is that the 20- and 30-something crowd may be becoming more interested as they collect grandmother’s china tea sets and fancy spoons. Another stat Pinterest reported was that searches for vintage tea sets were up by 70%. There’s no denying the facts: tea is cool.
If inviting friends over to unwind and enjoy a relaxing afternoon tea appeals to you, we’ve put together some recipes to help you put together a casual yet elegant affair. Here’s to the new happy hour! Cheers!
First Up: The Basics of Afternoon Tea
To set the scene and put you in a true afternoon tea frame of mind, we suggest you read our blog Tea Like the Brits because, well, who better to school all of us on the proper way to do tea. You’ll find tips on what to serve, the difference between afternoon tea, cream tea and high tea, what cream tea is (not what you probably think), royal tea (served with champagne!) and most importantly, tips on etiquette. Your tea doesn’t have to be a stiff, formal affair, but a little decorum can’t hurt, right?
Want to make sure you’re brewing your tea correctly? Check out our Tea 101 page where you’ll find tips on making the best cup of tea of your life. As to what tea to serve, our answer will always be this: serve tea that makes you smile!
Next: Savory and Sweet Things
There are several eats that are ubiquitous at afternoon teas like cucumber sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, macarons and petit fours. But rather than give you recipes for those, which you can find on the internet or the cookbooks in your pantry, we thought we’d share some special recipes from the Harney & Sons The Tea Cookbook authored by the award-winning cookbook author and food writer Joanna Pruess along with our founder and my grandfather, John Harney. Enjoy!
This is a traditional Chinese appetizer but our version is up-to-the-minute. The marble pattern intensifies the longer the shelled eggs are exposed to air. Makes 12 half eggs.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
View the recipe card here.
Here’s a pair of tempting hors d’oeuvres bites. The different cheeses and teas make them distinct: Number I is subtly nutty and smoky; number II is more herbaceous. Serve one or both, but either way, allow the warm toasts to cool a minute or two to let the flavors come through. Makes 24.
Tea’s Toasts I Ingredients:
Tea’s Toasts II Ingredients:
Instructions:
View the recipe card here.
These small, flaky pastries – swirled with a layer of Irish Breakfast tea and sautéed onions – are another tasty cocktail nibble sure to draw raves from your guests. Makes about 4 dozen.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
View the recipe card here.
Dried cranberries and orange set against the delicate floral bouquet of jasmine tea in these perfectly dunkable biscotti. What to serve with them? Jasmine tea for sure, or a little sherry! Makes about 3 dozen.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
View the recipe card here.
If afternoon tea is the new happy hour, why not incorporate the best of both worlds! A light champagne cocktail with its three layers of color that is as festive in the glass as it is delicious in your mouth! Serves 6.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
View the recipe card here.
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