The ultimate teatime collection, with an introductory guide to the history and etiquette of afternoon tea, and 200 classic recipes for sandwiches, savouries, cakes, gateaux and other treats.

Whether it's a tea party in the garden or a cosy gathering by the fire, afternoon tea is a treat at any time of year. Teatime should begin with Sandwiches and Savouries - delectable savoury morsels that range from traditional fare such as Finger Sandwiches to the more exotic flavours of Quick Blinis with Wasabi Cream and Caviar. Scones and Teacakes features some new takes on old classics. Try Blueberry and Lime Drop Scones or Orange and Walnut Scones with Mascarpone and Fig Preserve. For the ultimate tea-time indulgence, tuck into Fancies - sweet morsels such as Baby Eclairs with Coffee Creme Patissiere and Coffee Sauce or Orange Tuiles with Flaked Almonds. Finally, Cakes are the crowning glory of any tea party and there are a range of delicious flavours to choose from. Tried and tested recipes include Lemon Drizzle Cake, Coffee and Walnut Cake and Victoria Sandwich Filled with Cream and Strawberries. Afternoon Tea features delicate bite-size treats that are guaranteed to charm your guests. Bring out your best china, fill up the teapot and enjoy this wonderful tradition.*An irresistible collection of sweet and savoury recipes, from little toasts to finger sandwiches and scones to baby pavlovas.*Packed with information about preparing a tea-time feast, including how to make the perfect cup of tea.*Irresistible photography by Martin Brigdale.

The ultimate teatime recipe collection with an introduction to serving traditional afternoon tea, photographed throughout.

Afternoon Tea: A History explores the development of the afternoon tea meal, diving deeper than the popular tale of the Duchess of Bedford’s afternoon gatherings to find the meals that inspired those early afternoon teas. Julia Skinner carefully separates the fact and lore around the meal and sets the story of afternoon tea within its historic contexts. Recognizing that a meal’s birth and life never happen in a vacuum, the book sets aside the already well-documented conversations surrounding tea etiquette, instead exploring the social contexts that made the meal possible and popular, moving it from one small subset of the population to a widespread and beloved phenomenon, one that nearly died out at the end of the 20th century before experiencing a resurgence in the 21st. Afternoon tea is a meal that came of age during the British Empire’s most aggressive expansion, and as such became a meal that was transported to new continents with colonial forces. The book explores how this movement took place and uncovers the different ways tea and colonialism intersect in both the colonial and postcolonial worlds. It also looks at afternoon tea in America, a country that broke from the Empire before the meal was established as a set ritual, but which still has its own complex relationship with the beverage and a continuing fascination with the meal. The book concludes by looking at afternoon tea today, including a handful of interviews that show the range of perspectives about the meal and its place in society, as well as its resurging popularity in the last decade.

A guide to this treasured English tradition with recipes, serving and decorum tips, and culinary history—as well as delightful photos from the series. Afternoon tea is a revered English tradition—and no one knows better how to prepare and enjoy a proper tea than the residents of Downton Abbey. With this alluring and vibrant cookbook, fans of the PBS series and anglophiles alike can stage every stylish element of this cultural staple of British society at home. Spanning sweet and savory classics—like Battenberg Cake, Bakewell Tart, toffee puddings, cream scones, and tea sandwiches—the recipes capture the quintessential delicacies of the time, and the proper way to serve them. This charming cookbook also features a detailed narrative history and extols the proper decorum for teatime service, from tea gowns and tearooms to preparing and serving tea. Gorgeous food photographs, lifestyle stills from the television series and recent movie, and quotes bring the characters of Downton Abbey—and this rich tradition—to life in contemporary times.

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Have you ever heard this saying? Before we get a chance to say a word, our gestures and manners have already spoken for us. Though some of the rules of good manners change, others remain constant. This book is about the constants: the least you need to know to make a good first impression. As Clarence Thomas once said, "Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot." Use this book as a master key to open those doors.

From tea guru Sebastian Beckwith and New York Times bestsellers Caroline Paul and Wendy MacNaughton comes the essential guide to exploring and enjoying the vast world of tea. Tea, the most popular beverage in the world after water, has brought nations to war, defined cultures, bankrupted coffers, and toppled kings. And yet in many ways this fragrantly comforting and storied brew remains elusive, even to its devotees. As down-to-earth yet stylishly refined as the drink itself, A Little Tea Book submerges readers into tea, exploring its varieties, subtleties, and pleasures right down to the process of selecting and brewing the perfect cup. From orange pekoe to pu-erh, tea expert Sebastian Beckwith provides surprising tips, fun facts, and flavorful recipes to launch dabblers and connoisseurs alike on a journey of taste and appreciation. Along with writer and fellow tea-enthusiast Caroline Paul, Beckwith walks us through the cultural and political history of the elixir that has touched every corner of the world. Featuring featuring charming, colorful charts, graphs, and illustrations by bestselling illustrator Wendy MacNaughton and Beckwith's sumptuous photographs, A Little Tea Book is a friendly, handsome, and illuminating primer with a dash of sass and sophistication. Cheers!

80 stunning recipes and inspiration for how to host and bake for the ultimate afternoon tea party with instruction from master patissier Will Torrent. Arranged by season, and with extra chapters on a Classic afternoon tea and a Showstopper afternoon tea, Will showcases his no-nonsense approach to the techniques involved in patisserie, baking, chocolate work and serving savoury dishes. Beautifully illustrated and an invaluable source of inspiration, there are also six guest recipes from top restaurants and hotels: The Ritz; The Dorchester; The Gramercy Tavern; The Berkeley; Harrods and Raymond Blanc's Les Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. Starting with a brief history of British afternoon tea, Will then offers up recipes for jams, spreads, butters and curds – everything you might need to serve with an afternoon tea. Recipes include Smoked Salmon & Whipped Cream Cheese sandwiches, Cherry & Almond Bakewell Tarts and Fruited Scones; as well as more adventurous offerings of Prosecco, Lime & Mint Jellies and Lemon & Lime Matcha Tea Friands.

Over 65 afternoon tea recipes to celebrate the scandal, the sauce and the sumptuous spreads of binge-worthy regency drama hit Bridgerton. Bridgerton fans are cordially invited to indulge in themed afternoon teas galore. Each character hosts their own imagined chapter, serving up tasty treats to complement their theme. Penelope ― with her bright, blossoming frocks ― will be offering up a floral spread, while Genevieve Delacroix goes all ooh là là with her 'French' accent and Parisian petit fours. Only the daintiest delights will do for Daphne Bridgerton, while devilishly delicious is the order of the day for smouldering Simon ― 'I Burn For You' Biscuits, anyone? Queen Charlotte's tea is positively eccentric, while Lord Featherington's errs on the boozy side... Audiences couldn't get enough of the drama, deception and, indeed, Duke's derrière. And they won't be able to get enough of the elegant savouries, scones, cakes, macarons and other delectable recipes for indulgences here that accompany this seriously extravagant period drama with a twist.