LOOK, IT’S SCONE 3.. TIME FOR TEA
The younger generation are turning back the clock and having parties in tearooms
By Fiora McFarlane Slipon trainers, marks andspencer.com BY ANNA BURNSIDE AFTERNOON tea is a meal that isn’t really necessary. It breaks every rule of dietary correctness, skipping over the sensible bits in favour of cream, jam and processed carbohydrates.
Although the name means that a hot beverage is non-negotiable, it can easily accommodate champagne, prosecco or some kind of delicious cocktail.
It should also include savoury sandwiches – cucumber, salmon, chicken and egg are all acceptable. These should be small and thin, not something you might get in a Boots meal deal.
Scones are an essential, with cream and jam. A debate about which goes on first is just part of the ritual.
Then cakes. Several types of cake, all scaled down and delicate so it’s possible to eat a strawberry tart, a chocolate brownie and a red velvet cupcake without entering a coma.
Afternoon Tea Week, which began on Monday, celebrates this dainty yet decadent treat. It’s also an awareness-raising event to remind the confused that this is very different from high tea.
This is eaten later in the afternoon and starts with a hot savoury dish – maybe fish and chips or macaroni cheese – before steaming into the baked goods.
Back in the olden days, afternoon tea was what ladies did before they lunched. They socialised in tea shops and caught up with the gossip and scandal over Lapsang Souchong and buns.
As women’s lives got busier, it fell out of favour and only posh hotels had tiered cake stands and doll’s house-sized scone cutters.
Now, new generations are enjoying finger sandwiches, ditsy macarons and teeny fruit tarts. It’s become a popular birthday or anniversary treat that has cross-generational appeal.
Caitlin Divers, events manager at the Mackintosh at the Willow tearoom in Glasgow, said: “It’s one of our biggest sellers. The most popular way to have it is with tea or coffee but you can have it with prosecco, champagne or gin.
“It appeals to all ages and genders. Grandparents bring their grandkids in. They remember coming with their grandparents when it was Daly’s department store. It’s lovely to see the tradition continue.”
It has become a viable alternative to a boozy party or expensive dinner.
Jenny Fulton had a champagne afternoon tea in a swanky hotel for her 40th birthday.
She said: “Everyone dressed up and it felt like a real treat. It’s cheaper than going out for a meal and less of a commitment than a big night out.”