eteaket's Etiquette
Etiquette and customs thankfully evolve over time but it’s always handy to have tips to hand should the tea police come knocking.
  • Although historically a dainty affair, it is perfectly acceptable to eat Afternoon Tea with your fingers (unless a particular item has the ‘goo factor’ or you’ve got your new Chanel suit on).
  • If you want to do things properly, start with the finger sandwiches and then move on to the scones before devouring the cakes. If you’re prone to ‘eyes bigger than your belly’ syndrome you may wish to polish off the cakes first to avoid disappointment. Promise we won’t tell.
  • If you’re meeting the in-laws for the first time or meeting an important client, it’s advisable to take bites of the finger sandwiches rather than stuffing it in your mouth in one go. It avoids embarrassment.
  • Unless you want to look like a nancy, do not stick your pinky out when drinking tea. Just hold the teacup like a normal person. Historically, pinkies were used for balance and to avoid embarrassing spills but we think you’ve probably evolved enough to avoid dropping your tea cup.
  • If you spill some tea in your saucer, either place a napkin there to soak it up or simply ask for a new saucer. If you try and drink the spillage from the saucer it will only end in disaster.
  • The Great Milk Debate: originally European tea cups were made from soft paste porcelain so the poor souls had to put milk in first to stop the cups from cracking with the hot water. We have however had hard porcelain since 1710 so it’s no longer necessary to put milk in first. If you’re a purist, it makes more sense to add milk after the tea has brewed (so you don’t alter the temperature of the tea while it’s brewing and so you can judge how much milk is needed once the tea has brewed).
  • Dunking biscuits in your tea is generally frowned upon but it’s such good fun that we think dunkers should unite and stand firm. In fact, ‘dunking’ actually takes a lot of skill. We find the best approach is to immerse it biscuit side down to minimise any chocolate bleed. Dunkers swear that biscuits have more flavour when dunked.
  • If you’re wearing heavy lipstick, blot it before you drink your tea - smudge marks on the cup is a look more befitting your Nan than the young professional urbanite you clearly are.
  • Finally, the most important rule of all is there are no rules. Throw away the rule book, relax and enjoy your tea experiences.