Cool Party Ideas for Girls: The Afternoon Tea Party

Newquay is a very cool town. It is the capital of the British surfing, attracts a young, vibrant and international crowd and the streets are bristling with trendy surf shops. So it came as something of a surprise to see a sign in the window of one of the little cafes: Vintage Style Afternoon Tea Parties - ideal for Sweet Sixteens, Hen Parties, Birthday Parties ...

Surely, the young girls of Newquay don't really sip tea and eat scones? Well, judging by the crowded cafe, yes they do! If you are stuck for a party idea, why not go retro and plan an afternoon tea party - it's cool again.

Stereotypes abound about the British: we don't wash, we have bad teeth, we are obsessed with the weather are a few that spring instantly to mind, and I would, of course, strenuously refute them. One notion about the British concerns our tea consumption, which is generally considered to be huge. This one I can't rebuff - it's true!

As a nation, the British are the world's greatest tea consumers. The love affair started in the 18th Century when the British began colonising India and we have not tired of it yet. If you visit the United Kingdom Tea Council website you will find a rolling statistic of how many cups of tea have been drunk in the UK that day - by mid afternoon it is the 100 millions.

So, the British love tea, the beverage, but that isn't the only kind of tea we consume. In addition, we have two meals called "tea". The first is high tea. High tea, abbreviated to "tea", is an early evening meal, originally eaten by the working classes. Whilst the upper classes could wait until later evening to eat dinner, the working classes had to get to bed early to get up for work, so they ate high tea.

Meanwhile, the upper classes found themselves a little hungry between luncheon and dinner, so the afternoon (low) tea arrived, being served between 2pm and 5pm. Typically, an afternoon tea consists of sandwiches, cakes and pastries served with tea. Few people nowadays regularly indulge in an afternoon tea due to being at work. However, tea rooms around the country serve it, and afternoon tea at the Ritz or Claridges is in high demand.

A good afternoon tea is an absolute treat, so here is how to delight your friends and family with a delicious British tradition.

Afternoon tea is also known as low tea, which means that it is served at a low table - unlike high tea, served whilst everyone sits at a dining table. Your guests will therefore be seated on sofas, serving themselves from plates on a low table or side tables.

If possible, you should use a bone china tea service and a cake stand. Personally, I think it looks rather kitsch if you have odd cups from different tea services - as long as they are good quality, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that tea should be served from a pot, not made in the cups using teabags.

Make the afternoon more special by arranging some flowers. You don't need to do anything elaborate, even simple arrangements make your guests feel you have gone that extra mile.

Finally, don't forget yourself - ladies, it's the perfect occasion for an elegant tea dress!

You can serve as many different teas as you like, but in practice most people won't have enough teapots to serve more than one or two. The counsel of excellence is to use loose tea, but frankly most people won't notice the difference between loose tea and teabags. If you do choose loose tea, don't forget the tea strainer.

Here is the drill for making tea in a pot:

• Warm the pot by pouring a little boiling water into it and swirling it around. Empty it out.
• Add the tea or teabags to the warmed pot. Use one teaspoon of tea, or one teabag, per cup of tea needed, plus one for the pot.
• Pour boiling water into the pot.
• Allow to brew for about five minutes.
• Serve.

Britain is a nation divided on the subject of tea and milk; milk first then add tea, or tea first and then milk. My own preference, backed by recent research (!) is the former.

Which tea to serve? Generally, afternoon teas are slightly lighter than breakfast teas. You can serve them with or without milk. If you are limiting yourself to two teas, perhaps an Earl Grey and a Darjeeling blend would fit the bill.  Twinings Prince of Wales tea is a traditional afternoon tea blend worth trying.

Sandwiches at an afternoon tea should be dainty and light, not hefty doorstops.  They can be finger sandwiches or small triangles.  It is usual to use at least two kinds of bread - white and wholemeal, for example.  Have a good selection of fillings, at least four.  Here are some suggestions:

• The iconic afternoon tea sandwich - thinly sliced cucumber.  Try adding cream cheese.
• Egg mayonnaise
• Ham and whole grain mustard
• Smoked salmon
• Roast beef and horseradish

You can either bake some larger cakes and serve them sliced or bake smaller cupcakes. My preference is for slices of different cakes, but cupcakes seem fashionable. Consider serving a few pastries too.

Large cakes to consider are a Victoria Sandwich, Swiss Rolls, Battenburg and Pound Cake. Several flavours of cupcakes, iced and decorated, look very effective on a cake stand too.

Scones are another afternoon tea favourite, served with clotted cream and jam. In fact, you are now more likely to find a cream tea, ie scones, clotted cream, jam and a pot of tea, being served than a full afternoon tea. As not everyone likes fruited scones, be considerate and offer your guests plain and fruited.

Small fruit tarts are often served for tea too or you might like to try mini-cheesecakes.

The final ingredient is good company - hope you and your guests enjoy your afternoon tea!