Afternoon tea has become synonymous with the English-style high tea of scones, cucumber sandwiches and a good strong brew. The classic British spread will remain a firm favourite with the many, but it faces dangerously seductive competition.
Always first to embrace a fashion, tea’s first great European success was with the French. The court of Louis XIV adopted the leaf, imported from China, as a medicinal draught. Rumoured to protect the heart and cure gout, an unfortunate side effect of noble dining habits, it soon caught on in all the best circles. Tea fell from favour, along with anything that spoke of royalty and privilege, when heads rolled from the guillotine. Its banishment was, however, mercifully brief. A bout of Anglomania put tea back on the agenda, and on the menu of every good patisserie.
Unless you are an experienced pastry chef, a good tea in the French style depends upon shopping rather than baking. Choose a selection of miniature tarts: fresh berries, sticky apple and tarte au citron topped with meringue are all equally delectable. Madeleines, macaroons and mini éclairs offer one exquisite mouthful before they disappear. Petit fours, a square of cake, layered with butter icing then wrapped in fondant, are as pretty as they are delicious.
A visually sumptuous spread like this deserves to be displayed in the manner to which it is accustomed. Turn to the movie Marie Antoinette for inspiration, but leave the baroque decadence of the ancient regime to the silver screen. Opulent touches and delicate details make for a pretty table but work best in restraint; a single swathe of striped silk or ornate china in subdued shades. Colour is integral to the look: choose a palette of buttery yellows, French blue and soft grey with flashes of silver and pink for a luscious yet elegant setting.
Tea time
Choose a light, complex loose leaf tea, such as Darjeeling or orange pekoe. Or take a lead from the French: tea is usually served around 5pm, the perfect moment for a little champagne.
