A Time Honoured Tradition Celebrated in Style
There is nothing quite like a well brewed cup of tea to set the world to rights - a time honoured tradition that saw kettles up and down the country set to boil in time for a well deserved afternoon tea. A break from the steam of the afternoon, a hot cuppa to set you up for the rest of the day and a moment of leisure to be enjoyed with a biscuit or slice of cake.
Yet nowadays we hardly have the time to sip from a half warm mug during the afternoon rush, with deadlines to meet, schools coming out and the evening coming at us without a pause for the day.
"Many visitors from overseas still imagine that we are a nation where, in the words of the well-known song, 'at half past three, everything stops for tea'. Sadly these days Afternoon Tea is usually only an occasional luxury for the British; a birthday treat in a country house hotel, or a welcome break from a hectic days shopping 'in town'. Luckily the tourist is still able to indulge in a little bit of British tradition for themself."
Afternoon Tea Week
But for one week only maybe we can all find time to stop for a while and appreciate this tradition that is now an affordable treat, served in the luxury of many boutique hotels in the heart of London and across the country.
Afternoon Tea Week celebrates the great heritage of afternoon tea in the UK with a week of activities, themed menus and offers in hotels, restaurants and tearooms across the country from 10th-16th August.
We had a peek into an afternoon tea last month at St Ermin's Hotel and found to our delight that not only is afternoon tea something to relax and enjoy, it also tastes divine! The mix of delicate small-bite sandwiches perfectly sliced and diced without the crust, warm scones laden with jam and cream and delicious cakes and sweet treats is enough alone to secure our undivided attention.
Add to this the bubbles of fine champagne, and of course a fabulous cup of quality tea and our afternoon becomes complete.
What we love about the many hotels offering Afternoon Tea is that they make it affordable for many people to join in. It may not be a weekly occurrence but certainly for the price, the chance to see inside some of the luxurious building in the City, to be treated to a high level of presentation, taste and service it is definitely worth consideration.
There are special events and promotions running throughout the UK, with something for everyone from tea tastings to Afternoon Tea cookery courses. For a full look into the many events, competitions and places to take tea visit www.afternoonteaweek.com