Afternoon Tea Party Tips - Le Creuset Giveaway - 3-Tier Stand

Great gift idea! A 3-tier stand is a stylish way to serve hors d'oeuvres at your next party, though of course it is tailor-made for afternoon tea. 

Afternoon tea, the classic British-style afternoon tea, is something I enjoy as often as I can, at home or at a friend's home, at a posh hotel or a cozy tearoom. 

My first posh hotel afternoon tea was at the Empress, now the Fairmont Empress, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was only fitting, since I had heard so much about it from my mother and grandmother who had emigrated from England to Victoria (then eventually to the US). And, of course, we had tea at home. Tea has been my beverage of choice since the age of two. 

I give afternoon teas for my friends and have "converted" many to tea over the years. I've had smaller and larger teas, but most often have four to six people, sometimes indoors and sometimes in the garden in the gazebo. I make two or three different tea sandwiches; scones with clotted cream, lemon curd and raspberry or strawberry jam; shortbread and other sweets. 

The good thing is, nearly all the work is done in advance, so you have time for a bit of a lie-down before putting on your tea frock and greeting your guests. And, if you are new to giving afternoon teas, do keep it simple the first few times. Here’s all you need to know!

How to Throw an Afternoon Tea Party 

1 The three courses, the three S's of tea—sandwiches, scones, and sweets—can be extravagant or simple. Indoors, I usually have guests serve themselves at the tea table and sit round the living room. Outdoors, we sit at the table in the gazebo and have a sideboard for the things that won’t fit on the table. 

The afternoon tea pictured here was what I call a Table Tea in the corner of my kitchen. Did you notice that beautiful red Le Creuset 3-Tier Stand (available in 8 colors)? A 3-tier stand is just the thing for afternoon tea. Sandwiches on the bottom, scones in the middle and sweets on top makes sense to me because I like to eat more sandwiches and fewer sweets.

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2 Invite your guests to dress for the occasion. It will add to the ambience. For the ladies, this means dresses, gloves (removed before eating, of course) and even hats, if they have them. For the gentlemen, the male equivalent (though I usually don't ask anything more than long trousers and polo shirts of the men!). 

My friends and I always create somewhat of a sensation when we go out to tea in our tea attire. We like to think we bring up the tone of the place!

3 Since afternoon tea is a brief occasion, anywhere from one and a half to two hours or so, be sure to put the word “precisely” in front of the time on the invitation (as in “precisely three o’clock”). And, please, don’t call it “high tea,” which is the informal main evening meal sometimes called a “meat tea.” 

4 To make a proper pot of black tea, just before a kettle of freshly drawn water comes to the boil, warm the teapot with hot water, empty it, add one teaspoon of tea leaves for each 8 ounces of water. Immediately pour in the freshly boiling water, let it stand for 5 minutes, stir, and then strain into cups. If you prefer to use a tea ball, be sure it is large enough to allow the tea leaves to unfurl. Serve with sugar or sugar cubes, thin slices (not wedges) of lemon and a small pitcher of milk (never cream).

You'll want to experiment with tea amounts and steeping times, shorter or longer by a minute or two, with each new tea you try to get just the brew you like. 

5 Make one to three kinds of tiny, crustless sandwiches (six to eight total per person), and cover them properly* before refrigerating for a couple of hours until serving time. You might also include savory tartlets, mini quiches or mini meat pies. 

* You'll see the method in the directions for my tea sandwich recipes.

Since this tea was just a "simple" Table Tea in my kitchen, I made just two kinds of sandwiches: Almond Chicken and Egg and Dill Tea Sandwiches. 

6 Scones, another afternoon tea essential, can also be made ahead; just reheat at the last moment. Homemade are vastly superior to store-bought and so easy to make. Serve with raspberry or strawberry jam, lemon curd and clotted cream. 

I nearly always cut my scones into wedges because that's the shape my mother and grandmother made. And if you read the recipe, you'll find another good reason. 

7 Make or buy a selection of dainty sweet treats, perhaps three of the following: shortbread or other biscuits (cookies), miniature cream puffs, mini muffins, petits fours and pecan tartlets. 

In addition to my homemade fruitcake, I served Walker's Shortbread and mini eclairs that I bought for the occasion. 

Update 12/01/16: The giveaway is now closed

Le Creuset 3-Tier Stand Giveaway

This giveaway is open to US residents* 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person) that includes what you want to serve on the 3-tier stand. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday November 30.

*If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone in the US (you would have to send them a gift card separately on your own), go ahead and enter!

Bonus entry: If you are on Twitter, you may have one bonus entry by following Le Creuset on Twitter and Delightful Repast on Twitter. Leave a second comment below with your Twitter name. (Must include Twitter name!) 

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday December 1. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Sunday December 4, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: Le Creuset provided a 3-tier stand for review purposes and one for the giveaway. I received no compensation. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!