Afternoon tea at four o'clock -

Jack there was a virtual tea party a while back as Gransnetters had been talking about afternoon tea. Nothing better than tiny sandwiches, scones, jam and cream, tea in china cups and a few little pastries.

Here's the thread:
www.gransnet.com/forums/chat/1190929-virtual-tea-party

Yes please jack - I'll be around tomorrow at 4pm, shall I bring some cakes, little dainty ones in paper cases

To-day I read about afternoon tea at different hotels in London and The Ritz came out on top again (not that I have ever been ) at £84.00 for tea for two how about that then? but you did get the choice of two kinds of tea Ritz crockery and staff dressed in refined livery to serve at your table,just think how many cucumber sandwich's you can get for that ? The Savoy came in at £90.00 but the sandwich's where dried up according to the report so I think I will give it a miss. My DGCs always have a snack and some nice biscuits when they come here from school just to keep hunger pains away until they have been collected by DD if she has been to work.

My two always seem to want Weetabix!

Glamma I read that article too. Ridiculous prices and it seemed they offered way too many cakes (can't believe I said that!) as you couldn't possibly eat them all!
Why don't they just reduce the price and then more of us could go!

Afternoon tea on Cunard is still the old ritual. I love it. It's probably why I'm on glasses weigh in! All those gorgeous little sandwiches, cakes scones with cream and jam and the most scrumptious fruit cake, all served be white gloved staff!

You are all welcome to come here for afternoon tea at any time. And I don't charge!

Meanwhile I do think tea the Ritz is still rather marvellous (a friend treated us a couple of years ago and it was a wonderful experience - especially for DH who made a beeline for the lady pianist who spent the rest of the afternoon fluttering her eyelashes at him over our pyramid of cakes and sandwiches).

Don't bother with the Waldorf (Aldwych) though. We had tea there fairly recently and it was awful - uncomfortable chairs, surly waiters and mean portions.

We had an even worse experience last week. I bought an afternoon tea treat voucher through Groupon as a little extra birthday present for DH (worth £39.99 apparently) and we spent a miserable hour in the freezing glazed annexe of a large local hotel. The champagne (one small glass each) was mediocre, there was no choice of tea and when the tea did arrive it was cold, the tasteless sandwiches had comes straight out of a very icy fridge (if not a freezer) and the cakes were horrible.

I haven't got round to complaining yet because we have both been so ill (bronchitis, pleurisy, asthma - you name it) but I fully intend to do so when I'm firing on all cylinders again.

PS: Carol. Because I am new to Gransnet I did not know there had been previous discussions about afternoon tea. I'll have a look at the link. Thanks.

jack I bought one of those champagne afternoon teas for an hotel in Manchester, opposite Granada TV studios. It was perfect! We sat by a window overlooking the river and had lovely dainty sandwiches, pastries and cream with scones, and were offered more champagne and given a fresh pot of tea, all at no extra charge. The staff were lovely and there was no hint that we only paid a discount price - we got really good service.

I do love afternoon tea

I must keep my eye's peeled for when these offers come available. oh i have just had a thought I will wait until after September I can't afford to have too many lumps and bumps for my pals wedding,i need to look sylth like.

jeni Just think if you stay on glasses programme and loose loads of extra inches you can really treat yourself when you are on board,extra champagne and cream cakes !!! lovely.

Not per se but I always give the GC sandwiches and cake after school and we all call it afternoon tea. It's become a feature and I like to think I've brought a bit of the 'olden days' into their lives. Woe betide me if I forget the cake! I think it's a nice little ritual but don't really have the time to do it when the GC aren't there.

I read those hotel reviews with some surprise. DD treated me to tea at the Savoy a few years ago as a thank you for helping her with a house move, we also went on the London Eye. I couldnt fault it,, food, including sandwiches were perfect, we could choose from a wide range of teas and supply of tea and food was unlimited. I do not think I would want a glass of champagne, or indeed any alcoholic drink with afternoon tea. It is and always has been an alcohol free meal.

We seemed to develop the habit of having afternoon tea on Sundays - like the roast 'dinner' (which never tastes the same any other day). It's something my daughter has always grown up with, my son in law loves it (they have nothing like that), and certainly the grandchildren although now grown up, took it for granted that grandma would have afternoon tea. When my children were at school, we always had a cup of tea and toast in the winter time, or cake in the summer time, as soon as they arrived home. Time for catch-up on the day. Now, during the week, we don't bother that much, we are such odd creatures sometimes.

We used to have high tea at my grandmas (both of them) whenever we visited, which wasn't very often as they lived in a different town. I remember the paternal grandma ones best because she always supplied flaky pastry vanilla slices with real custard. She, my mum and I adored these. One of us kids had to sit on the arm of the settee to get to the table as gran didn't have enough chairs for a family of seven.

DD likes to have a Tunnocks teacake when she gets in from school and a drink. She props her book up and reads. It's a valued relaxing time.

We were not posh enough for afternoon tea when I was a child - my mother didn't get home from work until 5.30 pm and then we had our evening meal, which we called tea - dinner was what is now called lunch.
When I was comparatively well off in the 1980's, I would treat myself to a tea dance at The Ritz whenever I was back in England. There was a small orchestra and wonderful sandwiches and cakes, etc. I think it was about £15 then. Just occasionally, there would be some on their own so I would get a dance, but I was quite happy just to watch, listen and eat.
I appeared on After Five with the lovely late Carol Keating and we discussed the various afternoon teas offered in London. (I was asked to appear to represent 'Glamorous Grannies').

jeni.Glad to hear about afternoon teas on the cruise.Look forward to that.
Once had afternoon tea at Fortnum & Masons in the 80s.We couldn't get into the Ritz.I think it was approx £12.
Cambridge in 60s.For student wives afternoon tea was the only entertaining as men had main meals in hall.First time I had China tea -hated it.

When I retired a couple of years ago I promised myself that DH and I whatever else we were doing would have afternoon tea. So I baked and baked and within six months had put on two stone - we also had pub lunches and lots of nice restaurant meals! We have a cup of tea at four now but I do miss the cakes.

A pub local to us has started to do afternoon teas. You can just have the tea and scone/cake kind, or one with sandwiches included. I think it is catching on with pubs.

Soooo tempting!

I love cream teas - tea and scones with lots of jam (only time I eat it) and clotted cream.
I have a tape with Noel Coward singing 'Everything stops for tea' - very English!

We always had afternoon tea when I was a child - 'Vicar's' sandwiches, cake and jelly.
When I was 60 I took 9 of my friends out for afternoon tea - all presented on one of those cake stand thingies - absolutely delicious and rounded off with champagne. Very yummy

susiecb. Two stone is too much! How did it happen? And why didn't we put on weight when we were young and had breakfast, elevenses, lunch, tea and supper? Was it because we walked and cycled everywhere?

I had a stay at home mum and we always had afternoon tea when he came home from school. I remember the smell of baking when I opened the door, scones, fairy cakes, coconut haystacks and baked egg custard. I can cook but I never mastered the egg custard, I would give anything to taste it again.

My Granny used to give us afternoon tea (we didn't get it at home). We had tea out of a teapot with proper cups and saucers and cake or flapjacks.

In summer we had it outside.

It was wonderful.