Welcome to the Fantasy Reads and Afternoon Teas Blog
Those of you who know me, know that other than writing fantasy novels, I really enjoy a good cup of tea. One of my favorite pastimes is exploring new afternoon tea spots. I’ve always been a tea enthusiast, but since 2013, I’ve had the opportunity to try many unique places to grab classic afternoon teas. They have become a little bit of an obsession for me, and I’d like to take you on the journey as I try some new spots and reminisce on some old ones.
A History of Afternoon Tea Afternoon tea dates back to the 1800s (most cite 1840). It is usually credited to Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. It’s believed that the Duchess got hungry between lunch and dinner, the latter which wasn’t served until 8 or 9pm. So she requested that tea, bread, and cake be brought to her room in the late afternoon. Later she expanded to inviting friends to her “tea time.” By 1865, this became an acceptable form of entertaining amongst women, giving them a social outlet to discuss topics which would otherwise be considered unsuitable for women to discuss in the company of men. The Langham Hotel is considered the birthplace of afternoon tea as a full experience. They started serving afternoon tea in 1865 and they still hold this tradition today!
And just like that, afternoon tea was born and the tradition adopted by many. Today, anyone can enjoy an afternoon tea, and most happen much earlier than the traditional 4pm time slot. (I have had afternoon teas as early as 9am)! With a few adaptions, afternoon tea persists and thrives in the 21st century.
What does an afternoon tea consist of? Afternoon Tea had “humble” beginnings in the sense, what the Duchess requested was not nearly as substantial to what afternoon teas have transformed to today. Most classic afternoon teas consist of three tiers:
A bottom tier of finger sandwiches or savory bites
A middle tier of scones with jam and/or clotted cream
A top tier with small pastries
And of course…tea! Usually this is served in nice china though you can find afternoon tea spots that are more casual setups. Afternoon teas can vary from place to place and country to country, and I’ll get more into that in some of my future blogs!
Writing books and drinking tea has always gone hand in hand for many writers, and it’s definitely true for me. I can’t wait to combine these two passions of mine and share with you some great tea spots as I continue writing and publishing my fantasy novels. I’m so excited you’re here. :)
